Facebook offers a variety of keyboard shortcuts that can help you navigate the site more efficiently on both desktop and mobile. Keyboard shortcuts allow you to perform common actions without needing to use your mouse or trackpad, saving you time. This article will provide an overview of the most useful Facebook shortcuts and how to use them.
Keyboard Shortcuts on Desktop
When using Facebook on a desktop computer, the following keyboard shortcuts are available:
- g – Go to the search bar
- h – Go to your homepage/news feed
- m – Open your messages
- n – Open notifications
- / – Shortcut to begin searching
- ? – Open the Help Center
To use these shortcuts, simply press the associated key while on Facebook.com. For example, pressing “m” will instantly open your messages. The search shortcut (/) is helpful for quickly jumping to search.
Posting and Commenting
When composing a new post or comment, these shortcuts are available:
- Ctrl + Enter – Post comment
- Shift + Enter – Add a new line
The Ctrl + Enter shortcut will post your comment right away without needing to click the button. Shift + Enter lets you create a new paragraph within your post or comment.
Like and React
You can use keyboard shortcuts to interact with posts:
- l – Like a post
- c – Add a comment
- s – Share a post
- Ctrl + Shift + 1-7 – Add a reaction (love, wow, etc)
The “l” shortcut makes it easy to quickly like posts as you scroll through your feed. Ctrl + Shift + [number] lets you react to a post with the corresponding reaction, like heart eyes or a laughing face.
Facebook Mobile App Shortcuts
The Facebook mobile app also has some handy keyboard shortcuts:
- t – Jump to search bar
- h – Go to homepage/news feed
- n – Open notifications
- m – Open messages
These shortcuts function the same as on desktop. “t” focuses the search bar, “h” goes to your news feed, etc. They provide quick navigation without needing to tap small icons.
Posting Shortcuts
When composing a post or comment, you can use:
- Return – Add a new line
- Shift + Return – Post comment/publish post
Similar to the desktop, Return adds a new paragraph and Shift + Return will publish your post right away.
Liking and Commenting
You can interact with posts using:
- f – Like a post
- d – d for “done”
“f” provides a quick like, while “d” lets you comment on a post. After typing a comment, hit “d” to post it immediately.
Activating Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts make navigating and interacting on Facebook much faster once you get used to them. Here are some tips for activating shortcuts:
- Make sure you are on Facebook.com or have the app open
- Click/tap inside any text field to enable shortcuts
- Simply press the desired shortcut key(s)
- No need to hold modifier keys like Ctrl or Shift
Shortcuts will work whenever you have a text field active, like the search bar or comment box. You don’t need to hold Ctrl or anything else, just press the letter key.
Customizing Shortcuts
If you want to customize the keyboard shortcuts:
- On desktop, click the down arrow in the top right
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Keyboard Shortcuts
- Here you can change shortcuts or set new ones
On mobile, shortcuts cannot be customized, only the default ones are available.
Troubleshooting Tips
If a keyboard shortcut is not working, try these troubleshooting tips:
- Make sure Caps Lock is not on
- Click/tap inside a text field before using a shortcut
- Try refreshing the page or app
- For custom shortcuts, check they are assigned properly in Settings
- Some shortcuts may not work if a browser extension conflicts
The most common reasons shortcuts fail are Caps Lock being accidentally left on, or the text field not being clicked/tapped first. Refreshing may help if a shortcut suddenly stops working.
Conclusion
Facebook’s keyboard shortcuts allow for quicker navigation and interaction once you learn the basics. They can save you time when posting, commenting, liking, and more. Both desktop and mobile have their own sets of handy shortcuts to help you efficiently use Facebook and its many features.
With this overview of how Facebook’s shortcuts work, you can utilize them to streamline your Facebook experience and spend less time clicking around. Knowing the shortcuts can make you a Facebook power user and get your tasks done faster.