What the CTRL-F?!?

No comments on how gross my keyboard is.

Ever spent too much time searching a long web page looking for information? Here’s your keyboard shortcut.

Today I read an unbelievable statistic in the Atlantic: 90% of US Internet users didn’t know you could use CTRL-F (command-F for us Mac users) to find a word or phrase on a long web page or Word doc.

Now, I know the readers of this blog are part of that 10% whose palms are firmly planted on their collective foreheads right now. Personally, I must use the command-F 30 or 40 times a day easy. In fact, the command-F shortcut makes me so efficient that I had time to create a video on how to use command-F to save time. (Pretty meta, right?)

With this one video I’ve probably recovered all the worker productivity in this country lost to fantasy football.

So, let’s say during your time giving free tech support to friends, family and lovers you’ve watched them struggle to find some information on a long web page. You didn’t know how to explain to them that CTRL-F would set them free. Now you can just point them to this post (and accompanying video at YouTube).

You can check out my dad’s website on raising resilient children (and more) here.

Another favorite of mine: command-A then right arrow to get to the end of a long doc, left arrow to get to the beginning of it.

Rich Brooks
Bringing back the US’s AAA Rating One Keyboard Shortcut at a Time