Navigating Google search results using keyboard shortcuts

Question

Some will think this is not related to programming but I think it is, because most of the time when I encounter programming issues I search on Google to find solutions or ways to do what I plan to do before I start writing it from scratch. Let's face it, we all copy pasters...

I don't like to remove my hands from the keyboard. Google had a feature after you submit a query and press Tab it will start navigating within the search results. Most likely because they had a tabindex attribute which was was removed.

Does anyone know why sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't? I'm starting to think I should create a Chrome app that will add the tab index to the results, but I don't want to do it before I am 100% sure this feature was removed.

is the first tab click bring you to the first results with little arrow on the right of the results? — talsibony, Feb 23 '15 at 07:18
Yes, pressing tab brings the arrow the the left of the first result. — Alexander O'Mara, Feb 23 '15 at 14:22
This is broken again since 2 weeks ago 1/Jun/2017. Tried enabling instant search and tried changing to English and nothing works. Broken on firefox + chrome, windows + linux :( — ihadanny, Jun 18 '17 at 11:57
@ihadanny I am using chrome 58.0.3029.110 on MAC OS and it works fine to me, I had issue also few days ago and I change my search settings one again and it working now, I am not sure they might have some expiration to your search preferences, try to change , save ,change again, and save. — talsibony, Jun 20 '17 at 13:09
tried Version 58.0.3029.110 (64-bit) on Windows Server 2012 R2, reset my search preferences, saved and nothing works :( I don't get it - how come they switch off such a useful feature and no one notices??? — ihadanny, Jun 20 '17 at 15:12
its working again! Nothing changed on my side but suddenly its working. probably something related with the "co.il" version of google search, as I noticed that the new annoying "make this your homepage?" dialog is also gone. — ihadanny, Jun 25 '17 at 06:22
To me it always seemed tied to Instant Results, and Google has announced it is removing Instant Results. I have been unable to make this work afterwards. — dvj, Jul 26 '17 at 17:52
So the shortcuts are no longer available? It stopped working for me day or so ago and I'm looking for the solution. — mancze, Jul 27 '17 at 06:57
I'm voting to close this question as off-topic because it's asking for help with a website and is not a programming question. — Andy E, Aug 25 '17 at 12:16

infokiller · Accepted Answer · 2018-10-01T11:05:10.613

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As of 2017-07-31, Google removed this feature entirely from search.

I created the open source Web Search Navigator extension to fix this and add extra features (like configurable keyboard shortcuts).

See installation instructions.

Hope you find it useful, but in any case - feedback is welcome!

edited Oct 01 '18 at 11:05

answered Aug 04 '17 at 18:17

infokiller

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This is great. Also like the `vimium` you mentioned in the `issue` area. Really making navigation inside chrome with keyboard so much easier. Thanks for sharing. – LeOn - Han Li Aug 11 '17 at 17:47
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The link about Google removing this feature is about instant search—doesn't seem mention keyboard shortcuts at all. – I. J. Kennedy Sep 28 '17 at 17:13
Right, but there was some strange dependency between them (see talsibony's answer below) – infokiller Sep 29 '17 at 20:18
@mancze: Looks like JohnnyW finished his Firefox extensions. I'm using it and it works great. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/the-google-search-navigator/ – hackerb9 Apr 15 '18 at 15:05
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@JohnnyW The chrome webstore link no longer works! – Maryam Hnr Jul 05 '18 at 18:59
@MaryamHnr see the installation instructions link I added to the answer. – infokiller Oct 01 '18 at 10:52
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Any way to do this on Firefox? – Paul Razvan Berg Oct 17 '18 at 15:56
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@PaulRBerg yes it's also available for firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/web-search-navigator/ – infokiller Oct 18 '18 at 15:53
Are there any similar extensions for YouTube search results? – Bip901 Jul 07 '20 at 13:59
@Bip901 the latest version of Web Search Navigator has optional YouTube support – infokiller Jul 07 '20 at 14:11

score 38 · Answer 2 · edited May 27 '18 at 07:43

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Finally I manage to figure it out!!! if you are using google search settings in Hebrew this awesome feature is not available, so I changed the search settings to english and it works great!

https://www.google.com/preferences

small update thanks @Sanook it looks like the instant results also need to be enabled, I checked it several times and seems that lang should be defined as English and instant results need to be enabled.

2017-07-31 update

It looks like now google abandoned the instant results feature which is causing the whole search navigation via keyboard to be unsupported. I posted in their forum and hope it will comeback sometime... search-forum

edited May 27 '18 at 07:43

user1583016

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answered Feb 26 '15 at 15:05

talsibony

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For me, I had to enable instant result ! – Snook Mar 18 '15 at 06:41
It works for me also if I disable the instant result, once I change it to hebrew again this feature is gone, so it must be related to the language settings... – talsibony Mar 18 '15 at 11:14
Looks like the changes I made was not took affect to check your comment immediately and I find out that you are right so I changed the answer, thank your for pointing it out!, so it seems like it depends on the language and instant results configuration. – talsibony Apr 02 '15 at 06:19
For me, it sometimes doesn't work when I'm logged into a Google account. – Neps Apr 09 '15 at 01:33
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"instant results need to be enabled" did it for me. Thanks! – Peter Gfader May 15 '15 at 07:39
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*Instant Results*. Yeah finally! But this sucks. I hate instant results. – LWZ Jul 13 '15 at 15:41
enabling _Instant Results_ did it for me as well! – Johnny Oshika Aug 31 '15 at 21:43
I had to switch language from French to English as well, using the link provided in this answer (section "Languages"). – Niavlys Jun 23 '17 at 14:43
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Instant results no longer exists, so this solution no longer works. – Christian Ravn Jul 31 '17 at 08:20
@ChristianRavn Its seems that you are right Google disable this feature and I cant navigate search results, hope they will fix it – talsibony Jul 31 '17 at 11:03
@talsibony Unfortunately I think it is gone for good, since Google is focusing heavily on mobile interaction. We can always hope though and I'll post a new comment if I find a way to do it :). Until then you should probably edit the answer and say that the method suggested no longer works. – Christian Ravn Jul 31 '17 at 11:20
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Yea,but it look like the navigation feature was dropped by mistake, it was not supposed to be related to instant search from first place. – talsibony Jul 31 '17 at 11:46
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@ChristianRavn Edited my answer, and posted question in google search forum, I dont know if it will get to someone there by worth tying.. – talsibony Jul 31 '17 at 15:36

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 03 '17 at 14:18

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https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/google-search-keyboard-sh/iobmefdldoplhmonnnkchglfdeepnfhd/reviews

Chrome plugin which emulates what Google Instant results used to do. TABing between results is back :-)

answered Aug 03 '17 at 14:18

Dave Mateer

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score 2 · Answer 4 · edited Jun 12 '18 at 10:32

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There is also a Chrome Extension called RESULTER, which does not solve the exact problem described in the question, but provides good search results navigation anyway.

You can download it from Web Store: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/resulter-shortcuts-for-se/chojfhfgbdaeokblbdeahgbijodikdpk

Official website: https://getresulter.com

edited Jun 12 '18 at 10:32

vhe

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answered Sep 04 '17 at 21:27

vhe

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Jun 26 '16 at 09:35

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The down arrow works for me. Pressing the down arrow once moves focus to the first result then again will continue through the results.

Tab will gradually cycle through items on the page: Google logo, search box, menu items then eventually to the search results.

Chrome Version 51.0.2704.103 (64-bit) OSX 10.5.5 Macbook Pro

answered Jun 26 '16 at 09:35

Alistair Colling

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I checked and also down arrow key is working, but still you must have Google Instant predictions enabled. – talsibony Sep 08 '16 at 06:40

Navigating Google search results using keyboard shortcuts

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