Keyboard shortcut pro-tip: Spacebar scrolls down a page

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There’s a keyboard shortcut that can transform how you’ll browse
the the web — and it’s hiding in plain sight.

What is it?

The spacebar.

Try it. Press it now. I’ll wait.

That’s right: Pressing the space bar by itself when viewing a
website automatically scrolls down one page. It’s an incredibly
useful way to navigate the web as you scroll through articles and
social media feeds — one I comfortably use hundreds of times a
day.

If, like me, you’re a regular user, you’re probably now
wondering how on earth anybody doesn’t already realize this is a
thing.

But a surprising number of people have no clue that it exists.

This came to light earlier this week, when British journalist and
consultant Martin Bryant tweeted about his shock upon discovering
it was a thing: “How have I used web browsers for 22 years
without realising that the space bar scrolls the page down?”

The replies to his tweet were full of other users expressing
their amazement about the trick.

“MY MIND IS BLOWN,” wrote PR exec and former tech journalist Drew
Olanoff.

Music consultant Lee Thompson agreed: “Good grief, neither did
I…”

“This just bent my head,” another Twitter user added. 

And Ben Rooney, the former Wall Street Journal tech editor in
Europe, had an additional tip: If you press shift and the space
bar at the same time, it scrolls up a page.

Modern computers are full of wild and hidden keyboard shortcuts,
but this isn’t one of them. And that’s the point. It’s a single
click, with no memorization or combination key presses required,
that can transform how you browse the web. No fiddly mouse wheels
or slow arrow keys required!

You’re welcome.