Quickly opening new tabs is a fundamental skill for efficient browsing and multitasking on your computer. The fastest way to create a new tab in most applications, especially web browsers, is by using a simple keyboard shortcut.
Keyboard Shortcuts to Open a New Tab
The specific key combination you use depends on the operating system your computer runs. Use the following shortcuts to open a fresh, empty tab:
- For Windows and Linux operating systems: Press the
Ctrlkey and thetkey at the same time. - For Mac operating systems: Press the
Command(⌘) key and thetkey at the same time.
These shortcuts are standard across major web browsers, including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, and Brave, among others.
Alternative Method
While keyboard shortcuts are the most efficient way, you can also open a new tab using your mouse:
- In your browser window, look for a
+icon (often labeled as "New tab") located next to the last open tab or near the top of the window. Clicking this icon will open a new tab.
Mastering the keyboard shortcut allows you to open new tabs quickly without needing to move your hand from the keyboard, significantly speeding up your workflow when browsing or working with multiple documents or applications that support tabbed interfaces.
