Tab + Enter no longer taking me to first Google search result in Chrome

Question

As the title says; I used to be able to press Tab+Enter in Chrome to take me to the first search result. This now only works if I am not signed in to my Google account. When signed in, I can't do it. It works fine (signed in and not) on Firefox.

I believe this may have stopped working since a system update.

I'm using:

• Ubuntu 12.10
• Chrome 23.0.1271.64

Is this to do with a setting within Google, or is it something within Chrome? Because it works in Firefox, it suggests it is a Chrome problem. I tried disabling all extensions, but no joy.

Answer 1

These no longer work as Google have removed this feature, so you can't just turn it out like you used to be able to. The way you used to be able to do this was through:

Google Search > Settings > Search Settings > Google Instant Prediction > On

but it no longer works. I was so sad to see this feature go that I wrote a hack to re-engineer it. So far it only works with Google Chrome, but can be adapted to work with all the others:

1. Install Chrome extension ShortKeys.
2. Click on the ShortKeys menu and select "Options"
3. Click on "Add" and fill in the following fields:

Keyboard Shortcut: tab

Behavior: Run JavaScript

Label as: Result Picker

4. Paste the following JavaScript into the JavaScript code to run:

   document.selectedResultId=0
   function selectResult(newId){
       els = document.querySelectorAll("div.r h3")
       if(newId < 0 || newId >= els.length)
           return  //Could modify for page nav...?
       rp = document.getElementById("result-pointer")
       if(rp != null){
           rp.remove()
       }
       document.selectedResultId=newId
       el = els[newId]
       lnk = el.firstElementChild
       el.innerHTML = "<div id=\"result-pointer\" style=\"position:absolute;left:-15px;\">&gt;</div>" + el.innerHTML
       lnk.focus()
   }
   document.onkeyup=function(event){
       if(event.keyCode==38)
           selectResult(document.selectedResultId-1)
       if(event.keyCode==40)
           selectResult(document.selectedResultId+1)
       if(event.keyCode==13){
         var el = document.querySelectorAll("div.r h3")[document.selectedResultId]
         var lnk = el.parentElement
         var url = lnk.href
         if(event.ctrlKey){
           var win = window.open(url,"_blank")
           win.blur()
           window.open().close()
         }
         else{
           document.location = url
         }
       }
   }
   selectResult(0)
   

5. Configure the Activation Settings:

Active while in form fields (Checked)

Websites (Only specific sites)

URLS (one per line): *.google.*

This is what the Options page should look like

6. Click Save and then close your browser.

Instructions:

• When you restart you should see a little blue (or black) ">" appear by search results when you hit tab.

• The up/down arrow keys make it cycle through the results.

• Hitting "Enter" will navigate to the highlighted result.

• Hitting "Ctrl+Enter" to open the result in a new tab.

Happy Searching!

Answer 2

This can be fixed by editing your search preferences, or the cookie that is set for them.

In my case it was caused by google instant being set to off. Turning it back on returned the 'tab to first result', and the 'up and down arrow keys to cycle through results' behaviours.

Others found deleting the relevant cookie worked. It's something to do with search prefs in general, as I get the desired behaviour in incognito mode even when google instant is on.

See google product forums post for discussion.

== UPDATE ==

I've just found that merely opening an incognito / private window and then closing it restores this behaviour for normal windows when it's stopped working.

Answer 3

You need to enable "Google Instant predictions"

From Search Result Page > Settings > Search Settings > Google Instant predictions > On

Answer 4

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!

Answer 5

The Tab shortcut is no longer available. You can, however, configure a search engine shortcut. Click on Tools -> Settings -> Search -> Manage Search Engines. Then type in I'm Feeling Lucky for Search Engine Name, l or any other keystroke for the shortcut, and the URL http://www.google.com/search?q=%s&btnI.

You can also click on Make default: simply type the search query in the Omnibox and hit Enter to go to the first result.

Answer 6

There is also a Chrome Extension called RESULTER, which provides good search results navigation.

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

Answer 7

It's confusing since the required keystrokes change depending if you used Chrome's location bar to do the search or using the search box on the Google results page.

Coming from the location bar: one can simply hit Enter then ↓

If already on results page (after an initial search): simply hit Tab

Actually, could simply always be redundant and just always enter, tab, ↓ (but then it almost defies the purpose of shortcut).

(Also, assuming Google Instant predictions settings are on)

edit: oh it appears to work consistently in Firefox by simply tabbing, unlike Chrome.

Answer 8

This feature was moved to the DOWN arrow key when searching from the Chrome address bar.

TAB still works, but you need be searching using an already loaded google search page, and you need to have instant results turned on.

Answer 9

I developed a tiny Chrome Extension that only lets you hit TAB key to move results of Google Search. Try it and let me know how's that.

https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/kkldgaaaafjoipnomoinnkccihdiffee

Answer 10

That is no shortcut as far as i know, Tab key jumps the selection on screen, when you search and then press Tab+Enter it will be first result always. it might be possible that you have selection somewhere else when you press Tab key.