How to move text cursor to previous position after pressing "Home" key, etc.?

If I'm typing something (this question for example), and I press Home, and the blinking line, letting me know where I'm typing, goes to the front of the line. To go back to the end, I can just press End.

What if I'm editing what I've already written? For example, if I want to bold a word. I first go to that word (using the Ctrl and Arrow keys, then press "**". I then slip, pressing Home.

How can I go back to the last place I was typing before I pressed Home,End, Page Up or Page Down?

wizlog

Posted 2011-11-25T14:54:32.047

Reputation: 12 320

the answer to that question depends entirely on the "editor" you are using. vim for example has a a list of jump positions. – akira – 2011-11-25T16:52:04.517

I'm using Chrome and Microsoft Office (someone removed those tags) – wizlog – 2011-11-25T20:39:17.987

Answers

This works for me: CTRL+Z in Chrome.

This is assuming you wish to return to where the cursor was before you "slipped". If you want to return to where you started at the first time you pressed home, that you will have to use the arrow keys.

shufler

Posted 2011-11-25T14:54:32.047

Reputation: 1 716

I'm not looking for a one button solution... I'll wait to see if anyone else has an answer. – wizlog – 2011-11-25T15:12:12.120

The good news is that I suggested a two button solution...? – shufler – 2011-11-25T15:22:49.620

1What? is that a joke? BTW, I'm looking for a one step solution. – wizlog – 2011-11-25T15:32:22.063

CTRL+Z is one step. Maybe I'm not clear on what you are trying to do. My understanding is you are typing some text and you make a typo by hitting a positioning key (Home, End, PgUp, PgDn) and wish to return to where you were previously typing. Am I understanding you correctly? – shufler – 2011-11-25T16:16:58.720

No, I don't think so. CTRL+Z undoes any changes that are made to the text or document. Moving the mouse cursor isn't considered a change. – wizlog – 2011-11-25T16:20:29.980

Yes, I see now that it works in Chrome, but may not necessarily work elsewhere. Updated my answer to reflect. – shufler – 2011-11-25T19:08:16.617

In Microsoft Word, the shortcut Shift F5 technically returns your cursor to the last editing position. But ever since Word 2003, it has moved your cursor to the last position, period.

Try that.

This also works in Visual Studios.

surfasb

Posted 2011-11-25T14:54:32.047

Reputation: 21 453

CTRL+Z and then CTRL+Y will get you back to exactly where you were.
PageUp and PageDown generally preserve the horizontal position of the cursor, so pressing the opposite key should work. If not, Undo-Redo will still work.

Ampersand

Posted 2011-11-25T14:54:32.047

Reputation: 705