Windows 7 Explorer keyboard shortcut: set focus to files/folders/content area?

Is there a Windows 7 Explorer keyboard shortcut to set focus to files/folders/content area (depicted below)?

This has bothered me for so long... I want to set my explorer window's focus to the files pane (shown below). What's the most efficient way to do that with a keyboard?

enter image description here

Here's what I've been doing:
- Tab / Shift+Tab to move focus through interactive window elements until it looks like a selection rectangle appears over one of the files in my window.
- Alt+V, Alt+D to change appearance setting of a folder contents' icons. Doesn't always work, depending on what's selected at the time.

Pup

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 1 193

5The Easiest way is to open an explorer window and press SPACE bar on keyboard. Works fine on Windows7. So Win+E --> SPACE – mnmnc – 2016-03-17T13:23:29.117

Now tell me how you really feel... – Leo – 2016-05-29T20:51:37.577

+1 for the artwork :)) – sunny moon – 2019-08-24T09:37:59.393

Answers

You can use AutoHotkey to move the keyboard focus to the file pane. In this example, I use the hotkey Win+Space:

#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass ; Windows Explorer
    #Space::
        ControlFocus, DirectUIHWND3, A
        SendInput, {Space}
        return
#IfWinActive

See Also:

AutoHotkey: Hotkeys

iglvzx

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 21 611

1Perfect. Now I am wondering why I was tolerating tabs all these days. I should have googled earlier – VarunAgw – 2016-08-10T20:28:41.297

In Windows10, Win + Space is now used for switching input languages. – Wulfric Lee – 2019-02-13T09:17:22.967

Try Ctrl+Tab, that should do it.

For the record the terminology you are referring to is called "Property Tab Navigation" ...

Properties control

CTRL+TAB/CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Move through the property tabs

Eddie B

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 909

Does not work in Windows 10. – RashaMatt – 2018-11-24T18:04:57.560

@RashaMatt ~ This is for Windows 7 ... long before Windows 10 mate. – Eddie B – 2018-11-26T17:30:56.617

@RashaMatt ~ I can confirm this does work in Windows 10. – Eddie B – 2019-10-08T13:39:52.723

wow. this worked. never would have thought. but the (usless) search webpages box kills it. – n611x007 – 2013-07-19T13:06:01.853

Ctrl+E (or Ctrl+F) followed by Esc

Works in Windows 7, 8.1, 10

RashaMatt

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 161

The question was asking for a Windows 7 solution, does this also work for Windows 7? – Jason Aller – 2015-05-29T03:46:27.273

Yes it also works in Windows 7. – RashaMatt – 2015-05-29T09:24:10.927

CTRL + E navigates to the search input not the content pane. – Eddie B – 2015-05-31T15:31:16.567

1And esc navigates from the search input back to the content pane. It works, if you takes the time to actually read and understand all six words in the post. – RashaMatt – 2015-05-31T19:52:00.740

Does not work for me. Although works if instead of Esc you use SPACE – mnmnc – 2016-03-17T13:26:43.193

I came here because I'm looking for a solution too.

The fastest way I found to do that was to go back and forth: use Alt+UP and then ENTER. Almost always works.

yellowblood

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 233

That's nice trick. Never thought about it – VarunAgw – 2016-08-10T20:24:33.213

Alt-UP navigates upward in the file hierarchy, which is not what the poster asked for. – RashaMatt – 2018-11-24T18:05:55.350

Two solutions I use: -

The first is from this Microsoft support thread where they recommend a third party app which focuses on the window under the mouse if you use the scroll wheel - which is rather handy now considering the segmented approach to Explorer.

And the other, keyboard only, is the Alt+D hotkey to focus the address bar, then press Shift+Tab twice to bring the focus to the file list (the first Shift+Tab focuses on the sorting headings). A third Shift+Tab sends focus to the folder pane.

Jonathan Barton

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 388

A compromise...
Hide the menu along the top of the Explorer window. Go to:
Tools -> "Folder Options..." -> "View" tab -> Deselect "Always show menus"

Now focus can be moved from the left and right panes (shown below) using Tab & Shift+Tab.

enter image description here

Pup

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 1 193

If you have just opened the Explorer window you can press Space (thanks to a @mnmnc's comment).

Otherwise Ctrl+Tab seems to always work.

bluish

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 487

You could just do Ctrl+F then TAB twice. Just as fast as any keyboard shortcut and you don't have to install anything.

Lester

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 11

Type: Ctrl+FTABTAB if the navigation pane is present.

Type: Ctrl+FTAB otherwise.

Vivian De Smedt

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 113

Thanks to iglvzx for the AutoHotkey solution. Unfortunately, it didn't always work for me, because sometimes the focus would be on the first column header in detail view. Pressing the space there causes the contents to be resorted. To fix that problem, I wound up changing the code to use a mouse click instead. Here is the new code:

#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass ; Windows Explorer

   #Space::

  ; Get coordinates of content control within explorer window
  ControlGetPos, x, y, w, h, DirectUIHWND3, ahk_class CabinetWClass

  ; Offset to get past column headers in Details View
  x += 100
  y += 30

  ; Send a mouse click to change focus to content window
  SendInput, {Click %x%, %y%}

  return

#IfWinActive

Mike Ruf

Posted 2012-06-29T10:51:01.300

Reputation: 11