Beginning from Internet Explorer 7 (IE7 free download), IE has tabbed browsing feature where multiple web pages can be opened within tabs inside a single browser window. For users who like to use the keyboard for navigation, IE 7 has built-in several keyboard shortcuts to speed up tabs using and switching in IE7.

Here’s a few commonly used keyboard shortcuts to accelerate usage of tabs in Internet Explorer 7 or newer, such as when want to jump or switch to another tabs.

Middle mouse button or CTRL+Left mouse button: Open link in new background tab

CTRL+SHIFT+Left mouse button or CTRL+SHIFT+Middle mouse button: Open link in new foreground tab

Middle mouse button on the tab or CTRL+W: Close tab and will close IE window if only one tab is left opened.

CTRL+Q: Open Quick Tab view where a master window will display generated live thumbnail image of all tabbed pages. See illustration below.

IE Quick Tabs

CTRL+SHIFT+Q: Instead of thumbnails, view list of all open tabs.

CTRL+T: Open new tab

CTRL+TAB: Switch to next tab

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB: Switch to previous tab