Arrow Keys: What They Do and How to Use Them
The four arrow keys move the cursor up, down, left and right. They also scroll pages, move through menus and steer characters in games.
Arrows move the cursor without erasing. Use them to hop back and fix a typo!
Where is the Arrow keys?
The highlighted keys are the Arrow keys on a typical Windows laptop keyboard. Keyboards vary a little by brand.
What the Arrow keys does
- In text: move the cursor one letter left or right, or one line up or down, without erasing anything.
- Shift + arrow: select text one letter at a time.
- Ctrl + Left/Right arrow (Windows, Chromebook): jump a whole word at a time.
- On a web page: Up and Down scroll a little at a time.
- In games: steer, run and jump. Many games also use W A S D as arrows for your left hand.
Windows, Mac and Chromebook
Windows
Arrow keys sit in an upside-down T shape at the bottom right. Ctrl + arrows jump words; Shift + Ctrl + arrows select whole words.
Mac
Option + Left/Right jumps a word, Command + Left/Right jumps to the start or end of the line, and Command + Up/Down jumps to the top or bottom of a document. On MacBooks, Up and Down are half-height keys.
Chromebook
Search + Left/Right goes to the start or end of the line. Alt + Up/Down works as Page Up and Page Down, and Ctrl + Alt + Up/Down goes to the top or bottom of a page.
Which finger presses it?
Use your right hand: pointer finger on ←, middle finger on ↓ and ↑, ring finger on →. When you are done, slide back to the home row.
Fun fact
The upside-down T layout became the standard in the 1980s because your middle finger can rest on ↓ and reach ↑ without moving the hand.
Keep learning
- Practice the reach in Lesson 7: Home Row Review.
- More keys: Home key, End key, Page Up and Page Down, Num Lock.
- See every keyboard key explained.
- Names of all the symbols: Keyboard Characters and Meanings.
Quick drill: find the Arrow keys
Press the key on your keyboard, or click or tap it below, when Rocky asks. Wrong key? We will tell you what it was.
Arrow keys FAQ
Why are my arrow keys scrolling instead of moving the cursor?
Click inside the text first, so the cursor is in the text box. Some spreadsheets also have a Scroll Lock setting that changes this.
What keys are used instead of arrow keys in games?
W, A, S and D, so the left hand can steer while the right hand uses the mouse.
How do I select text with the keyboard?
Hold Shift and press the arrow keys.