Problem solved now! Tab key stopped functioning

blueshirt2003

My tab key stopped working as of this morning. I am sure I hit a combo of keys together that disabled or defaulted the tab key to something else. I google'd to see if I could find a way to fix it but articles that came up were way over my head b/c of computer techno info etc.

How can I fix the tab button ( to allow me to toggle to sections within a website)?

It it matters any I have a Dell Inspiron.

Thanks!

ETA: The key presses down fine. The problem is that I press the key but it doesn't 'tab' through my internet screen. Ex. When I log in to the bump I enter my email address. Then I press "tab" to go to my password section. I press tab and it doesn't work. 

When I do press tab it tabs out of my Firefox screen. It does the same for IE. By saying it takes me out of it, I mean....I press tab and it makes my browser bar at the very top get light. So, I have to click on my internet screen to make it go back to that screen. Then I manually click on whatever section within the page I need to since my tab key function won't tab over to it.

Ex. Say you have IM open (or whatever other program) and you attempt to use the Tab key to toggle over to the password section after entering your email to log into the nest. When I press Tab it'll act like it took me out of the browser I'm using to let me go to IM or what have you.

 

AmyRI

I'd say it's a mechanical problem, since the rest of your keys still work. I'd buy a can of the compressed air and try to clean out under the key with it. Hopefully something just got stuck in there and is keeping it from working right.

blueshirt2003

AmyRI:

I'd say it's a mechanical problem, since the rest of your keys still work. I'd buy a can of the compressed air and try to clean out under the key with it. Hopefully something just got stuck in there and is keeping it from working right.

I can press the key but the actual function of the key isn't working. I press tab expecting it to 'tab' through sections on my internet screen but it doesn't. 

AmyRI

Is one of your control or alt keys stuck down? If it's changing from the page to the menu bar, then you're right that it can't be mechanical. I'm on a mac, so I can't test for you, but my guess is that some other function or control key is stuck down and that is changing how the tab key works.

blueshirt2003

AmyRI:

Is one of your control or alt keys stuck down? If it's changing from the page to the menu bar, then you're right that it can't be mechanical. I'm on a mac, so I can't test for you, but my guess is that some other function or control key is stuck down and that is changing how the tab key works.

Yay, it works now! I pressed the Ctrl key to see if that was the problem like you suggested and it works now. 

I can't believe it was something as simple as that. Thank you so much!

AmyRI

No problem, glad it works again!