Shift Key - Uses On Computer Keyboards

Uses On Computer Keyboards

On computer keyboards, as opposed to typewriter keyboards, the shift key can have many more uses:

• It is sometimes used to modify the function keys. Modern Microsoft Windows keyboards typically have only 12 function keys; Shift+F1 must be used to type F13, Shift+F2 for F14, etc.
• It can modify various control and alt keys. For example, if Alt-tab is used to cycle through open windows, Shift-Alt-tab cycles in the reverse order.
• Holding shift while in a word processor will anchor the insertion point, such that moving the pointer and clicking the mouse to a new point will select the range of text in between.
• Holding shift while drawing with the mouse in graphics programs generally confines the shape to a straight line, usually vertically or horizontally, or to draw squares and circles using the rectangle and ellipse tools, respectively.
• The shift key can also be used to modify the mouse behavior on a computer. For example, holding shift while clicking on a link in a web browser might cause the page to open in a new window, or to be downloaded.
• In some Web browsers, holding shift while scrolling will scan through previously viewed Web pages.
• In Mac OS X, holding shift while performing certain actions, such as minimising a window or enabling/disabling Dashboard or Exposé, makes the animation occur in slow motion. For some animations, holding control will make the animation move just slightly slower, and holding control+shift will result in an extremely slow motion animation.

On some keyboards, if both shift keys are held down simultaneously only some letters can be typed. For example, on the Dell keyboard Model RT7D20 only 16 letters can be typed. This phenomenon is known as "masking" and is a fundamental limitation of the way the keyboard electronics are designed.