Keyboard shortcut to switch focus from web developer tools to page in Chrome

Question

I use Vimium for Chrome, which allows me to refresh with the r key. When I am using the dev tools I lose focus of the page, and have to click in the page in order to use r again (though I would obviously just refresh with the button). Does anyone know of a keyboard shortcut to switch from the dev tools back to the page? I know you can use cmd [ to switch panes inside of the dev tools, but can't find a way to switch back to the page.

Answer 1

• When Chrome DevTools is focused, Shift + F6 will focus on the page content.
• When Chrome DevTools is open and the page content is focused, F6 will focus on Chrome DevTools.

Reference: https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/157179

Google Chrome Feature Shortcuts

F6 Switch focus forward between the Address bar, Bookmarks bar (if showing), and page content
Shift + F6 Switch focus backward between the Address bar, Bookmarks bar (if showing), and page content

Answer 2

I still haven't found a way to focus page from dev-tools, while leaving dev-tools opened, but:

• If dev-tools is opened, focus it with Cmd+Opt+c
• Close dev-tools and focus page with Cmd+Opt+i
• If dev tools is closed, to jump straight into console: Cmd+Opt+j
• Switch tabs with Cmd+[ and Cmd+]
• Esc to toggle console in dev-tools

Reference: https://developers.google.com/chrome-developer-tools/docs/shortcuts

Answer 3

Shamelessly copied from Hugh Lee

---

1. Hit F6 or Cmd + L or Ctrl + L and focus the address bar
2. Type javascript: and hit the enter key.

Now you can move focus to the page only with j.

---

But javascript: is too long, isn't it? Then follow this.

Go to Chrome Settings page
Click "Manage search engines..." in the Search section
Add a new search engine with
    any name e.g. Back to page
    any keyword e.g. j
    URL - javascript:

Answer 4

Like I have answered here
New Update: In chrome Version 92.0.4515.131.

• When DevTools is open and focus.
  
• Press (⌘ Command+⌥ Option+↓ Down) Twice.
  First time pressed - the focus will transfer to the URL.
  The second time pressed - the focus will transfer to the page.

Answer 5

OS X you can natively cycle between application windows using:

Move focus to next window: ⌘ + `

Move focus to last window: ⌘ + ⇧ + `

If this isn't working, check it's enabled in

System Preferences > Keyboard > Keyboard Shortcuts tab > Keyboard section

Answer 6

Does anyone know of a keyboard shortcut to switch from the dev tools back to the page?

Tab is the key you're looking for. Use it to focus the page after pressing Esc to open the console.

Answer 7

Chrome Version 35.0.1916.114

On web page, F12. Should show Elements tab, if not switch to it with ctrl+[. Once you get elements tab to show on F12 from page, you can use Esc to get to the console, if need be.

Then, when elements panel is focused, three tabs before you meet anything interesting, I get the styles panel, 'user agent stylesheet'. Two more tabs and I get the little dotted icon in top right, space to show that.

At this point we are 5 tabs away from start. Two more tabs and I get 'find in styles', one more tab and I get the computed properties panel. Then another tab gets to the filter below it.

Now we are at 9 tabs.

Guess what the 10th tab is.

Or, if your pinky is getting tired, it is only 8 shift-tabs going backwards.

That's what we call in the business, 'discoverability'.

Then again, here is the AutoHotkey script:

; Match any part of title
SetTitleMatchMode, 2
#IfWinActive - Google Chrome
;#IfWinActive ahk_class Chrome_WidgetWin_1
  +F10::  ; goto html body, use upper left corner mouse click
    CoordMode, Mouse, Screen
    MouseGetPos, xpos, ypos
    CoordMode, Mouse, Relative
    MouseClick, left,10, 95, 1, 0
    CoordMode, Mouse, Screen
    MouseMove, %xpos%, %ypos%, 0
    Return
  F10:: ; from html, goto dev tools (Elements Panel must be default here, with console open ESC), 
        ; might need to adjust tab number to suit your icons to the right of location bar
    Send, ^l
    Send, {tab 7}
    Return
  ^F10:: ; from html, goto dev tools - previously opened console (Elements Panel must be default here, with console open ESC)
    Send, ^l
    Send, {tab 7}
    Send, {tab 13}
    Return
#IfWinActive ;Chrome

Answer 8

There isn't a way to switch from the dev pane to the window, but cmd r accomplishes what was needed (a refresh of the page).

Answer 9

I got pretty frustrated with this too, but my problem is a bit different though. I have dev tools detached (in a separate window) and I always need to click to get back to the page.

I wrote a small applescript that works for me:

tell application "Google Chrome"
    activate second window -- if I have dev tools open "second window" is the page
    tell second window to tell active tab
        set the URL to "Javascript:window.focus();"
    end tell
end tell

I have it bound to a shortcut using Spark.

So whenever I'm in a detached dev tools window, I hit my shortcut and focus is put back to the page and I can use Vimium again.

Answer 10

While on Linux, switch to address bar from Dev Tools with Alt+D and then press Shift+Tab twice. This brings you back to main page. Shame it doesn't work on Mac though.

Answer 11

If using Windows, the following AHK script will do the job:

#IfWinActive ahk_exe chrome.exe
  !a::Send +{F6}
#IfWinActive

To verify:

• Focus Chrome DevTools.
• Press Alt+A.
• Now the webpage should be focused.

Answer 12

hit f6 to focus on address bar, hit return or f5 to refresh, then hit tab to focus on the browser window elements...

It's roundabout and probably doesn't help in all cases, but if you're testing tab index or something and don't like to use your mouse, this is the only way I figured out how to switch back without closing the console.

Answer 13

Hit Control + L to focus the addressbar. Then hit F6 once to focus the bookmark bar (if you have one) and F6 again to focus the page.

Answer 14

My solution is based on Upper answers (for Mac users):

1. Set drawer to Console
2. With focus in DevTools, press Esc to open drawer (Console)
3. Press Tab, to switch focus on page
4. With focus in page input, press Shift + Tab to switch focus in DevTools