However, not all programs allow you to map custom keyboard shortcuts by default. Take Firefox for instance; it offers the standard set of keyboard shortcuts you’d find on most other browsers, but no option to let you map your own. Thankfully, there’s a very simple solution to that problem and that’s what I’ll be talking about in this article. So, let’s jump right into it and see how you can customize keyboard shortcuts in Firefox 67. There are two different ways you can customize keyboard shortcuts on Firefox — you can either customize global keyboard shortcuts for browser functions or you can customize them just for extensions. First, let’s take a look at the former.
Customize Keyboard Shortcuts for Browser Functions
Before we begin, make sure you’re running the latest version of Firefox on your system. Once you’re done downloading and installing the update, follow these steps to customize keyboard shortcuts for browser functions: Step 1: Head over to the Firefox add-ons website and search for the Shortkeys add-on. Step 2: Click on the add-on and in the following webpage, click on the Add to Firefox button.
Step 3: Then click on Add in the pop-up to install the Shortkeys add-on in your browser.
Step 4: Once the add-on is successfully installed, click on the Firefox menu button and select the Add-ons option from the drop-down menu.
Step 5: Select the Shortkeys add-on in the following page and scroll down to the Edit shortcuts section to add a new keyboard shortcut. Then enter a keyboard shortcut in the text box under the New keyboard shortcut option. In this case, I’ll be creating a new Shift+f keyboard shortcut to copy URLs. You can select the behavior by following the next step. Step 6: Click on the text box under the Behavior option and select your desired behavior from the pop-up menu.
Step 7: Once that’s done, the clock on the Label option to give your shortcut a name. This step is optional, so you can skip it if you don’t plan on adding too many new keyboard shortcuts. The new shortcut is pretty much done, but there’s another setting that you can change. By default, the new shortcuts you create won’t work if your cursor is in the form fields. But if you want them to work in the form fields, you can follow the next step. Step 8: Click on the Activation Settings option and then check the box next to the Active while in form fields setting. You can also choose which websites the custom shortcuts will work on from within the same option. Just enter the URL in the text box below the Websites option and you’re good to go. Step 9: After you’ve customized the shortcut to your requirement, just scroll down and click on the Save button to save the new shortcut.
Step 10: Once the new shortcut is saved, just reload all tabs in Firefox to start using it. Now there are a couple of things that you should know if you’re going to use this add-on. The first and most obvious one is that it’s not perfect. So you won’t be able to create shortcuts for just any action. You’re limited to a couple of specific actions that are all listed within the Behavior setting. Secondly, if you try to remap any existing shortcuts, the add-on won’t work. So you’ll need to keep that in mind while setting up a new shortcut. In case you face any further issues, you can head over to the Shortkeys Wiki and find a resolution.
Customize Keyboard Shortcuts for Extensions
Let’s move on to the other kind of keyboard shortcuts now — the ones that work with extensions. Just follow these steps to set up custom keyboard shortcuts for extensions: Step 1: Click on the menu button in Firefox and select the Add-on option from the drop-down menu.
Step 2: In the next page, click on the cog icon to open up the extension settings. Step 3: Select Manage Extension Shortcuts from the drop-down menu. Step 4: The following page will list down all the extensions that support keyboard shortcuts, along with editable text boxes next to the shortcut behavior. Just click on a text box to edit it and customize it to fit your needs. Do note that this feature is only available in the latest version of Firefox, so you won’t be able to use it unless you update your browser.
Map Your Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Firefox
Go ahead and use these methods to map your custom keyboard shortcuts on Firefox. Just make sure that you don’t try to remap preexisting shortcuts when you use Shortkeys because the add-on won’t be able to override the stock shortcuts. Next up: While you’re at it, check out the next article for some great keyboard shortcuts for Firefox on iPad that will help you use the browser like a pro.
