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How do I get to the menu button in the Firefox toolbar via the keyboard?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 11 views
  • Last reply by FredMcD

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Hello,

I work with individuals who use screen readers so all access to the computer is via keyboard shortcuts rather than any "point and click" with the mouse.

At one time, I know that I could throw focus to the "hamburger stack"/"three line" open menu button via a keyboard shortcut. As an example, in Chrome, I can throw focus on the "Customize and control Google Chrome" main menu button in the main toolbar by hitting ALT. Now I know that ALT under Firefox causes the classic menu bar to appear, but I could swear that there was some way to throw focus to the open menu button via the keyboard and that, if one needed to, to use the left arrow/right arrow buttons to traverse any add-on buttons that are to the left of the open menu button.

I have tried everything I can think of, but cannot get focus on the open menu button or any of the add-on buttons located to the right of the address/search box.

The add-on Read Aloud is incredibly helpful when one is a screen reader user, but only if one can get to the button that allows it to be activated, and that button always ends up in the area to the right of the address/search box and to the right of the open menu button. The only way I have been able to activate it in the current version of Firefox is via point and click, which is utterly useless because my students cannot point and click.

The collection of buttons that I can find no way to navigate to via the keyboard are enclosed in orange in the included image. They could be for any add-ons, not the specific ones from this screen shot.

If anyone can tell me how I can get to these buttons and move among them using only the keyboard I would really appreciate it.


edit: fixed so there is no horizontal scrollbars due to spaces before start of each part.

Hello, I work with individuals who use screen readers so all access to the computer is via keyboard shortcuts rather than any "point and click" with the mouse. At one time, I know that I could throw focus to the "hamburger stack"/"three line" open menu button via a keyboard shortcut. As an example, in Chrome, I can throw focus on the "Customize and control Google Chrome" main menu button in the main toolbar by hitting ALT. Now I know that ALT under Firefox causes the classic menu bar to appear, but I could swear that there was some way to throw focus to the open menu button via the keyboard and that, if one needed to, to use the left arrow/right arrow buttons to traverse any add-on buttons that are to the left of the open menu button. I have tried everything I can think of, but cannot get focus on the open menu button or any of the add-on buttons located to the right of the address/search box. The add-on Read Aloud is incredibly helpful when one is a screen reader user, but only if one can get to the button that allows it to be activated, and that button always ends up in the area to the right of the address/search box and to the right of the open menu button. The only way I have been able to activate it in the current version of Firefox is via point and click, which is utterly useless because my students cannot point and click. The collection of buttons that I can find no way to navigate to via the keyboard are enclosed in orange in the included image. They could be for any add-ons, not the specific ones from this screen shot. If anyone can tell me how I can get to these buttons and move among them using only the keyboard I would really appreciate it. edit: fixed so there is no horizontal scrollbars due to spaces before start of each part.
Attached screenshots

Modified by James

All Replies (5)

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Bri the Tech Guy said

Hello,

I work with individuals who use screen readers so all access to the computer is via keyboard shortcuts rather than any "point and click" with the mouse.

At one time, I know that I could throw focus to the "hamburger stack"/"three line" open menu button via a keyboard shortcut. As an example, in Chrome, I can throw focus on the "Customize and control Google Chrome" main menu button in the main toolbar by hitting ALT. Now I know that ALT under Firefox causes the classic menu bar to appear, but I could swear that there was some way to throw focus to the open menu button via the keyboard and that, if one needed to, to use the left arrow/right arrow buttons to traverse any add-on buttons that are to the left of the open menu button.

I have tried everything I can think of, but cannot get focus on the open menu button or any of the add-on buttons located to the right of the address/search box.

The add-on Read Aloud is incredibly helpful when one is a screen reader user, but only if one can get to the button that allows it to be activated, and that button always ends up in the area to the right of the address/search box and to the right of the open menu button. The only way I have been able to activate it in the current version of Firefox is via point and click, which is utterly useless because my students cannot point and click.

The collection of buttons that I can find no way to navigate to via the keyboard are enclosed in orange in the included image. They could be for any add-ons, not the specific ones from this screen shot.

If anyone can tell me how I can get to these buttons and move among them using only the keyboard I would really appreciate it.

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I presume the above was an accident, as it's just a full quotation of my original question with no additional material.

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I'm not sure this is what you are looking for.

Press the <Alt> key, then press F.

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Pressing ALT, followed by F, opens the Firefox File menu.

ALT brings up the classic menu, F makes the file choice.

It is not remotely what I'm looking for, and I even mentioned knowing what ALT itself does under Firefox in my original problem statement.

I want to get focus on the "hamburger stack" open menu button or any of the buttons to the left of it strictly using the keyboard. A mouse and clicking cannot enter the picture.

This used to be possible, now it seems to be impossible (but it could be that there's an entirely new key sequence to do so, and that's what I'm asking about).

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Bri the Tech Guy said

I presume the above was an accident . . . .

If you look at your question, you notice its hard to read. That is caused by leading spaces in your post.

Bri the Tech Guy said

I want to get focus on the "hamburger stack"

You mean the 'hamburger' icon? I called for more help.

Go to the Mozilla Add-ons Web Page {web Link} (There’s a lot of good stuff here) and search for what you want.