ChatGPT Navigation Using Default Keyboard Logic (No Extensions Needed)

Most people use a mouse or browser extensions like Vimium to scroll ChatGPT. But what if you're on a new system, a public computer, or a clean OS install with no plugins?

The key is understanding how browsers handle focus and a hidden feature called Caret Browsing.

💡 Why Page Up/Page Down Don’t Work While Typing

When you're typing in ChatGPT, the browser places the focus inside the text box.
In this state:

Arrow keys, Page Up/Down, etc. only affect the text area, not the page.

The rest of the ChatGPT conversation window is treated as a background element.

That’s why scrolling with the keyboard doesn’t work, but the mouse still can.

This isn’t a ChatGPT limitation—it’s how web focus works in every browser.

💡 The Turning Point: Caret Browsing (F7)

Browsers like Firefox and Chrome have a built-in accessibility feature called Caret Browsing (toggle using F7).

What it does:

✔ Places a blinking text cursor (caret) on the webpage itself—not just inside inputs
✔ Makes the webpage behave like a readable text document
✔ Allows the page to be navigated using arrow keys and Shift + Arrow, even while typing in ChatGPT
✔ You no longer need to unfocus the text box or use a mouse to scroll

In simple terms:
Caret Browsing lets the keyboard control the entire page instead of just the input box.

💡 Why This Matters

This method is powerful because:

✅ It uses only default browser behaviour (works on any system)

✅ No need for Vimium, scripts, or custom keybindings

✅ Works on Linux, Windows, macOS, i3wm, GNOME, KDE, etc.

✅ Perfect for people who depend on efficiency and portability

💡 Final Takeaway

The trick isn’t a shortcut—it’s a shift in how the browser sees the page.

Turn on Caret Browsing (F7) → The ChatGPT page becomes keyboard-friendly → You can scroll and navigate without leaving the typing box or using a mouse.

make use of => Shift + Arrow Keys while caret browser is activated with F7 in Firefox

and use F6 to switch between text box and address bar

Ctrl + L to go to Address bar..

Once you understand this concept, you can use ChatGPT efficiently on any machine, anywhere, with default keyboard minimizing hand movement when work is under focus.