Browser Basics
✓ CompletedThe web browser is the program you'll probably have open all day. Client work, online tools, email and cloud files all run inside it.
This lesson covers how a browser works and the everyday controls that make you faster in it. Using email and Google tools inside the browser is covered in the next course.
Four Words People Mix Up
| Word | What it is |
|---|---|
| Browser | The program you use to visit websites, such as Chrome, Edge, Safari or Firefox. |
| Search engine | A website that helps you find other websites, such as Google or Bing. |
| Website | A place on the internet you visit, such as a client's online store. |
| Web address (URL) | The exact address of a website or page, such as www.example.com/contact. |
Think of it this way: the browser is your vehicle, the web address is the exact destination, and a search engine is like asking for directions when you don't know the address.
The Parts of a Browser Window
Every browser has the same basic controls, even if they look slightly different:
| Part | What it's for |
|---|---|
| Address bar | The long box at the top. Shows the web address of the page you're on. Type an address here to go straight to it, or type words to search. |
| Tabs | Separate pages open in the same window, shown along the top. |
| Back and Forward | The arrows that move between pages you've already visited. |
| Refresh (reload) | The circular arrow. Loads the current page again, which often fixes a page that looks stuck or out of date. |
| Bookmarks | Saved pages you can open again quickly. |
| Menu | Three dots or lines, usually top-right. Holds settings, history, downloads and more. |
Typing an address vs. searching
If a client gives you an exact web address, type it into the address bar and press Enter. Don't search for it. Searching shows a list of results, and the top result isn't always the real site.
Working With Tabs
Tabs let you keep several pages open without filling your screen with windows. These shortcuts save a lot of clicking. On a Mac, use ⌘ instead of Ctrl, except for going to the next tab, which uses Control + Tab on both.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| New tab | Ctrl + T |
| Close tab | Ctrl + W |
| Reopen a tab you closed by mistake | Ctrl + Shift + T |
| Bookmark this page | Ctrl + D |
| Go to the next tab | Ctrl + Tab |
To open a link without leaving the page you're on, right-click the link and choose Open link in new tab.
Too many open tabs slow the computer down and make things hard to find. Close the ones you've finished with, and bookmark the ones you'll need again.
A Few More Everyday Controls
- Zoom: text too small? Ctrl + + makes the page bigger, Ctrl + − smaller, and Ctrl + 0 resets it (use ⌘ on a Mac).
- History: the browser remembers pages you visited. Open it from the menu, or press Ctrl + H on Windows, to find a page you forgot to bookmark.
- Private or Incognito window: a window that doesn't keep your history or stay signed in after you close it. It's useful on a shared computer. It does not hide what you do from websites or your internet provider.
Maraming VA ang gumagamit ng hiwalay na browser profile para sa bawat client. Chrome and Edge let you add profiles from your profile picture at the top-right. Each profile keeps its own bookmarks and sign-ins, so you're less likely to work in the wrong account.
In the Browser
Choose the best action for each situation.
A client tells you to go to www.meadowlanehome.com/admin. What's the best way to get there?
You closed a tab by accident and need it back.
A page shows yesterday's numbers, but you know they changed this morning.
You'll use a client's order dashboard every day.
You want to open a link from a report without losing your place in the report.
What does a Private or Incognito window do?
- The browser is the program. A search engine is a website. A web address is an exact destination.
- If you have the exact address, type it in the address bar instead of searching.
- New tab, close tab, reopen closed tab and bookmark are the tab shortcuts worth learning.
- Refresh is the first thing to try when a page looks stuck.