Cannot tab between fields

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Level 1

6 points

Cannot tab between fields

I just updated my OS to Sonoma 14.0. As soon as I did, I lost the ability to tab between fields. It doesn't appear to be isolated to any application. I tried logging into an online account in my browser (doesn't matter if it's Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.). When I enter my username, I typically tab to the password field. I don't use my mouse, I use my keyboard. But the tab key doesn't move to the next field. Nor does shift+tab work to go to the previous field. So I tried the Search and Replace function in TextEdit. Again, I typically tab from the search field to the replace field. That doesn't work either. I now have to use my mouse to click each field. I tried this on several different applications with the same result. So I tried just using the tab key in the body of TextEdit to make sure it was working. It does work there, so it's not that the key is malfunctioning. When you pull up the virtual keyboard, it does recognize the tab key is being used, it just doesn't work as it normally did prior to upgrading to my current OS version. It just seems to be occurring when you try to tab between fields, in any application. I'm guessing it's the type of field it is, an active x field, or something similar. There must be a setting somewhere to turn that function back on, but I haven't been able to find it. Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 14.0

Posted on Oct 7, 2023 10:25 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

eitak0702 Author

Level 1

6 points

Oct 7, 2023 2:08 PM in response to leroydouglas

I figured out how to fix it. Apple menu > System settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Keyboard Settings > Keyboard Shortcuts > Keyboard > Uncheck the box next to "Change the way Tab moves focus". Now I can tab between text fields only.

To answer your questions though:

I have shut down and restarted probably 5 times since the upgrade.

I have tried SafeBoot, it had no effect on this issue.

Full Keyboard Access is OFF as it was prior to the upgrade. Turning it on enables it to tab to different fields, but it tabs to every UI object. So for example the search and replace function in TextEdit used to just let me tab from search to replace. Turning Full Keyboard Access on lets me tab from search to the left arrow to the right arrow, and every other UI object between search and replace, rather than just the text fields as it did before. Same goes for login screens. It's better, but still not what I was looking for.

I do a lot of data entry in applications for work, and I rely heavily on being able to tab between fields to increase my speed. Tabbing to extra UI fields takes more time than I have. So I'm glad there was a fix for it!

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Answer 2

dialabrain

Level 10

136,169 points

Oct 7, 2023 2:12 PM in response to eitak0702

eitak0702 wrote:

I figured out how to fix it. Apple menu > System settings > Accessibility > Keyboard > Keyboard Settings > Keyboard Shortcuts > Keyboard > Uncheck the box next to "Change the way Tab moves focus". Now I can tab between text fields only.

+1 Good job.

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Answer 3

leroydouglas

Level 10

199,506 points

Oct 7, 2023 1:23 PM in response to eitak0702

eitak0702 wrote:

I just updated my OS to Sonoma 14.0. As soon as I did, I lost the ability to tab between fields. It doesn't appear to be isolated to any application.

I tried logging into an online account in my browser (doesn't matter if it's Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.). When I enter my username, I typically tab to the password field.

I don't use my mouse, I use my keyboard. But the tab key doesn't move to the next field. Nor does shift+tab work to go to the previous field. So I tried the Search and Replace function in TextEdit. Again, I typically tab from the search field to the replace field. That doesn't work either.

I now have to use my mouse to click each field. I tried this on several different applications with the same result. So I tried just using the tab key in the body of TextEdit to make sure it was working. It does work there, so it's not that the key is malfunctioning. When you pull up the virtual keyboard, it does recognize the tab key is being used, it just doesn't work as it normally did prior to upgrading to my current OS version.

It just seems to be occurring when you try to tab between fields, in any application. I'm guessing it's the type of field it is, an active x field, or something similar. There must be a setting somewhere to turn that function back on, but I haven't been able to find it. Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.

I can not reproduce your issue.

Have you shut down and restarted more than once since your upgrade...(?)

A SafeBoot Use safe mode on your Mac - Apple Support will sort many anomalies.

Log in and test, reboot as normal and test.

verify Full Keyboard Access is OFF

Navigate your Mac using Full Keyboard Access - Apple Support

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