Get Firefox’s Ctrl+L Shortcut In Internet Explorer

Every modern browser implements the Ctrl+L shortcut key for easy access to the location bar—and now you can use the same shortcut in Internet Explorer as well.

Reader Joe used his ubergeeky AutoHotkey hacking skills to create a script that that selects the location bar when you press the Ctrl+L shortcut key combination—normally using that combination will trigger the Open dialog box if you are using Internet Explorer. It’s a simple tweak, but if you are anything like me the glaring lack of that shortcut key combination really stings the few times I’m forced to use IE.

To use his technique, simply create a new AutoHotkey script or add the following to your existing script:

#IfWinNotActive, ahk_class MozillaUIWindowClass ;This is so we don’t clobber Firefox’s shortcut
^L::
MouseGetPos original_X, original_y
ControlGetPos new_x, new_y,,, Edit1, A
MouseMove new_x + 5, new_y, 0
Send {Click}
MouseMove original_x, original_y, 0
Send {Home}
Send +{End}
return

This script will essentially simulate clicking in the location bar and selecting all of the text, but you could alternatively use the following script, which binds the Ctrl+L hotkey to send the F6 key instead:

#IfWinNotActive, ahk_class MozillaUIWindowClass
^L::Send {F6}
Return

The script works great in Internet Explorer, but it could be improved by a helpful reader to exclude other applications so it doesn’t cause weird behaviours when using the shortcut combination in another application. If you’ve got something better, let us know in the comments. Thanks, Joe!

For more, check out how to make Win+E open the folder of your choice, learn how to use Caps Lock for hand-friendly navigation, and see how Taskbar Overlord tweaks the Windows 7 taskbar.