The Enter key can have many meanings depending on context. Can create line feeds and carriage returns, or submit form or text fields. You can usually easily switch between these two modes with Shift + Enter. Here’s why and how to use it.
STREAM FEED ETC. TO SEND
If the default web form or application submits a text field when you press Enter, pressing Shift + Enter usually allows you to create a line feed (move the cursor to a new line) without submitting. This way you can create multi-line messages.
For example, you can use Shift + Enter to create a multi-line tweet on the Twitter website. When you’re done, press Enter and your tweet will be sent.
The same goes for apps like Discord, Slack, and Teams. You can impress your friends by creating multi-line masterpieces, giant paragraphs of text, or anything else that suits your taste with Shift + Enter. Then when you’re ready to send, just hit the good old Enter key.
Interestingly, the opposite is often true. If the default behavior of an application or website is to create a line feed when you press Enter, pressing Shift + Enter will usually submit the text field or form; It’s just like clicking the “Send” button ( Ctrl + Enter usually does this like this: Okay). This way, you can quickly submit the form without having to take your hands off the keyboard to click the “Submit” button with your mouse.
The reason this behavior exists is due to a historical quirk: the Enter and Return keys originated in two different environments (sending data on a computer and creating carriage returns on an electric typewriter). ), but they are often used interchangeably depending on the software. Initially, IBM developed a way to combine both functions into a single key (labeled “Enter”) that could be toggled using the Shift key. This standard still exists and has since been adopted by many operating systems and applications.
IT IS ALSO USABLE IN MICROSOFT WORD
Pressing Shift + Enter in Microsoft Word allows you to enter a straight line feed instead of a paragraph break; This can be useful if you are doing special formatting in the document. We wouldn’t be surprised if Shift + Enter also unlocks hidden functions in other apps. Let us know if you find out!
