Train Your Fingers for Google Instant

Google Instant promises to save you up to 5 seconds every time you search the Web, but you’ll only see those savings if you know how to take advantage of its new real-time mind-reading. Here are the must-know keyboard shortcuts for zipping your way around Google Instant predictions and results.

Google Instant is rolling out to Google.com now, but it’s not available in your browser’s search box–yet. (Executives confirm Google is working on that, as well as making Google Instant available on your mobile phone.) So, to get started using Instant, you must visit Google.com in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or IE 8. Begin typing your search term into the text box as usual, and then:

Tab to auto-complete: As you type your search term, Google Instant fills in text predictions in grey following what you’ve entered. Press Tab to accept the next word and add it to your search automatically. For example, when you enter fast c, and Google Instant suggests fast company, press Tab to accept the second word. The Tab key in this example saves you 5 keystrokes. (Hit escape to pull back the drop-down.)

Press the Up/down arrow keys to “auto-scroll.” As you type, a dropdown of suggested searches appears below the search box. Press the up and down arrow keys to move between these terms, and watch the results update instantaneously as you select each option.

If you’re “feeling lucky,” press the right arrow. When up or down-arrowing through the suggested search terms, if the result you want is at the top of the page, press the right arrow key. That will zip you right off to the top result, that is, it triggers the classic “I’m feeling lucky” search. (Hitting enter is still the same as hitting the search button.)

Google Instant is too flashy for you? Just turn it off in your Google preferences.

Originally published at FastCompany.com.