Using Opera

Using a Web browser for the first time, or switching from one browser to another, is usually fairly intuitive and painless. Still, there are a few tricks to be learned. We will first give you general information on how to use a browser before we tell you how to browse the Internet at the speed of Opera.

What Is a Browser?

Information retrieval

A Web browser is a program for retrieving information on the World Wide Web. As you probably know, you are using a browser right now to view this document. To find this document, you have most likely used your mouse to click on a number of links. You may also have entered an Internet address (URL) directly into your browser's address field.

Having several browsers installed on your computer, and using them, is quite possible. Note, however, that some browsers, though not Opera, may try to take control and set themselves up as your default browser.

Navigation with a Mouse

Toolbars

All browsers have toolbars with a collection of buttons and fields. These buttons perform the most commonly used and most useful functions related to surfing the Web.

Go back

Browsers keep a record of a certain number of pages you have visited. Going back to a previously visited page is therefore easy - just click on the Back button.

Go forward

Going forward is just as easy - just click on the Forward button. Note, however, that going forward is only possible after first having gone back.

Go home

It's easy to get lost on the Internet. But it's even easier to get home. Instead of continuously clicking the Back button until you get back to where you started, simply click the Home button once. This will take you to the page you have set as your home page.

Reload

Sometimes an interruption occurs and part of a Web page is lost. Reloading the page by clicking the Reload button once then becomes necessary. This is also useful for pages that change on a regular basis, like newspaper sites. Automatic reload of specific sites is possible in Opera.

Note that, in order to save space, the Opera Reload button is hipen under the Stop button while loading a page.

Stop

If you would like to stop loading a page, often because the page is heavily loaded with images or you are at the receiving end of a slow connection, simply click the Stop button once.

Note that the Opera Stop button is replaced by the Reload button after loading is complete in order to save space.

New window

Open an apitional window by clicking on the New button. Clicking a link while holding down the Shift key tells Opera to Open that link document in a new window.

Print

If your system is correctly configured and connected to a printer, simply clicking the Print button will print the active document. In Opera, selecting File > Print preview mode shows you what the printed document will look like.

Fly the Web at the Speed of Opera

Mouse gestures in Opera

Opera now supports mouse gestures for most basic operations. For example, holding your right mouse button down while sliding your mouse downward will open a new window. This speeds up mouse navigation quite a bit.

Open Preferences from the File menu, or press Alt+P. Then select Accessibility to turn mouse gestures on or off.

Keyboard navigation and shortcuts

Long time use of the mouse may cause pain, and some people may have disabilities that make surfing with a mouse difficult. Normal mouse navigation can also be a bit slow. But there are better ways!

With Opera, you can navigate the Internet without a mouse, using only the keyboard. Indeed, every feature and function in Opera can be operated without a mouse. When you open menus, note that a keyboard shortcut is almost always suggested for every function.

Work your way through our excellent tutorial and become a certified Opera pilot!

Using Opera without a mouse