Welcome to the First Column IT Tech Blog

HomeBlog
Internet Browser Do’s and Don’ts

Internet Browser Do’s and Don’ts

March 20, 2025

Your Internet browser is probably one of your most used apps. For this reason, it is important to know how to effectively use it. Regardless of what browser you use, you need to understand how to use these four very useful features. Let’s dig in.

Use (and Keep Up With) Tabs

Browsers let you keep multiple pages open at once, and before you know it, you've got 37 of them cluttering your screen like digital junk mail. This isn’t great and can have you digging for information. Here’s some ways you can manage your tab usage.

  • Use pinned tabs for stuff you check often (email, messaging apps, etc.). Right-click a tab and hit Pin. It’ll stay small and out of the way.
  • Group tabs if your browser allows it. This is a lifesaver if you’re juggling different projects.
  • Regularly close tabs you don’t need. If you haven’t clicked on it in the last hour, you probably won’t miss it.

Keyboard Shortcuts Will Change Your Life

Forget dragging your cursor all over the screen. Your keyboard can do the heavy lifting. Here are some shortcuts that’ll make you feel like a wizard:

  • Ctrl + T (Cmd + T on Mac) - Opens a new tab.
  • Ctrl + Shift + T - Reopens the tab you accidentally closed (magic!).
  • Ctrl + W - Closes the current tab (goodbye distractions).
  • Ctrl + Tab - Switches between tabs (no more clicking around).
  • Ctrl + L - Jumps straight to the address bar so you can type in a new website fast.

Using Bookmarks

Everyone needs bookmarks in their life. Just hit Ctrl + D (Cmd + D on Mac) to save a page. Better yet, organize them into folders; one for work, one for entertainment, and one for all those random recipes you collect and swear you are going to make someday.

Incognito Mode Isn’t Shady

Yes, incognito mode keeps your browsing history private (we won’t ask why you need that), but it’s also great for:

  • Checking flight prices without airlines tracking you.
  • Logging into multiple accounts at once.
  • Testing how a website looks to a first-time visitor.

Of course, incognito mode doesn’t hide your web habits from your ISP, your employer, or anyone else on the network, so you should always browse safely.

Getting to know these features will instantly make you better at navigating your Internet browser. For more great tips and tricks, check out our blog.

‍

Previous Post
September 22, 2025
Your IT Partner Should Make It Easy to Fire Them
I have a question to ask you that is incredibly important that you can answer, despite its relation to a particularly sensitive business topic: how prepared and able are you to fire your vendors, especially the one currently handling your IT?
September 19, 2025
Is Ransomware as Big a Threat as It Seems? No… It’s Worse
Ransomware seems to be everywhere. One can hardly turn on the news without hearing about a new ransomware attack—and that’s just the ones that hit the news cycle, not to mention the smaller ones that are either hidden by the companies or not considered newsworthy. Meanwhile, businesses are urged to invest in more security tools and IT-themed acronyms than ever. Is all this investment actually worth it? Is ransomware actually as significant a threat as it is made out to be?
September 17, 2025
Don’t Let the Sunk Cost Fallacy Keep You Stuck in the Past
The more money you throw at something, the more you hope that it will eventually deliver on the investment… but if you’re not getting the results you hoped for, you might be falling into the sunk cost fallacy. You might find yourself making illogical decisions based on the investments you’ve already made, and that doesn’t help anyone—in life or in business. Today, we want to discuss how you can free yourself from the sunk cost fallacy to make better decisions for your business’ IT solutions.

Have a project in mind?

Start with our free consultation. We will provide a detailed proposal and firm quote based on your specific IT support needs. All at a predictable monthly cost per seat.
Free Consultation - Sign Up Here