# Accessing context-sensitive help

To access the context-sensitive help for a given widget:

1. Select the widget by putting focus on it (see the table below).
2. Press `F1` key. On GTK windowing system use `Ctrl+F1`, and on Carbon windowing system use `Help` key instead of `F1`.

This displays a description of the selected widget, and usually, a list of links to related information, in the help view. If you want more information than what is shown in the description, click a link to one of the related topic, or one of the search results appearing in the dynamic help section in the help view.

Depending on help preference settings, requesting context-sensitive help may display context help in an infopop instead of help view. You can dismiss the infopop by clicking outside it, or by pressing Esc. If you want more information than what is shown in the infopop, click a link to the related information. This opens the Help browser to the selected topic and closes the infopop. The list of related links stays in the left hand frame, so you do not have to press `F1` again if you are interested in other topics related to the same widget.

To access context sensitive help for a widget, you must put focus on it and then press `F1`. The following table shows how to put focus on some of the different kinds of widgets.

Widget type | How to select it
--- | ---
Menu item (for example Save in the File menu) | Let your mouse pointer rest over it so that it is highlighted, but don't click on it.
Field | Put the cursor in the field.
Button (for example Cancel button on a Dialog) | Tab until the button is in focus.
List | Click an item in the list.
View or pane | Click the title bar of the View or pane.
checkbox | Click the checkbox (which changes its state) or use the Tab key to bring it into focus.

Note: Context-sensitive help via `F1` is unavailable from toolbar buttons. Instead, let your mouse pointer hover over a toolbar button to view tooltip help for buttons.

Accessing and navigating online help