Opera introduces some cool new keyboard shortcuts for the Opera GX browser

Everyone loves a cute cat - even more so when they're bored at work. Opera understands this and has introduced some new shortcuts for the Opera GX browser that bring cat pictures and other relaxing things to you with just a few keystrokes.

Opera announces unique keyboard shortcuts

Opera GX has announced four new shortcuts “to solve some of life's most pressing dilemmas” as follows:

• Alt + Shift + R : Free up disk space.
• Alt + Shift + P : Starts a repeating fake update screen to "find the perfect excuse to miss a deadline or decline a customer call".
• Alt + Shift + C : Displays a random image of a cat.
• Alt + Shift + M : Redirects to the "land of opportunity" - the home page of the popular job search portal Indeed.

Aside from the excuse to skip work, Opera's announcement blog post doesn't say exactly how to clear up disk space. However, the shortcuts in the blog post and in the browser link to colorfully written instructions (think wikiHow) on how to remove Edge. Once completed, the instructions also prompt you to install "a much superior browser," Opera GX.

If you live in the EU, you can remove Edge from Windows by simply uninstalling it from the Apps section in Windows Settings. However, removing Microsoft's default browser is a hassle if you're in any other region of the world. Check out our Opera GX vs Microsoft Edge comparison if you want to make a more informed decision.

You'll get about 300MB of space back on your drive by uninstalling Edge, which shouldn't have a noticeable impact on your PC's performance. But Opera apparently thinks otherwise:

“We’ve all experienced the frustrating slowdown caused by not having enough free disk space. Created in response to strong user demand, this new shortcut is our way of giving users a quick and easy tool to combat sluggish performance and reclaim their digital flow,” said Maciej Kocemba, Product Manager at Opera GX.

The fake update screen is a gimmick. It also comes with a full-screen button in the lower right corner that hides the browser UI and all Windows elements to make it look like Windows is actually updating, albeit very slowly. However, IT admins or anyone who has spent a lot of time waiting for Windows updates to complete will be able to spot it after a few glances.

The shortcuts are only available for a limited time; you can download Opera GX from the official website to try it out. If you don't want to install another browser, you can instead click the corresponding links in Opera's announcements.

Opera has to be commended for coming up with a fun way for people to try out an alternative browser. But since the announcement came on April Fools' Day, be happy if the claims of keyboard shortcuts freeing up disk space, making your system run smoother, and providing a better online experience are just a joke.