ShiftClick

Shift-click is a user interface gesture used to select a contiguous range of items within a list, grid, or document. The action involves holding the Shift key and clicking a second item; the items from the first selected item (the anchor) to the second item become selected, creating a consecutive block.

How it works can vary slightly by application. Typically, the first item you select serves as the anchor. A subsequent Shift-click on another item expands the selection to include all items between the anchor and the clicked item. If no prior item is selected, some interfaces treat the clicked item as the anchor. Many programs also allow extending the selection by holding Shift and pressing the arrow keys.

Common contexts for Shift-click include file managers (to select multiple files in a folder), email clients (to select a range of messages), image galleries, and spreadsheet or text editor environments where blocks of data or text are treated as a linear sequence. In many systems, holding Ctrl (Windows) or Command (macOS) while clicking enables non-contiguous selection in addition to the contiguous range created by Shift-click.

History and usage conventions: Shift-click is a well-established feature in graphical user interfaces, widely supported across operating systems and applications. It complements other selection methods, such as single-click selection and Ctrl/Cmd-click for discontiguous selections, and is commonly exposed through keyboard and mouse interactions for efficiency. Accessibility considerations emphasize clear visual feedback and keyboard alternatives for users who cannot use a mouse.