- Using Inspect Element in Google Chrome
- Using Inspect Element in Microsoft Edge
- Using the Inspect element (OS specific)
- How to use Inspect Element on a Chromebook
- How to use Inspect Element on an Android device
- How to use Inspect Element in Windows
- How to use Inspect Element on a Mac
- How to use Inspect Element in iOS
- How to use Inspect Element When Locked
- Method 1 – Disable JavaScript
- Method 2: Access development tools along the way
- Method 3: Using the Function Key
- How to use Inspect Element on a school Chromebook
- How to use Inspect Element to find answers
- Additional FAQs
- How do I use the Inspect Element command to find answers?
- Is it illegal to inspect the item?
- Is it possible to disable the inspection element in the browser?
- Get to know the ins and outs of a website
Device links
Most people are not aware that there is a treasure trove of development tools at their disposal and they are hidden in their favorite browser.

Every web browser offers developer tools to check the coding of a website. However, it is a foreign entity to the average Internet user. After all, who wants to see a website coded, right?
It turns out there are a lot of things you can learn by looking at coding a website. Read on to find out what the item inspection feature has to offer and how to use it.
Most browsers have tools for inspecting elements of a website, but they generally all work the same way.
Using Inspect Element in Google Chrome
- Open the website you want to inspect.

- Right click anywhere on the page and select To inspect.

EITHER - Click on the three vertical points in the right corner of your toolbar.

- Gonna More tools.

- Select Development tools.

EITHER - press the F12 keyboard shortcut key on a PC (or CMD + Options + I on a Mac.)

Using Inspect Element in Microsoft Edge
- Open a website.

- Click on the three vertical points in the upper right corner of the browser toolbar.

- Scroll down and click More tools.

- Click on Development tools.

EITHER - Right click anywhere on the website and click To inspect.

EITHER - Press Ctrl + Shift + I.


Any of these three methods will give you the same result.
If you did this correctly, a new panel will open at the bottom of your browser. These are the Developer Tools and include the Elements tab. This is the tool you need to inspect items.
The panel will open at the bottom of the screen by default, but you can always change its appearance. Follow these simple steps to reposition the Developer Tools panel:
- Click on the three horizontal points in the top corner of the Developer Tools panel.

- Select a dock side (left, bottom or right) or undock in a separate window.

Hovering along the edge of the Developer Tools panel frame and dragging will narrow or expand the workspace. For example, if you choose to dock the panel to the right side of the browser window, try placing your cursor over the left edge. You can drag the panel to resize it when you see the arrow cursor.
Using the Inspect element (OS specific)
Although many of the steps involved may have been covered by simply showing you how to use Inspect Element in the browser, we’ll still show you how to do it on most operating systems.
How to use Inspect Element on a Chromebook
The default browser on a Chromebook is Google, so follow the Chrome browser instructions to access Inspect element. Here we leave you a small refresher course:
- Open a website.

- Click on the three vertical points in the upper right corner of the toolbar.

- Select More tools.

- Click on Development tools.

You can also use the right click method or the F12 Function key to access developer tools faster.
How to use Inspect Element on an Android device
Running Inspect Element on an Android device is slightly different. See how to get to the Inspect Element panel in Android:
- press the F12 function key.

- Choose Toggle device bar.

- Select the Android device from the dropdown menu.

When you select a specific Android device, you will notice that a mobile version of the website loads. From here, you will be able to use the Inspect Element feature on your Android device from the comfort of your desktop.
This method works for both Chrome and Firefox browsers because they have a feature in their development tools called Device Simulation.
It also works the same way for iPhone devices. You just need to select the correct one from the dropdown menu.
How to use Inspect Element in Windows
The Inspect Element tool is not necessarily specific to the operating system, but it is specific to the browser. That means that the developer tools are a feature of the browser you use and not necessarily Windows. However, you can access the Inspect Element panel regardless of which browser you prefer.
If you use the Windows operating system, chances are you also use the Microsoft Edge browser. See how to access Inspect Element in MS Edge:
- Open the website you want to inspect.

- Tap the three vertical dots in the corner of the browser window.

- Scroll down and select More tools.

- Click on Development tools.

You can also use the F12 function key to access Inspect Element faster. Additionally, right-clicking on the web page and selecting Inspect also works.
How to use Inspect Element on a Mac
If you’re using a Mac, your preferred browser is probably Safari. Opening Inspect Elements in Safari is slightly different than in Chrome and Firefox. But it’s just as simple with these steps:
- Open the Safari browser.

- Click on Safari in the header tab and select preferences in the dropdown menu.

- Click on the Advanced gear icon located at the top of the screen.

- Check the box that says Show Develop menu in menu bar.

Following these steps enables the Inspect Element feature in your browser. If you don’t enable Inspect Element First, you won’t see the option when you open a website.
After completing this step, simply right-click on any open web page and select Inspect. You can also use the hotkey command: CMD + Option + I (to inspect).
How to use Inspect Element in iOS
Want to use the Inspect Elements feature to see how a mobile version of a web page appears on an iPhone? You can do this and more with just a few simple steps. But before looking at an item, you must enable web inspector for your iOS device:
- Gonna Settings.

- Now select Safari.

- Scroll to the end and tap the Advanced menu.

- Now, tap the toggle switch to turn on web inspector.

Also, make sure the Develop menu is enabled on your Mac by following the steps in the previous section.
After enabling both iOS and Mac mobile devices, you will see the Develop menu in the top bar of your Mac. Click on it to see the connected iPhone and the active web page on the device. Selecting the web page also opens a Web Inspector window for the same page on your Mac screen.
However, keep in mind that these instructions only work for Safari on Mac, not Safari on Windows.
How to use Inspect Element When Locked
Occasionally, you will find that you cannot inspect a web page and the Inspect selection appears grayed out if you try to right-click on it. You may think you are blocked, but there are numerous ways to fix it:
Method 1 – Disable JavaScript
- Walk into Settings.

- Look for javascript.

- To turn off javascript.

Method 2: Access development tools along the way
Instead of right-clicking the mouse to inspect, do this:
- Gonna Settings in your browser.

- Select More tools.

- Scroll down and click Development tools.

Method 3: Using the Function Key
You can also try using the F12 Function key on web pages that block right clicking to Inspect.

You may have to try all of these methods before you find one that works for you. As a last resort, you can also try to view the source code by typing see source: [enter full url].

How to use Inspect Element on a school Chromebook
If your Chromebook was issued by a school, using the Inspect Item feature involves a few simple steps:
- Right-click or two-finger tap on the web page and select To inspect.

- Press Ctrl + Shift + I.



- Try and use the display source:[url] method, like see source: https://www.wikipedia.com.

However, some schools and organizations block this feature, so if it doesn’t work for you, you may need to contact your organization or school administrator.
How to use Inspect Element to find answers
You can use Inspect Element to find answers to a variety of things like:
- Preview site design on mobile devices.
- Find out the keywords that competitors are using.
- Speed tests.
- Change text on a web page.
- Find quick examples to show developers what you need.
When you launch the Inspect Element panel, you will see all the coding for the website. That includes all the built-in JavaScript, CSS, and HTML coding. It’s like viewing the source code of a web page, except you can make changes to the code. Additionally, you will be able to see the changes implemented in real time.
This tool makes it invaluable for marketers, designers, and developers to view any design changes before finalizing them. However, making coding changes with Inspect Element does not last forever. When you reload the page, it will return to its default state.
Additional FAQs
If you’re not an Inspect Element expert after reading above, there are more answers here.
How do I use the Inspect Element command to find answers?
The only way to find answers using the Inspect Item feature is if the website reveals them instantly after submission. In this case, the answers are present in the encoding.
Otherwise, you will simply see the coding of the quiz or test when you use the Inspect Item feature, as well as the responses you submit.
Is it illegal to inspect the item?
No, the Inspect Element tool is not illegal; It is designed for web developers. Viewing the source code of a website is not illegal; It only becomes a problem if you use the collected information for nefarious purposes, such as attempting exploits, etc.
Is it possible to disable the inspection element in the browser?
The short answer is no.
You can’t disable the Inspect element in a browser, but you can set parameters that prevent users from performing certain actions such as right-clicking on a web page. There are numerous tutorials online for setting up the appropriate scripts to disable certain events. However, you can’t actually turn off the Inspect Element feature entirely.
Get to know the ins and outs of a website
Checking a web page’s Inspect Element feature is probably a developer tool you never knew you needed, even if you’re not a developer. It has tons of design and marketing apps that can make your website perform better. And maybe it will give you an edge over a competitor.
What is Inspect Element used for? Tell us in the comments section below.