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TELRport

Navigating

There are several ways to move avatars around in Second Life, from walking or flying around a single island to teleporting between islands and in-world landmarks.

Much like real life, it's customary in Second Life to give personal space to other avatars—bumping into others is considered rude. Until you are comfortable with movement controls, provide plenty of room for others.

Navigating through Interface Controls or Keyboard

You can navigate through Second Life with either keyboard shortcuts or interface controls. (Experienced users may find navigating by keyboard shortcuts quicker, but for a novice the interface controls are extremely helpful.)

Try navigating while flying (see below). You will find it faster to explore than by walking. Remember, your avatar cannot get "hurt," so if you happen to fall or run into objects, there are no consequences.

To use interface controls, go to "View" in the menu bar and select "Camera Controls and Movement Controls."

Camera controls Movement Controls

If you use the keyboard to navigate, remember that you can press more than one key at a time. Download and print the keyboard shortcuts (pdf) for easy reference.

If you arrive at a location you hope to visit again, make a Landmark (similar to bookmark) by choosing "World" from the top menu and selecting "Create Landmark Here." You will be able to review your Landmarks and return to them from your Inventory. (See Basic Tips: Checking Your Inventory for related information.)

Flying

To start flying, click the "Fly" tab along the bottom of the program window. As you hover, choose one of the eight directional arrows floating at the upper right to move in a direction (if you had selected "Camera Controls and Movement Controls."). You can also press the Page Up to begin flying and the arrow keys on your keyboard to navigate (Fn + Up Arrow on a Mac).

To return safely to the ground, click the Page Down key on your keyboard to land (Fn + Down Arrow on a Mac).

Teleporting

Teleporting is the fastest way to get to a new place. Simply click "Map" in the lower right corner of the program window, type the name of the Island you want to visit, press "Search," and click "Teleport."

For example: To teleport to TELRport, click "Map," type "TELRport," click "Search," and click "Teleport."

If you are unsure of the location name you wish to visit, you may search for islands by clicking “Search” in the lower part of the program window, choosing the "All" or "Places" tab, typing keywords, and clicking "Search." Simply click on the link of the island you wish to visit.

After teleporting, move away from the spot you landed—other avatars may be arriving to the same location.

Do not teleport while you’re sitting or otherwise involved in an animation or pose —your avatar may become locked in an awkward (albeit funny) position. If this occurs, you may need to restart SL to remedy your situation.