Backspace/Delete ⌫ no longer works as a back button in Safari 6.

How to make the Backspace key to take me to the previous page in Safari 6?


I actually asked a similar question (but more broad so this isn't a duplicate). I got this as an answer (it works, I tested it):

Write the below line in terminal:

defaults write com.apple.Safari com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2BackspaceKeyNavigationEnabled -bool YES

Then restart Safari.

Hope this helps!


Apple removed the backspace (probably to prevent users that wanted to edit a form field to accidentally go to the previous page)

You've got a number of options:

  • Use the command + <- shortcut for back.
  • Use the 2 finger swipe gesture (push the webpage to the right)
  • Install the BringBackDelete safari extension.

Type this into your Terminal.app:

defaults write com.apple.Safari NSUserKeyEquivalents -dict-add "Back" "⌫"

  • That would also disable the default shortcut (⌘[). – Lri Aug 3 '12 at 15:45
  • But it would at least enable backspace, which is what OP wants. – duci9y Aug 3 '12 at 17:35
  • The hidden preference would also restore ⇧⌫ for forward. – Lri Aug 4 '12 at 16:01

Just want to leave this here for when someone stumbles on this topic through a Google search (as I did) with the opposite problem and wants to DISABLE the backspace key (that was added back again in later versions of Safari). I managed to fix it using the following key in the Safari prefs list to map it to something that doesn't reload a page. I used "Export as PDF…" since I never use that, and certainly with a keyboard shortcut, but you can use any menu item that you never use.

defaults write com.apple.Safari NSUserKeyEquivalents -dict-add "Export as PDF…" "⌫"

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