Get the Backspace Key Back in Google Chrome


If you use the Backspace key to go back a page in Google Chrome, you may have noticed that tapping the Backspace key no longer takes you to the previous web page you were visiting. For whatever unfathomable reason, Google chose to remove that keyboard shortcut in version 52 of Google Chrome. If that shortcut is something you use, you're in luck because there's an extension that will bring back that functionality. The extension is called Go Back With Backspace and you can download it from the Chrome Web Store.
The extension re-enables the backspace key as a back navigation button (except when writing text) and is brought to you by Google. No, I don't understand either. :)

Get Go Back With Backspace for Google Chrome

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"For whatever unfathomable reason..."
The reason they claim is that people were complaining about losing work because they hit backspace while not in an input element.

The reason for the add-on is that there are a lot of people angry about it. Some of the threads I read reminded me of a tabs vs spaces war. I assume they didn't want to add an option to the options screen because, at the heart of it, using backspace for going back a page isn't it's intended use.

Thanks, I hadn't heard any of the behind the scenes chatter. :)

gtk. Use backspace by itself and as an assigned key for MS mouse s/w. Had just sort of given up on it figuring it was something to do with MS Intellimouse s/w. Plus I was not able to login at a webmail site under Chrome and have begun to use, for shame, Edge. No probs with that one other than getting used to its ways & limits. It is much improved after Anniversary release fwiw.

I've had some issues with MS Intellimouse interfering with a few things - in particular Phrase Express. I went back to using Logitech hardware. :)

Wow! I never knew the backspace key was intended to be a page back key. On my keyboard (Qwerty) and all key boards prior, maybe excepting the TTY, the BS (Backspace key) has always been "delete prior character" and the delete key has deletes the first forward character. Just as an FYI, I have using computerized keyboards as data entry since 1970, and never ran across that functionality.

Yep, in most browsers, and in Chrome up until recently, the backspace key takes you to the previous web page you visited. I don't use it much since I use an extension that opens links in a new tab with a right click, but it's a good shortcut. Another shortcut I use is the space bar - tapping it will scroll down a web page instead of using a mouse. :)

I probably should mention that this works in web browsers. ;)

Pressing Alt + Left Arrow keys seems to serve the purpose.

Thanks Jojo, that's a helpful tip. :)