Browsers have inherited the 'Backspace' shortcut to go back from antiquity, in the days when the web was far more static, before tabs, before webapps, before things like Google Docs and Chrome OS meant that browsers are used to create documents, sometimes documents that take hours to compose. Take an informal survey of your friends, and average the number of hours of work that each of them has lost due to hitting the 'backspace' button trying to delete a word, but having that action move the browser back a page.
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This is unacceptable, and an inheritance of an archaic shortcut does not outweigh the damage that it causes. It is time to break backwards compatibility on this shortcut and force people to learn Alt +. Processing Why is it that every time I end up on a chromium issue tracker page I KNOW that I am going to end up disappointed. This crap is the worst part of google. How they straight up ignore issues for years at a time is bonkers. This behavior NEEDS to change.
If the backspace key shortcut didn't exist, and someone proposed it today, they would be ridiculed for daring to suggest that a button could have such different behaviors depending on whether or not a text area is selected. Lose focus of the box and you lose your work! Processing Google's own Search product disables the 'backspace' - 'back' key mapping, because it is a very unpopular misfeature. Do you want to force every damn web page on the planet, one by one, to disable this idiot key binding with dodgy unrealiable javascript code? Or do you want to fix your dumb browser in just the one place? If you don't want to add a random option to disable or enable this key binding specifically, how about a feature to edit all key bindings, so they users can make the browser behave how they like?
Regardless of this, the 'backspace' button by default should not cause a 'back' navigation. Processing I think that all of the key bindings, on all of the browsers are ridiculous. Any body who has ever worked in a quality text editor, knows that all these key binding are developed for people that don't really know how to use a computer.
Ctrl+n should never mean open an new tab!!! How annoying! What could possibly be unsafe, or giving up any code secrets, by giving us a key-bind config file, and let us make our own. I don't even like using backspace to delete either, it's a waste of movement. Ctrl+h works just fine for that thanks!
Processing +10000000 votes for this. It simply makes no sense and is totally unpredictable when it will happen. Over the world collectively there will have been thousands / tens of thousands / millions of hours of work lost due to this behaviour inherited from the dark age of the web. If you dont want to remove it completley, make it optional, where the first time you press backspace and it would usually take you back a page at that point prompt the user if they want that behaviour or to stay on the page (for this and future events) We shouldn't have to rely on developers including catching events like 'onbeforeunload' so many websites/apps don't do this. Nor should we rely on absurd workarounds like keeping what you type in another application and copy & pasting it. Its 2015 and THE application we should using is the Web. Processing I understand your reasoning and empathize with the pain point (despite being one of the dinosaurs who uses 'Backspace' dozens of times a day to navigate backward), but your approach doesn't solve the root problem.
You would be better advised to (securely) save a complete snapshot of the page state in the history tree whenever navigation commands are issued (back / forward), so in the case you describe, a user could simply hit 'forward' to return to exactly where they were - i.e. The page with all their work intact. This would cover off additional scenarios inducing the frustration you described (e.g. User accidentally hits back / forward in the midst of a large form), and you could further leverage the feature to periodically cache 'active' snapshots when a page is in a dirty state (i.e.
User has modified content) - addressing things like a Chrome / OS / hardware crash, a Javascript-induced freeze from some other content, etc. Perhaps this would also help with the constant reload issue that's plagued Chrome for ages (#17136, ) - I'd love to be able to tell Chrome to use all the memory it wants and stop doing that (Edit: Just found out about #automatic-tab-discarding and will have to try it and see if it helps). It would allow Chrome to restore a page with perfect fidelity when you navigate (how many times have you been on Wikipedia reading a large article with several subsections open, clicked a link to follow an ancillary topic, then hit the back button and found Chrome scroll to a different point on the page than you left off at?) Back when the internet was all static content, that’s exactly how things worked – going backward simply restored the page from cache, without hitting a server. I realize nowadays web content is more bi-directional, and you need to weigh the intent of the website developer (e.g. Issuance of pagereload type events) against that of the user (who just want to go back to where they were, without triggering the page to start doing stuff) but frankly a browser is the property of the user and their needs should trump the rest. These are my thoughts, take them or leave them.
Processing I've actually advocated something like that in another comment somewhere else on the net-but as a test. It's telling that all these years later there are still furious comments on this issue-but how do we know it's not just a tiny angry minority? It's time to A/B test this thing.
When hitting backspace, a tiny survey should pop up for one in 10,000 users that asks them 'did you just have the satisfying experience of conveniently going back a page, or did you just lose work unintentionally, if so, how much time did you just lose?' Only then will Google have the data it needs to make an informed decision. Regarding your suggestion, I think that the browser should go 'back' to a new window that is layered visually on top of the page you were on.
That way, you're not actually leaving the page and nothing can possibly change. If you don't go 'oh crap' and press forward again within one second, then the page you left is invisibly closed in the normal way. Processing Very strange to change this without having an option of user choice. This is 15 years of muscle memory that we have to retrain in a single update?
My main argument against this approach: pressing two buttons very far apart means using two hands, this is not only very un-ergonomical but a bit ridiculous, its not like we are operating heavy machinery? Treat the user with some respect. Are we now also going to change the Android back-button? Have to hold volume-up + home button + click 'are you sure':P Least that could be done is put an option in chrome://flags like for all the other stuff. Processing Chrome: I'm officially leaving you.
The addition of the profile name badge in the top corner: absolutely useless. Plus it's a privacy concern - it puts my name out there so everyone that walks by can see.
But I dealt with it, despite it taking up valuable screen real estate. Then comes this update. I've been hitting backspace (or delete on OS X) for at least 10 years in multiple browsers, and, guess what? I've never ONCE had the problem this 'resolves.' No flag option - just a 'Use ⌘+Left Arrow' message.
That pops up dozens upon dozens of times a day. Aren't you guys developers? Don't you all use your keyboards all day? Why use a more complicated keyboard shortcut to fix a problem that didn't need fixing in the first place (it's not my fault if you don't know how to focus on a text field, nor should it be Googles). The UI's all screwed up too with the new material setup. It is, hands down, the worst design decision I've seen in an OS X app in a long time, save for the few apps using Java for desktop UI.
So, Google, thanks for the years of a great browser. But you're trying too hard to solve problems that don't need solving. I don't need profile management. I don't need a replacement keyboard shortcut for going back (which, by the way, works just fine in Firefox, Opera, Safari, and IE). And I don't want a UI chrome that makes my tabs and bookmarks look like I went from OS X 10.11 to OS X 10.1. You're done, Chrome. Processing 'I am aware that while typing in a field (like this one) the backspace button will delete letters and not move the browser back, but it is all too easy (and too common) for the field to lose focus (for a myriad of reasons: an unintentional palm-touch to a trackpad, a moment of multitasking, focus stealing scripts or popups, an accidental 'tab' press or some other shortcut).
It's time to stop being bogged down by the past and do what is best for billions. Weigh the costs of the few minutes it takes people to learn a new shortcut against the cost of hours of work being lost over and over and over by the majority of web users.' This is, by far, the most asinine thing I've ever heard about modern technology. By 'doing what is best for billions' is the most bloated, egotistical thing I've ever heard. This is.not. the 'best,' and a keyboard shortcut is, in no way, keeping us 'bogged down by the past.' It's a keyboard shortcut.
![Chrome Chrome](http://cdn.osxdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/disable-chrome-new-theme-610x380.jpg)
Grow up and learn how to use your computer. Processing Now that backspace no longer works I can no longer browse one handed, this is annoying. The ALT is on the left-hand, side the arrow keys on the right, this breaks my whole workflow. Forbidding backspace for all users just because less than 1% of all websites now do word processing is not the correct way to handle the problem for this kind applications.
I see that it is annoying in this 1% of websites that you can lose you work. And because in this application people usually type with both hands, so typing ALT + LEFT is not a problem.
But for quick browsing the 99% of the web (shift +) backspace is the much more convenient way to do it. For the 1%, there are ways to reduce the impact of an accidental history back. A) good web application implements an auto save feature. B) intercept history back e.g.
![Turn off back page in chrome for mac download Turn off back page in chrome for mac download](/uploads/1/2/5/3/125380259/618516391.png)
“Are you sure you want to leave this page?” (on some pages only used is unsaved changes exist). For B) I see that this could be too much interruption as well and you would like to handle backspace differently, so why not have something in JavaScript like windows.wordProcessing = true or window.historyBackspaceDisabled = true which than allows the web application to use backspace and maybe display “use Alt + Left to go back”. Please give me back backspace (at least as an option) I’m old and Chrome just lost accessibility for me. Processing +1 for an option or a flag. Muscle memory and ease of single handed navigation is the main argument here. This has always worked for me fine and now it's all gone without a notice how to re-enable a well worked feature that isn't a security threat or anything.
I new alt-left worked, and at times it's perfect, but on any regular keyboard i prefer the backspace key. Please don't make me have to write auto-it scripts to press alt-left when google is in focus and no text-area or input box is active. Processing I just want to put my vote in for keeping the backspace button as a backpage button. It speeds up work incredibly for those of us who use it, and having to revert to a two-button solution (alt + back arrow) is a big slowdown.
I also fill out forms all the time in web pages but have learned to make sure the cursor is focused on the input field before using the backspace button to delete what I've written there. The fact that Chrome has removed the backspace button is a victory for newbies and clumsy users and a defeat for advanced users. Processing 'The fact that Chrome has removed the backspace button is a victory for newbies and clumsy users and a defeat for advanced users.' This sums up very nicely the reasoning behind this (and many other) decisions being made in software design nowadays. Dumb it down.
Make it so that idiots can't be harmed by their own idiocy. Save morons from themselves. A long-standing Murphy's Law states it best: 'Build a system that even a fool can use and only a fool will want to use it.' It has never applied more than it does to today's software design practices.
In summation: give us an option to configure this, at least. By all means, help newbies continue to be newbies, but don't lump the rest of us with them. Processing The 'back button' was also inherited from antiquity, that's not a reason to remote it. This is a well known keyboard shortcut and removing it is very irritating. What's worse is that damn message that pops up saying, 'I know what you really want, but we've arbitrarily disabled it and you should use a harder shortcut instead (which has existed a long time and wasn't getting used because it's not as easy)'.
Removing this was a mistake as far as I'm concerned. I've known about alt-left/right for a VERY long time as well and didn't use it for good reason; it's more effort. At the least, this should be a user-definable option even if you want to default it for all the users who were apparently affected (and I still don't even see how or why it matters given how well Chrome remembers form values).
Processing I literally have 4 buttons on my keyboard that act as page modifiers. Two dedicated forward/back buttons and two arrow keys which simply need a modifier that can is easily reached with the same hand or with the opposite hand basically being in resting position. The impact of a misplaced cursor or backspace after tab is much worse than you lazy jerks who keep this backspace key acting as something other than deleting single letters of text. I should not need to download an extension or configure a browser or every webpage so it doesn't do stupid things.
Processing ALT-Backspace is only easy to type for people who have two ALT keys. However in many countries keyboards only have the left Alt key.
The right Alt key is replaced by an AltGr key. As written somewhere above AltGr + Left cannot be used because on notebooks this usually rotates the screen.
To comment on comment #241 “I should not need to download an extension or configure a browser or every webpage so it doesn't do stupid things.“ True! Sorry my comment #238 with the link to the extension was meant as a solution to bring the traditional binding for history back on backspace back to current Chrome – for those who cannot live without it; like me. Processing re: 243; I didn't think of that (seems like a recurring theme on this bug!) but couldn't AltGr+Backspace solve the same problem? Assuming the 'right alt' or equivalent right-side key-modifying button is safe to use with the backspace key, this might work around the problem fairly well, at least for most people.
There is clearly a usability problem for some people. Those people are going to have it their way, and the rest of us are stuck with it. I'd like a better option than a passive-aggressive toast box at the top of the browser though. Processing +1 for option or a flag. As others have pointed out, this is not how you address the problem of lost work.
How this poor keyboard shortcut ever appeared NEAR the radar when essentially looking for the auto-save feature is utterly confounding. Lazarus functionality could have been default in all browsers by now, complete with reassuring feedback to the user. I can understand if that's too much work and too much politics, but what about choosing instead (in an equally brutal way towards users) to enforce the 'Are you sure you want to leave this page?' Did it not occur to anyone that implementing a change affecting 1-10% of browser use time is better than a change impacting 99% of use time? Processing Or you could just press Shift+Tab and bam all your work is back.
Give me my shortcut back. I actually know how to use it. A better fix is to stop the backspace key from deleting text and make it a dedicated navigation key in Chrome. If users want to delete text with a keyboard they can use Shift+Arrows and the Delete key. If somebody is in a text box and presses backspace the browser should display a message instructing them to use alternate keys to delete text. 'Imagine how ridiculous it would be if hitting the letter B opened the bookmarks tab or hitting + by itself zoomed in on a page?'
Not clear on why that would be ridiculous. If you weren't in a text box, that seems useful. You are aware that gmail has a whole ton of single letter shortcuts like that, yes? Processing The removal of the backspace button as a control to return to the previous page seems like a punishment by google to all the users who actually enjoy using it and are competent enough to not backspace blindly on their very important documents.
Everybody has mistakenly backspaced out of a page by accident at some point, and it can be annoying, but the pros of being able to navigate backwards with only one button far outweigh the cons for me personally. Not to mention that many webpages actually save information typed if you do accidentally navigate away from your work. Completely taking this option away is not prudent and has become a huge inconvenience for what seems like an immense number of users. We don't need annoying pop-ups, we don't need different buttons to backspace in documents, we don't need time-consuming key combinations.
We just need an option. As much as I prefer to use google chrome compared to other browsers, if you will not at least provide an option for normal users to easily re-enable backspace as a backwards navigation key, I will be forced to stop using google chrome as my main browser. Processing Honestly it should be on the web devs to fix their own sites. If you have users spending ridiculous amounts of time on a page and not saving their work then you have a bad webpage.
Save their work (optional) 2. Disable the backspace on the page, or ask the user if this is what they want. I'm sorry, if you're anyone who is for removal of the backspace key your arguments are weak. You're problem is local and this fix is globally removing the feature.
If you can't learn how to use delete then you could use shift + delete. Instead you're leaving anyone against the removal with the only option shift + left arrow.
That's an arbitrary fix. Processing Removing the single button 'back' feature without a single button alternative hits users with disabilities hard. On computers without enabled assistance features (99% of all computers), it is now necessary to push two buttons simultaneously to achieve back navigation. If a user can only use one hand, he cannot perform this on a keyboard where the right 'alt'-key is 'alt-gr'. I've tried, it does not work.
Also on many computers alt+left is a shortcut from intel graphics (rotate screen). If only one finger or a typing stick is available, it is impossible to perfom back navigation from now on. Before this change, my colleagues could use all PCs running chrome. Now, this is no longer possible without setting up or modifying the OS / Chrome. Please consider what this means for users with disabilities. Processing Wow, this is infuriating.
Why change a one key shortcut, that is a standard across most (all?) browsers, and has been in use for decades? This doesn't make any sense. Alt L works when browsing a file system because it's quickest to have both hands on the keyboard while doing that, and it doesn't require the use of the mouse. This doesn't work with web content, which by design requires one hand to be on the mouse. It is always going to be quicker to just click the back button than to take a hand off the mouse to hold the Alt key, which seems against the core purpose of hotkeys. If this is really such a huge problem, at least make it a toggleable option.
The suggested option of installing an extension to restore the expected behaviour (across different browsers) seems like a poor one to me. Processing Please keep it removed. I'm amazed at the vitriol in these comments over something like this. All of the users threatening to 'leave chrome' aren't going to do anything like that. (If they do, good luck to them.) Backspace isn't a 'power users' feature.
I don't know who they all think the inept users are that are causing everyone else to be 'punished'. That's just stupid. Google, no doubt, removed the feature due to measurements made from telemetry. It looks like you can add it back with an extension.so what's the problem? Processing Make it optional. I, for one, haven't had any issues with accidentally hitting backspace and losing work for about 10 years now.
Also, I've had to 'fix' my mother, father and gf's computer because they thought they had broken the 'go back' button since this update went live. It's completely nuts. I too thought something had broken until I realized it was a 'feature'. The message that pops up is not exactly reassuring. While you are at it, you could just make shortcuts optional and modifiable. This shortcut revamp has broken other gobal shortcuts I used (alt+start, alt+end for music player control.).
It's entirely hostile towards someone that uses the computer for something else than browsing the web. Processing Removing navigate back from backspace makes sense for all the stated reasons. But I believe changing the shortcut to alt+leftarrow is one of the main reasons this many people are unhappy with the change. Navigating back is now a two-handed operation instead of a one-handed one. Users will always resist changes. But changes that in fact improves the experience will, eventually, be accepted.
However, at least for me personally, having a one-handed navigate back shortcut, is more valuable than avoiding the original issue, and so I find that the change have overall made chrome worse than before. I appreciate, that you tried to find an unused shortcut for the backpage feature using the arrow keys, but I'rather have a completely nonsensical shortcut over one that requires two hands. Giving the address bar focus is already alt+d, so how about making navigate back alt+z or something? Processing As a person who has used the internet since 1994 I can only say that this change is the only thing in the last 10 years to convince me to switch browsers away from Chrome.
And I'm a developer who had a control deprecated from Silverlight. The chrome extension is a completely different behavior than the previous backspace command. It breaks backspace interaction on any flash application, etc. Just add the option back in as a configurable parameter, and protect form data that's received input from backspace, maybe give it a warning or require a second keypress if any form fields have data in them. This was seriously the 'easy way out' that was totally the wrong move from a long term progression of browser capability.
You should seek the correct behavior, not an easy way out. I'm a developer, so maybe that makes me more experienced than some users, but you honestly shouldn't need to protect users from themselves to the degree of removing functionality.
That's what confirmations, warnings, keybinding configurations and the like are for. Give me back backspace, you savages.