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Backspace to go BACK a page in Safari gone?

shenan1982

shenan1982

macrumors 68040
Original poster
Nov 23, 2011
3,641
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So maybe this is one of the little things, but I can't find it. Backspace used to take me BACK a page in Safari, and now it doesn't do anything. Is there a way to restore the feature, or do I have to go BACK in time to 10.7 to get that feature back?

Thanks!
 
Noticed that too. It is annoying, but I did notice a two finger swipe to the right takes me back.
 
I have been using the two finger slide to the right on the trackpad of my MBP & magic mouse. I thought the page back via Backspace was just a Windows thing. But, I'll admit I'd never tried it on a Mac since my keyboards have a Delete key vs a Backspace key.
 
The command is now Command-[. This harmonises with other apps, and you are less likely to press it by mistake.
 
danb77 said:
The command is now Command-[. This harmonises with other apps, and you are less likely to press it by mistake.
Click to expand...

Do you mean that Command left arrow and Command right arrow don't work anymore? I hope they do as other browsers support those, and the same on Windows except with Alt left arrow and Alt right arrow. The wheel doesn't need reinventing.
 
Command-Left and Command-Right do not page Forward and Back in Safari 6.

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steve-p said:
The wheel doesn't need reinventing.
Click to expand...

It's funny to hear that comment on an Apple forum. Not being afraid to change accepted standards is one of the things which makes Apple great! (Remember DVD-drives?)
 
I have to agree with not fearing change, but I also have to ask "why" would you not change the way something is done, but also leave the old way...

I really hope someone comes up with a tweak. For those of us like me who prefer competitors mice (ie me with my Logitech on my iMac), and don't buy into the whole swipe hype (ie me on my MacBook Air), I WANT the backspace to take me back a page. If it did something new I could understand replacing the usage, but it doesn't do anything now, so to take away the functionality will further annoy people (me), and alienate people who switch and expect there to be some generally accepted practices in web browsing (on a PC web browser backspace goes BACK just like it has for years)
 
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danb77 said:
Command-Left and Command-Right do not page Forward and Back in Safari 6.

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It's funny to hear that comment on an Apple forum. Not being afraid to change accepted standards is one of the things which makes Apple great! (Remember DVD-drives?)
Click to expand...

How does using Command [ make sense when there is already an established cross platform and cross browser convention? How does that make Apple great exactly? it makes them look foolish to me.
 
danb77 said:
The command is now Command-[. This harmonises with other apps, and you are less likely to press it by mistake.
Click to expand...

It's funny how often I use BACK in Safari. To have to press command - every time would be annoying as I'm so used to just pressing BACKspace.

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steve-p said:
How does using Command [ make sense when there is already an established cross platform and cross browser convention? How does that make Apple great exactly? it makes them look foolish to me.
Click to expand...

Couldn't agree more. This is the type of stuff that gave Apple a bad name years ago that cost them valuable marketshare. A browser experience should be (relatively) the same across platforms, and this type of thing makes someone who's never sat at a Mac confused, because "it's different from what I'm used to" ... and there's really no reason for it. I wonder if they had a meeting and said "Gosh, let's take away the functionality of the back button that's existed in every version of Mac OS X's browser since the beginning. Replace it with something? Naw, let's just take away the functionality" ... the level of thinking here just baffles me. I have to assume it's a mistake, and I hope someone comes up with a tweak or command line mod that'll restore the functionality. Aside from that, the changes to Safari are cool. I like the unified search bar, but at the same time that could be confusing for some as well. Search vs Select... it's an odd concept to combine. What if I don't want to google "google" but just go to google? LOL
 
I do not like them taking away features.

Activity Window gone - this was the ONLY unique feature Safari had over Chrome, Firefox and others.

Backspace back gone - it's a Windows standard which really helped switchers to adjust.
 
Dewroo said:
Well, you're clicking things anyway.
Click to expand...

Highly logical response... it's like saying if the US were to one day change the side of the road we drive on that it wouldn't be confusing because "people are driving anyway" ... zero logic.

Anyhow, if anyone figures out a way to bring back the backspace for previous page, let me know. I may note that BACKSPACE still takes you BACK in Firefox and Chrome and any other browser on Mac, its just Apple seemingly decided to omit the functionality from their new browser. I assume to further push people into using the above mentioned browsers?!?!?
 
While I have never touched the delete button to go back since the 2 finger swipe was introduced, the fact is that Apple had no reason to remove that feature. So while this has no affect on me, I can understand why others would be annoyed because, unless the delete key was reassigned to another function, this is just another example of Apple removing stuff for the sake of removing stuff.
 
maclook said:
While I have never touched the delete button to go back since the 2 finger swipe was introduced, the fact is that Apple had no reason to remove that feature. So while this has no affect on me, I can understand why others would be annoyed because, unless the delete key was reassigned to another function, this is just another example of Apple removing stuff for the sake of removing stuff.
Click to expand...

As far as I can tell it hasn't been reassigned, just disabled. Yeah, not a big deal for swipe users, but I have a mouse (non apple) so it's a big deal for me. Especially when I'm using the keyboard without my hand on the mouse.
 
mabaker said:
I do not like them taking away features.

Activity Window gone - this was the ONLY unique feature Safari had over Chrome, Firefox and others.

Backspace back gone - it's a Windows standard which really helped switchers to adjust.
Click to expand...

Seems like I won't be upgrading to ML...I use the delete button ALL the time to go back web pages.
 
BRLawyer said:
Seems like I won't be upgrading to ML...I use the delete button ALL the time to go back web pages.
Click to expand...

Agreed. It's funny how a week ago if you'd asked me I'd say I never use it, but now that it's gone I realize I use it all the time.

Also, there is some funky scripting limitations in the new Safari. Several of the pages I use for work just won't load. I get a blank white screen, whereas in Firefox or Chrome they load just fine.
 
Was this gone in all beta versions of 10.8? Maybe it's just an oversight.

I can kind of see the logic in removing it. Although it's now a standard across browsers and operating systems, it's a horrible keyboard shortcut. If you're typing in a text box, accidentally click out of it, then type delete/backspace -- poof! Everything is gone.
 
chrisherbert said:
Was this gone in all beta versions of 10.8? Maybe it's just an oversight.

I can kind of see the logic in removing it. Although it's now a standard across browsers and operating systems, it's a horrible keyboard shortcut. If you're typing in a text box, accidentally click out of it, then type delete/backspace -- poof! Everything is gone.
Click to expand...

that's happened to me so many times. this is honestly, a welcome change.
 
chrisherbert said:
Was this gone in all beta versions of 10.8? Maybe it's just an oversight.

I can kind of see the logic in removing it. Although it's now a standard across browsers and operating systems, it's a horrible keyboard shortcut. If you're typing in a text box, accidentally click out of it, then type delete/backspace -- poof! Everything is gone.
Click to expand...

Sorry but no, this accident rarely happens for the simple reason that, in most situations, the text typed into the box is kept if you immediately go back to the page concerned.

Removing this shortcut is absolutely ridiculous, unless Apple allows the user to configure it under keyboard shortcuts again.
 
Hi guys,

I've actually registered in this forum just to post this reply, as I've been absolutely enraged by Apple for changing this feature. Like steve-p said, there's no sense in changing an established cross-plattform standard. In addition, the new cmd+[ shortcut is especially painful for international users such as myself who don't use an english keyboard layout (I actually need to two hands for this shortcut on a german keyboard).

tldr: I did some poking around and found a way to restore the old backspace shortcut. Here's how:

1.) Set an arbitrary shortcut for the command in the System Preferences
2.) Go to ~/Library/Preferences and open the com.apple.Safari.plist file
3.) Find the NSUserKeyEquivalents key.
4.) Replace the shortcut you had previously set by this one: "⌫"
5.) Profit!

Any questions: hit me up on twitter - @jrigerl
 
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