How to get Backspace to go back one page in Safari on macOS Mojave (10.14.4)?

Tech Support
1

Because of muscle memory I want Backspace to go back one page in Safari (I know I can/should use ⌘[, but I’m too used to Backspace).

Previously I could achieve that using this command:

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

However, this no longer seems to work on macOS Mojave (10.14.4)?

A possible solution is to install this Safari Extension:

However, I don’t have a Mac signing certificate to build it myself and I’m not sure I want to install a binary with an extension that can read all my web traffic.

I thought of using Keyboard Maestro (mapping Backspace to ⌘[ in Safari only), but can’t get it to work without breaking regular edit functionality in the URL field and forms…

Any other solutions?

2

Have you tried this?

defaults write com.apple.Safari NSUserKeyEquivalents -dict-add Back "\U232b"
3

No.

Wouldn’t that have the same side effect as I had in Keyboard Maestro?

(no backspace in the URL field or forms)

4

From this thread, it sounds like it’s just changing the Back key assignment from cmd+[ to Backspace.

5

I saw that thread before, but reading it again I probably misunderstood, so I will try this (later today).

Thanks!

1 Like
6

Yes, this works!

Note that this replaces ⌘[ (so that won’t work anymore), but that’s fine for me.

Thanks!

1 Like
7

where does one type this script?? terminal? or somewhere in safari?

sorry, i’m new to mac os…thanks in advance.

8

In the terminal (on the command line).