# Where did my 'Back Button' go?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 4, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313 "2010-05-04T18:29:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313/1 "2010-05-04T18:29:26Z")

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I have a Google toolbar on my IE browser. I also have a Yahoo toolbar. My problem is that oftentimes, I lose my back buttons. I cannot go to the previous page, because I have no button to click on. These aren’t new windows, they are the same one, and the back buttons aren’t grayed out-they are not on my toolbar!  
Can you help me?

Thanks,  
hh

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**Author:** ![Myglaren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f1d935/32.png) [@Myglaren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myglaren)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313/2 "2010-05-04T20:35:32Z")

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ALT+left arrow key.

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**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313/3 "2010-05-04T20:36:41Z")

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> [@Myglaren](#):
>
> ALT+left arrow key.

Or Backspace.

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**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313/4 "2010-05-04T21:06:40Z")

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I think that in some set ups [, {, and ( work as well. And the corresponding closing], }, and ) move you forward through your history.

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**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313/5 "2010-05-04T21:22:56Z")

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I use Mozilla Firefox and 3 ways to go back work. They are ALT+left arrow key, right click mouse then click on word back and the Back button.

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**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2010, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-did-my-back-button-go/538313/6 "2010-05-04T22:56:27Z")

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I never heard of a back button. The one on your front is the belly button.