topic Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android. in Discussions

Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

CryoProtea — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 06:02:12 GMT

Edit: Apparently it was a bug. Please accept my apologies for being upset about it. Thank you for fixing it.

Yes, I am aware I can bring up my tab history by holding the back button in the top right corner menu. That is far less efficient. Just let us toggle the feature on and off if you want it off by default. I use the feature all the time and it's so frustrating that the developers have removed it twice since I started using the app several years ago. I'm aware that android is moving toward gesture browsing, but I don't use gesture browsing, and I don't intend to switch to it unless I am forced to.

You could also make the browser back button available to replace the home button, as an option. I don't use the home button at all on mobile so I would be happy with being able to replace it and see my tab history that way, but having to not only go all the way up to the top of the screen, but also doubling the amount of taps needed to access tab history significantly slows things down when you use the feature more than a little bit.

Also, and I just thought of this, but what about people who have to browse one-handed? Having to go all the way to the top of the screen for that function would probably be pretty awkward/clumsywwith just one hand. Maybe not, but the thought crossed my mind.

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

Xanth79Ez8 — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 13:44:44 GMT

This, wholeheartedly this. This has made browsing so more difficult and is just a terrible design choice, especially for one forced on us. Even just go back pages has become a chore and often requires pressingback numerous times to go back just once.

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

gpk — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:36:21 GMT

Yep, this was one of the killer features of Firefox for Android for me. Something I would often show people. I'm missing it and frustrated multiple times a day now. In addition to being able to go forward it helped with sites that hijack the back button, actually allowing you to go back to where you want to.

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

JonR — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 12:30:48 GMT

Absolutely right. A terrible change. It was an incredibly useful feature.

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

tuxayo — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 13:48:36 GMT

Do we even know if it was removed or if it's just a bug that broke the feature?

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

tuxayo — Mon, 17 Feb 2025 20:11:59 GMT

There seems to be hope: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1944817#c12

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

billyswong — Wed, 05 Mar 2025 03:33:40 GMT

Good news to everyone: Firefox 136 is out and the bug is fixed in my phone

Re: Please stop removing the ability to hold the android back button to bring up tab history on Firefox for Android.

Menuhin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 11:52:41 GMT

This +1

> You could also make the browser back button available to replace the home button, as an option.

Or is there a way to access these per tab history list via gesture instead of holding / long pressing the back icon?