How To Bring Back ‘BackSpace’ Keyboard Shortcuts on Nautilus, Thunar, and Firefox

In the world of computing, keyboard shortcuts are essential for boosting productivity and improving workflow. One of the most commonly used shortcuts is the ‘BackSpace’ key, which is often used to navigate back to the previous page or folder. However, in some applications like Nautilus, Thunar, and Firefox, this shortcut may not work by default. This article will guide you on how to bring back the ‘BackSpace’ keyboard shortcut on these applications.

Restoring ‘BackSpace’ in Nautilus

Nautilus, the default file manager for GNOME, has removed the ‘BackSpace’ shortcut in recent versions. Here’s how you can restore it:

1. Open the Terminal and type in the following command to open the Nautilus configuration file:

   nano ~/.config/nautilus/accels

2. Add the following line at the end of the file:

   (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/ShellActions/Up" "BackSpace")

   This line binds the ‘BackSpace’ key to the ‘Up’ action in Nautilus.
3. Save the file by pressing Ctrl+O and then exit the editor using Ctrl+X.
4. Restart Nautilus by running the following command in the Terminal:

   nautilus -q

Now, you should be able to use the ‘BackSpace’ key to navigate to the previous folder in Nautilus.

Enabling ‘BackSpace’ in Thunar

Thunar, the default file manager for XFCE, also doesn’t support the ‘BackSpace’ shortcut out of the box. Here’s how to enable it:

1. Open the Terminal and type in the following command to open the Thunar configuration file:

   nano ~/.config/Thunar/accels.scm

2. Add the following line at the end of the file:

   (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/ThunarWindow/open-parent" "BackSpace")

   This line binds the ‘BackSpace’ key to the ‘open-parent’ action in Thunar.
3. Save the file and exit the editor.

Now, the ‘BackSpace’ key should work in Thunar as expected.

Restoring ‘BackSpace’ in Firefox

In Firefox, the ‘BackSpace’ key is used to go back to the previous webpage. However, this feature is disabled by default in recent versions. Here’s how to enable it:

1. Open Firefox and type about:config in the address bar and press Enter.
2. You will see a warning page. Click on “Accept the Risk and Continue” to proceed to the settings page.
3. In the search bar, type browser.backspace_action and press Enter.
4. You will see a setting with the same name. The default value is ‘2’, which disables the ‘BackSpace’ key. Double-click on the setting and change the value to ‘0’, which enables the ‘BackSpace’ key.
5. Close the settings tab.

Now, you should be able to use the ‘BackSpace’ key to navigate back to the previous webpage in Firefox.

In conclusion, while the ‘BackSpace’ keyboard shortcut is not enabled by default in Nautilus, Thunar, and Firefox, it can be easily restored with a few tweaks. Remember, keyboard shortcuts are all about improving your productivity and making your computing experience more enjoyable. Happy computing!