How to use back button to get back to new page tab in FF15
In FF14 I could 1) Open new tab and see the new tab page with 9 page thumbnails. 2) Click one thumbnail and go to that page. 3) Click the FF back button, which took me back to the new tab page so I could click some other thumbnail.
In FF15 that doesn't seem to work. In step 3 above, the back button isn't active/enabled and thus, I can't easily go back to the new page tab. How do I get back in an easy way?
Chosen solution
No, you can no longer use the Back button to go back to the about:newtab page if you've opened a page by clicking one of the slots on that page.
You will have to close the tab and open a new tab to get that page or set it as the home page and click the Home button.
All Replies (9)
I am not sure any of those things should have changed.
As a test try using Firefox in safe mode; by using the shift button as you start, or the menu option.
I've tested FF15 in safe mode now, and it's the same (incorrect) behaviour. The only changes I've done is to restart FF when it wanted to upgrade to FF15 from FF14 (I think the old version was - I tend to keep up with the versions). The back button just stays disabled when entering the first web page, even though I want to be able to go back to the new tab page, like I did in FF14.
Chosen Solution
No, you can no longer use the Back button to go back to the about:newtab page if you've opened a page by clicking one of the slots on that page.
You will have to close the tab and open a new tab to get that page or set it as the home page and click the Home button.
Modified by cor-el
Ok, sad for the reply, but thanks for giving it.
Oh boy... removing features that are nice and useful, not to replace them with something else, but just to annoy the users...
You're welcome
- bug 724239 - Loading a page in a new tab enables the back button
cor-el, hi. Can you please clarify for me if you know (opinion is clearly divided in the bug report you alluded to): Is the failure of the back button to return one to the new page tab an error or a design decision? If the latter I would have to say it was to say the least unhelpful and hope very much that it will be reversed.
It is a design (security) decision to not add the new tab URL to the tab session data.
Web pages can have JavaScript code to go back in the tab session history and may as such be able to access the about:newtab page.
That page is not a normal HTML page, but is a special XUL page.
Shame that this is considered a bug. I loved this "feature" of the New Tab page as it made it really convenient to check something on a site quickly and return to check another site. If there is some way of restoring this functionality without compromising security it'd be great.
This morning after Firefox updated and I discovered I could no longer use the back button I was annoyed. I did some looking this morning for an answer to restore what I thought was, and used as, a feature. I couldn't find anything until I started looking this evening after work and eventually (after much searching) found this page.
Quite a few people (on this page and on the bug report) apparently consider this a feature and IMO should be restored if possible. Comment #8 on the bug report makes a good point, if one accidentally clicks the wrong thumbnail you have to now close the tab and open a new one instead of simply clicking the back button.
You can set the home page to about:newtab or as I do to about:about to have access to all about pages. You can also create a bookmark on the Bookmarks Toolbar that opens the about:newtab page.