Security News > 2021 > January > Mozilla Firefox disabling backspace key to prevent data loss
Mozilla Firefox is disabling the browser's backspace key to prevent users from accidentally losing data typed into forms.
In 2014, Google removed the ability to go back to a previous page by using the backspace key as it could cause the loss of data entered into forms on the current page.
"Would be useful to determine how commonly backspace is used as a"back" action shortcut, so we can figure out if we need to tweak the UX somehow to avoid accidental loss of form data due to mistyping the backspace key," Google Chrome developers stated in a 2014 bug post.
Seven years ago, Mozilla opened a bug post to discuss whether the backspace key should be disabled but decided at the time not to make any changes.
"To prevent user data loss when filling out forms, the Backspace key as a navigation shortcut for"Go back one page" is now disabled.
Once the setting is enabled, you can use the backspace key to go back to the previous page in Firefox.