I gotta say, good riddance! We already have two keyboard shortcuts to go back, Command-[ or Command-left arrow. That's standard across all the browsers. Or you can right click and the first item at the top of the list is "Back".

I've lost so much text typed into fields because of the delete key being used for back, which didn't always behave is it should have, and went back regardless to having been typing text into a field.

Command-[ or Command-left are not real options. This is just not efficient. You have to use 2 hands.
You surf and click with right and the left hand over the keyboard where you can switch very fast back if you hit backspace.

I don't get why some people just hit backspace to correct a typo and hope the cursor is at the right position.
You also don't just hope the curser is at the right place in a text or word processor when you want to correct something.

You do not have to use two hands. With your right hand, place your thumb on the Command key and your index on either the [ or ] keys. You can also use one hand to access Command the arrow keys.

This is how I do it. I used to use that exclusively until I got a Logitec mouse with extra buttons. When I got my iMac it came with the wireless keyboard and mouse, so I used the Apple mouse and sttarted right clicking for Back and Forward.

Now I use the Magic Trackpad and swipe Back and Forward. That's easiest of all the options.

Backspace? I see "delete" and another "delete" key on my keyboard.

I never lost text to this thankfully, but the first time it went back a page, I didn't know what happened. I'm glad that Apple finally changed this! I don't like the unibrow search field though, I would like a way to revert to 2 fields.

Thank GOD they made this change. Interpreting backspace as a request to leave a page has messed me up many times when filling in forms. Getting the "Disable Backspace Key Navigation" is one of the first add-ons I download when installing Firefox. I'm glad to know that now Safari will just work better without any add-on needed.

Thanks, I miss this feature. Also agree it shouldn't be on by default.

For the person complaining because the person wrote backspace instead of delete, on a typewriter the key in that location is backspace and some of us still call it that. I do and I get blank stares from my wife when I say backspace.

you also need to restart safari for the delete shortcut to take effect.

defaults write com.apple.Safari com.apple.Safari.ContentPageGroupIdentifier.WebKit2BackspaceKeyNavigationEnabled -bool YES

It also restores shift-delete for going forward. This is a much nicer option, so the original submission should probably be updated to mention it.

What the....? The only 'back' command I've used for years is the backspace key (forward being shift-backspace). *grrr*

The "backspace" key does not exist on mac. ;P

Fantastic. Recovered another lost function. Thanks! This is another case of "Progress is our most important problem."

Sorry to appear dense, but precisely where does one insert that oh so useful line of text to restore the delete key? Is it in the Terminal? Or right in the Safari URL window? It might be obvious to many, but not to me.

Thanks.