Get back, Safari!
Mac Tip #206/27-July-2005

If you’re using Mac OS X then you probably also use Safari for visiting web pages. You will already know that you can go Back and Forward between previously visited pages by clicking on the Back and Forward buttons in the Toolbar.

Did you know, though, that instead of simply quickly clicking the button you can click and hold? If you do that, then each button will reveal a list of titles of pages. You can choose any item from the list to go straight to that page.

Now try holding down the Option key while you click and hold on the Back or Forward button. Instead of seeing a list of page Titles you’ll see the address for each page in the list.

If you hold down the Command key while you click the button (or choose an item from the list) then Safari will open that page into a new window or tab (depending on your Safari settings).

Try it with Command Shift and the window or tab will open either behind the existing one or in front, again depending on your settings.

And if you use another browser such as Firefox or Opera instead of Safari, try out different key combinations and see what happens.

I’d like to acknowledge macosxhints for the tip about the Option key.