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How can I access the folder that is used just before in "Files" using Backspace like which is done in Windows explorer??

Avinash Raj
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grovile
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  • Backspace also work in Ubuntu. Isn't? At least in Thunar it works. – rainlover Jan 02 '14 at 16:37
  • @rainlover, I guess OP is asking b'coz it doesn't for him. OP kindly mention your Ubuntu build (version). I too had the same problem in nautilus, coz pressing Alt + Up Key lead me back one directory. Idk the Ubuntu build i used though, Currently I am using Ubuntu 12.04, backspace key works fine in that. – ASCIIbetical Jan 02 '14 at 16:44

2 Answers2

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I don't know how to use Backspace, but there are a few Keyboard shortcuts:

Alt+Left - Move 'Back' through history of navigated folders

Alt+Right - Move 'Forward' through history of navigated folders

Alt+Up - Move 'Up' - navigate to parent directory

There are more listed here

You can change it to be the shortcut to navigate back, though it might be simpler to use Alt+Left.

First kill nautilus with:

nautilus -q

Note this will close any file manager windows, and probably anything it is doing

Open the text editor with the file by running this in terminal or command prompt:

gedit ~/.config/nautilus/accels

search for this line (Ctrl+F and then type actions/Up):

; (gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/ShellActions/Up" "<Alt>Up")

and replace it with: (gtk_accel_path "/ShellActions/Up" "BackSpace")

Save and exit, then close terminal, and open Files again, and it might work smiley

Community
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Wilf
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    Exactly what i meant @wilf – ASCIIbetical Jan 02 '14 at 16:45
  • Doesn't work at all... – jasmines Apr 08 '14 at 06:58
  • Nautilus reverts the change back as soon as you try to use the combination, so your (gtk_accel_path "/ShellActions/Up" "BackSpace") becomes (gtk_accel_path "/ShellActions/Up" "") – jasmines Apr 08 '14 at 07:08
  • @jasmines - weird... thought it would work. I should really test my answers more often. No error messages occur which is also weird. If I knew where the system wide accels config file was (if it even exists), i could suggest editing that.... – Wilf Apr 08 '14 at 07:24
  • @jasmines - it may be a Gnome/Unity or system thing to restrict keyboard shortcuts to certain parameters - Setting it to something like <Primary>BackSpace works. i also wonder if that relys on a config file. – Wilf Apr 08 '14 at 07:27
  • Same with Backspace. Nautilus reverts back to blank. – jasmines Apr 08 '14 at 08:27
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    @jasmines - BackSpace worked here... – Wilf Apr 08 '14 at 08:46
  • Any idea how to make this work for Space File Manager? – Nagabhushan S N Aug 01 '20 at 04:26
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You can either do this here:

1) Just add the accel key to the config file. I did in a terminal console:

echo '(gtk_accel_path "<Actions>/ShellActions/Up" "BackSpace")' >> ~/.config/nautilus/accels

Restart nautilus after killing it by executing

nautilus -q

Or

2) edit ~/.config/nautilus/accels

Press Ctrl+F and type Alt+Up to find the right line.

Remove the ; symbol in front of the line: (gtk_accel_path "/ShellActions/Up" "Up")

Change Up to BackSpace

Hope it helps. :-) enter image description here

ASCIIbetical
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    Do you want me to edit the last bit out my answer? – Wilf Jan 02 '14 at 16:55
  • Ah, You too presented the solution. Nah, @wilf I suppose let it be there. Its okay, I don't mind. Have fun. – ASCIIbetical Jan 02 '14 at 16:57
  • Doesn't work at all: Nautilus reverts the change back as soon as you try to use the combination, so your (gtk_accel_path "/ShellActions/Up" "BackSpace") becomes (gtk_accel_path "/ShellActions/Up" "") – jasmines Apr 08 '14 at 07:09
  • @ASCIIbetical - that problem does seem to occur - anyway, where did you get that smiley :D – Wilf Apr 08 '14 at 07:25