Some reverse-navigation designs add a tab-switch action button—like the one mobile web browsers use to switch tabs, or the app-switcher used in Android and iOS to move between apps—so users can move back through previously viewed screens.

**Pros:**
- Very direct in its affordance: the button clearly signals what it is intended to do.

**Cons:**
- Gives the app a browser-like feel, which can disappoint users who expect a more app-native experience and can hurt the overall user experience.

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Google

https://uxdesign.cc/an-approach-to-solve-complex-backward-navigation-in-mobile-through-user-research-45d786a83bed

Reverse Navigation Typologies

Pros: This is a great way to show users current location in the hierarchy and they can choose to go back in this hierarchy pretty easily.
Cons: Displaying breadcrumb in the mobile display isn’t an easy task. Many screen/activity may have long name that might create confusion.

BreadCrumb

Long-pressing the back button enables the user to view a list of previously visited screens, while a single tap, as usual, takes them back to the immediate previous screen.

**Pros:**
- Great for power users.
- Intuitive use of basic user instinct.

**Cons:**
- Users might not always promptly remember or discover that holding the back button reveals a history list.

Long-Press on the Back Button

Using a hamburger menu (☰) for reverse navigation has distinct advantages and disadvantages:

**Pros:**
* **Familiarity:** Most users are familiar with the hamburger menu icon and understand that tapping it opens a list of options.

**Cons:**
* **Conflicting Mental Models:** Users typically associate the hamburger menu with global navigation (e.g., accessing profiles, settings, or signing out) rather than reverse navigation. Employing it to go backward can cause confusion and disrupt established user expectations.

Learn Before

Related