# 'back' action on mobile should open list of notebooks before exiting

**URL:** <https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/back-action-on-mobile-should-open-list-of-notebooks-before-exiting/33285>\
**Category:** Features\
**Created:** [23 October 2023 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/back-action-on-mobile-should-open-list-of-notebooks-before-exiting/33285 "2023-10-23T19:00:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![tasksquiser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ad7895/32.png) [@tasksquiser](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/tasksquiser)\
**Post date:** [23 October 2023 19:00 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/back-action-on-mobile-should-open-list-of-notebooks-before-exiting/33285/1 "2023-10-23T19:00:07Z")

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Presently, when i have a notebook open and click `back`, the app/activity "exits / closes entirely. This is very different from every other app I've ever used, and even after 2 years of using Joplin between my linux desktop, tablet, and android, I still get bit by it just about every day ☹

I believe least surprise, and most helpful, would be to have `back` open the list of notebooks. Implementation wise, it would even just literally open the _existing_ slide-out that is currently present in the app, not need for a new ~activity [android speak for each "screen" as I understand it].

I'm on android, I would expect this works the same on iOS but can't test.

PS: the only related thread I see is #2401 (make-back-button-a-general-return-button-mobile), which seems to be about the flow of `back` through the app. I'm _just_ talking about the "final" `back`.

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**Author:** ![James25](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/22d042/32.png) [@James25](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/James25)\
**Post date:** [25 December 2023 16:50 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/back-action-on-mobile-should-open-list-of-notebooks-before-exiting/33285/2 "2023-12-25T16:50:15Z")

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Note that swiping from the left edge to the right opens the menu from this screen (same as pressing the hamburger menu) to show the list of notebooks. However, it is difficult to do and doesn't work for me if gestures are enabled on the phone as trying to swipe just triggers the back gesture. It sounds like this is something they're going to fix at some point though:

> **[access side menu by swiping left. - Lemmy.World](https://lemmy.world/post/7678954)**
>
> The hamburger menu is small and far away, muscle memory keep making me swipe to
> access notebooks etc.

I do think having the back button open the list of notebooks would be nice as that is more intuitive than the back button closing the app.

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**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/uploads/cozic/original/3X/1/c/1c948e33314e232a0927789508474d8624f4270b.png) [@system](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/u/system)\
**Post date:** [19 December 2024 16:51 UTC](https://discourse.joplinapp.org/t/back-action-on-mobile-should-open-list-of-notebooks-before-exiting/33285/3 "2024-12-19T16:51:12Z")

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