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Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websites?

I'm talking about the ones that are pinned to the bottom right and scroll along with you.

I use a low mouse sensitivity so they're useful for getting back to the top.

Do you find them annoying, useful, don't care? What about on mobile - I find that they just get in the way there.

( 32 comments | 17 points | on HN )
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by ktpsns on Saturday November 17, 2018 @12:54PM (#18476539)
"Back to top" buttons are a system-in-system effect (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inner-platform_effect) and clearly an anti-pattern. Scrolling should be handled by the browser and if a user agent (for instance with a small screen) thinks it is neccessary to give help for scrolling, it should do so, customizable for the user. This is not the task of a website.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by anoncake on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:13AM (#18476055)
Things like that should be browser features.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by wtroughton on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:36AM (#18476152)
I use Vimium plugin to navigate web pages. gg brings to the top of the page whereas Ctrl + G brings me to the bottom.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by s4vi0r on Saturday November 17, 2018 @12:06PM (#18476327)
C-g? Does that also work, or did you mix up G/S-g?
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by chrisshroba on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:44AM (#18476199)
This is probably the Vimium feature I use most often!
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by jplayer01 on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:48AM (#18476220)
It really bothers the fuck out of me that I can't find any iOS browser with a back to top feature. It makes browsing far more annoying than it needs to be and I end up not bothering.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by WA on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:55AM (#18476282)
Double tap the address bar in Safari. This goes back to top.

edit: or the status bar (tested on iPhone XS)

Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by jplayer01 on Sunday November 18, 2018 @11:06AM (#18480953)
It doesn't really work. It's just fiddly and often doesn't do what I want it to. I don't even understand how it's supposed to work. I tap at the top so the address bar shows up. I tap the address bar. It thinks I want to enter a URL, so it changes the view.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by saagarjha on Sunday November 18, 2018 @11:46PM (#18484279)
You're supposed to tap at the very top, near the time or the notch depending on what device you have. This works in all apps that use standard scroll views.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by ssijak on Monday November 19, 2018 @03:21AM (#18484864)
Double tap not on the address bar but above, on the time in the OS top bar.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by setr on Saturday November 17, 2018 @01:53PM (#18476807)
Works on ios chrome too, but for both it breaks down when a call/gps banner is up there
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by saurik on Saturday November 17, 2018 @02:07PM (#18476869)
Even more: it is a global feature that is supposed to work for any view controller with a scrollable view. (I wouldn't describe it as "double tap", though: you tap the status bar once, but in Safari the status bar is hidden as you scroll down so you have to tap the top of the screen to reveal it.)
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by supakeen on Saturday November 17, 2018 @12:38PM (#18476466)
I usually use the home and end keys on my keyboard.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by __float on Saturday November 17, 2018 @09:24AM (#18475615)
I've always wondered about these. I don't care on desktop, because high velocity scrolling on a MacBook is easy. On mobile, the iOS pattern to tap the top of the screen is my go-to, I find these buttons to waste valuable screen real estate.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by yesenadam on Saturday November 17, 2018 @06:41PM (#18478004)
No, don't like them (or anything fixed on screen like that), don't use them. (I use a desktop computer only) They're possibly worse (because not removable) than windows that pop up saying Subscribe? Cookies? etc which all always get a big NO from me.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by zzo38computer on Tuesday November 20, 2018 @01:45AM (#18492230)
Like you, I also hate it (which I mentioned already). However, often it can be removed by adding user CSS (if you use a browser or extension that supports that) (which I did not mention already).
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by yesenadam on Saturday November 17, 2018 @07:19PM (#18478159)
Worse than Subscribe popups?! Are you crazy?! Oh wait, I said that. :-)
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by drngdds on Saturday November 17, 2018 @10:47AM (#18475938)
I don't think I've ever used one because I usually have a home key. When I don't, I just swipe up.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by PavlovsCat on Saturday November 17, 2018 @10:46AM (#18475936)
When I want to go up, I have already pressed the home key on the keyboard before I can think of looking for something to click.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by rchaud on Tuesday November 20, 2018 @01:38PM (#18496392)
Depends on the page design and target user. For lengthy, multi-section pages, a "Back to Top" can be helpful, but it'd be better if there was a fixed Table of Contents with links to the sections of the page. Otherwise, I always have the Home/End buttons.

On mobile, page should be designed such that the button is easy to reach, visible and not blocked by or blocking the text. For a button placed on the bottom right of the page, the body content should be set up so there's a little extra padding on the right. This way, there's a clear visual separation between the text and the button.

Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by askafriend on Saturday November 17, 2018 @07:19PM (#18478160)
I just always use the "CMD-Up" shortcut on Mac so the "Back to top" buttons feel like visual clutter once you've learned the keyboard shortcut.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by camtarn on Saturday November 17, 2018 @08:41AM (#18475476)
Annoying, yes. If I'm on desktop and I want to get back to the top, I'll flick my scroll wheel or hit the Home button. On mobile I'll just flick the screen.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by CM30 on Saturday November 17, 2018 @12:30PM (#18476436)
I just don't care about them. They don't harm anything, I just never really need a link to go back to the top of the page, so I barely notice their existence.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by anoncoward111 on Saturday November 17, 2018 @10:12AM (#18475807)
I use back to top heavily on 4chan for very long threads.

However, I would prefer the site just be minimally designed, so one fast flick of the screen returns to top.

Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by dexterw10 on Monday November 19, 2018 @11:30PM (#18491798)
If you accidentally click on that button while you are amid reading or something....it can be a great frustration as it will land you to the top. So, sometimes I too find "back to top buttons" frustrating.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by sergiotapia on Saturday November 17, 2018 @10:35PM (#18478744)
What I do is just press the Home key. I have literally never used one of those back to top buttons.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by sylvanhughes on Sunday November 18, 2018 @12:42PM (#18481533)
Love it!! When I don't see one, I actually get frustrated. Especially when it's a super long multi-section landing page.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by zzo38computer on Sunday November 18, 2018 @09:27PM (#18483782)
No, I don't like it. I push the "home" key to get back to the top.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by MiddleEndian on Saturday November 17, 2018 @03:28PM (#18477216)
Occasionally useful on mobile for giant pages. Useless on devices with keyboards.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by md8 on Saturday November 17, 2018 @11:46AM (#18476212)
I use them very often.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by t-3 on Saturday November 17, 2018 @12:52PM (#18476530)
On desktop - no, I use qutebrowser or firefox/vim vixen. On mobile: Yes. I have fat fingers and find gestures both difficult and unintuitive.
Re:Ask HN: Do you like to see “Back to top” buttons on websi... by bhengaij on Saturday November 17, 2018 @09:28AM (#18475637)
I find them very important on phone, hate elsewhere.