History

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since July 2015.

The History interface of the History API allows manipulation of the browser session history, that is the pages visited in the tab or frame that the current page is loaded in.

There is only one instance of history (It is a singleton.) accessible via the global object history.

Note: This interface is only available on the main thread (Window). It cannot be accessed in Worker or Worklet contexts.

Instance properties

The History interface doesn't inherit any property.

length Read only

Returns an Integer representing the number of elements in the session history, including the currently loaded page. For example, for a page loaded in a new tab this property returns 1.

scrollRestoration

Allows web applications to explicitly set default scroll restoration behavior on history navigation. This property can be either auto or manual.

state Read only

Returns an any value representing the state at the top of the history stack. This is a way to look at the state without having to wait for a popstate event.

Instance methods

The History interface doesn't inherit any methods.

back()

This asynchronous method goes to the previous page in session history, the same action as when the user clicks the browser's Back button. Equivalent to history.go(-1).

Calling this method to go back beyond the first page in the session history has no effect and doesn't raise an exception.

forward()

This asynchronous method goes to the next page in session history, the same action as when the user clicks the browser's Forward button; this is equivalent to history.go(1).

Calling this method to go forward beyond the most recent page in the session history has no effect and doesn't raise an exception.

go()

Asynchronously loads a page from the session history, identified by its relative location to the current page, for example -1 for the previous page or 1 for the next page. If you specify an out-of-bounds value (for instance, specifying -1 when there are no previously-visited pages in the session history), this method silently has no effect. Calling go() without parameters or a value of 0 reloads the current page.

pushState()

Pushes the given data onto the session history stack with the specified title (and, if provided, URL). The data is treated as opaque by the DOM; you may specify any JavaScript object that can be serialized. Note that all browsers but Safari currently ignore the title parameter. For more information, see Working with the History API.

replaceState()

Updates the most recent entry on the history stack to have the specified data, title, and, if provided, URL. The data is treated as opaque by the DOM; you may specify any JavaScript object that can be serialized. Note that all browsers but Safari currently ignore the title parameter. For more information, see Working with the History API.

Specifications

Specification
HTML
# the-history-interface

Browser compatibility

desktop mobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Chrome Android
Firefox for Android
Opera Android
Safari on iOS
Samsung Internet
WebView Android
WebView on iOS
History
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 1 (Release date: 2008-12-11)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 1 (Release date: 2004-11-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 3 (Release date: 1997-12-01)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 1 (Release date: 2003-06-23)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 10.1 (Release date: 2010-11-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
back
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 1 (Release date: 2008-12-11)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 1 (Release date: 2004-11-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 1 (Release date: 2003-06-23)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
forward
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 1 (Release date: 2008-12-11)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 1 (Release date: 2004-11-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 1 (Release date: 2003-06-23)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
go
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 1 (Release date: 2008-12-11)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 1 (Release date: 2004-11-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 1 (Release date: 2003-06-23)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
length
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 1 (Release date: 2008-12-11)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 1 (Release date: 2004-11-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 1 (Release date: 2003-06-23)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 1 (Release date: 2007-06-29)
footnote Full support
pushState
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 5 (Release date: 2010-05-25)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 4 (Release date: 2011-03-22)
footnote
footnote Until Firefox 5, the passed object is serialized using JSON. Starting in Firefox 6, the object is serialized using the structured clone algorithm. This allows a wider variety of objects to be safely passed.
Opera – Full support
Opera 11.5 (Release date: 2011-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 5 (Release date: 2010-06-07)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote
footnote Until Firefox for Android 5, the passed object is serialized using JSON. Starting in Firefox for Android 6, the object is serialized using the structured clone algorithm. This allows a wider variety of objects to be safely passed.
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 11.5 (Release date: 2011-10-12)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 4 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 4 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Full support
Whether the unused parameter is used
Deprecated Non-standard
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari 5 – 17.6 (Release date: 2010-06-07)
footnote Removed in 18 and later
Chrome Android – No support
Chrome Android
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – No support
Opera Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS 4 – 17.6 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Removed in 18 and later
Samsung Internet – No support
Samsung Internet
footnote No support
WebView Android – No support
WebView Android
footnote No support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS 4 – 17.6 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Removed in 18 and later
replaceState
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 5 (Release date: 2010-05-25)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 4 (Release date: 2011-03-22)
footnote
footnote Until Firefox 5, the passed object is serialized using JSON. Starting in Firefox 6, the object is serialized using the structured clone algorithm. This allows a wider variety of objects to be safely passed.
Opera – Full support
Opera 11.5 (Release date: 2011-06-28)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 5 (Release date: 2010-06-07)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote
footnote Until Firefox for Android 5, the passed object is serialized using JSON. Starting in Firefox for Android 6, the object is serialized using the structured clone algorithm. This allows a wider variety of objects to be safely passed.
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 11.5 (Release date: 2011-10-12)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 4 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 4 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Full support
Whether the unused parameter is used
Deprecated Non-standard
Chrome – No support
Chrome
footnote No support
Edge – No support
Edge
footnote No support
Firefox – No support
Firefox
footnote No support
Opera – No support
Opera
footnote No support
Safari – No support
Safari 5 – 17.6 (Release date: 2010-06-07)
footnote Removed in 18 and later
footnote See bug 223190.
Chrome Android – No support
Chrome Android
footnote No support
Firefox for Android – No support
Firefox for Android
footnote No support
Opera Android – No support
Opera Android
footnote No support
Safari on iOS – No support
Safari on iOS 4 – 17.6 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Removed in 18 and later
footnote See bug 223190.
Samsung Internet – No support
Samsung Internet
footnote No support
WebView Android – No support
WebView Android
footnote No support
WebView on iOS – No support
WebView on iOS 4 – 17.6 (Release date: 2010-06-21)
footnote Removed in 18 and later
footnote See bug 223190.
scrollRestoration
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 46 (Release date: 2015-10-13)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 46 (Release date: 2016-04-26)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 33 (Release date: 2015-10-27)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 46 (Release date: 2015-10-14)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 46 (Release date: 2016-04-26)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 33 (Release date: 2015-11-03)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 5 (Release date: 2016-12-15)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 46 (Release date: 2015-10-14)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
state
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 19 (Release date: 2012-05-15)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 4 (Release date: 2011-03-22)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 6 (Release date: 2012-07-25)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 25 (Release date: 2013-02-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 6 (Release date: 2012-09-10)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1.5 (Release date: 2013-09-25)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 6 (Release date: 2012-09-10)
footnote Full support

Legend

Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
Non-standard. Check cross-browser support before using.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
See implementation notes.

See also