Where is the "go back" indicator in Windows 10 app window?

I finally moved from Windows 7 to 10 and got confronted with this "windows app" thing. How on earth do I navigate in it? I'm not talking about Edge window but other windows-app windows, most importantly "Settings". Now if I'm led to the control panel or file explorer then it's all fine - there you have the full range of buttons and ribbons and menus and location bars at the top - so navigating is cakewalk: I can easily retrace my steps and go back to past or "parent" setting page and so forth. Now I'm stuck in this "app" thing and I'm typing constantly in the search box. That's problematic because you can't always know the name of what you're searching. And for the sake of user friendliness aI also don't want to have to type something in the search box every single time I want to change something in the settings. That is absurd.

In the mean time I did notice that randomly and with no explanation sometimes a temporary go back arrow ("←") pops up on the top left corner of the settings app but then just as it randomly appears it randomly disappears and I can't go back.

Except I do want to go back. I want that "←" to be there permanently. I also want to know if there exists a corresponding go back and other navigation short cut key combinations specific to (non desktop) app windows.

? - i always get the back arrow top left in title bar. can you do a screen shot? (personally i prefer the 'old style' myself with a proper menu bar.)

The back arrow in the upper L corner should always be there, if you clicked any tile in 'All settings' window. If you prefer Control panel, just type it in any Settings search box. Or follow any of these Brink tutorials (cr: dalchina) Good Luck

Add Control Panel to Context Menu in Windows 10
Show Control Panel or Settings on Win+X Menu in Windows 10
Add or Remove Control Panel from This PC in Windows 10

It just isn't there - I literally opened all settings app, typed mouse, and ended up with what you see in that pic.

Again at moments the arrow temporarily appeared but then disappeared. Maybe it appeared the first or second time I tried it, then subsequently no longer. I have no clue what even the pattern is (if there even is one).

Hi,
Go to the lower right corner of the task bar and click on the notifications icon, when open check that the tablet mode button is not turquoise. If it is, turn it off (click on it).
Try a sfc /scannow with elevated CMD prompt. You may be looking at a repair install.

I tried looking for a keyboard combo to help you navigate but nothing yet.

No repair install needed.



I'll see how it goes now after this and get back if the problem persists. The log file seemingly indicates system file owner issues that are now supposedly repaired.

jerriy said:

It just isn't there - I literally opened all settings app, typed mouse, and ended up with what you see in that pic.

...I have no clue what even the pattern is (if there even is one).

You appear to have navigated to 'Mouse' by searching for it and going directly to it. If you had opened Settings, clicked Devices then clicked Mouse there will be an arrow, which takes you back to the main Settings page (and no, I don't see a pattern either - logically I'd have expected it to take one step back to Devices).

It is however the way all my machines behave, whatever version of Windows is running. Seems like yours is behaving normally.

jerriy said:

...this "windows app" thing. How on earth do I navigate in it? ... most importantly "Settings".

Open Settings and start at the main page, click on the most appropriate icon and drill down until you find the setting you are looking for, that's how I used to do it.

However, these days I just type a word or two in the Cortana/Search box next to Start, she lists the settings for me so I can go directly to the one I want.