We’ve spent years using the invisible back button - it’s in our muscle memory. Please at least consider an option to toggle it to the way it used to work. I was blind-sided by the sudden change and would not have upgraded the app if I’d have known.
There is an option to hide the new back button which has moved to bottom left. No option to keep it working the ‘old’ way of invisible back button at bottom centre 
Welp, that sucks. I’m not updating!
Breaking long time muscle memory is annoying.
At least maybe make the hitboxes around the buttons bigger so it doesn’t have to be so precise of a touch.
Really dislike when apps/software etc change things that have been muscle memory for years, I would love the old functionality back too.
These buttons are actually a clever solution for all of the headache and lack of growth they must face from less-savvy users (see: most) getting confused about how to go back or add items. We’ve seen it asked a lot of these forums. I say clever because they lucked out with liquid glass being the in thing right now, as it goes well with the app’s philosophy and themes. It’s really the only way to add buttons that isn’t terrible. Give the muscle memory thing a chance, everyone. I bet it won’t take long to adjust. And that’s coming from a tinker-hating minimalist who likes the invisible back button (which we once had to rework our brains to use) and still misses the long press.
Are there supposed to be more themes coming? I ask because it says 400+ on the App Store screenshots, and the green-to-purple one in the middle looks like one I made but I don’t see it anywhere.
The invisible back button has been one of my favorite parts of using Clear. I really hope it can be brought back as an option again, I’ve already tried to use it many times.
I might just use it until the app lets me use it without updating it and then delete it. It would be sad to ditch all the icons and themes i’ve bought throughout the year, but the invisible back button was brilliant and a core part of seamless navigating. I just don’t need to go through the tedious habit building all over again.
User options are always the best way to go.
Leave UI preferences up to the user whenever possible. This way people can choose their favorite ways they’ve learned to use an app. If they like a new way, great. If they prefer the old way, let them keep their learned longtime preferences.
Remember you can always pinch to go back – that’s my own favorite move.
I’ve halted the release for now. So, for most of you, you won’t be in the automatic update unless you’re already updated.
Phil is on vacation and will be back next week, and we’ll figure this out. Please accommodate until then.
Yes please bring it back, or make it an option. Thanks for being receptive! Hope you have a nice vacation, Phil! We miss you.
I want to hit the invisible back button on manually doing this update. I always get excited when I see an update though.
This is very fair tbh, clears ui can be confusing to a new user, I forget this as I’ve used the app from the beginning.
Interesting discussion. I stopped using the invisible back button, because I just couldn’t stop myself from invoking it by accident. My current favourite is the edge swipe, since this is used by so many apps these days, I often find myself trying it even in apps that don’t support it.
More importantly, I think visible, easily understood controls should be the default for new users, with all the variants that old-timers use and love being optional. I agree that removing controls that people have been using for years is a bad move, though. By all means, bring the invisible back button back, as an option. Not because I want it myself – I don’t.
As a left-handed person, I love the new edge swipe, but I understand that most have brain memory for the invisible button. I think the bottom buttons are great for new users and they fit the design.
So in the end, I agree this should be an option. Speaking of options, it’s really tricky to see what options are selected or not. Now that there are multiple options, it will be necessary to have some way to see it clearly.
Hey all I’m back and I’ve been reading your feedback.
I will discuss with the team. The reason we replaced the invisible back button is, it was significantly harder to onboard new users to it. And the iOS glass buttons felt surprisingly compatible with the app. (Edge-swipe felt like a good add for similar reasons.) Overall it’s in a place where for new users, it isn’t a puzzle anymore to figure out how to go back or add things. And for existing users they do have options to keep Clear super clean and more gesture-leaning.
I’m wary of bringing it back as a setting, because I don’t think it’s good for the app to have so many competing back gestures moving forward to support. If we did it would now be:
• Invisible back button
• Visible back button
• Pinch shut to back out
• Pull to go back
• Edge swipe to go back
In hindsight I do regret introducing the invisible back button. It has its strengths, but I underestimated its drawbacks for the app. And I do not want to be cavalier about messing with muscle memory. But I feel like if we all put on our Clear designer hats with the goal of resetting this back navigation situation to a better place moving forward, we probably would cut that one right? Curious what you all think from that perspective.
Thank you all for sharing this range of reactions and feedback. I really appreciate that we can discuss things like this here with you all and not work in a vacuum.
@Ruben I wonder if the setting selection issue has to do with the theme you are using. Let me know on that, maybe we can adjust some values for better contrast if so.
Honestly I do understand all the thinking behind.
Still I think it would be better to have the Invisible back button than the Pinch to close (or Pull to go back - It’s easier for some to trick a new task with this one while trying to going back)
But I’m in the actually loving those Liquid Glass buttons so…
That could explain it. So I’m using the yellow stickie notes sort of theme and this is the situation right now:
I think the biggest issue I have with the removal of the invisible back button is that it was the most reliable and comfortable way to go back out one-handed for right-handed users on larger phones. Though I’m sure lefties on other phones appreciated it too.
I’m on 15 Pro Max and swiping from the left edge is out of my comfortable reach, the Liquid Glass back button on the bottom left is out of my comfortable reach, pinching to go back isn’t feasible one-handed, and pull to go back requires much too long of a pull to actually go back and avoid accidentally adding a new item to the top of the list.
The invisible back button doesn’t have any of those issues, doesn’t cover up any of my list items, and was faster than any of the gesture options. It’s, frankly, the most elegant, simple, and unobtrusive option out of any of the options you’ve listed.
What are the drawbacks that make you regret introducing it? In my mind it’s been far and away one of Clear’s best features. So much so that I wish it were universal across my phone because of how useful it was.
Totally understand your concerns Phill over having too many options, plus ensuring that newbies aren’t initially frustrated as to how to back out of a list
Can I suggest however that you can offer both the Visible and Invisible Back Buttons as a toggle alternative
When a newbie downloads clear for the first time the default setting is Visible back button. For the rest of us we can turn off this option and the app switches to back to the Invisible button.
• Visible back button (default) ➝ toggle off ➝ Invisible back button ➝ toggle on ➝ Visible back button
Would greatly welcome your thoughts if this is possible.
Hi,
As A very right-handed person, the bottom middle invisible/visible back button is my pick almost every time- I like it!
I read about it on this site, tried it and was sold. I would put it in top 5 of What to know to use Clear app.
Occasionally I use pull down to go back to My Lists list.
I find the pinch to go back virtually impossible even when my nails are very short.
I use iPhone 15 Pro and iPad Pro 12.9 Thanks, kb