How to Go Back to Previous Activity in Android?

Last Updated : 25 Nov, 2022

In this article, we are going to see how we can add a back button to an activity through which we can go back to its previous activity. This can be achieved with just a few lines of code, which is explained in the steps below

Step by Step Implementation

Step 1: Create a New Project in Android Studio

To create a new project in Android Studio please refer to How to Create/Start a New Project in Android Studio. The code for that has been given in both Java and Kotlin Programming Language for Android.

Step 2: Working with the activity_main.xml File

Navigate to the app > res > layout > activity_main.xml and add the below code to that file. Below is the code for the activity_main.xml file.

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    tools:context=".MainActivity">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Next Activity"
        app:layout_constraintBottom_toBottomOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintEnd_toEndOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintStart_toStartOf="parent"
        app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
</androidx.constraintlayout.widget.ConstraintLayout>

Step 3: Create a New Activity

In the projects folder, right-click on app > new > Activity > Empty Activity. You can customize this activity accordingly.

Step 4: Working with MainActivity File

We now add an onClickListener in the MainActivity to trigger whenever the button is clicked and set up an Intent inside it.

Java

import android.content.Intent;
import android.os.Bundle;
import android.view.View;
import android.widget.Button;
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;

public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
  
    // create Button object    
      Button button;
    
      @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        
          // give reference to the Button view whose id is button  
        // and give it to the Button instance created above
        button = findViewById(R.id.button);
        
          // setting onClickListener
        button.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                // create an intent to switch to second activity upon clicking
                Intent intent = new Intent(MainActivity.this,SecondActivity.class);
                startActivity(intent);
            }
        });
    }
}

Kotlin

import android.content.Intent
import android.os.Bundle
import android.view.View
import android.widget.Button
import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {
    
    // create Button object
    private lateinit var button: Button
    
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)
        
        // give reference to the Button view whose id is button
        // and give it to the Button instance created above
        button = findViewById(R.id.button)
        
        // set onClickListener
        button.setOnClickListener(View.OnClickListener {
            // create an intent to switch to second activity upon clicking
            val intent = Intent(this, SecondActivity::class.java)
            startActivity(intent)
        })
    }
}

Step 5: Checking AndroidManifest.xml

Navigate to app > manifest > AndroidManifest.xml

Adding Parent Attribute to Manifest File

Step 6: Check Parent Attribute

Inside Android Manifest File, Check if SecondAcitvity has been added or not, and then add a new attribute of parentActivityName and set it to MainActivity as shown below.

XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    package="com.gfg.android.gfgapp">

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:dataExtractionRules="@xml/data_extraction_rules"
        android:fullBackupContent="@xml/backup_rules"
        android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
        android:supportsRtl="true"
        android:theme="@style/Theme.GFGApp"
        tools:targetApi="31">
        
        <!-- Shall be automatically added after creating new activity.
            If not, add the following code snippet -->
        <activity
            android:name=".SecondActivity"
            android:exported="false"
            android:parentActivityName=".MainActivity"/>
        <!-- till here -->
        
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:exported="true">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

Now run the Application. In the second activity, the back button at the top left can be used to go back to the previous activity.