Soft Keys - Home Back Button for Android

App overview and purpose

Soft Keys - Home Back Button is a free, legacy on-screen navigation app that provides virtual Home and Back controls for phones and tablets. It’s the predecessor to Soft Keys 2 and works as a simple replacement when the physical navigation buttons or system bar are broken. The app does not require rooting, but it uses Android’s Accessibility services while active.

How to enable the virtual buttons

• Launch the app and accept any permission prompts it displays.
• Adjust the virtual bar’s size and on-screen position to suit your device.
• Open Settings → Accessibility, locate the Soft Keys - Home Back Button entry, and flip the switch to turn it on.
• After activating, the simulated keys will appear and can be used immediately.

Key features and trade-offs

• Lightweight and minimal: it focuses on providing basic virtual navigation without many extras, which helps keep its storage footprint small.
• Limited personalization: it lacks the extensive theme and layout options found in newer alternatives, so customization is minimal.
• Reliable core functionality: despite being older, it performs its primary job — delivering on-screen navigation controls — consistently.
• Uses accessibility access: keep in mind Accessibility permissions must remain enabled for the app to function.

How it compares to newer alternatives

• The developer (dogusumit) now promotes Soft Keys 2, which adds more configuration choices and visual themes.
• Soft Keys 2 allows the navigation bar to be moved freely (top, bottom, left, or right) and offers extra icon themes for a more tailored look.
• Competing utilities such as EasyTouch and Back Button – Anywhere provide additional features and more modern interfaces; Soft Keys is comparatively dated but still practical.

Recommendation

If you prefer a compact, no-frills solution that restores basic navigation and conserves storage, the original Soft Keys app is a solid choice. If you want more customization, visual options, or a more up-to-date interface, consider installing Soft Keys 2 or one of the other modern navigation tools.