diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useAppShell.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useAppShell.ts
index 5ec871e..5bb7342 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useAppShell.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useAppShell.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { startTransition, useCallback, useEffect, useRef, useState } from 'react
 import { getLocalLabel, type LocalLabel } from '../utils/localLabel';
 import { getSavedDistanceUnit, type DistanceUnit } from '../utils/distanceUnits';
 import type { SettingsSection } from '../components/settings/settingsConstants';
-import { parseHashSettingsSection, updateSettingsHash } from '../utils/urlHash';
+import { parseHashSettingsSection, updateSettingsHash, pushSettingsHash } from '../utils/urlHash';
 
 interface UseAppShellResult {
   showNewMessage: boolean;
@@ -39,19 +39,31 @@ export function useAppShell(): UseAppShellResult {
   const [localLabel, setLocalLabel] = useState(getLocalLabel);
   const [distanceUnit, setDistanceUnit] = useState(getSavedDistanceUnit);
   const previousHashRef = useRef('');
+  const isOpeningSettingsRef = useRef(false);
+  const pushedSettingsEntryRef = useRef(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (showSettings) {
-      updateSettingsHash(settingsSection);
+      if (isOpeningSettingsRef.current) {
+        pushSettingsHash(settingsSection);
+        isOpeningSettingsRef.current = false;
+      } else {
+        updateSettingsHash(settingsSection);
+      }
     }
   }, [settingsSection, showSettings]);
 
   const handleCloseSettingsView = useCallback(() => {
-    if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && parseHashSettingsSection() !== null) {
-      window.history.replaceState(null, '', previousHashRef.current || window.location.pathname);
-    }
     startTransition(() => setShowSettings(false));
     setSidebarOpen(false);
+    if (typeof window !== 'undefined') {
+      if (pushedSettingsEntryRef.current) {
+        pushedSettingsEntryRef.current = false;
+        window.history.back();
+      } else if (parseHashSettingsSection() !== null) {
+        window.history.replaceState(null, '', previousHashRef.current || window.location.pathname);
+      }
+    }
   }, []);
 
   const handleToggleSettingsView = useCallback(() => {
@@ -64,12 +76,35 @@ export function useAppShell(): UseAppShellResult {
       previousHashRef.current =
         parseHashSettingsSection() === null ? window.location.hash : previousHashRef.current;
     }
+    isOpeningSettingsRef.current = true;
+    pushedSettingsEntryRef.current = true;
     startTransition(() => {
       setShowSettings(true);
     });
     setSidebarOpen(false);
   }, [handleCloseSettingsView, showSettings]);
 
+  // Respond to browser back/forward navigating into or out of settings
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handlePopstate = () => {
+      const section = parseHashSettingsSection();
+      if (section !== null) {
+        // Don't set pushedSettingsEntryRef here — the user arrived via
+        // back/forward, not by opening settings.  Closing settings should
+        // replaceState, not history.back(), to avoid popping an unrelated entry.
+        startTransition(() => {
+          setShowSettings(true);
+          setSettingsSection(section);
+        });
+      } else {
+        startTransition(() => setShowSettings(false));
+      }
+    };
+
+    window.addEventListener('popstate', handlePopstate);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('popstate', handlePopstate);
+  }, []);
+
   const handleOpenNewMessage = useCallback(() => {
     setShowNewMessage(true);
     setSidebarOpen(false);
diff --git a/frontend/src/hooks/useConversationRouter.ts b/frontend/src/hooks/useConversationRouter.ts
index d0869a4..af2eaa1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/hooks/useConversationRouter.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/hooks/useConversationRouter.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import {
   parseHashConversation,
   parseHashSettingsSection,
   updateUrlHash,
+  pushUrlHash,
   resolveChannelFromHashToken,
   resolveContactFromHashToken,
 } from '../utils/urlHash';
@@ -16,6 +17,43 @@ import { getContactDisplayName } from '../utils/pubkey';
 import { toast } from '../components/ui/sonner';
 import type { Channel, Contact, Conversation } from '../types';
 
+function resolveConversationFromHash(
+  channels: Channel[],
+  contacts: Contact[]
+): Conversation | null {
+  const hashConv = parseHashConversation();
+  if (!hashConv) return null;
+
+  switch (hashConv.type) {
+    case 'raw':
+      return { type: 'raw', id: 'raw', name: 'Raw Packet Feed' };
+    case 'map':
+      return { type: 'map', id: 'map', name: 'Node Map', mapFocusKey: hashConv.mapFocusKey };
+    case 'visualizer':
+      return { type: 'visualizer', id: 'visualizer', name: 'Mesh Visualizer' };
+    case 'search':
+      return { type: 'search', id: 'search', name: 'Message Search' };
+    case 'trace':
+      return { type: 'trace', id: 'trace', name: 'Trace' };
+    case 'channel': {
+      const channel = resolveChannelFromHashToken(hashConv.name, channels);
+      return channel ? { type: 'channel', id: channel.key, name: channel.name } : null;
+    }
+    case 'contact': {
+      const contact = resolveContactFromHashToken(hashConv.name, contacts);
+      return contact
+        ? {
+            type: 'contact',
+            id: contact.public_key,
+            name: getContactDisplayName(contact.name, contact.public_key, contact.last_advert),
+          }
+        : null;
+    }
+    default:
+      return null;
+  }
+}
+
 interface UseConversationRouterArgs {
   channels: Channel[];
   contacts: Contact[];
@@ -42,9 +80,21 @@ export function useConversationRouter({
       ? window.location.hash.length > 0 && parseHashSettingsSection() === null
       : false
   );
+  const shouldPushHistoryRef = useRef(false);
+  const isHandlingPopstateRef = useRef(false);
+  const channelsRef = useRef(channels);
+  const contactsRef = useRef(contacts);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    channelsRef.current = channels;
+  }, [channels]);
+  useEffect(() => {
+    contactsRef.current = contacts;
+  }, [contacts]);
 
   const setActiveConversation = useCallback((conv: Conversation | null) => {
     hashSyncEnabledRef.current = true;
+    shouldPushHistoryRef.current = true;
     setActiveConversationState(conv);
   }, []);
 
@@ -230,16 +280,40 @@ export function useConversationRouter({
   // Keep ref in sync and update URL hash
   useEffect(() => {
     activeConversationRef.current = activeConversation;
-    if (activeConversation) {
+    if (isHandlingPopstateRef.current) {
+      // URL is already correct from the browser's popstate — no update needed
+      isHandlingPopstateRef.current = false;
+    } else if (activeConversation) {
       if (hashSyncEnabledRef.current && !suspendHashSync) {
-        updateUrlHash(activeConversation);
-      }
-      if (activeConversation.type !== 'search') {
-        saveLastViewedConversation(activeConversation);
+        if (shouldPushHistoryRef.current) {
+          shouldPushHistoryRef.current = false;
+          pushUrlHash(activeConversation);
+        } else {
+          updateUrlHash(activeConversation);
+        }
       }
     }
+    if (activeConversation && activeConversation.type !== 'search') {
+      saveLastViewedConversation(activeConversation);
+    }
   }, [activeConversation, suspendHashSync]);
 
+  // Respond to browser back/forward by updating the active conversation
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const handlePopstate = () => {
+      // Settings hash transitions are handled by useAppShell
+      if (parseHashSettingsSection() !== null) return;
+
+      const conv = resolveConversationFromHash(channelsRef.current, contactsRef.current);
+      hashSyncEnabledRef.current = true;
+      isHandlingPopstateRef.current = true;
+      setActiveConversationState(conv);
+    };
+
+    window.addEventListener('popstate', handlePopstate);
+    return () => window.removeEventListener('popstate', handlePopstate);
+  }, []);
+
   // If a delete action left us without an active conversation, recover to Public
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!pendingDeleteFallbackRef.current) return;
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/appFavorites.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/appFavorites.test.tsx
index 022f653..f6f1b2a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/appFavorites.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/appFavorites.test.tsx
@@ -192,7 +192,9 @@ vi.mock('../utils/urlHash', () => ({
   parseHashConversation: () => null,
   parseHashSettingsSection: () => null,
   updateUrlHash: vi.fn(),
+  pushUrlHash: vi.fn(),
   updateSettingsHash: vi.fn(),
+  pushSettingsHash: vi.fn(),
   getSettingsHash: (section: string) => `#settings/${section}`,
   getMapFocusHash: () => '#map',
 }));
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/appStartupHash.test.tsx b/frontend/src/test/appStartupHash.test.tsx
index c938b74..9096afd 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/appStartupHash.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/test/appStartupHash.test.tsx
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ vi.mock('../components/ui/sonner', () => ({
   },
 }));
 
+import { act } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { App } from '../App';
 import {
   LAST_VIEWED_CONVERSATION_KEY,
@@ -344,6 +345,7 @@ describe('App startup hash resolution', () => {
       flags: 0,
       direct_path: null,
       direct_path_len: -1,
+      direct_path_hash_mode: 0,
       last_advert: null,
       lat: null,
       lon: null,
@@ -377,6 +379,83 @@ describe('App startup hash resolution', () => {
     expect(window.location.hash).toBe('');
   });
 
+  describe('Browser back/forward navigation', () => {
+    it('navigates to a channel conversation when popstate fires', async () => {
+      const opsChannel = {
+        key: 'CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC',
+        name: 'Ops',
+        is_hashtag: false,
+        on_radio: false,
+        last_read_at: null,
+        favorite: false,
+      };
+
+      window.location.hash = `#channel/${opsChannel.key}/Ops`;
+      mocks.api.getChannels.mockResolvedValue([publicChannel, opsChannel]);
+
+      render(<App />);
+
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        for (const node of screen.getAllByTestId('active-conversation')) {
+          expect(node).toHaveTextContent(`channel:${opsChannel.key}:Ops`);
+        }
+      });
+
+      act(() => {
+        window.location.hash = `#channel/${publicChannel.key}/Public`;
+        window.dispatchEvent(new PopStateEvent('popstate', { state: null }));
+      });
+
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        for (const node of screen.getAllByTestId('active-conversation')) {
+          expect(node).toHaveTextContent(`channel:${publicChannel.key}:Public`);
+        }
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('navigates to a contact conversation when popstate fires with a contact hash', async () => {
+      const aliceContact = {
+        public_key: 'b'.repeat(64),
+        name: 'Alice',
+        type: 1,
+        flags: 0,
+        direct_path: null,
+        direct_path_len: -1,
+        last_advert: null,
+        lat: null,
+        lon: null,
+        last_seen: null,
+        on_radio: false,
+        favorite: false,
+        last_contacted: null,
+        last_read_at: null,
+        first_seen: null,
+      };
+
+      window.location.hash = '';
+      mocks.api.getContacts.mockResolvedValue([aliceContact]);
+
+      render(<App />);
+
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        for (const node of screen.getAllByTestId('active-conversation')) {
+          expect(node).toHaveTextContent(`channel:${publicChannel.key}:Public`);
+        }
+      });
+
+      act(() => {
+        window.location.hash = `#contact/${aliceContact.public_key}/Alice`;
+        window.dispatchEvent(new PopStateEvent('popstate', { state: null }));
+      });
+
+      await waitFor(() => {
+        for (const node of screen.getAllByTestId('active-conversation')) {
+          expect(node).toHaveTextContent(`contact:${aliceContact.public_key}:Alice`);
+        }
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
   it('stays on radio settings section even when radio is disconnected', async () => {
     window.location.hash = '#settings/radio';
     mocks.api.getRadioConfig.mockRejectedValue(new Error('radio offline'));
diff --git a/frontend/src/test/useAppShell.test.ts b/frontend/src/test/useAppShell.test.ts
index 3b9202a..c1181b7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/test/useAppShell.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/test/useAppShell.test.ts
@@ -90,7 +90,41 @@ describe('useAppShell', () => {
       result.current.handleCloseSettingsView();
     });
 
-    expect(window.location.hash).toBe('#channel/test/Public');
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(window.location.hash).toBe('#channel/test/Public');
+    });
+  });
+
+  it('pushes a new history entry when opening settings', async () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAppShell());
+    const lengthBefore = window.history.length;
+
+    act(() => {
+      result.current.handleToggleSettingsView();
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(window.location.hash).toBe('#settings/radio');
+    });
+
+    expect(window.history.length).toBe(lengthBefore + 1);
+  });
+
+  it('closes settings when popstate fires with a non-settings hash', async () => {
+    window.location.hash = '#settings/radio';
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() => useAppShell());
+
+    expect(result.current.showSettings).toBe(true);
+
+    act(() => {
+      window.location.hash = '#channel/abc/Public';
+      window.dispatchEvent(new PopStateEvent('popstate', { state: null }));
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(result.current.showSettings).toBe(false);
+    });
   });
 
   it('toggles the cracker shell without affecting sidebar state', () => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/utils/urlHash.ts b/frontend/src/utils/urlHash.ts
index 5f2563b..8808d1e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/utils/urlHash.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/utils/urlHash.ts
@@ -172,9 +172,25 @@ export function updateUrlHash(conv: Conversation | null): void {
   }
 }
 
+// Update URL hash and add a new browser history entry
+export function pushUrlHash(conv: Conversation | null): void {
+  const newHash = getConversationHash(conv);
+  if (newHash !== window.location.hash) {
+    window.history.pushState(null, '', newHash || window.location.pathname);
+  }
+}
+
 export function updateSettingsHash(section: SettingsSection): void {
   const newHash = getSettingsHash(section);
   if (newHash !== window.location.hash) {
     window.history.replaceState(null, '', newHash);
   }
 }
+
+// Push a settings hash as a new browser history entry
+export function pushSettingsHash(section: SettingsSection): void {
+  const newHash = getSettingsHash(section);
+  if (newHash !== window.location.hash) {
+    window.history.pushState(null, '', newHash);
+  }
+}