diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/settingsNavigation.test.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/settingsNavigation.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..007d31bb92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/settingsNavigation.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+import { canNavigateBackInApp, shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape } from "./settingsNavigation";
+
+describe("shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape", () => {
+  it("matches plain Escape", () => {
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Escape" })).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("ignores modified Escape shortcuts", () => {
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Escape", metaKey: true })).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Escape", ctrlKey: true })).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Escape", altKey: true })).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Escape", shiftKey: true })).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("ignores prevented and non-Escape events", () => {
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Escape", defaultPrevented: true })).toBe(false);
+    expect(shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape({ key: "Enter" })).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("canNavigateBackInApp", () => {
+  it("returns true when tanstack router history has a previous entry", () => {
+    expect(canNavigateBackInApp({ __TSR_index: 1 })).toBe(true);
+    expect(canNavigateBackInApp({ __TSR_index: 4 })).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("returns false for empty or external history state", () => {
+    expect(canNavigateBackInApp(null)).toBe(false);
+    expect(canNavigateBackInApp({})).toBe(false);
+    expect(canNavigateBackInApp({ __TSR_index: 0 })).toBe(false);
+    expect(canNavigateBackInApp({ __TSR_index: "1" })).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/settingsNavigation.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/settingsNavigation.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f1a449e77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/web/src/lib/settingsNavigation.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+export interface SettingsEscapeEventLike {
+  key: string;
+  defaultPrevented?: boolean;
+  metaKey?: boolean;
+  ctrlKey?: boolean;
+  altKey?: boolean;
+  shiftKey?: boolean;
+}
+
+export function shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape(event: SettingsEscapeEventLike): boolean {
+  return (
+    event.key === "Escape" &&
+    event.defaultPrevented !== true &&
+    event.metaKey !== true &&
+    event.ctrlKey !== true &&
+    event.altKey !== true &&
+    event.shiftKey !== true
+  );
+}
+
+export function canNavigateBackInApp(historyState: unknown): boolean {
+  if (!historyState || typeof historyState !== "object") {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const index = (historyState as { __TSR_index?: unknown }).__TSR_index;
+  return typeof index === "number" && index > 0;
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/_chat.settings.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/_chat.settings.tsx
index 3e92891a54..04f2920c24 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/_chat.settings.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/_chat.settings.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createFileRoute } from "@tanstack/react-router";
+import { createFileRoute, useNavigate } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { useQuery, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import {
   ChevronDownIcon,
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import { Tooltip, TooltipPopup, TooltipTrigger } from "../components/ui/tooltip"
 import { resolveAndPersistPreferredEditor } from "../editorPreferences";
 import { isElectron } from "../env";
 import { useTheme } from "../hooks/useTheme";
+import { canNavigateBackInApp, shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape } from "../lib/settingsNavigation";
 import { serverConfigQueryOptions, serverQueryKeys } from "../lib/serverReactQuery";
 import { cn } from "../lib/utils";
 import { formatRelativeTime } from "../timestampFormat";
@@ -284,6 +285,7 @@ function SettingResetButton({ label, onClick }: { label: string; onClick: () =>
 }
 
 function SettingsRouteView() {
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
   const { theme, setTheme } = useTheme();
   const settings = useSettings();
   const { updateSettings, resetSettings } = useUpdateSettings();
@@ -316,6 +318,29 @@ function SettingsRouteView() {
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   useRelativeTimeTick();
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    const onWindowKeyDown = (event: KeyboardEvent) => {
+      if (!shouldCloseSettingsOnEscape(event)) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      event.preventDefault();
+      event.stopPropagation();
+
+      if (canNavigateBackInApp(window.history.state)) {
+        window.history.back();
+        return;
+      }
+
+      void navigate({ to: "/", replace: true });
+    };
+
+    window.addEventListener("keydown", onWindowKeyDown);
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("keydown", onWindowKeyDown);
+    };
+  }, [navigate]);
+
   const refreshProviders = useCallback(() => {
     if (refreshingRef.current) return;
     refreshingRef.current = true;