diff --git a/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.integration.spec.ts b/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.integration.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1d8cd052c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.integration.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,141 @@
+import { Component } from '@angular/core';
+import { fakeAsync, TestBed, tick } from '@angular/core/testing';
+import { provideLocationMocks } from '@angular/common/testing';
+import { provideRouter, Router } from '@angular/router';
+import { MockStore, provideMockStore } from '@ngrx/store/testing';
+
+import { AndroidBackButtonService } from './android-back-button.service';
+import { GlobalConfigService } from '../config/global-config.service';
+import { DefaultStartPage } from '../config/default-start-page.const';
+import { selectIsOverlayShown } from '../focus-mode/store/focus-mode.selectors';
+import { selectAllProjects } from '../project/store/project.selectors';
+import { TODAY_TAG } from '../tag/tag.const';
+
+/**
+ * Integration test that exercises the decision logic against the REAL Angular
+ * Router (in-memory history via provideLocationMocks) so it verifies the actual
+ * serialized `router.url` strings match the service's predicates — something the
+ * mocked-Router unit spec cannot prove.
+ */
+@Component({ standalone: true, template: '' })
+class DummyComponent {}
+
+const TODAY_URL = `/tag/${TODAY_TAG.id}/tasks`;
+
+describe('AndroidBackButtonService integration with real Router (#7972)', () => {
+  let service: AndroidBackButtonService;
+  let router: Router;
+  let minimizeApp: jasmine.Spy;
+  let historyBack: jasmine.Spy;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      providers: [
+        AndroidBackButtonService,
+        provideMockStore(),
+        provideLocationMocks(),
+        provideRouter([
+          { path: 'tag/:id/tasks', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: 'tag/:id/worklog', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: 'project/:id/tasks', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: 'planner', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: 'boards', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: 'config', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: 'search', component: DummyComponent },
+          { path: '**', component: DummyComponent },
+        ]),
+        {
+          provide: GlobalConfigService,
+          useValue: {
+            misc: () => ({ defaultStartPage: DefaultStartPage.Today }),
+            appFeatures: () => ({
+              isPlannerEnabled: true,
+              isSchedulerEnabled: true,
+              isBoardsEnabled: true,
+            }),
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    const store = TestBed.inject(MockStore);
+    store.overrideSelector(selectIsOverlayShown, false);
+    store.overrideSelector(selectAllProjects, []);
+    router = TestBed.inject(Router);
+    service = TestBed.inject(AndroidBackButtonService);
+    minimizeApp = spyOn(
+      service as unknown as { _minimizeApp: () => void },
+      '_minimizeApp',
+    );
+    historyBack = spyOn(
+      service as unknown as { _historyBack: () => void },
+      '_historyBack',
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('collapses repeated tab switches: back pops to the start destination', fakeAsync(() => {
+    router.navigateByUrl(TODAY_URL);
+    tick();
+    router.navigateByUrl('/planner');
+    tick();
+    router.navigateByUrl(TODAY_URL);
+    tick();
+    router.navigateByUrl('/planner');
+    tick();
+    expect(router.url).toBe('/planner');
+
+    service.handleBackButton();
+    tick();
+
+    expect(router.url).toBe(TODAY_URL);
+    expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(historyBack).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  }));
+
+  it('exits the app when back is pressed on the start destination', fakeAsync(() => {
+    router.navigateByUrl(TODAY_URL);
+    tick();
+
+    service.handleBackButton();
+    tick();
+
+    expect(minimizeApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(router.url).toBe(TODAY_URL);
+  }));
+
+  it('pops a project task list (top-level) to the start destination', fakeAsync(() => {
+    router.navigateByUrl('/project/p1/tasks');
+    tick();
+    expect(router.url).toBe('/project/p1/tasks');
+
+    service.handleBackButton();
+    tick();
+
+    expect(router.url).toBe(TODAY_URL);
+  }));
+
+  it('navigates up via history on a context sub-page', fakeAsync(() => {
+    router.navigateByUrl('/project/p1/worklog');
+    tick();
+    expect(router.url).toBe('/project/p1/worklog');
+
+    service.handleBackButton();
+    tick();
+
+    expect(historyBack).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    // history.back() is stubbed, so the route stays put
+    expect(router.url).toBe('/project/p1/worklog');
+  }));
+
+  it('navigates up via history on a utility page (config)', fakeAsync(() => {
+    router.navigateByUrl('/config');
+    tick();
+
+    service.handleBackButton();
+    tick();
+
+    expect(historyBack).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  }));
+});
diff --git a/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.spec.ts b/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b440d9c1dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,345 @@
+import { TestBed } from '@angular/core/testing';
+import { Router } from '@angular/router';
+import { provideMockStore, MockStore } from '@ngrx/store/testing';
+
+import { AndroidBackButtonService } from './android-back-button.service';
+import { GlobalConfigService } from '../config/global-config.service';
+import { DefaultStartPage } from '../config/default-start-page.const';
+import { HISTORY_STATE } from '../../app.constants';
+import { TODAY_TAG } from '../tag/tag.const';
+import { INBOX_PROJECT } from '../project/project.const';
+import { Project } from '../project/project.model';
+import { selectAllProjects } from '../project/store/project.selectors';
+import { AppFeaturesConfig } from '../config/global-config.model';
+import { getStartPageUrlPath } from '../config/default-start-page.util';
+
+const TODAY_URL = `/tag/${TODAY_TAG.id}/tasks`;
+
+const project = (over: Partial<Project>): Project =>
+  ({ id: 'p1', isArchived: false, isHiddenFromMenu: false, ...over }) as Project;
+
+describe('AndroidBackButtonService (#7972)', () => {
+  let service: AndroidBackButtonService;
+  let store: MockStore;
+  let routerUrl: string;
+  let navigateByUrl: jasmine.Spy;
+  let historyBack: jasmine.Spy;
+  let minimizeApp: jasmine.Spy;
+  let misc: { defaultStartPage?: number | string } | undefined;
+  let appFeatures: Record<string, boolean>;
+
+  const setProjects = (projects: Project[]): void => {
+    store.overrideSelector(selectAllProjects, projects);
+    store.refreshState();
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    routerUrl = TODAY_URL;
+    navigateByUrl = jasmine.createSpy('navigateByUrl');
+    misc = { defaultStartPage: DefaultStartPage.Today };
+    appFeatures = {
+      isPlannerEnabled: true,
+      isSchedulerEnabled: true,
+      isBoardsEnabled: true,
+    };
+
+    TestBed.configureTestingModule({
+      providers: [
+        AndroidBackButtonService,
+        provideMockStore(),
+        {
+          provide: Router,
+          useValue: {
+            get url(): string {
+              return routerUrl;
+            },
+            navigateByUrl,
+          },
+        },
+        {
+          provide: GlobalConfigService,
+          useValue: {
+            misc: () => misc,
+            appFeatures: () => appFeatures,
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    store = TestBed.inject(MockStore);
+    store.overrideSelector(selectAllProjects, []);
+    service = TestBed.inject(AndroidBackButtonService);
+
+    // Prevent real side effects on globals.
+    historyBack = spyOn(
+      service as unknown as { _historyBack: () => void },
+      '_historyBack',
+    );
+    minimizeApp = spyOn(
+      service as unknown as { _minimizeApp: () => void },
+      '_minimizeApp',
+    );
+    // Default: no overlays open.
+    spyOn(
+      service as unknown as { _isFocusOverlayShown: () => boolean },
+      '_isFocusOverlayShown',
+    ).and.returnValue(false);
+    spyOn(
+      service as unknown as { _isHistoryOverlayOpen: () => boolean },
+      '_isHistoryOverlayOpen',
+    ).and.returnValue(false);
+  });
+
+  describe('overlays', () => {
+    it('closes a history-state overlay via window.history.back()', () => {
+      (
+        service as unknown as { _isHistoryOverlayOpen: jasmine.Spy }
+      )._isHistoryOverlayOpen.and.returnValue(true);
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(historyBack).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('defers to window.history.back() when the focus-mode overlay is shown', () => {
+      (
+        service as unknown as { _isFocusOverlayShown: jasmine.Spy }
+      )._isFocusOverlayShown.and.returnValue(true);
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(historyBack).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('non-top-level pages navigate up normally', () => {
+    [
+      '/project/abc/worklog',
+      `/tag/${TODAY_TAG.id}/metrics`,
+      '/tag/x/quick-history',
+      '/config',
+      '/search',
+      '/scheduled-list',
+      '/donate',
+    ].forEach((url) => {
+      it(`uses window.history.back() on ${url}`, () => {
+        routerUrl = url;
+
+        service.handleBackButton();
+
+        expect(historyBack).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('top-level destinations', () => {
+    it('pops to the start destination when not already there', () => {
+      routerUrl = '/planner';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TODAY_URL, { replaceUrl: true });
+      expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(historyBack).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('exits the app when already on the start destination', () => {
+      routerUrl = TODAY_URL;
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(minimizeApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('exits even when a project task list is the top-level destination and start', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: 'my-project' };
+      setProjects([project({ id: 'my-project' })]);
+      routerUrl = '/project/my-project/tasks';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(minimizeApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('pops a project task list to the start destination', () => {
+      routerUrl = '/project/some-project/tasks';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TODAY_URL, { replaceUrl: true });
+    });
+
+    it('ignores query/fragment when comparing to the start destination', () => {
+      routerUrl = `${TODAY_URL}?foo=1#bar`;
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(minimizeApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('treats a deeper path under a task list as non-top-level (navigates up)', () => {
+      routerUrl = `${TODAY_URL}/123`;
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(historyBack).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(minimizeApp).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  // Full enum/project-validity matrix lives in default-start-page.util.spec.ts;
+  // here we verify the service wires misc + appFeatures + the looked-up project
+  // into that helper, including the store-based project lookup.
+  describe('start-page resolution wiring', () => {
+    it('resolves the Planner start page', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: DefaultStartPage.Planner };
+      routerUrl = TODAY_URL;
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/planner', { replaceUrl: true });
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to Today when the Planner feature is disabled', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: DefaultStartPage.Planner };
+      appFeatures.isPlannerEnabled = false;
+      routerUrl = '/boards';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TODAY_URL, { replaceUrl: true });
+    });
+
+    it('resolves the legacy Inbox start page to the inbox project', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: DefaultStartPage.Inbox };
+      routerUrl = TODAY_URL;
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(`/project/${INBOX_PROJECT.id}/tasks`, {
+        replaceUrl: true,
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('resolves a valid project-id start page via the store', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: 'proj-123' };
+      setProjects([project({ id: 'proj-123' })]);
+      routerUrl = TODAY_URL;
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/project/proj-123/tasks', {
+        replaceUrl: true,
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to Today when the project start page is archived', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: 'proj-123' };
+      setProjects([project({ id: 'proj-123', isArchived: true })]);
+      routerUrl = '/planner';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TODAY_URL, { replaceUrl: true });
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to Today when the project start page is missing', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: 'gone' };
+      setProjects([]);
+      routerUrl = '/planner';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TODAY_URL, { replaceUrl: true });
+    });
+
+    it('falls back to Today when misc config is undefined', () => {
+      misc = undefined;
+      routerUrl = '/planner';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(navigateByUrl).toHaveBeenCalledWith(TODAY_URL, { replaceUrl: true });
+    });
+  });
+
+  // Guards the _isTopLevelDestination ⇄ getStartPageUrlPath invariant: being ON
+  // the resolved start destination must exit, never navigate history. Iterating
+  // the enum auto-covers any future DefaultStartPage value.
+  describe('start destination is always a top-level destination (back exits)', () => {
+    const allBuiltInStartPages = Object.values(DefaultStartPage).filter(
+      (v): v is DefaultStartPage => typeof v === 'number',
+    );
+
+    allBuiltInStartPages.forEach((startPage) => {
+      it(`exits when on the resolved start page (DefaultStartPage=${startPage})`, () => {
+        misc = { defaultStartPage: startPage };
+        routerUrl = getStartPageUrlPath(
+          startPage,
+          appFeatures as unknown as AppFeaturesConfig,
+          undefined,
+        );
+
+        service.handleBackButton();
+
+        expect(minimizeApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('exits when on a valid project start page', () => {
+      misc = { defaultStartPage: 'proj-x' };
+      setProjects([project({ id: 'proj-x' })]);
+      routerUrl = '/project/proj-x/tasks';
+
+      service.handleBackButton();
+
+      expect(minimizeApp).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(navigateByUrl).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('_isHistoryOverlayOpen (real implementation)', () => {
+    it('detects an overlay history state', () => {
+      (
+        service as unknown as { _isHistoryOverlayOpen: jasmine.Spy }
+      )._isHistoryOverlayOpen.and.callThrough();
+      const original = window.history.state;
+      try {
+        window.history.replaceState({ [HISTORY_STATE.NOTES]: true }, '');
+        expect(
+          (
+            service as unknown as { _isHistoryOverlayOpen: () => boolean }
+          )._isHistoryOverlayOpen(),
+        ).toBe(true);
+      } finally {
+        window.history.replaceState(original, '');
+      }
+    });
+
+    it('returns false when no overlay state is present', () => {
+      (
+        service as unknown as { _isHistoryOverlayOpen: jasmine.Spy }
+      )._isHistoryOverlayOpen.and.callThrough();
+      const original = window.history.state;
+      try {
+        window.history.replaceState(null, '');
+        expect(
+          (
+            service as unknown as { _isHistoryOverlayOpen: () => boolean }
+          )._isHistoryOverlayOpen(),
+        ).toBe(false);
+      } finally {
+        window.history.replaceState(original, '');
+      }
+    });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.ts b/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ecf1ff66b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/features/android/android-back-button.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+import { inject, Injectable } from '@angular/core';
+import { Router } from '@angular/router';
+import { Store } from '@ngrx/store';
+import { App as CapacitorApp } from '@capacitor/app';
+
+import { HISTORY_STATE } from '../../app.constants';
+import { GlobalConfigService } from '../config/global-config.service';
+import { getStartPageUrlPath } from '../config/default-start-page.util';
+import { selectIsOverlayShown } from '../focus-mode/store/focus-mode.selectors';
+import { selectAllProjects } from '../project/store/project.selectors';
+
+/**
+ * Implements Android back-button behavior for top-level (bottom-nav) destinations
+ * per https://developer.android.com/guide/navigation/backstack:
+ * back from a top-level destination returns to the start destination, and back
+ * from the start destination exits the app.
+ *
+ * Without this, the back button replays the SPA history stack — every tab switch
+ * pushes a `window.history` entry, so back walks through every previously visited
+ * tab instead of exiting (issue #7972).
+ *
+ * Overlays (side-nav, task-detail, notes, fullscreen-markdown, focus-mode) and
+ * non-top-level pages (context sub-pages, settings, search, …) keep their
+ * existing `window.history.back()` behavior so back still closes overlays and
+ * navigates up.
+ */
+@Injectable({ providedIn: 'root' })
+export class AndroidBackButtonService {
+  private readonly _router = inject(Router);
+  private readonly _globalConfigService = inject(GlobalConfigService);
+  private readonly _store = inject(Store);
+
+  private readonly _isFocusOverlayShown = this._store.selectSignal(selectIsOverlayShown);
+  private readonly _allProjects = this._store.selectSignal(selectAllProjects);
+
+  handleBackButton(): void {
+    // 1. An overlay that pushed a history state is open → let its popstate
+    //    listener close it. Also covers the focus-mode overlay, which is
+    //    store-based and whose route navigation is blocked by FocusOverlayOpenGuard.
+    if (this._isHistoryOverlayOpen() || this._isFocusOverlayShown()) {
+      this._historyBack();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // 2. Not a top-level destination (context sub-page, settings, search, …)
+    //    → navigate up via the history stack as before.
+    const currentUrl = this._router.url;
+    if (!this._isTopLevelDestination(currentUrl)) {
+      this._historyBack();
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // 3. A top-level destination → pop to the start destination, or exit if
+    //    already there.
+    const startUrl = this._getStartPageUrl();
+    if (this._isSamePath(currentUrl, startUrl)) {
+      this._minimizeApp();
+    } else {
+      this._router.navigateByUrl(startUrl, { replaceUrl: true });
+    }
+  }
+
+  private _isHistoryOverlayOpen(): boolean {
+    const state = window.history.state;
+    return !!state && Object.values(HISTORY_STATE).some((key) => state[key]);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Primary navigation destinations (bottom-nav tabs + main feature pages).
+   * Context sub-pages (worklog, metrics, …) and utility pages (settings, search,
+   * scheduled-list, donate, …) are intentionally excluded so back navigates up
+   * from them rather than jumping home.
+   *
+   * INVARIANT: this must classify every URL `getStartPageUrlPath()` can return
+   * as top-level, otherwise back from the configured start destination would
+   * navigate history instead of exiting. Enforced by the "start destination is
+   * a top-level destination" spec — keep this list in sync when adding a start
+   * page route.
+   */
+  private _isTopLevelDestination(url: string): boolean {
+    const path = this._pathOf(url);
+    return (
+      /^\/(?:tag|project)\/[^/]+\/tasks$/.test(path) ||
+      ['/planner', '/schedule', '/boards', '/habits'].includes(path)
+    );
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Resolve the configured start destination to a URL. Delegates to the same
+   * helper as DefaultStartPageGuard so the boot redirect and back navigation
+   * stay in lockstep; a missing/archived/hidden project start page falls back
+   * to Today.
+   */
+  private _getStartPageUrl(): string {
+    const startPage = this._globalConfigService.misc()?.defaultStartPage;
+    const startProject =
+      typeof startPage === 'string'
+        ? this._allProjects().find((project) => project.id === startPage)
+        : undefined;
+    return getStartPageUrlPath(
+      startPage,
+      this._globalConfigService.appFeatures(),
+      startProject,
+    );
+  }
+
+  private _isSamePath(a: string, b: string): boolean {
+    return this._pathOf(a) === this._pathOf(b);
+  }
+
+  private _pathOf(url: string): string {
+    return url.split(/[?#]/)[0];
+  }
+
+  // Thin wrappers around side-effecting globals so they can be spied in tests
+  // (spying Capacitor plugin methods directly is a no-op due to their proxy).
+  private _historyBack(): void {
+    window.history.back();
+  }
+
+  private _minimizeApp(): void {
+    void CapacitorApp.minimizeApp();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main.ts b/src/main.ts
index 9479dfedec..30fac2d856 100644
--- a/src/main.ts
+++ b/src/main.ts
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import {
 } from './app/core/locale.constants';
 import { IS_ANDROID_WEB_VIEW } from './app/util/is-android-web-view';
 import { androidInterface } from './app/features/android/android-interface';
+import { AndroidBackButtonService } from './app/features/android/android-back-button.service';
 import { IS_IOS_NATIVE, IS_NATIVE_PLATFORM } from './app/util/is-native-platform';
 import { DataInitStateService } from './app/core/data-init/data-init-state.service';
 // Type definitions for window.ea are in ./app/core/window-ea.d.ts
@@ -449,7 +450,13 @@ if (!(environment.production || environment.stage) && IS_ANDROID_WEB_VIEW) {
 // Android-specific: Handle back button
 if (IS_ANDROID_WEB_VIEW) {
   CapacitorApp.addListener('backButton', ({ canGoBack }) => {
-    if (!canGoBack) {
+    // Delegate to the Angular service so back from a top-level destination pops
+    // to the start destination / exits per Android guidelines (issue #7972).
+    const backButtonService = appInjector?.get(AndroidBackButtonService);
+    if (backButtonService) {
+      backButtonService.handleBackButton();
+    } else if (!canGoBack) {
+      // Pre-bootstrap fallback (back pressed before Angular is ready).
       CapacitorApp.minimizeApp();
     } else {
       window.history.back();