---
title: useRouter
description: API reference for the useRouter hook.
---

The `useRouter` hook allows you to programmatically change routes inside [Client Components](/docs/app/getting-started/server-and-client-components).

> **Recommendation:** Use the [`<Link>` component](/docs/app/api-reference/components/link) for navigation unless you have a specific requirement for using `useRouter`.

```tsx filename="app/example-client-component.tsx" switcher
'use client'

import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  const router = useRouter()

  return (
    <button type="button" onClick={() => router.push('/dashboard')}>
      Dashboard
    </button>
  )
}
```

```jsx filename="app/example-client-component.js" switcher
'use client'

import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  const router = useRouter()

  return (
    <button type="button" onClick={() => router.push('/dashboard')}>
      Dashboard
    </button>
  )
}
```

## `useRouter()`

- `router.push(href: string, { scroll: boolean })`: Perform a client-side navigation to the provided route. Adds a new entry into the [browser’s history](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/API/History_API) stack.
- `router.replace(href: string, { scroll: boolean })`: Perform a client-side navigation to the provided route without adding a new entry into the [browser’s history stack](https://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/API/History_API).
- `router.refresh()`: Refresh the current route. Making a new request to the server, re-fetching data requests, and re-rendering Server Components. The client will merge the updated React Server Component payload without losing unaffected client-side React (e.g. `useState`) or browser state (e.g. scroll position).
- `router.prefetch(href: string, options?: { onInvalidate?: () => void })`: [Prefetch](/docs/app/getting-started/linking-and-navigating#prefetching) the provided route for faster client-side transitions. The optional `onInvalidate` callback is called when the [prefetched data becomes stale](/docs/app/guides/prefetching#extending-or-ejecting-link).
- `router.back()`: Navigate back to the previous route in the browser’s history stack.
- `router.forward()`: Navigate forwards to the next page in the browser’s history stack.

> **Good to know**:
>
> - You must not send untrusted or unsanitized URLs to `router.push` or `router.replace`, as this can open your site to cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerabilities. For example, `javascript:` URLs sent to `router.push` or `router.replace` will be executed in the context of your page.
> - The `<Link>` component automatically prefetch routes as they become visible in the viewport.
> - `refresh()` could re-produce the same result if fetch requests are cached. Other Dynamic APIs like `cookies` and `headers` could also change the response.
> - The `onInvalidate` callback is called at most once per prefetch request. It signals when you may want to trigger a new prefetch for updated route data.

### Migrating from `next/router`

- The `useRouter` hook should be imported from `next/navigation` and not `next/router` when using the App Router
- The `pathname` string has been removed and is replaced by [`usePathname()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/use-pathname)
- The `query` object has been removed and is replaced by [`useSearchParams()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/use-search-params)
- `router.events` has been replaced. [See below.](#router-events)

[View the full migration guide](/docs/app/guides/migrating/app-router-migration).

## Examples

### Router events

You can listen for page changes by composing other Client Component hooks like `usePathname` and `useSearchParams`.

```jsx filename="app/components/navigation-events.js"
'use client'

import { useEffect } from 'react'
import { usePathname, useSearchParams } from 'next/navigation'

export function NavigationEvents() {
  const pathname = usePathname()
  const searchParams = useSearchParams()

  useEffect(() => {
    const url = `${pathname}?${searchParams}`
    console.log(url)
    // You can now use the current URL
    // ...
  }, [pathname, searchParams])

  return '...'
}
```

Which can be imported into a layout.

```jsx filename="app/layout.js" highlight={2,10-12}
import { Suspense } from 'react'
import { NavigationEvents } from './components/navigation-events'

export default function Layout({ children }) {
  return (
    <html lang="en">
      <body>
        {children}

        <Suspense fallback={null}>
          <NavigationEvents />
        </Suspense>
      </body>
    </html>
  )
}
```

> **Good to know**: `<NavigationEvents>` is wrapped in a [`Suspense` boundary](/docs/app/api-reference/file-conventions/loading#examples) because[`useSearchParams()`](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/use-search-params) causes client-side rendering up to the closest `Suspense` boundary during [static rendering](/docs/app/getting-started/partial-prerendering#static-rendering). [Learn more](/docs/app/api-reference/functions/use-search-params#behavior).

### Disabling scroll to top

By default, Next.js will scroll to the top of the page when navigating to a new route. You can disable this behavior by passing `scroll: false` to `router.push()` or `router.replace()`.

```tsx filename="app/example-client-component.tsx" switcher
'use client'

import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  const router = useRouter()

  return (
    <button
      type="button"
      onClick={() => router.push('/dashboard', { scroll: false })}
    >
      Dashboard
    </button>
  )
}
```

```jsx filename="app/example-client-component.jsx" switcher
'use client'

import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation'

export default function Page() {
  const router = useRouter()

  return (
    <button
      type="button"
      onClick={() => router.push('/dashboard', { scroll: false })}
    >
      Dashboard
    </button>
  )
}
```

## Version History

| Version   | Changes                                                           |
| --------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `v15.4.0` | Optional `onInvalidate` callback for `router.prefetch` introduced |
| `v13.0.0` | `useRouter` from `next/navigation` introduced.                    |
