address bar safari iphone

iOS 15 Safari: How to change the address/search bar design on iPhone

Apple’s latest iOS release comes with an all-new Safari design that places the address/search bar at the bottom of the screen by default. But you can switch back to the classic iOS Safari design with a top bar. Here’s how to change the iOS 15 Safari address/search bar on iPhone.

Apple made its way through multiple iterations of the new iOS 15 Safari design and with the sixth beta , it included the option to switch between the bottom address/search bar and the classic iOS Safari top address/search bar on iPhone .

The official iOS 15 public release also includes the classic bottom menu bar instead of packing all of Safari’s buttons into the unified address/search/tab bar.

How to change iOS 15 Safari address/search bar on iPhone

• Running iOS 15, open Safari on your iPhone
• In the bottom address/search bar, tap the “aA” icon on the left (when on a website)
• Tap Show Top Address Bar
• Tap the “aA” icon in the top address/search bar
• Choose Show Bottom Tab Bar

Alternatively, you can also change the iOS 15 address/search bar by heading to the Settings app > Safari > swipe down and choose “Single Tab.”

Here’s how it looks to change the Safari address/search bar on iPhone:

And here’s how it looks to change it back to the bottom address/search bar:

The other way to change the address/search bar design is in the Settings app.

In addition to changing between the bottom and classic top address/search bar designs, you can choose to enable/disable website tinting (matches the top iPhone status bar to websites’ colors) and enable/disable the landscape tab bar.

Read more 9to5Mac tutorials:

• Hands-on: Here’s how Background Sounds work in iOS 15
• iPhone: How to set a custom Safari background in iOS 15
• iOS 15 brings new Announce Notifications feature for Siri, here’s how it works
• Hands-on: Here’s how the new iPhone Focus mode works in iOS 15
• iPhone 13 Pro: How to take macro photos and videos

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Check out 9to5Mac on YouTube for more Apple news:

Introduced in 2007 by Steve Jobs, iPhone is Appl…

A collection of tutorials, tips, and tricks from…

Michael is an editor for 9to5Mac. Since joining in 2016 he has written more than 3,000 articles including breaking news, reviews, and detailed comparisons and tutorials.

Michael Potuck's favorite gear

Satechi USB-C Charger (4 ports)

Really useful USB-C + USB-A charger for home/work and travel.

Apple Leather MagSafe Wallet

My slim wallet of choice for iPhone 12

Manage push notifications

iOS 17: How to Move Safari Address Bar on iPhone Explained

Moving the Safari address bar on your iPhone with iOS 17 is a simple process. Just head to your Settings, tap Safari, and under the ‘Tabs’ section, select ‘Single Tab’ to move the address bar to the top, or ‘Tab Bar’ to keep it at the bottom. Easy-peasy, right?

After you complete the action, the Safari address bar will be displayed in your preferred location, either at the top or bottom of the screen, depending on your selection. This small change can significantly impact how you interact with your browser and navigate the web on your iPhone.

You can also watch this video about how to move Safari address bar on iPhone for more on this topic.

An Introduction to Safari Address Bar Customization

Ever since Apple introduced the option to customize the placement of the Safari address bar in iOS 15, users have had mixed feelings. Some love the new, more reachable bottom address bar, while others yearn for the traditional top placement. Fast forward to iOS 17, and the debate continues. But here’s the good news: Apple has given you the power to choose. With a few taps, you can customize your browsing experience to suit your preference. But why is this such a big deal?

Well, it’s all about usability and comfort. The placement of the address bar can affect how easily you can navigate your phone, especially with one hand. And let’s face it, in the age of large-screen smartphones, convenience is king. Whether you’re a devoted Apple user or just someone trying to navigate your iPhone more efficiently, this feature is designed to enhance your overall user experience. So, let’s dive into the steps and explore the pros and cons of this nifty feature.

Step by Step Tutorial to Move Safari Address Bar on iPhone

First, let’s go over what we’ll accomplish in the following steps. We’ll be tweaking a setting in the Safari section of your iPhone’s settings. This will allow you to move the address bar from its default bottom position to the top of the screen.

Step 1: Open Settings

• Open the ‘Settings’ app on your iPhone.

When you open Settings, you’ll find a list of options to customize various aspects of your iPhone. For our purpose, you’ll need to scroll down to find ‘Safari’, nestled among other default apps.

Step 2: Tap Safari

Scroll down and tap on ‘Safari’ to open the browser’s settings.

In the Safari settings, you’ll see a variety of options that allow you to tweak your browsing experience. Look for the section named ‘Tabs’.

Step 3: Choose Your Preferred Option

• Under ‘Tabs’, select ‘Single Tab’ to move the address bar to the top, or ‘Tab Bar’ to keep it at the bottom.

The ‘Single Tab’ option will give you the traditional look with the address bar at the top, similar to how it is on a desktop browser. The ‘Tab Bar’ option will maintain the new design introduced in iOS 15, with the address bar at the bottom of the screen.

Additional Information

While the steps above are pretty straightforward, there are a few additional things you might want to consider. For instance, if you’re someone who frequently switches between different iOS devices, like an iPad and an iPhone, you may want to keep the address bar placement consistent across devices for a seamless transition. Also, remember that the placement of the address bar can affect how you interact with the rest of the Safari interface.

For example, if the address bar is at the bottom, it’s easier to swipe between tabs with your thumb. That’s something to consider if you’re an avid tab swiper. It’s also worth noting that the iOS 17 update might bring along other interface changes, so keep an eye out for those when you’re customizing your Safari settings. Lastly, don’t be afraid to experiment with both options for a week or so to really figure out which placement you prefer. And hey, you might even discover a new, more efficient way to browse!

• Scroll down and tap on ‘Safari’.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing the address bar position affect other apps.

No, this change only affects Safari and not any other apps on your iPhone.

Can I move the address bar to the sides?

No, the address bar can only be moved to the top or bottom of the screen.

Will this setting sync across my Apple devices?

No, this setting is specific to each device. You’ll need to set your preference on each device individually.

Is there a shortcut to switch between the top and bottom address bar?

No, you have to go into Settings each time you want to switch the address bar position.

If I update to iOS 17, will my address bar move automatically?

No, the address bar will stay in its current position unless you manually change it in the settings.

With iOS 17, the ability to move the Safari address bar is a subtle yet impactful customization feature. Whether you prefer the traditional top placement or the newer bottom placement, the choice is yours, and it’s all about making your browsing experience as comfortable and efficient as possible.

So go ahead and give it a try—you might just find a new preferred way to surf the web on your iPhone. Remember, the key is to find what works best for you and enjoy the ride on the information superhighway.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

Share this:

Join our free newsletter.

Featured guides and deals

You may opt out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

Related posts:

• Safari History iPhone: How to See It [2023 Guide]
• 15 Ways to Fix Safari Not Working on iPhone in 2023
• Why Can’t I Create a Private Browsing Tab in Safari on My iPhone?
• iPhone 13: How to Move Safari Address Bar to Top
• How to Get Safari Back on iPhone 13
• How to Show Bookmarks Bar in Safari on iPad
• Can I Quickly Close All of My Private Tabs in Safari on My iPhone?
• How to Delete Tabs on iPhone 14
• 15 iPhone Settings You Might Want to Change
• Is There a Way to Close All Of My iPhone Safari Tabs at Once?
• How to Close All Private Tabs on iPhone 13
• How to Turn On Private Browsing on iPhone 13
• How to Do Private Browsing on iPhone 15: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Where is the MAC Address on My iPhone? [2023 Guide]
• iOS 17: How to Close All Private Tabs on iPhone Quickly
• How to Make All Columns the Same Width in Excel 2013
• How to Close All Tabs on iPhone 14
• Can I Get Rid of Frequently Visited in Safari on iPhone?
• 3 iPhone Safari Tips You Might Not Know
• How to Close All Open Tabs at Once in Safari on an iPhone

iPhone User Guide

• iPhone models compatible with iOS 17
• R ' class='toc-item' data-ss-analytics-link-url='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xr-iph017302841/ios' data-ajax-endpoint='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xr-iph017302841/ios' data-ss-analytics-event="acs.link_click" href='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xr-iph017302841/ios' id='toc-item-IPH017302841' data-tocid='IPH017302841' > iPhone X R
• S ' class='toc-item' data-ss-analytics-link-url='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-iphc00446242/ios' data-ajax-endpoint='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-iphc00446242/ios' data-ss-analytics-event="acs.link_click" href='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-iphc00446242/ios' id='toc-item-IPHC00446242' data-tocid='IPHC00446242' > iPhone X S
• S Max' class='toc-item' data-ss-analytics-link-url='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-max-iphcd2066870/ios' data-ajax-endpoint='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-max-iphcd2066870/ios' data-ss-analytics-event="acs.link_click" href='https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphone-xs-max-iphcd2066870/ios' id='toc-item-IPHCD2066870' data-tocid='IPHCD2066870' > iPhone X S Max
• iPhone 11 Pro
• iPhone 11 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (2nd generation)
• iPhone 12 mini
• iPhone 12 Pro
• iPhone 12 Pro Max
• iPhone 13 mini
• iPhone 13 Pro
• iPhone 13 Pro Max
• iPhone SE (3rd generation)
• iPhone 14 Plus
• iPhone 14 Pro
• iPhone 14 Pro Max
• iPhone 15 Plus
• iPhone 15 Pro
• iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Setup basics
• Make your iPhone your own
• Take great photos and videos
• Keep in touch with friends and family
• Share features with your family
• Use iPhone for your daily routines
• Expert advice from Apple Support
• What’s new in iOS 17
• Turn on and set up iPhone
• Wake and unlock
• Set up cellular service
• Use Dual SIM
• Connect to the internet
• Sign in with Apple ID
• Subscribe to iCloud+
• Find settings
• Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
• Learn the meaning of the status icons
• Charge the battery
• Charge with cleaner energy sources
• Show the battery percentage
• Check battery health and usage
• Use Low Power Mode
• Read and bookmark the user guide
• Learn basic gestures
• Learn gestures for iPhone models with Face ID
• Adjust the volume
• Find your apps in App Library
• Switch between open apps
• Quit and reopen an app
• Multitask with Picture in Picture
• Access features from the Lock Screen
• View Live Activities in the Dynamic Island
• Perform quick actions
• Search on iPhone
• Get information about your iPhone
• View or change cellular data settings
• Travel with iPhone
• Change sounds and vibrations
• Use the Action button on iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
• Create a custom Lock Screen
• Change the wallpaper
• Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
• Keep the iPhone display on longer
• Use StandBy
• Customize the text size and zoom setting
• Change the name of your iPhone
• Change the date and time
• Change the language and region
• Organize your apps in folders
• Add, edit, and remove widgets
• Move apps and widgets on the Home Screen
• Remove apps
• Use and customize Control Center
• Change or lock the screen orientation
• View and respond to notifications
• Change notification settings
• Set up a Focus
• Allow or silence notifications for a Focus
• Turn a Focus on or off
• Stay focused while driving
• Customize sharing options
• Type with the onscreen keyboard
• Dictate text
• Select and edit text
• Use predictive text
• Use text replacements
• Add or change keyboards
• Add emoji and stickers
• Take a screenshot
• Take a screen recording
• Draw in documents
• Add text, shapes, signatures, and more
• Fill out forms and sign documents
• Use Live Text to interact with content in a photo or video
• Use Visual Look Up to identify objects in your photos and videos
• Lift a subject from the photo background
• Subscribe to Apple Arcade
• Play with friends in Game Center
• Connect a game controller
• Use App Clips
• Update apps
• View or cancel subscriptions
• Manage purchases, settings, and restrictions
• Install and manage fonts
• Buy books and audiobooks
• Annotate books
• Access books on other Apple devices
• Listen to audiobooks
• Set reading goals
• Organize books
• Create and edit events in Calendar
• Send invitations
• Reply to invitations
• Change how you view events
• Search for events
• Change calendar and event settings
• Schedule or display events in a different time zone
• Keep track of events
• Use multiple calendars
• Use the Holidays calendar
• Share iCloud calendars
• Camera basics
• Set up your shot
• Apply Photographic Styles
• Take Live Photos
• Take Burst mode shots
• Take a selfie
• Take panoramic photos
• Take macro photos and videos
• Take portraits
• Take Night mode photos
• Take Apple ProRAW photos
• Adjust the shutter volume
• Adjust HDR camera settings
• Record videos
• Record spatial videos for Apple Vision Pro
• Record ProRes videos
• Record videos in Cinematic mode
• Change video recording settings
• Save camera settings
• Customize the Main camera lens
• Change advanced camera settings
• View, share, and print photos
• Use Live Text
• Scan a QR code
• See the world clock
• Set an alarm
• Change the next wake up alarm
• Use the stopwatch
• Use multiple timers
• Add and use contact information
• Edit contacts
• Add your contact info
• Use NameDrop on iPhone to share your contact info
• Use other contact accounts
• Use Contacts from the Phone app
• Merge or hide duplicate contacts
• Export contacts
• Get started with FaceTime
• Make FaceTime calls
• Receive FaceTime calls
• Create a FaceTime link
• Take a Live Photo
• Turn on Live Captions in a FaceTime call
• Use other apps during a call
• Make a Group FaceTime call
• View participants in a grid
• Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
• Share your screen in a FaceTime call
• Collaborate on a document in FaceTime
• Use video conferencing features
• Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
• Change the FaceTime video settings
• Change the FaceTime audio settings
• Change your appearance
• Leave a call or switch to Messages
• Block unwanted callers
• Report a call as spam
• Connect external devices or servers
• Modify files, folders, and downloads
• Search for files and folders
• Organize files and folders
• Set up iCloud Drive
• Share files and folders in iCloud Drive
• Share your location
• Meet up with a friend
• Send your location via satellite
• Add or remove a friend
• Locate a friend
• Get notified when friends change their location
• Notify a friend when your location changes
• Add your iPhone
• Add your iPhone Wallet with MagSafe
• Get notified if you leave a device behind
• Locate a device
• Mark a device as lost
• Erase a device
• Remove a device
• Add an AirTag
• Share an AirTag or other item in Find My on iPhone
• Add a third-party item
• Get notified if you leave an item behind
• Locate an item
• Mark an item as lost
• Remove an item
• Adjust map settings
• Get started with Fitness
• Track daily activity and change your move goal
• See your activity summary
• Sync a third-party workout app
• Change fitness notifications
• Share your activity
• Subscribe to Apple Fitness+
• Find Apple Fitness+ workouts and meditations
• Start an Apple Fitness+ workout or meditation
• Create a Custom Plan in Apple Fitness+
• Work out together using SharePlay
• Change what’s on the screen during an Apple Fitness+ workout or meditation
• Download an Apple Fitness+ workout or meditation
• Get started with Freeform
• Create a Freeform board
• Draw or handwrite
• Apply consistent styles
• Position items on a board
• Search Freeform boards
• Share and collaborate
• Delete and recover boards
• Get started with Health
• Fill out your Health Details
• Intro to Health data
• View your health data
• Share your health data
• View health data shared by others
• Download health records
• View health records
• Monitor your walking steadiness
• Log menstrual cycle information
• View menstrual cycle predictions and history
• Track your medications
• Learn more about your medications
• Log your state of mind
• Take a mental health assessment
• Set up a schedule for a Sleep Focus
• Turn off alarms and delete sleep schedules
• Add or change sleep schedules
• Turn Sleep Focus on or off
• Change your wind down period, sleep goal, and more
• View your sleep history
• Check your headphone levels
• Use audiogram data
• Register as an organ donor
• Back up your Health data
• Intro to Home
• Upgrade to the new Home architecture
• Set up accessories
• Control accessories
• Control your home using Siri
• Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
• Set up HomePod
• Control your home remotely
• Create and use scenes
• Use automations
• Set up security cameras
• Use Face Recognition
• Unlock your door with a home key
• Configure a router
• Invite others to control accessories
• Add more homes
• Get music, movies, and TV shows
• Get ringtones
• Manage purchases and settings
• Get started with Journal
• Write in your journal
• Review your past journal entries
• Change Journal settings
• Magnify nearby objects
• Change settings
• Detect people around you
• Detect doors around you
• Receive image descriptions of your surroundings
• Read aloud text and labels around you
• Set up shortcuts for Detection Mode
• Add and remove email accounts
• Set up a custom email domain
• Check your email
• Unsend email with Undo Send
• Reply to and forward emails
• Save an email draft
• Add email attachments
• Download email attachments
• Annotate email attachments
• Set email notifications
• Search for email
• Organize email in mailboxes
• Flag or block emails
• Filter emails
• Use Hide My Email
• Use Mail Privacy Protection
• Change email settings
• Delete and recover emails
• Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
• Print emails
• Get travel directions
• Select other route options
• Find stops along your route
• View a route overview or a list of turns
• Change settings for spoken directions
• Get driving directions
• Get directions to your parked car
• Set up electric vehicle routing
• Report traffic incidents
• Get cycling directions
• Get walking directions
• Get transit directions
• Delete recent directions
• Get traffic and weather info
• Estimate travel time and ETA
• Download offline maps
• Search for places
• Find nearby attractions, restaurants, and services
• Get information about places
• Mark places
• Share places
• Rate places
• Save favorite places
• Explore new places with Guides
• Organize places in My Guides
• Delete significant locations
• Look around places
• Take Flyover tours
• Find your Maps settings
• Measure dimensions
• View and save measurements
• Measure a person’s height
• Use the level
• Set up Messages
• About iMessage
• Send and reply to messages
• Unsend and edit messages
• Keep track of messages
• Forward and share messages
• Group conversations
• Watch, listen, or play together using SharePlay
• Collaborate on projects
• Use iMessage apps
• Take and edit photos or videos
• Share photos, links, and more
• Send stickers
• Request, send, and receive payments
• Send and receive audio messages
• Animate messages
• Change notifications
• Block, filter, and report messages
• Delete messages and attachments
• Recover deleted messages
• View albums, playlists, and more
• Show song credits and lyrics
• Queue up your music
• Listen to broadcast radio
• Subscribe to Apple Music
• Play music together in the car with iPhone
• Listen to lossless music
• Listen to Dolby Atmos music
• Apple Music Sing
• Find new music
• Add music and listen offline
• Get personalized recommendations
• Listen to radio
• Search for music
• Create playlists
• See what your friends are listening to
• Use Siri to play music
• Change the way music sounds
• Get started with News
• Use News widgets
• See news stories chosen just for you
• Read stories
• Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
• Listen to Apple News Today
• Subscribe to Apple News+
• Browse and read Apple News+ stories and issues
• Download Apple News+ issues
• Listen to audio stories
• Solve crossword puzzles
• Search for news stories
• Save stories in News for later
• Subscribe to individual news channels
• Get started with Notes
• Add or remove accounts
• Create and format notes
• Draw or write
• Add photos, videos, and more
• Scan text and documents
• Work with PDFs
• Create Quick Notes
• Search notes
• Organize in folders
• Organize with tags
• Use Smart Folders
• Export or print notes
• Change Notes settings
• Make a call
• Answer or decline incoming calls
• While on a call
• Set up voicemail
• Check voicemail
• Change voicemail greeting and settings
• Select ringtones and vibrations
• Make calls using Wi-Fi
• Set up call forwarding and call waiting
• Avoid unwanted calls
• View photos and videos
• Play videos and slideshows
• Delete or hide photos and videos
• Edit photos and videos
• Trim video length and adjust slow motion
• Edit Cinematic mode videos
• Edit Live Photos
• Edit portraits
• Use photo albums
• Edit, share, and organize albums
• Filter and sort photos and videos in albums
• Make stickers from your photos
• Duplicate and copy photos and videos
• Merge duplicate photos and videos
• Search for photos
• Identify people and pets
• Browse photos by location
• Share photos and videos
• Share long videos
• View photos and videos shared with you
• Watch memories
• Personalize your memories
• Manage memories and featured photos
• Use iCloud Photos
• Create shared albums
• Add and remove people in a shared album
• Add and delete photos and videos in a shared album
• Set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
• Import and export photos and videos
• Print photos
• Find podcasts
• Listen to podcasts
• Follow your favorite podcasts
• Use the Podcasts widget
• Organize your podcast library
• Download, save, or share podcasts
• Subscribe to podcasts
• Listen to subscriber-only content
• Change download settings
• Make a grocery list
• Add items to a list
• Edit and manage a list
• Search and organize lists
• Work with templates
• Use Smart Lists
• Print reminders
• Use the Reminders widget
• Change Reminders settings
• Browse the web
• Search for websites
• Customize your Safari settings
• Change the layout
• Use Safari profiles
• Open and close tabs
• Organize your tabs
• View your Safari tabs from another Apple device
• Share Tab Groups
• Use Siri to listen to a webpage
• Bookmark favorite webpages
• Save pages to a Reading List
• Find links shared with you
• Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
• Automatically fill in forms
• Get extensions
• Hide ads and distractions
• Clear your cache
• Browse the web privately
• Use passkeys in Safari
• Check stocks
• Manage multiple watchlists
• Read business news
• Add earnings reports to your calendar
• Use a Stocks widget
• Translate text, voice, and conversations
• Translate text in apps
• Translate with the camera view
• Subscribe to Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass, or an Apple TV channel
• Add your TV provider
• Get shows, movies, and more
• Watch sports
• Watch Major League Soccer with MLS Season Pass
• Control playback
• Manage your library
• Change the settings
• Make a recording
• Play it back
• Edit or delete a recording
• Keep recordings up to date
• Organize recordings
• Search for or rename a recording
• Share a recording
• Duplicate a recording
• Keep cards and passes in Wallet
• Set up Apple Pay
• Use Apple Pay for contactless payments
• Use Apple Pay in apps and on the web
• Track your orders
• Use Apple Cash
• Use Apple Card
• Use Savings
• Pay for transit
• Access your home, hotel room, and vehicle
• Add identity cards
• Use COVID-19 vaccination cards
• Check your Apple Account balance
• Use Express Mode
• Organize your Wallet
• Remove cards or passes
• Check the weather
• Check the weather in other locations
• View weather maps
• Manage weather notifications
• Use Weather widgets
• Learn the weather icons
• Find out what Siri can do
• Tell Siri about yourself
• Have Siri announce calls and notifications
• Add Siri Shortcuts
• About Siri Suggestions
• Use Siri in your car
• Change Siri settings
• Contact emergency services
• Use Emergency SOS via satellite
• Request Roadside Assistance via satellite
• Set up and view your Medical ID
• Use Check In
• Manage Crash Detection
• Reset privacy and security settings in an emergency
• Set up Family Sharing
• Add Family Sharing members
• Remove Family Sharing members
• Share subscriptions
• Share purchases
• Share locations with family and locate lost devices
• Set up Apple Cash Family and Apple Card Family
• Set up parental controls
• Set up a child’s device
• Get started with Screen Time
• Protect your vision health with Screen Distance
• Set up Screen Time
• Set communication and safety limits and block inappropriate content
• Charging cable
• Power adapters
• MagSafe chargers and battery packs
• MagSafe cases and sleeves
• Qi-certified wireless chargers
• Use AirPods
• Use EarPods
• Apple Watch
• Wirelessly stream videos and photos to Apple TV or a smart TV
• Connect to a display with a cable
• HomePod and other wireless speakers
• Pair Magic Keyboard
• Enter characters with diacritical marks
• Switch between keyboards
• Use shortcuts
• Choose an alternative keyboard layout
• Change typing assistance options
• External storage devices
• Bluetooth accessories
• Share your internet connection
• Allow phone calls on your iPad and Mac
• Use iPhone as a webcam
• Hand off tasks between devices
• Cut, copy, and paste between iPhone and other devices
• Stream video or mirror the screen of your iPhone
• Start SharePlay instantly
• Use AirDrop to send items
• Connect iPhone and your computer with a cable
• Transfer files between devices
• Transfer files with email, messages, or AirDrop
• Transfer files or sync content with the Finder or iTunes
• Automatically keep files up to date with iCloud
• Use an external storage device, a file server, or a cloud storage service
• Intro to CarPlay
• Connect to CarPlay
• Use your vehicle’s built-in controls
• Get turn-by-turn directions
• Change the map view
• Make phone calls
• View your calendar
• Send and receive text messages
• Announce incoming text messages
• Play podcasts
• Play audiobooks
• Listen to news stories
• Control your home
• Use other apps with CarPlay
• Rearrange icons on CarPlay Home
• Change settings in CarPlay
• Get started with accessibility features
• Turn on accessibility features for setup
• Change Siri accessibility settings
• Open features with Accessibility Shortcut
• Change color and brightness
• Make text easier to read
• Reduce onscreen motion
• Customize per-app visual settings
• Hear what’s on the screen or typed
• Hear audio descriptions
• Turn on and practice VoiceOver
• Change your VoiceOver settings
• Use VoiceOver gestures
• Operate iPhone when VoiceOver is on
• Control VoiceOver using the rotor
• Use the onscreen keyboard
• Write with your finger
• Use VoiceOver with an Apple external keyboard
• Use a braille display
• Type braille on the screen
• Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
• Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
• Use VoiceOver for images and videos
• Use VoiceOver in apps
• Use AssistiveTouch
• Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch
• Use Reachability
• Auto-answer calls
• Turn off vibration
• Change Face ID and attention settings
• Use Voice Control
• Adjust the side or Home button
• Use Apple TV Remote buttons
• Adjust pointer settings
• Adjust keyboard settings
• Adjust AirPods settings
• Turn on Apple Watch Mirroring
• Control a nearby Apple device
• Intro to Switch Control
• Set up and turn on Switch Control
• Select items, perform actions, and more
• Control several devices with one switch
• Use hearing devices
• Use Live Listen
• Use sound recognition
• Set up and use RTT and TTY
• Flash the LED for alerts
• Adjust audio settings
• Play background sounds
• Display subtitles and captions
• Show transcriptions for Intercom messages
• Get Live Captions (beta)
• Type to speak
• Record a Personal Voice
• Use Guided Access
• Use built-in privacy and security protections
• Set a passcode
• Set up Face ID
• Set up Touch ID
• Control access to information on the Lock Screen
• Keep your Apple ID secure
• Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites
• Sign in with Apple
• Share passwords
• Automatically fill in strong passwords
• Change weak or compromised passwords
• View your passwords and related information
• Share passkeys and passwords securely with AirDrop
• Make your passkeys and passwords available on all your devices
• Automatically fill in verification codes
• Automatically fill in SMS passcodes
• Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
• Use two-factor authentication
• Use security keys
• Manage information sharing with Safety Check
• Control app tracking permissions
• Control the location information you share
• Control access to information in apps
• Control how Apple delivers advertising to you
• Control access to hardware features
• Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
• Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
• Use a private network address
• Use Advanced Data Protection
• Use Lockdown Mode
• Use Stolen Device Protection
• Receive warnings about sensitive content
• Use Contact Key Verification
• Turn iPhone on or off
• Force restart iPhone
• Back up iPhone
• Return iPhone settings to their defaults
• Restore all content from a backup
• Restore purchased and deleted items
• Sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone
• Erase iPhone
• Install or remove configuration profiles
• Important safety information
• Important handling information
• Find more resources for software and service
• FCC compliance statement
• ISED Canada compliance statement
• Ultra Wideband information
• Class 1 Laser information
• Apple and the environment
• Disposal and recycling information
• Unauthorized modification of iOS

Customize your Safari settings on iPhone

Customize your start page

When you open a new tab, you begin on your start page. You can customize your start page with new background images and options.

Scroll to the bottom of the page, then tap Edit.

Choose the options you want to appear on your start page:

Favorites: Display shortcuts to your favorite bookmarked websites. See Bookmark a favorite website .

Frequently Visited: Go straight to the websites you visit most.

Shared with You: See links shared with you in Messages, Mail, and more. See Find links shared with you .

Privacy Report: Stay updated on how many trackers and websites Safari blocked from tracking you. See View the Privacy Report .

Siri Suggestions: As you search, allow websites shared in Calendar and other apps to appear.

Reading List: Show webpages currently in your Reading List. See Add the current webpage to your Reading List .

Recently Closed Tabs: Go back to tabs you previously closed.

iCloud Tabs: Show open tabs from other Apple devices where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID and Safari is turned on in iCloud settings or preferences. See Organize your tabs with Tab Groups .

Note: Your custom start page settings are updated on all your Apple devices where you have Use Start Page on All Devices turned on, and you’re signed in with the same Apple ID using two-factor authentication .

Change the text size for a website on Safari

Use the Page Settings button to increase or decrease the text size.

Tap the large A to increase the font size or the small A to decrease it.

Change the display controls for a website on Safari

You can hide the search field, switch to Reader, and more.

Hide the search field: Tap Hide Toolbar (tap the bottom of the screen to get it back).

See a streamlined view of the webpage: Tap Show Reader (if available).

To return to the normal view, tap Hide Reader.

See what the webpage looks like on a desktop computer: Tap Request Desktop Website (if available).

You can also adjust Safari settings in Accessibility settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Per-App Settings. Tap Add App, choose Safari, then tap Safari to adjust the settings.

Choose where to save downloads

When you download a file in Safari, you can choose whether to save it to iCloud or on your iPhone.

iCloud Drive: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder in iCloud Drive. This allows you to access the downloaded file on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac where you’re signed in with the same Apple ID .

On My iPhone: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder on your iPhone.

Share website passwords with a group

You can create a group of trusted contacts and share a set of passwords. Passwords stay up to date for everyone in the group, and you can remove someone at any time.

See Create shared password groups .

Adjust privacy settings for Safari

You can choose what privacy settings you want across Safari, and create individual exceptions for websites. See Browse privately .

How to change the Safari address bar on iPhone

• Change Safari's address bar in Settings
• Change the address bar position in Safari

When Apple unveiled iOS 15 this year, some of the biggest changes was coming to Safari. Not only was mobile Safari getting a redesigned tab view that we'll also find in iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey , but the address bar has been moved to the bottom on the iPhone. Of course, this makes it easier to access the address bar one-handed on your favorite iPhone , but plenty of people just did not like this big change from a UI perspective.

In recent builds of the iOS 15 developer and public betas , Apple decided to make this new Safari address bar change optional, so you can go back to the original design if you want to. Here's how to change the Safari address bar on iPhone.

How to change position of Safari's address bar through Settings

The primary method of changing the location of the Safari address bar on iPhone is through the device Settings itself. Here's how to do just that.

• Launch Settings on your iPhone.
• Scroll down and select Safari .
• Scroll down to the Tabs section.
• Select whether you want the Tab Bar (new style) or Single Tab (old style).

Once you set Safari's address bar position through the Settings app, it will stay that way until you change it again.

How to change position of Safari's address bar in Safari itself

If you want an easier way to change Safari's address bar, you could do it right in Safari itself. Here's how.

• Launch Safari on your iPhone.
• In the address bar , tap on the Aa button (it's to the left of the current URL).

• From the pop-up menu, tap Show Top Address Bar or Show Bottom Tab Bar (depending on what you have it set as).

This is a much faster way to change the position of the address bar in Safari, and you can do it on the fly.

Whether you like the new Safari redesign changes or not, the location of the address bar is now customizable to fit your preferences. As you can see, there are two ways to do it, with one being faster than the other. Either way, it's relatively straightforward.

Master your iPhone in minutes

iMore offers spot-on advice and guidance from our team of experts, with decades of Apple device experience to lean on. Learn more with iMore!

Have any other questions about changing the position of the Safari address bar on iPhone? Drop them in the comments below.

Christine Romero-Chan was formerly a Senior Editor for iMore. She has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade at a variety of websites. She is currently part of the Digital Trends team, and has been using Apple’s smartphone since the original iPhone back in 2007. While her main speciality is the iPhone, she also covers Apple Watch, iPad, and Mac when needed. When she isn’t writing about Apple, Christine can often be found at Disneyland in Anaheim, California, as she is a passholder and obsessed with all things Disney, especially Star Wars. Christine also enjoys coffee, food, photography, mechanical keyboards, and spending as much time with her new daughter as possible.

Fallout Shelter has been raking in $80,000 daily since the TV show's debut as downloads skyrocketed 346%

Grab 25% off Apple TV MLS Season Pass and watch Messi's bid to bring football-not-soccer glory to Inter Miami

Gorgeous (PRODUCT)RED mid-season iPhone 15 revamp teased as attentions turn to iPhone 16, 16 Pro

Most Popular

• 2 Grab 25% off Apple TV MLS Season Pass and watch Messi's bid to bring football-not-soccer glory to Inter Miami
• 3 Gorgeous (PRODUCT)RED mid-season iPhone 15 revamp teased as attentions turn to iPhone 16, 16 Pro
• 4 Has Apple created an answer to Microsoft Copilot? Here's how AI could change Safari in iOS 18
• 5 Secretlab's monitor arm and laptop mount combo is a game-changer for its Mac customers

How to move Safari’s address bar on iPhone back to the top, just like it used to be

Revert one of Apple’s most drastic changes to the Safari interface in iOS 15 — here’s how to move Safari’s address bar on iPhone back to the top, like it used to be!

Apple creates a mess with a major Safari redesign in iOS 15

The pretty radical Safari redesign in iOS 15 was met with pretty universal criticism. The updated interface isn’t very intuitive, to begin with, with tabs and several other controls consolidated into a new floating bar at the bottom, basically ruining years of muscle memory.

This tabs-at-the-bottom interface is turned on by default when you upgrade your iPhone to the latest iOS software. This is to say, some people could very easily get confused by this interface to the point where they might lose confidence in the Apple browser.

→ How to stop Safari from matching iOS status bar to website header color

Surprisingly enough, though, Apple does let you switch between the address bar at the top, where it belongs, and the bottom, which is how Apple would prefer you use the browser.

How to put Safari’s address bar back to the top on iPhone

You can easily toggle between the address bar at the top/bottom in the Safari preferences within the Settings app or on-the-fly, by choosing relevant options from Safari’s “aA” menu.

Method #1: Safari settings

Visit the Safari section within the Settings app to quickly toggle between iOS 15’s new floating address bar at the bottom and the address bar at the top, like before.

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Choose “Safari” from the root list.
• Choose the desired layout for Safari’s address bar underneath the “Tabs” heading.

The following layouts are available for your choosing here:

• Tab Bar: The new default, repositions the address bar to the bottom
• Single Tab: Choose this to get the old Safari interface back

And this is what the preferences for those Safari settings look like.

You can also switch between the top and bottom address bar without leaving Safari.

Method #2: aA menu

Apple in its wisdom has opted to add the same address bar toggle to Safari’s “aA” menu, letting you change your preferred URL bar layout without having to switch to the Settings app.

How to use Safari’s new address bar at the bottom

Choose the “Single Tab” setting to relocate Safari’s address bar from the top to the bottom.

It actually now floats, right above the section where your navigation controls and the Share, Bookmarks and Tabs buttons are located. The address bar controls are the same as before, from left to right: the “aA” button, the site URL and the Reload button. For reference, iOS 15 collectively refers to the address bar and navigation controls as “toolbar”. In iOS 14 and earlier, according to a support document on Apple’s website , this toolbar was known as “tab bar”.

Like before, you can touch and hold the “aA” button to quickly enter Safari’s Reader mode, where available. When touched once, the button pulls up a contextual menu with additional controls: Website Settings, Request Desktop Website, Downloads and so forth.

Touching the website address lets you enter a new URL to visit. Alternatively, enter search phrases here and press the Enter key to run the query through your default search engine.

Touching the Reload button cancels/reloads the current website—again, just like before.

Touching and holding the URL or the Reload button brings up yet another menu with the Copy, Paste and Search and Voice Search options, followed by relevant controls for tab groups if any.

When scrolling a webpage, the address bar automatically disappears. To bring it back up, start scrolling again. To manually hide the address bar and navigation controls — again, this is known as “toolbar” — choose the option labeled “Hide Toolbar” from the browser’s “aA” menu.

Hiding the toolbar is especially useful for those times when you’d like to browse your favorite websites in fullscreen mode. To make the toolbar reappear, simply touch the address bar.

There’s one distinct advantage to having a floating address bar at the bottom: quick tab selection. Swiping across it to one side or the other will instantly swoosh the next open tab into view. Folks with newer iPhones will feel right at home because swiping across the bottom horizontal line on Face ID-equipped iPhones cycles between open apps.

Like before, you can also hit that Tabs button for a bird’s eye overview of any open tabs.

And that’s pretty much everything you need to know about navigating the redesigned Safari interface in iOS 15 and switching between the top and bottom address bar on your iPhone.

Advice: Do give the bottom address bar a try

If you’ve closely followed iOS 15 development by living on betas, your opinion on the bottom address bar in Safari is already formed and not very flattering, we suppose. Nevertheless, we’d still like to recommend giving it another try and see if you find it useful for specific scenarios.

I surf the web on my iPhone as much as anyone else. When I’m on the go, I want to use the phone with one hand so I can eat, drive or whatever using the other. This is the situation that warrants having Safari’s URL bar at the bottom — at least this is what has worked for me so far.

What the bottom address bar also enables me is get to Safari’s Reader settings and other contextual options in the “aA” menu without having to invoke Apple’s Reachability feature. But perhaps more important than that, this layout allows me to easily cycle through open tabs just by swiping across the bottom address bar, saving me lots of time.

Maybe you’re someone who’s struggling to find their way around in Safari having just upgraded to iOS 12. Or perhaps you’re new to Safari or iPhone. In that case, we sincerely hope you’ll find this tutorial useful and we’d appreciate it if you shared it with your friends and support folks.

iOS 17 Guide: How to Move Safari Address Bar on iPhone

Moving the Safari address bar on an iPhone with iOS 17 is a quick and straightforward process. Simply go to your device’s Settings, select Safari, and under the “Tabs” section, choose the layout you prefer for the address bar.

Once you complete the action, your Safari browser will immediately reflect the new address bar location, enhancing your browsing experience based on your personal preference.

You can also check out this video about how to move the Safari address bar on iPhone for additional information.

Introduction

Are you constantly fumbling to type in a URL because the Safari address bar is not where you want it to be on your iPhone? With the arrival of iOS 17, Apple has provided users with the flexibility to choose where their address bar sits within the Safari browser. This may seem like a small tweak, but it’s a big win for user customization and comfort.

The address bar’s position can significantly impact how we interact with our devices. For some, having the address bar at the top of the screen is a familiar and comfortable layout. For others, especially those with larger iPhone models, reaching the top of the screen can be a stretch, literally. That’s where this nifty feature of iOS 17 comes into play, offering a more ergonomic and accessible browsing experience. Whether you’re a tech-savvy individual or someone who enjoys a customized user interface, this topic is relevant to any iPhone user who values personalization and ease of use.

Step by Step Tutorial: Moving the Safari Address Bar on iOS 17

The following steps will help you move the Safari address bar on your iPhone running iOS 17, allowing you to tailor your browsing experience to your liking.

Step 1: Open the Settings App

Navigate to your iPhone’s home screen and tap on the Settings app.

The Settings app is where you can tweak and adjust various aspects of your iPhone to suit your preferences. It’s the control center for your device’s functionality and appearance.

Step 2: Select “Safari”

Scroll down and select the Safari option to access the browser’s settings.

The Safari settings section contains numerous options that let you customize your browsing experience, from privacy features to the appearance of the browser itself.

Step 3: Choose Your Preferred Address Bar Layout

Under the “Tabs” section, you will find the options for your address bar layout. Choose the preferred layout for the address bar—either at the top or bottom of the screen.

Once you make your selection, Safari will automatically update to reflect your choice. This makes browsing more convenient based on your hand size and usage habits.

Additional Information

While the ability to move the Safari address bar is a welcome addition in iOS 17, there are a few more things to consider. Firstly, not all websites may play nicely with the bottom address bar, especially if they have a fixed footer menu. Secondly, if you’re someone who frequently switches between multiple iOS devices with different versions, remembering to adjust to the address bar location on each can be a bit of a hassle.

Moreover, it’s essential to note that this feature is exclusive to Safari. If you’re using a different browser on your iPhone, this setting won’t apply. But, for those dedicated Safari users, this feature is a nod towards a more user-centric approach by Apple.

Lastly, remember that the iOS 17 update may not be available for all iPhone models, so ensure your device is compatible before you get too excited about moving that address bar.

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Tap on Safari.
• Under “Tabs,” select your preferred address bar layout.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this change affect all my devices.

No, the change will only affect the device on which you adjust the setting.

Can I move the address bar to the sides of the screen?

Currently, you can only move the address bar to the top or bottom of the screen.

Does this feature work in landscape mode?

Yes, the address bar will remain in your chosen position whether you’re in portrait or landscape mode.

Will this setting change the layout of my tabs?

Not directly. The layout of your tabs will remain the same, but their relation to the address bar may change based on your chosen setting.

Can I customize the color or style of the address bar?

No, this feature only allows you to move the position of the address bar, not its color or style.

The introduction of the ability to move the Safari address bar in iOS 17 is a small but significant step towards a more personalized and comfortable mobile browsing experience. Whether you’re a fan of the bottom bar for its reachability or prefer the classic top position, the power is now in your hands.

As you embrace this new level of customization, keep in mind the pros and cons, as well as the additional tips shared. With the Safari address bar right where you want it, surfing the web on your iPhone just got a whole lot better.

Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.

His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

Related Posts

• How to View Safari History on iPhone
• How to Clear Browsing History on iPhone 14
• How to Turn Off Private Browsing on the iPhone 5: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Use Private Browsing on the iPhone 5: A Step-by-Step Guide
• iPhone 15: How to Clear Safari History in Just a Few Steps
• Why Can’t I Create a Private Browsing Tab in Safari on iPhone?
• How to Change the Default iPhone 13 Web Browser
• How Can I Tell If I Am In Private Browsing Mode on iPhone?
• How to Get Safari Back on iPhone 13: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Clear Your History in the iPhone 5 Safari Browser: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to See Safari History on iPhone 11: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Find Your MAC Address on iPhone 13
• How to Clear Safari History on iPhone 14: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Disabling Safari Extensions on iOS 17: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Make Google Your Homepage in Safari on a Mac: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Remove Safari Frequently Visited on iPhone 13
• How to Clear History on iPhone 14
• How to See the Safari History on an iPhone: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Zoom Out on Safari iPhone Web Browsers: A Step-by-Step Guide
• How to Allow Pop Ups in Safari on an iPhone 7: A Step-by-Step Guide

Get Our Free Newsletter

How-to guides and tech deals

You may opt out at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

How to move the Safari address bar back to the top on iOS 15

Apple's moved the Safari address bar to the bottom of the screen on iOS 15 — but you can change it

Though Apple's iOS 15 introduced a bunch of handy new features, many iPhone users were left wondering how to move the Safari address bar back to the top after it was shifted to the bottom of the screen. 

Granted, having the address bar at the bottom of Safari makes it easier to access if you're using your iPhone with one hand. But when something that you've become used to after years of use is changed — such as the taskbar being moved to the center in Windows 11 — it's understandable when you just want things to be the way they were.

Of course, iOS 15 does have many positive upgrades, as detailed in our full iOS 15 review . In addition to improving the experience of using the latest Apple devices, such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max , it also gives new life to older Apple products, with compatibility going as far back as the six-year-old iPhone 6s. 

Thankfully, though, it's easy to move the address back to the top on iOS 15, as detailed in our guide below.

How to move the Safari tab bar on iOS 15

1. Open up Safari. On your Apple device with iOS 15 installed navigate to Safari; we're sure you know what it looks like, but just in case you've forgotten, it's the app with a blue and white compass icon.  

2. Press the “aA” button on the tab bar. This can be found on the left side of the tab bar. Press it to bring up a submenu. 

3. Click “Show Top Address Bar” in the submenu (it's the top option). 

Sign up to get the BEST of Tom’s Guide direct to your inbox.

Upgrade your life with a daily dose of the biggest tech news, lifestyle hacks and our curated analysis. Be the first to know about cutting-edge gadgets and the hottest deals.

4. Your tab bar will now appear at the top of the display. It will now default to being at the top, rather than the bottom, from now on.

Now you've moved the address bar back to the top on Safari, take a look at the hidden trackpad that makes editing a breeze on iPhone. You may also want to learn how to get full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15 and how to launch apps by tapping the back of your iPhone .

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

Bright red iPhone 15 refresh teased — what we know

iOS 17.5 will let you keep Find My iPhone active while your phone’s being repaired

Chelsea vs Tottenham live stream: How to watch Premier League game online

Most Popular

• 2 Apple Watch Ultra 3 — new reports says it’s coming this year
• 3 Amazon's massive Sony sale slashes headphone prices to $92 — 7 deals I recommend
• 4 T-Mobile completes purchase of Mint and Ultra — what it means for subscribers
• 5 Wordle alternatives — LinkedIn launches 3 new puzzle games

• Accessories
• Wearable Tech
• Wi-Fi and Networking
• Entertainment
• Small Business
• Digital Magazine
• Smart Answers
• Best Phones
• Best Budget Phones
• Best Tablets
• Best Budget Tablets
• Best Air Fryers
• Best Robot Vacuums
• Best Electric Toothbrushes

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence .

How to move the Safari Address Bar to the top of the screen in iOS 15

iOS 15 introduced a range of new features to the iPhone experience, and that included a completely redesigned Safari browser.

Though it was designed to make mobile browsing a simpler experience, if there’s one thing people don’t like, it’s change – and people have been very vocal about one feature in particular.

You see, while the Address Bar has traditionally been at the top of the page, it has been shifted to the bottom of the page in iOS 15. It makes sense, bringing the address bar closer to your fingers for easier access, but muscle memory means those moving over from iOS 14 are used to tapping at the top of the screen to access the Address Bar. 

The good news is that there is a way to move the Address Bar back to the top of the screen in Safari in iOS 15. Here’s how to do it. 

How to move the Address Bar in Safari in iOS 15

Moving the Address Bar in Safari in iOS 15 is simple, once you know how. 

• Open the Settings app.
• Scroll down and tap Safari. 
• Scroll down to the Tabs section and locate the option to switch between the Tab Bar and a Single Tab. 
• Select Single Tab to move the Address Bar back to the top of the screen, or select Tab Bar to move it back to the bottom if you change your mind later on. 

It’s worth noting that while the Address Bar will shift to the top of the screen in Safari, the associated buttons will still appear at the bottom as normal. 

For more on getting the most out of Safari in iOS 15, take a look at how to use Safari in iOS 15 , and we’ve got our top iOS 15 tips too. 

Author: Lewis Painter , Senior Staff Writer

Lewis Painter is a Senior Staff Writer at Tech Advisor. Our resident Apple expert, Lewis covers everything from iPhone to AirPods, plus a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and gaming hardware. You'll also find him on the Tech Advisor YouTube channel.

Recent stories by Lewis Painter:

• Best iPhone 14 deals in the US & UK
• The best iPhone 13 deals available right now
• The best MagSafe accessories for iPhone

• Dragon’s Dogma 2
• Genshin Impact
• Honkai Star Rail
• Lego Fortnite
• Stardew Valley
• NYT Strands
• NYT Connections
• Apple Watch
• Crunchyroll
• Prime Video
• Jujutsu Kaisen
• Demon Slayer
• Chainsaw Man
• Solo Leveling
• Beebom Gadgets

How to Change Safari Address Bar Design in iOS 15 on iPhone

Move Safari Address Bar Back to the Top in iOS 15 on iPhone (2021)

Method 1: change safari search bar design via browser settings.

• To get going, open Safari on your iPhone running iOS 15.

• Now, tap on the “aA” text button located at the bottom left corner of the screen on the search bar. Then, choose “ Show Top Address Bar ” from the pop-up menu.

• That’s it! The Safari search bar will now show up at the top of your iPhone. If you ever want to move it back to the bottom, tap on the text “aA” icon at the top left corner of the screen. And then, choose “ Show Bottom Tab Bar ” to revert the change.

Method 2: Change Safari Search Bar Design from the Settings App

• First, open the Settings app on your iPhone.

• Now, scroll down and choose Safari . After that, scroll down to the Tabs section and select the “Single Tab” option to move the search bar back to the top in Safari.

It’s worth pointing out that Apple has also added new settings option to let the users remove website tinting. You can also enable a tab bar while in landscape mode. In the previous beta versions, there was a “Show Color in Tab Bar” accessibility setting that seems to have been renamed as the “Allow Website Tinting” option.

Switch Between Top and Bottom Address Bar Design in Safari on iPhone

Rajesh Mishra

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.

Add new comment

• Apple Watch
• Accessories
• Digital Magazine – Subscribe
• Digital Magazine – Info
• Smart Answers
• Let Loose iPad event
• New iPad Air
• iPad mini 7
• Best Mac antivirus
• Best Mac VPN

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn't affect our editorial independence .

iOS 15: How to move the Safari address bar back to the top

In iOS 15 , iPadOS 15, and macOS Monterey, Apple has dramatically redesigned Safari for the first time in years. The iPhone gets the biggest changes, with a new tab bar at the bottom of the screen and a bunch of new gestures and touch targets. To say that the changes have been “controversial” would be an understatement, with our own Jason Snell calling it “a mess.”

But if you’re struggling to get used to the change, you don’t have to keep it. After criticism during the beta period, Apple has given users the option to go back to a single tab view with an address bar at the top of the screen, like it used to be! Here’s how:

• Open Settings
• Select Safari
• In the Tabs section change from Tab Bar to Single Tab

You can also change the bar at the top back to white, rather than matching the main color of the site, and opt to hide the tab bar when surfing in landscape view. We typically suggest users give interface changes a week or two to get used to them, as changing habits and muscle memory takes time. But if you’ve given the new Tab Bar on the bottom an honest shot and prefer Safari on iPhone to have the address bar at the top like, you know, every other web browser on earth, it’s very easy to change.

Author: Jason Cross , Senior Editor

I have written about technology for my entire professional life - over 25 years. I enjoy learning about how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.

Recent stories by Jason Cross:

• iOS 18: Everything you need to know about the next iPhone update
• iOS 17.5 beta 4 arrives a week before the May iPad event
• How to scan documents on iPhone

Safari: How to Get Search Bar Back to the Top & Disable Landscape Tab View

With iOS 15 Safari, the app has a whole new layout which brings many updates to the way you browse in the app. In Safari, the address bar is now located at the bottom of your iPhone screen, and in landscape orientation tabs will now appear in a list across the top. If you find these updates inconvenient and want to revert to the previous iOS 14 Safari layout, we'll show you how!

Related:  How to Hide Apps on the iPhone & Find Them Later

Move Address Bar to the Top of Safari

Remove the tab bar from safari landscape view.

Moving the search bar to the bottom of the screen has been one of the biggest changes to Safari in iOS 15. Luckily, if you don't like this change, you can switch it back! Safari now has two tab modes: Single Tab and Tab Bar. With Single Tab mode, your Apple address bar is displayed at the top of Safari and you must tap the tab icon to switch between tabs. With the Tab Bar mode, your URL address bar is displayed at the bottom, and you can swipe between open Safari tabs. Below, we'll cover how to get the URL bar back to the top of the page in Safari. 

How to Move Address Bar to the Top in Safari (Shortcut)

Perhaps you find yourself accidentally swiping between tabs or you find it disorienting to have the URL bar at the bottom of your screen. Whatever your reason, this is the fastest way to switch into Single Tab mode and move the search bar to the top of Safari while browsing. 

Now your Apple search bar will be displayed at the top of the screen. If you ever change your mind and want to revert back to the Tab Bar mode (being able to swipe between tabs is pretty handy!), follow the steps above and tap Show Bottom Tab Bar.

How to Place the Website Search Bar at the Top in Settings

This is a different method to adjust the same setting shown in the shortcut above. Below, we'll cover how to move your iPhone or iPad search bar to the top in Settings. 

The landscape tab bar in Safari displays open tabs across the top of your screen and allows you to tap and switch between them, much the same way you would on your laptop. This is a handy update, as it means you no longer have to tap the Tab icon to switch tabs while browsing in landscape view. However, if you feel the landscape tab bar is crowding your screen and cramping your style, you can disable this feature: 

That's all there is to it! Once you've adjusted these iOS 15 Safari settings, you'll be back to the previous browsing layout you know and love. You can also learn how to customize the Safari Start page to show the information you need. 

Author Details

Ashleigh Page

Featured Products

Join us as we explore the essential apps and tools to make the time spent on your iPhone more focused and enjoyable. You'll learn all about our favorite tips for saving time and creating a more efficient device when you  become an Insider today !

Most Popular

How to Tell If Someone Blocked Your Number on iPhone

10 Simple Tips To Fix iPhone Battery Drain

How to Schedule a Text Message on iPhone

How to Tell If a Dead iPhone Is Charging

How To Put Two Pictures Together on iPhone

How to Transfer Call from Apple Watch to iPhone

Can iPhones Get Viruses? How to Detect & Remove Malware (iOS 17)

iPhone Alarm Volume Low? How to Make an iPhone Alarm Louder

How To Turn Off Flashlight on iPhone (Without Swiping Up!)

How to Hide an App on Your iPhone

Why Is Find My iPhone Not Working? Here’s the Real Fix

How To Find My iPhone From Another iPhone

Featured articles, why is my iphone battery draining so fast 13 easy fixes.

Identify Mystery Numbers: How to Find No Caller ID on iPhone

Apple ID Not Active? Here’s the Fix!

How to Cast Apple TV to Chromecast for Easy Viewing

Fix Photos Not Uploading to iCloud Once & for All (iOS 17)

There Was an Error Connecting to the Apple ID Server: Fixed

CarPlay Not Working? 4 Ways to Fix Apple CarPlay Today

Check out our sponsors.

• Each email reveals new things you can do with your phone (and other devices) with easy-to-follow screenshots.
• Enter your email to get your first tip immediately!

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

iOS 15: How to put the Safari address bar back to the top on your iPhone

Read in other languages:

On iOS 15, Apple has moved the address bar of its Safari app to the bottom of the screen of its iPhone and iPad. If you don't like this new design, you can easily put the address bar of your Safari browser back at the top of your iPhone screen.

The idea behind this choice by Apple is to make Safari's interface more ergonomic on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 . The search bar has been lowered so you don't have to stretch your finger to reach the top of the screen. But after years of getting used to having the address bar at the top, this turnaround may be counterintuitive for some.

• Check out our selection of the best iPhones to choose in 2022 to use Safari with the bar up or down

So, to put the Safari application address bar back to the top of your iPhone screen, you need to:

• Go to Settings .
• Press  Safari .
• Among the two options - Tab bar or Single tab - choose  Single tab .

In any case, you can switch between the new and old systems as you like. And if you change your mind, want to switch back to the address bar at the top, you can make this change in a faster way, directly in Safari and without going through Settings:

• In the Safari  application.
• Press the aA button on the left of the address bar.
• In the contextual menu, press Show Top Adress Bar .

That's it for this quick tutorial to put the Safari app's address bar back to the top of the screen on your iPhone. Did you find it helpful? Do you want us to do more iOS 15 tutorials? Top or bottom search bar, which is more ergonomic for you?

The current best Samsung phones to buy

Antoine Engels Senior Editor

Black belt in specs sheet analysis. OnePlus fanboy in (slow) remission. Average estimated reading time of my articles: 48 minutes. Tech deals fact-checker in my spare time. Hates talking about himself in the 3rd person. Dreams he was a gaming journalist in another life. Doesn't get the concept of irony. Head of editorial for NextPit France.

• Submit Cancel

Recommended editorial content

With your consent, external content is loaded here.

By clicking on the button above, you agree that external content may be displayed to you. Personal data may be transmitted to third-party providers in the process. You can find more information about this in our Privacy Policy .

Home » Tech Tips » iPhone » How to Move Address Bar to Top in Safari iPhone App?

How to Move Address Bar to Top in Safari iPhone App?

Software updates bring changes to make user’s life easier. However, some changes can easily annoy users and force them to look for alternative or try to downgrade to previous version. Apple released iOS 15 for iPhone that comes with plenty of changes for the Safari browser app. One of the noticeable changes is the address bar in Safari app is now moved to bottom of the screen from traditional top position. If you are not happy with this, here is how you can move address bar to top in Safari iPhone app.

Why Bottom Address Bar is Annoying?

By look, you will think the bottom address bar is helpful to type the address quickly. However, you need to go to the top for accessing many browser functions and websites also not designed for accessing from the bottom.

• All websites offer menu in the top and not in the bottom.
• For closing single or multiple tabs you still need to go to the top section.

• When you rotate iPhone to landscape view, the address bar will go back to top instead of sticking to bottom.

• Safari suggestions and top hits will still show in the top position long away from the bottom address bar.

• If you are using other devices like Android, Mac or Windows with top address bar, it will drive you nuts with only iPhone Safari offering address bar at bottom. This will be the same problem when using Chrome, Firefox or Edge browsers along with Safari in the same iPhone.

With all these, you will go crazy moving between up and down of the browser. Fortunately, Apple provide options for switching back address bar to top position.

Move Address Bar to Top in Safari

There are ways you can change the address bar position in Safari iPhone app.

1. From Safari Settings Page

• Open “Settings” app to access your iPhone settings page.
• Scroll down and tap on “Safari” app in the group where all default Apple apps are available.

• When you are in Safari settings, scroll down to “Tabs” section.
• Here, you can see the default option is set as “Tab Bar” which will show the address bar at the bottom of the page. Simply change the option to “Single Tab” to move the address bar back to top position.

• Swipe up to close the settings and open Safari app. Now, you will see the address bar is restored back to top.

2. From Safari App

You can also toggle the address bar position to top or bottom right from the Safari app.

• Launch Safari app and open any website.

• Select “Show Top Address Bar” option to move the address bar to top position.

• Now, you will see a different “Show Bottom Tab Bar” option and tap on it.
• This will move the address bar back to bottom position.

• You can toggle the position anytime and work conveniently without moving out of Safari app.
• Note that Safari app will remember your choice and retain the address bar in top or bottom position for all further websites you open.

Note: If you are seeing the address bar and other default icons, you probably tapped on the “Hide Toolbar” option. You can tap on the bottom of the Safari browser to bring back the hidden tools and address bar. Otherwise, simply close and reopen Safari app.

About Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WebNots are team of experts who love to build websites, find tech hacks and share the learning with community.

You also might be interested in

How to Automatically Delete Browsing History in Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari?

Almost all modern browsers offer incognito or in-private mode to[...]

How to Install macOS Beta Versions?

Each year around fall season, Apple will release major updates[...]

How to Remove Safari App in iPhone?

In this mobile world, you really don’t need a browser[...]

DOWNLOAD EBOOKS

• SEO Guide for Beginners
• WordPress SEO PDF Guide
• Weebly SEO PDF Guide
• Alt Code Emoji Shortcuts PDF
• Free ALT Code Shortcuts PDF
• View All eBooks

TRENDING TECH ARTICLES

• 600+ Windows Alt Codes for Symbols
• Fix Chrome Resolving Host Problem
• Fix Slow Page Loading Issue in Google Chrome
• View Webpage Source CSS and HTML in Google Chrome
• Fix Safari Slow Loading Pages in macOS
• Fix Windows WiFi Connection Issue
• ROYGBIV or VIBGYOR Rainbow Color Codes
• Fix I’m Not A Robot reCAPTCHA Issue in Google Search
• Structure of HTTP Request and Response

POPULAR WEB TUTORIALS

• Move WordPress Localhost Site to Live Server
• Move Live WordPress Site to Localhost
• Move WordPress Media Folder to Subdomain
• Fix WooCommerce Ajax Loading Issue
• Create a Free Weebly Blog
• Edit Weebly Source Code HTML and CSS
• Add Scroll To Top Button in Weebly
• Add Table in Weebly Site
• How to Add Advanced Data Table Widget in Weebly?
• Up to $500 Free Google Ads Coupon Codes

FREE SEO TOOLS

• Webpage Source Code Viewer
• HTTP Header Checker
• What is My IP Address?
• Google Cache Checker
• Domain Age Checker Tool
• View All Free Web and SEO Tools

© 2024 · WebNots · All Rights Reserved.

Type and press Enter to search

Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

>  Learn more

>  Add to your calendar 

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

address bar disappears

iPhone 11, iOS 15

Posted on Oct 3, 2021 2:43 PM

Posted on Oct 4, 2021 2:18 PM

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities. We understand that the address bar disappears from Safari when closing tabs. Let's see how we can help. If you haven't done so already, Restart your iPhone . Sometimes a simple restart can fix minor issues. If restarting doesn't help, make sure you're updated to iOS 15.0.1: Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch .

Reply to this message if you need more help.

Similar questions

• Text disappears in address bar Hello! When typing a url in the browser bar on Safari, the text disappears within a few seconds. Even when I am not finished typing the address. I have read that the culprit could be extensions in Safari. I do not have any Extensions. Any other ideas? 3087 2
• Why are all open safari tabs closing even though settings are set to manual close? all safari open tabs are closing even though settings are set to manual 386 1
• tabs keep closing in safari Every time I close safari my tabs close. like when I press the x and reopen safari all my tabs are gone. that wasn't problem before but now it is. Does anyone know why? 594 4

Loading page content

Page content loaded

Oct 4, 2021 2:18 PM in response to Gahzyp

Oct 4, 2021 5:29 PM in response to Gahzyp

Thanks for the reply. The best step forward would be to reach out to Apple Support directly. They can be reached here: Get Support , or by calling the most applicable phone number listed here: Contact Apple for support and service .

All the best!

Oct 4, 2021 5:11 PM in response to MVegas21

I rebooted my iPhone many times, but it doesn't help. I use iOS 15.0.1. It only helps to close and reopen the application.

Your Guide to Private Browsing in Safari

Private browsing is often misunderstood, but it can be a helpful feature if you know what’s what.

Quick Links

What private browsing does in safari, how to use safari private browsing on iphone and ipad, how to use safari private browsing on a mac, how to disable safari private browsing on iphone and ipad, how to disable safari private browsing on a mac, key takeaways.

• Private Browsing in Safari hides browsing history, autofill details, downloads, and locks tabs after inactivity.
• Safari on Mac groups private and non-private tabs, while on iPhone it shows all tabs regardless of mode.
• To use Private Browsing in Safari, identify it by a dark address bar, "Private" indicator, or "Private" next to the site URL.

Most browsers offer a private browsing mode that aims to keep the websites you view off the record. But what exactly does it do in Safari and how do you get the best out of it?

First and foremost, Private Browsing keeps the website pages you visit out of your History . The aim is to prevent someone else from seeing which pages you have visited if they have access to your phone or computer.

In Safari, Private Browsing does a lot more than just hide URLs. It also:

• Prevents recent searches from showing up in your history.
• Stops remembering details you enter in forms for autofill.
• Keeps downloaded items from appearing in your Downloads list.
• Locks private tabs after a period of inactivity.
• Adds tracking and fingerprinting protection.

However, it’s important to note that Private Browsing does not stop you from being tracked altogether. Websites you visit will still be able to use various methods to track you, and will still have access to all data that you send them.

On macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, Safari groups private tabs together, and separates them from non-private tabs. On Mac, each Safari window is either private or non-private, and can have as many tabs as you want.

On iPhone, you can switch between private and non-private modes, each of which shows all tabs belonging to that mode.

You can spot when you’re viewing a private tab with these signs:

• The address bar has a dark background. This may be less noticeable if you’re using Dark Mode .
• On Mac, you’ll see a prominent Private indicator in the title bar.
• On iPhone, you’ll see Private alongside the site URL at the bottom of your screen.

The steps to enter Private Browsing mode are nearly identical on an iPhone and iPad. The only difference is that the tab icon is at the bottom of the screen on iOS and the top on iPadOS.

• Long-press the tab icon (two overlapping pages) on the bottom-right (iPhone) or top-right (iPad) of your screen.
• Tap the New Private Tab menu item.
• If locked, enter your passcode to unlock Private Browsing.

You can enter Private Browsing mode on macOS using either a menu item or a keyboard shortcut:

• Open the File menu and choose New Private Window .
• Alternatively, use the keyboard shortcut Shift + Cmd + n .
• Use the browser as you normally would. Any tabs you open from this window will open in the same window, in private mode.

You may want to prevent users of an iPhone or iPad from using Private Browsing mode at all. To do so:

• Open the Settings app.
• Tap on Screen Time .
• Under RESTRICTIONS , click on Content & Privacy Restrictions .
• If not already enabled, press the toggle next to Content & Privacy Restrictions to enable.
• Tap Content Restrictions .
• Change the Web Content setting to Limit Adult Websites .

The option to enter private mode will now be gone.

On macOS, the wording of certain options differs slightly, but the overall process is near-identical to iOS:

• Open System Settings via the Apple menu.
• Click on Screen Time in the left panel.
• Under the Restrictions section, click on Content & Privacy .
• Click Content Restrictions .
• Change the Access to Web Content setting to Limit Adult Websites .

Private Browsing will now be unavailable in Safari, although any existing private windows will stay open.

Of course, anyone can re-enable Private Browsing using the same process, in reverse. However, you can use Screen Time’s Lock Screen Time Settings option to set a passcode and enforce the setting permanently.

• a. Send us an email
• b. Anonymous form
• Buyer's Guide
• Upcoming Products
• Tips / Contact Us
• Podcast Instagram Facebook Twitter Mastodon YouTube Notifications RSS Newsletter

New AI Features Reportedly Coming to Safari in iOS 18

Safari will gain a series of AI-powered features and UI enhancements in iOS 18 , AppleInsider reports .

• An "Intelligent Search" browser assistant tool that leverages Apple's on-device AI technology to identify key topics and phrases on webpages for summarization purposes.
• A "Web Eraser" tool that allows users to remove unwanted portions of webpages easily. Erasure is persistent, remaining even when revisiting a site unless changes are reverted.
• A new, quick-access menu emerging from the address bar that consolidates page tools, bringing over some functions that currently sit in the Share Sheet and placing them alongside the new tools.

The iPadOS and macOS versions of Safari are also expected to align further. These new features are purportedly undergoing evaluation alongside internal builds of ‌iOS 18‌ and macOS 15 ahead of their unveiling at Apple's Worldwide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in June. Earlier this month, backend code on Apple's servers suggested that a new Safari browsing assistant is in the works, corroborating this report.

Farther in the future, Apple is said to be working on a more powerful version of Visual Look Up that allows users to obtain information on products when browsing through images. The feature is expected to be released sometime in 2025.

Last week, Bloomberg 's Mark Gurman said that ‌iOS 18‌ will "overhaul" many of Apple's built-in apps , including Notes, Mail, Photos , and Fitness. Apple's next-generation operating systems are almost certain to be previewed during Apple's WWDC keynote on June 10, and the updates should be widely released in the fall.

Get weekly top MacRumors stories in your inbox.

Top Rated Comments

A "Web Eraser" tool that allows users to remove unwanted portions of webpages easily. Erasure is persistent, remaining even when revisiting a site unless changes are reverted.

Popular Stories

Apple Event Rumors: iPad Pro With M4 Chip and New Apple Pencil With Haptic Feedback

iOS 18 Rumored to 'Overhaul' Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness Apps

Apple to Use 'Best OLED Panels on the Market' for Upcoming iPad Pro

Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads

iOS 18 Rumored to Add These 10 New Features to Your iPhone

Top Stories: Apple Announces 'Let Loose' Event With New iPads and More Expected

Next article.

Our comprehensive guide highlighting every major new addition in iOS 17, plus how-tos that walk you through using the new features.

App Store changes for the EU, new emoji, Podcasts transcripts, and more.

Get the most out your iPhone 15 with our complete guide to all the new features.

A deep dive into new features in macOS Sonoma, big and small.

Revamped models with OLED displays, M3 or M4 chip, and redesigned Magic Keyboard accessory.

Updated 10.9-inch model and new 12.9-inch model, M2 chip expected.

Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference will kick off with a keynote on June 10.

Expected to see new AI-focused features and more. Preview coming at WWDC in June with public release in September.

Other Stories

1 day ago by Tim Hardwick

5 days ago by Tim Hardwick

6 days ago by Joe Rossignol

6 days ago by MacRumors Staff

1 week ago by Joe Rossignol

Safari to get new AI features with iOS 18 and macOS 15

AI-powered search, text summarization, and web erase features are coming to Safari.

• May 1, 2024

It’s no secret that iOS 18 will bring numerous new features and make significant changes to Apple’s mobile platform. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook hinted that with iOS 18, iPhone users will see the advent of AI. However, the specifics of the AI features are still vague. 

The unreleased iOS update is rumored to overhaul multiple apps , including Mail, Notes, Photos, and Fitness, as well as the iPhone Home Screen. However, it appears Apple’s home browser Safari will get a few modifications courtesy of the iOS 18 update. 

The latest report by AppleInsider claims that the Safari browser on iOS 18 and MacOS 15 will get major updates. 

Safari to get AI-powered search and more with iOS 18

The report discusses the first upgrade: Safari’s AI-powered search, which will significantly benefit users with features like text summarization on the Arc browser.

Ajax, the on-device large language model (LLM), will apparently help scan the text here and then identify and summarize the topics.

However, the biggest update coming to Safari 18 is the web eraser feature, and as the name suggests, it enables users to remove certain things from the website they are visiting. 

It can be helpful, especially if the report is accurate. The feature is reportedly capable of eliminating ad banners, images, text, and other stuff. 

Although the exciting part is that Safari will remember the changes even after closing the tab.

Something special for Safari on macOS 15

On the other hand, Safari 18 on the macOS 15 will reportedly include an enhanced address bar, similar to the one on the iPadOS.

In addition, a few design tweaks will be added to improve Safari’s UI and make it usable across different Apple platforms. 

Interestingly, the report also discusses an upgraded version of the Visual Look Up feature that could debut in 2025. 

Visual Look Up is a helpful feature currently limited to images of pets, plants, and landmarks. However, the report indicates the upgraded version will allow users to identify images across different applications. 

While the report states that Apple is testing these features internally, there’s a pretty good chance that some may not make it to the stable build. 

However, we can’t say that for sure, and we will get a definite answer on June 10 at the WWDC 2024 when Apple previews iOS 18 and macOS 15. 

Excited about Apple’s AI features? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below, or carry the discussion to our  Twitter  or  Facebook .

Editors’ Recommendations:

Apple Pencil 3 may get haptic feedback and new gestures

Apple using the best oled panels for new ipad pro, says report.

• Apple needs this OpenAI deal, or else it’s toast
• Apple Watch X redesign may include a thinner motherboard

Follow us on Flipboard, Google News, or Apple News

Saurav loves writing and tech. So, after engineering, he didn't look back and embarked on a journey to become a tech writer. Saurav has worked for various tech websites across the globe. Saurav has recently joined Know Techie and is proud to be a part of it.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

What is an eSIM and how does it work?

The Fitbit Versa 4 is down to its lowest price to date, now $122

iOS 18 rumored to overhaul four apps in addition to overall redesign

How to unlike deleted pages on Facebook

Hisense TV won’t connect to Wi-Fi or internet? 5 easy ways to fix it

Quick, score 3 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for just $26

What do the checkmarks mean on WhatsApp?

Get a 2TB SanDisk portable SSD for almost half off on Amazon

The best wireless earbuds (2024)

Buying Guide

Here are the best stem toys on the market today.

Guy decides to explode his Tesla Model S instead of paying a $22.6K repair bill

The new Kirby and the Forgotten Land shows that the lovable pink ball will outlive us all

This new PS5 game might be the most realistic looking game ever

More in apple.

Notes, Mail, Photos, and Fitness apps are all in for a major upgrade.

Haptic feedback, a squeeze gesture, and Find My Support would elevate the Apple Pencil...

The new display tech is way better than what iPad Pros currently offer.

Apple needs this OpenAI deal, or else it’s toast

Apple is in a high-stakes poker match with OpenAI, Google and Microsoft to secure...

iPhone 16 dummies reveal new camera island and a larger Pro Max

It will be difficult to use a 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max with smaller...

2024 iPad Pro may get the M4 chip for AI features, skipping M3

A hard-to-believe rumor from a trusted source.

Apple’s “Let Loose” event to have in-person element in London

Expect iPads to launch on May 7.

12.9-inch iPad Air 6 may not get a Mini-LED screen this year

There’s a mystery iPad with a Mini-LED panel.

iOS 18 to sport new AI-enabled Safari browsing feature and more, report claims

Apple's expected to announce ios 18 at wwdc and a new report has detailed expected new features coming to the iphone's safari web browser..

Apple is expected to announce the new iOS 18 software update for the iPhone during WWDC in June, and now a new report has detailed some of the features that we can expect that software update to bring to the table including AI-based browsing options.

The new 18 software has long been rumored to have big new AI-powered features in the works, but details on what those features would be have so far been difficult to come by. Now, AppleInsider has detailed the features that iPhone owners can expect to use when the new software arrives, including an AI-enhanced browsing and test summarization feature.

Dubbed Intelligent Search, the new feature will apparently live within Safari's address bar and will use Apple's on-device Ajax machine learning model to identify the topics and key phrases within a web page to then summarize the information for users. It's suggested that Apple intends to give users a way to visit a webpage and then have the information distilled into a shorter, more easily digested chunk of information. However, the feature isn't currently enabled by default according to unnamed engineers evaluating the latest builds of Safari 18.

Next is a feature called Web Eraser that will allow people to choose which types of content are removed from web pages. Unnamed sources suggest the feature will build upon existing privacy features within Safari and give users the option to erase ads, images, and more. Those portions will then not appear whenever the webpage is next loaded, it would seem.

The same report explains that the Safari web browser will feature an updated interface to move some of the software's key tools into areas that are more easily accessed. Some of Safari's features are difficult to find in iOS 17, and that looks set to change when iSO 18 arrives.

If Apple sticks to its usual release pattern the iOS 18 software update will debut at WWDC on June 10 but then enter a months-long beta program. Developers initially, and public beta testers later, will be able to use iOS 18 on their own devices and report bugs to Apple. Then, iOS 18 will be released to the public towards the middle of September.

The iOS 18 update is expected to be available to millions of existing iPhone owners around the globe, but it'll also ship preinstalled on the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max which are all expected to be announced in September.

Anker 150W USB-C Charger

Oliver Haslam

Based in the UK, Oliver has been writing about technology, entertainment, and games for more than a decade. If there's something with a battery or a plug, he's interested. After spending too much money building gaming PCs, Oliver switched to Apple and the Mac - and now spends too much on those instead.

Similar News

Related Tags

Apple’s new iOS 18 Web Eraser might let you pick which parts of a website to block

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

The main attraction of WWDC 2024 will be iOS 18 , and all the AI features that Apple is building into the iPhone’s operating system. The Safari browser will certainly be part of that upgrade. We’ve already seen some leaks indicating that new AI features are coming to Apple’s browser.

Safari 18’s purported AI capabilities and ad-blocking features are currently in testing, according to Apple Insider .

The blog details some of Safari’s upcoming AI features. For example, Apple is working on an Intelligent Search tool that could use on-device AI to identify topics and phrases. From there, the feature could summarize web content. If it sounds familiar, that’s because other GenAI products can offer web summarization. The big difference here is that Apple might process data on the iPhone and Mac rather than sending everything to the cloud.

Tech. Entertainment. Science. Your inbox.

Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there.

By signing up, I agree to the Terms of Use and have reviewed the Privacy Notice.

Additionally, Apple is reportedly working on a Visual Lookup feature for Safari that will offer information about the contents of images. However, it might not be ready until 2025.

The upcoming Safari ad-blocker feature might be more interesting to some people than any AI tool. It’s reportedly called Web Eraser in the Safari 18 version that Apple is testing. It will reportedly let you block specific parts of a web page. The tool will basically let you erase ads and any other content you deem necessary.

Apple Insider says Apple might have copied the functionality from the third-party app 1Blocker, which lets users tap ads to make them disappear.

You won’t have to navigate to the Settings app to change the text size, access zoom, use extensions, or access the new Intelligent Search and Web Eraser tool. It’s certainly a welcome UI change that could make it easier to customize your Safari experience on a Mac.

This article talks about:

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.

• Deadpool & Wolverine will reportedly feature an amazing cameo I should have seen coming
• Apple's answer to Circle to Search might not be ready until next year

I only keep 10 third-party apps on my iPhone – here’s which ones make the cut

iOS 17.5 beta: Every new feature coming to your iPhone

Apple Watch Ultra 3 will be a boring update, top insider suggests

More people should be getting the M2 Mac mini instead of a MacBook

Latest news.

Nintendo Switch 2 might sacrifice portable power for better battery life

Forget Ted Lasso, this sweet Apple TV+ comedy is so much better

All 9 Planet of the Apes movies are now streaming on Hulu

Revolutionary new plastic eats itself to biodegrade in landfills

Sign up for the most interesting tech & entertainment news out there.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Apple to unveil AI-enabled Safari browser alongside new operating systems

Safari getting new AI tools in iOS 18

The software — expected to debut as Safari 18 later in 2024 — is currently undergoing evaluation alongside internal builds of Apple's next-generation operating system updates, namely iOS 18 and macOS 15, according to people familiar with the matter. Should all of the new features make it to the release candidate stage, users will be treated to a new user interface (UI) for customizing popular page controls, a "Web eraser" feature, and AI-driven content summarization tools.

Intelligent Search - AI-enhanced browsing and text summarization

Engineers evaluating the latest builds of Safari 18 can find a toggle for the new page controls menu within the browser's address bar. The menu consolidates — and provides quick access to — old and new page control tools, among them being the browser's new "Intelligent Search" feature.

This feature is not automatically enabled in test builds of Safari 18 and instead requires manual activation from the page controls menu. Once enabled, it's believed the tool leverages Apple's on-device AI technology — specifically the Ajax language-learning model — to identify topics and key phrases within a webpage for which to base the summarization.

In selecting key phrases, Apple's LLM software identifies sentences that provide explanations or describe the structure of objects, depending on the text in question. Words repeated within a text and key sentences are recognized as text topics.

These early indications suggest Apple is striving to deliver text summarization alongside Safari 18 later this year, though the exact implementation of this feature remains fuzzy.

Apple's text summarization features could be a response to rival generative AI tools, such as OpenAI's ChatGPT. But Apple's on-device models and technologies like Private Relay could make the experience much more secure for users. Intelligent Search is also likely to be the same AI browser assistant that one X user hinted at a couple of weeks back.

Web Eraser for better content-blocking

Also accessible from the new page controls menu is a feature Apple is testing called "Web Eraser." As its name would imply, it's designed to allow users to remove, or erase, specific portions of web pages, according to people familiar with the feature.

The feature is expected to build upon existing privacy features within Safari and will allow users to erase unwanted content from any webpage of their choosing. Users will have the option to erase banner ads, images, text or even entire page sections, all with relative ease.

The erasure is said to be persistent, rather than limited to a browsing session. This means that Safari will remember the changes even after the original tab or window has been closed.

When visiting a web page with previously erased content, Safari will inform the user that the page has been modified to reflect their desired changes. The browser will also give the user the option to revert changes and restore the webpage to its initial, unaltered state.

As for where Apple got the inspiration for Web Eraser, the company could have Sherlocked the feature from the third-party app 1Blocker. The application features a similar way of erasing ads, where users would tap ads to make them disappear.

Updated UI will move key tools into one easy location

The new page controls menu referenced throughout this article will attempt to offer Safari 18 users quick and easy access to several options previously located across different menus and the Share Sheet. Running on pre-release versions of macOS 15, for instance, the menu also pulls in the "Aa" menu common on existing iPadOS versions of the browser. These include zoom options, webpage settings for privacy controls, content blocking options, extension shortcuts, and access to the new AI and erasure tools.

These various options existed previously on macOS, but were found by navigating through the Safari settings menu. Having all of these controls in one central location in the Address Bar will make these options more discoverable for end users. Other options like on-page text search and reader mode are also in this menu.

This all suggests Apple intends to unite the iPadOS and macOS Safari UI paradigms when it unveils its new OS releases during its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

AI-enhanced Visual Lookup feature could be available in 2025

Simultaneously, Apple is also working on a much more powerful visual search feature scheduled for integration sometime in 2025 that will allow users to obtain information on consumer products when browsing through images. People familiar with the tool say it's similar to the Visual Lookup feature, through which Siri can identify plants, pets and landmarks from photos.

Visual Search could be implemented as a system-wide feature. So, instead of surfacing search results in the Photos app, the user may be able to use Visual Search directly in Safari by selecting an image.

Given development of this tool is in the earlier stages, it remains unclear how Apple will ultimately go about implementing it. It also remains to be seen whether or not the feature will make it through internal testing.

The iPhone maker has expressed significant interest in artificial intelligence and more recently published research related to on-device language learning models. This goes hand in hand with widespread rumors about several other AI-powered software features, many of which are expected to make their debut later this year with iOS 18.

Another big year for Safari

From its inception, Safari was always meant to rival existing web browsers.

Safari was originally added to macOS as a means of replacing Microsoft's Internet Explorer for Mac, which was the default browser. Over the years, the app made its way to the iPhone , and has since received various upgrades over the years.

More recent versions of Safari provide users with personalized web suggestions, and allow for greater privacy protection with features such as iCloud Private Relay.

This latest set of enhancements only serves to better position Safari against the competition, in an ever-increasing landscape of generative AI tools and third-party ad-blockers.

While Apple tests many such features during different development stages, it is important to remember that not all of them make it to release. Apple has been known to delay features or cancel them entirely, so there's always a chance we may not see these new Safari features after all.

Along with Safari 18 and its associated improvements, we should also see a revamped Calculator with Math Notes make its way to iPadOS 18. Freeform Scenes and Adaptive Voice Shortcuts are new OS features, which are also expected to debut later this year.

Apple is expected to introduce various AI-related enhancements as part of iOS 18 and macOS 15, both of which should be announced at the company's annual WWDC on June 10.

31 Comments

"As for where Apple got the inspiration for Web Eraser, the company could have Sherlocked the feature from the third-party app 1Blocker. The application features a similar way of erasing ads, where users would tap ads to make them disappear." They may also have been inspired by Simplified Page....

As long as I can turn it off/hide it they can knock themselves out. 

Will the web eraser feature remove pop up videos, such as the ones that appear on this site?

I use the 'Reader' function in Safari quite a bit, but sometimes it doesn't work very well. Seems like something that AI could help make better. 

Web ads suck but how else do you think your favorite websites will stay in business? Are you prepared to pay a subscription to every site? I doubt it…

Top Stories

Save $200 on this 14-inch MacBook Pro M3 Pro with 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD

Apple's iOS 18 to streamline task management with unified events and reminders

(PRODUCT)RED is getting our hopes up for a vibrant iPhone 15

Apple headphone shootout: Beats Solo 4 vs AirPods Max

Apple's Q2 2024 earnings results may have some drama — what to expect

Featured deals.

Amazon crushes it with $179 AirPods Pro 2, $299 Apple Watch Series 9 deals

Latest exclusives.

An inside look at Apple's various internal iOS variants that aid development

Apple's iOS 18 AI will be on-device preserving privacy, and not server-side

Apple's macOS 15 to get rare cognitive boost via Project GreyParrot

Latest comparisons.

M3 15-inch MacBook Air vs M3 14-inch MacBook Pro — Ultimate buyer's guide

M3 MacBook Air vs M1 MacBook Air — Compared

Latest news.

How to fix System Data filling your iPhone's storage

Your iPhone may have low storage because it's been consumed by System Data, which can potentially consume all available capacity. Here's how to regain space when things get too bloated to function.

Pennsylvania has two battling bills that could make tracking with AirTags unlawful

Pennsylvania state representatives have pushed forward a second piece of legislation that would penalize the unauthorized use of Bluetooth trackers, like AirTag, to track someone.

iPhone 15 Pro is unexpectedly the sales champion of spring 2024

Historically, the "Pro" iPhone models get passed by the lower-end model in the spring — but so far 2024 is very different.

Amazon-funded Anthropic launches AI app to compete with ChatGPT

An Amazon-backed firm that's pushing for safe and trustworthy artificial intelligence apps has released its Claude AI app for the iPhone and iPad — but not the Mac.

Apple's M3 Pro 14-inch MacBook Pro with an upgrade to 36GB memory and 1TB storage is eligible for an exclusive $200 coupon discount on top of $50 off three years of AppleCare.

Apple profiles three distinguished Swift Student Challenge winners

Apple has profiled three of the "Distinguished Winners" of its 2024 Swift Student Challenge, with apps covering care, extreme sports, and breathing exercises.

LG first to add native Apple Music Dolby Atmos support to smart TVs

LG has become the first smart TV producer to enable support for Dolby Atmos Apple Music support without the use of Apple TV hardware.

Apple Vision Pro could launch in Japan very soon

A reference to Apple Vision Pro accessories being excluded from a limited-time promotion in Japan hints that there may be an early May launch for the headset there.

GM's CarPlay replacement doesn't work well, and has a long road ahead of it

GM's decision to move away from CarPlay was to avoid Apple having too much control over vehicles. It's going to be a bumpy ride for consumers.

Latest Videos

Beats Solo 4 headphones review: Great audio quality and features

iPhone 16 Pro: what to expect from Apple's fall 2024 flagship phone

New iPad Air & iPad Pro models are coming soon - what to expect

Latest reviews.

Unistellar Odyssey Pro review: Unlock pro-level astronomy with your iPhone from your backyard

Ugreen DXP8800 Plus network attached storage review: Good hardware, beta software

Espresso 17 Pro review: Magnetic & modular portable Mac monitor

{{ title }}

{{ summary }}