Terminal command to open new tab in Safari

The Terminal "open" command does not control how you interact with Safari, and cannot direct Safari to create a new tab. However, it can be done with a short Zsh (or Bash) script assigned to a shell as a function, alias, or in this example, a Zsh function that is available to you when you launch the Terminal application.

Put the following code in your newly created ~/.zshenv file. This file is automatically read by Zsh on opening a new Terminal, and the function will then be available for you to run on the Terminal command-line:

~/.zshenv

function new_safari_tab () {
: <<"COMMENT"
Open a specified web address in a new Safari tab. Put this in your
Zsh ~/.zshenv file so the function is available in the Terminal when
the Terminal application is launched.

Usage: new_safari_tab urlstring
Example: new_safari_tab http://www.apple.com
COMMENT

    /usr/bin/osascript <<AS
    use scripting additions

    tell application "Safari"
    activate
        set myURL to "${1}" as text
        if not myURL = "" then
           tell front window
              set current tab to (make new tab with properties {URL:myURL})
           end tell
        else
           return
        end if
    end tell
AS
    return
}

Once you have added this in the ~/.zshenv file, you can make it immediately active by:

source ~/.zshenv

And, to open a new browser tab in Safari, you run the function in the Terminal as:

new_safari_tab https://www.google.com

Tested in macOS 11.5.2 on an M1 mini.

You may be able to make it even simpler by using the "open" command like this:

open  -a  Safari  "<URL>"

I would suggest trying the "-n" option as well if it does not open a new window/tab. The "-n" option allows opening another instance of the app.

open  -an  Safari  "<URL>"

You will want to replace "<URL>" with the proper URL you want Safari to open. I suggest keeping the double quotes.

See this forum post:

https://superuser.com/questions/133748/running-safari-from-the-command-line-adds-current-directory-to-the-url

kenan201 wrote:

so heres my issue

while running command "open https://www.google.com" in terminal consecutive times. I have noticed the second time i run the command it just shows the original window of google.com instead of opening in a new tab. It works fine when its a different website being requested

is this a mac os bug? ive tried setting new tabs to always in safari but no luck

Im trying to get safari to ALWAYS open a new tab even if its the same website

Maybe you can paint a bigger picture what you are trying to accomplish here.

And what about Command T to open a new tab...(?)

Use tabs for webpages in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

Change Tabs preferences in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

Keyboard shortcuts and gestures in Safari on Mac - Apple ...