How to change Safari tabs back to stacked iOS 15

Hello, I agree, poor design. Any updates with helpful information to change it back? I’ve been looking everywhere to find the solution and all I keep finding is “choose the option ‘single tab’” which changes nothing on my phone.

The new layout for Safari open pages/tabs is absolutely NOT functional and it’s very disappointing to think how Apple wanted this as a feature! Safari has had the same function for open pages/tabs for as long as I can remember and it has always been very functional and aesthetically pleasing (just another part of its pure function) because it stacked the pages like a filing cabinet where you could very quickly see all titles/labels clearly (and imagery etc on page itself), scroll through very quickly, able to digest a lot of info at once, and take action with ease. Makes sense 100%, in real life filing cabinets and online in applications like Safari.

But now, the worst design… imagine in real world taking a lot of documents out of file and spreading them all out in front of you on the floor, laying flat side by side, and just keep them there, lots just spread out… All while you are standing trying to see what they say or file through etc?! Can you imagine if you had to do it that way everyday?! You wouldn’t, it doesn’t work and that’s why filing systems work. Well, that’s what the equivalent of this is like with the new Safari update and IT IS UNUSABLE.

The new layout makes it where you cannot see page titles and/or page content easily (even with great eyes) and you can’t thumb through them, only some can be on screen at a time… what’s the point of having it if you don’t have these essential features? That’s literally the entire job of the tabs! Don’t fix what’s not broken; classic and intuitive design stays because it’s been solved and it works hands down.

Apple support, can you please share with us how to get the stacked tab layout back? The “single tab” option does nothing for this. Please advise. Thanks so much!!!

I have a degree in Cog Sci, specializing in Human Computer Interaction, and I agree that the new style is terrible design. It has taken all of the pertinent information, abridged it, made it smaller, and arranged it in a way that is difficult to decipher.

So:

• It's not as easy to see (because it's smaller).
• There's less of it it to see (because each title is further abridged).
• It's harder for your brain to isolate a specific title (because they are all the same size and on the same plane, whereas the old way provided a single title as the focal point, slightly larger than the others and easily scrollable).

There you go Apple, that was a free consultation...now please fix this.

100 % agree! It’s so dumb not to have this option. I’m less worried about where the browser bar is located, than finding a solution to this stupid gallery style tabs rather than the stacked view. For those of us with a lot of open tabs and little time we need speed and not leisurely star gazing our browser tabs.

Fix this Apple! Show us how PLEASE!

It’s driving me insane as well - seem so backward. I used to be able to scroll very quickly through the stack and had all my tabs nicely ordered. It now takes ages in this new imposed page view to find what I want. I cannot see how anyone at Apple can think this is a step forward. It’s just so I un- user friendly!!!! Really regretting updating my iOS now!

As numerous other users noticed, switching between single tab and “tab bar” changes nothing, and the new way safari shows tabs makes it impossible to see ANYTHING—the shrift is too small to distinguish which tab is what. I need to go manually through all the tabs one by one to find the tab I need, which consumes an immense amount of time!! This is insane DO REVERSE THAT FEATURE BACK AS IS WAS !!!!!!!!!!

Because Apple likes to get a rise out of people; it makes them feel powerful.

Clearly, this is a step in the wrong direction, and an example of Apple trying to copy Google, but Apple could have introduced Group Tabs with the stacked tabs. Instead they chose to tile their tabs, just like Google does. But we don’t like the tab files on Google either. Dumb Apple…

Chris,

I agree with all these folks that the new tab layout as tiles (similar to Google) is not as easy to see, read and navigate as the older tiled pages that could still be seen and read as swiped through. Now, it’s a game of memory as the tab tiles do not contain enough graphic information to make them discernible from one another.

This retards the users’ experience, forcing a time consuming gambit fumbling for a particular tab.

Also, the new tab group function is dumb, and bloats the interface.

I use bookmarks, and I close tabs when I’m through using them. I do not keep all my tabs open all the time, so maybe I’ll take some time and tab them together… WTF?

Hi JMurchie,

Thank you for posting in Apple Support Communities. We understand you'd like to change the way Safari displays tabs in iOS 15.

"You can choose between the top Single Tab you’re used to and the new bottom Tab Bar layout.

1. Go to Settings > Safari, then scroll down to Tabs.
2. Select either the Tab Bar or Single Tab layout.
3. You can move between layouts without losing the tabs you have open."

As discussed here: Customize your Safari settings on iPhone

Cheers!

This change is, as others are saying, very annoying. Please tell us how to get back to the stacked tabs we know and love!!

what was the point in making tabs so hard to work with? Help! Please fix it or at least respond to our concerns - and remember we are only trying to help Apple have the best possible product…

"How to get back to stacked tabs" (?)

..Ask again! ~ Through the only direct channel available..

Give Apple your ideas, via 'Product Feedback' portal links:

• Product Feedback - Apple | main link

//www.apple.com/feedback/

• Feedback - Safari - Apple [..To report Both: iOS iPad+iPhone & macOS..]

//www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html

[Another month, into yet another year; from 2021. ~I've

not actually seen valid results, from any posts here yet.]

.Mistaken: To consider Apple would need to look here

for any new ideas. They're swamped with ever-so-many.

Try & get their attention; to fine-tune again, older ones.

There isn’t a way to change tabs back to stacking which is why K Schaffer’s above post suggested users send their frustrations straight to apple via these two links as this page is only a forum for users to help each other.

• Product Feedback - Apple | main link

//www.apple.com/feedback/

• Feedback - Safari - Apple [Use to report Both: iOS and macOS]

//www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html

I really dislike the new update when it comes to safari. I really liked when tabs were stacked and it was easier to see what your last tab was. The separate tabs idea is super flawed, and was a really bad design choice. If anything safari should have not been updated except for app bugs.

Especially the fact that they decided to move the search bar to the bottom of the screen. It really messes up my typing, and I’m at least glad they had the option in settings to change back to one tab search, which places the search bar back to the top.

In conclusion, I hope they end up changing it back to the past version. It was more convenient, and was easier to navigate.

Perhaps time has come (again) to report an issue, by use of this tool:

• Product Feedback - Apple | main link

//www.apple.com/feedback/

• Feedback - Safari - Apple [.Use to report Both: iOS and macOS.]

//www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html

While my older Macs do OK with ESR Firefox versions.. even older

PPC G3/G4/intel, had run TenFourFox; until last build: in Oct 2021.

Have installed Brave for Mac. (chrome-based) Download For iOS.

An experimental/project. ~Have many bookmarks saved in Firefox.

Please provide adequate feedback to Apple itself; not passers-by.

To add here, amounts to near Zero results; in a user-to-user forum.

• Product Feedback - Apple | main link

//www.apple.com/feedback/

• Feedback - Safari - Apple [Use to report Both: iOS and macOS]

//www.apple.com/feedback/safari.html

(Too late to 'un-follow' emailed discussions; or not read/see most of

these. Long ago, I learned to see only most recent ~& escape lightly.)