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User profile for user: Valiran9
Valiran9 Author
User level: Level 1
13 points

What's the limit to the number of page IOS Safari's back button "remembers"?

When browsing on Safari, sometimes I'll get sidetracked and go sifting through web pages before eventually going back to where I started. Unfortunately for me, it appears there's a limit to the number of pages you can look at without Safari "forgetting" some. Several times I've ended up using the back button to return to where I'd been only to discover that was no longer an option; the back button was greyed out, and I might not necessarily remember the name or URL of the page I'd been on.


So what's the limit? How many pages can I look through before Safari begins discarding them? Please give answers, not criticism. I know I'm scatterbrained and dunking on me isn't constructive or helpful.

iPhone 12, iOS 16

Posted on Sep 10, 2023 10:12 PM

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User profile for user: GainCool
GainCool
User level: Level 1
23 points

Posted on Sep 11, 2023 12:29 AM

😥There is no definitive limit to the number of pages Safari can keep in its back history on iOS. However, there are a few factors that can impact how many pages are retained:

  • Available RAM - Safari will purge old pages from memory if resources are needed for other apps/processes. Having many other apps running reduces available RAM for Safari's back history.
  • Number of tabs - More open tabs means less memory available for back history per tab.
  • Page complexity - Pages with lots of media, graphics, etc take up more RAM than simple pages.
  • Time since page was viewed - Safari prioritizes keeping more recent pages in memory. Older pages get purged first.


🤪 So in general, Safari will try to keep as many pages in memory as it can based on current system resource usage. Exceeding available memory will cause the oldest, least recently viewed pages to be removed from the back history.

🤪 There's no set number of pages you can always rely on being kept. But closing unused tabs, quitting unneeded apps, and returning to pages sooner rather than later will help maximize what Safari can retain.😲  I hope this explains the behavior you're seeing! Let me know if you need any clarification.

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User profile for user: GainCool
GainCool
User level: Level 1
23 points

Sep 11, 2023 12:29 AM in response to Valiran9

😥There is no definitive limit to the number of pages Safari can keep in its back history on iOS. However, there are a few factors that can impact how many pages are retained:

  • Available RAM - Safari will purge old pages from memory if resources are needed for other apps/processes. Having many other apps running reduces available RAM for Safari's back history.
  • Number of tabs - More open tabs means less memory available for back history per tab.
  • Page complexity - Pages with lots of media, graphics, etc take up more RAM than simple pages.
  • Time since page was viewed - Safari prioritizes keeping more recent pages in memory. Older pages get purged first.


🤪 So in general, Safari will try to keep as many pages in memory as it can based on current system resource usage. Exceeding available memory will cause the oldest, least recently viewed pages to be removed from the back history.

🤪 There's no set number of pages you can always rely on being kept. But closing unused tabs, quitting unneeded apps, and returning to pages sooner rather than later will help maximize what Safari can retain.😲  I hope this explains the behavior you're seeing! Let me know if you need any clarification.

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What's the limit to the number of page IOS Safari's back button "remembers"?

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