iCloud Tabs - Need help getting to work on iPad

Question

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iCloud Tabs - Need help getting to work on iPad

How do I get the list of Safari tabs that are open on my iPhone to appear in Safari on my iPad?

I have an iPhone 5S and an iPad Mini 2; both are running on the latest version of iOS 9. On my iPhone, all of the Safari tabs that are open on my iPad show as a list at the bottom of the page if I have the view that shows the "thumbnails" of all pages open on my iPhone. However, on my iPad Mini I can't see the Safari tabs that are open on my iPhone. I only have one iCloud account, I'm signed in, iCloud is active on on both devices, and Safari is "on" under iCloud in both devices. Some online help I have found shows a cloud icon at the top of Safari on the iPad, but I don't even have this icon (which I'm thinking may be for an older iOS version, because I can't find anything new enough online to even be related specifically to iOS 9).

Posted on Feb 13, 2016 8:04 AM

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Answer 1

Demo

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Feb 13, 2016 8:25 AM in response to Schmool

Tap on the two squares icon that I have indicated on this screenshot. That will take you to a screen where you can see all open tabs on all devices.

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Answer 2

Schmool Author

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Feb 13, 2016 10:19 AM in response to Demo

Yes, this is what should be done to see the list of tabs open on my iPhone, but I only see the thumbnails of all the open tabs on my iPad, and no list. When I do this same thing on my iPhone, I see the **** of all the open tabs on my iPad. I'm trying to get it to work this way on my iPad.

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Answer 3

Demo

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Feb 13, 2016 11:08 AM in response to Schmool

Have you tried turning Safari off in Settings>iCloud>Safari>Off? Maybe clear the cache and restart as well. When you turn Safari off, you will be prompted to save the data or delete it from the iPad but since there is no data on the iPad, no damage is done. Besides, it will sync again when you turn it back on in the settings.

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Answer 4

Schmool Author

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Feb 13, 2016 11:54 AM in response to Demo

I've turned Safari off and back on (and said to Merge Data). That didn't do anything. I've closed the Safari app, adjusted the settings (turn off Safari, then turn back on and Merged Data), opened Safari, still nothing. I've even closed all apps, powered off my iPad, and started all over that way. Still no success. This feature should just work without all of this effort, so I'm baffled as to why it works on my iPhone and not my iPad. I've even looked at the settin on my iPhone to see if I'm missing something in my iPad settings. Other things that sync via iCloud are working fine (e.g.: Notes). Any other suggestions?

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Answer 5

Schmool Author

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Feb 13, 2016 12:03 PM in response to Schmool

Here's a screen sot of my iPhone:

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Answer 6

Schmool Author

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Feb 13, 2016 12:06 PM in response to Schmool

Here's a screen shot if my iPad - it's all the way to the bottom, no list (I did this in 2 parts because both images were too large to fit in one):

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Answer 7

Demo

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Feb 13, 2016 5:55 PM in response to Schmool

Try turning off Private Browsing on the phone. It's enabled from what I see so tap on Private again to turn it off.

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Answer 8

Schmool Author

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Feb 13, 2016 7:23 PM in response to Demo

Thanks, but it's turned off the way you see it. Tapping it turns on Private mode and hides everything.

I'm starting to feel like I'm the only person with this problem because I can't find anything that will fix it. You're also the only person who has responded to me Another post about this was viewed more than 50 times, but not one response. Thank you for trying to help me figure this out.

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Answer 9

Demo

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166,494 points

Feb 14, 2016 5:26 AM in response to Schmool

When I have Private Browsing enabled on my phone, the button is white like it is on your screenshot. That's why I suggested turning it off.

HHave you tried clearing Safari on the iPad? Settings>Safari>Clear History and website data.

I Know this situation is frustrating. Been there and done that. I joined this community in 2005 because I had just bought a new iMac and had a couple of questions and wanted answers. I got one or two responses with one question and no responses at all with the other one. I think that sometimes people read questions and if they don't have anything productive to suggest, they simply move on. I know that I read a lot of posts that I do not add to, because I'm not sure what to suggest or that I don't want to give bad information.

Don't give up.

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Answer 10

Schmool Author

Level 1

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Feb 14, 2016 10:00 AM in response to Demo

I will give this a try a little later today when I have time and I'll report back as to whether or not it worked.

i understand that a lot of people may view the posts, but only those who have a solution will respond. I'm just a bit surprised that no one who has had this problem and fixed it has respondedn with a solution. This is what makes me think I have some unique problem, but I don't understand why this would even be the case!

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Answer 11

Schmool Author

Level 1

15 points

Feb 14, 2016 10:37 AM in response to Schmool

Cleared out Safari, and started all over with the Settings, and still no tabs that are open in my iPhone are showing, but my iPhone shows that onl this one tab is open on my iPad. Here is the screen shot of my iPad, I will send a screen shot of my iPhone in a separate reply:

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Answer 12

Schmool Author

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Feb 14, 2016 10:39 AM in response to Schmool

Here's the screen shot of my iPhone showing the one tab that's open in my iPad:

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Answer 13

Schmool Author

Level 1

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Feb 14, 2016 10:41 AM in response to Schmool

If I click on "Private" on my iPhone, I can only see the one tab that's open on my iPad:

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Answer 14

Demo

Level 10

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Feb 14, 2016 2:02 PM in response to Schmool

I Still think that it could be private browsing related. I have experimented with this more than a few times.

When you tap on Private Browsing, and the button turns white, you have enabled it. Tap on Private Browsing until it the white button goes away and Private Browsing is turned off.

IF I turn on Private Browsing on my phone and open a few tabs, none of them are visible on the iPad. If I turn Private Browsing off on the phone, all of the tabs that I have opened not in Private Browsing can be seen on my iPad.

Make sure that Private Browsing is OFF on both devices. Open a few tabs on the phone. Close Safari completely on the phone but double tapping the home button and swipe up on the Safari preview window. Wait about 15 seconds and then check Safari on the iPad again.

IF that doesn't work, I am stumped.

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Answer 15

bobseufert

Level 6

15,844 points

Feb 14, 2016 3:21 PM in response to Schmool

Schmool wrote:

I will give this a try a little later today when I have time and I'll report back as to whether or not it worked.

i understand that a lot of people may view the posts, but only those who have a solution will respond. I'm just a bit surprised that no one who has had this problem and fixed it has respondedn with a solution. This is what makes me think I have some unique problem, but I don't understand why this would even be the case!

The reason Demo was the only person who responded was because his info was correct and there was nothing left to add. Turn off private browsing on your iPhone now and your problem is solved.

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