How to change the style of Safari tab bar on iPad

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Safari is a browser loved by millions of Apple users around the world. At the WWDC 2021 event earlier this year, the company unveiled a number of new iPad OS 15 features, including Safari’s redesign, quick notes, and new multitasking gestures. The redesign of the Safari browser was a nice touch, with a sharper overall layout and the introduction of tab groups. But not everyone is happy with it, and a new update is here to fix this. With the iPadOS 15 Public Beta 4, Apple introduced a small tweak to Safari’s layout. Safari’s compact address bar is now an option. And now we have the same new dedicated tab bar as macOS Monterey. This new tab bar is active by default, but you can switch back to the new compact bar if you wish. If you are an iPad OS 15 beta user who wants to try this setting, follow this guide on how to style the Safari tab bar on your iPad.

How to change the style of Safari tab bar on iPad (2021)

Steps to switch between compact tab bar styles and individual tab bar styles

The process of switching Safari tab bar styles is very simple. To do this, follow the steps below.

1. Open Configuration iPad app.

iPhone overheating settings

2. Scroll down and tap until you see Safari in the left sidebar.

Safari sidebar

3. Then scroll down the right pane. Under the tab, Option to switch between compact tab bar and individual tab bar.. Select the one you want to use and you’re done.

Tab bar options

The layout you choose will be displayed immediately and you can see the same when you open Safari on your iPad.

Here’s what both styles look like on the iPad

Both tab styles are subtle, as shown below, but there are still significant differences.

Compact tab bar

The compact tab bar layout occupies space right next to the address bar, narrowing the extra space to show more tabs that the user may have open. This layout looks a bit more organized, but it wasn’t liked by many iPad users.

Safari Compact Tab Bar

Separate tab bar

The style of the individual tab bars, on the other hand, is very similar to the old layout that Safari browser users are accustomed to. Restore the space at the top of the address bar and dedicate the bottom section to all tabs. Here, the user can quickly click on the desired tab to return to what they were doing.

Safari Separate Tab Bar

Which Safari tab bar style on your iPad do you like?

Depending on the aesthetics and uses you use, one of the tab styles may be more impressive than the other. However, whichever you like, you can get it using the steps above. Safari isn’t the only one to improve the iPad OS 15 this year. Among the changes introduced, you can review your iCloud + subscription details and further enhance your email privacy protection. Which Safari tab bar style do you like more? Let us know in the comments section below.