search bar safari up

Safari: How to Get Search Bar Back to the Top & Disable Landscape Tab View

With iOS 15 Safari, the app has a whole new layout which brings many updates to the way you browse in the app. In Safari, the address bar is now located at the bottom of your iPhone screen, and in landscape orientation tabs will now appear in a list across the top. If you find these updates inconvenient and want to revert to the previous iOS 14 Safari layout, we'll show you how!

Related:  How to Hide Apps on the iPhone & Find Them Later

Move Address Bar to the Top of Safari

Remove the tab bar from safari landscape view.

Moving the search bar to the bottom of the screen has been one of the biggest changes to Safari in iOS 15. Luckily, if you don't like this change, you can switch it back! Safari now has two tab modes: Single Tab and Tab Bar. With Single Tab mode, your Apple address bar is displayed at the top of Safari and you must tap the tab icon to switch between tabs. With the Tab Bar mode, your URL address bar is displayed at the bottom, and you can swipe between open Safari tabs. Below, we'll cover how to get the URL bar back to the top of the page in Safari. 

How to Move Address Bar to the Top in Safari (Shortcut)

Perhaps you find yourself accidentally swiping between tabs or you find it disorienting to have the URL bar at the bottom of your screen. Whatever your reason, this is the fastest way to switch into Single Tab mode and move the search bar to the top of Safari while browsing. 

Now your Apple search bar will be displayed at the top of the screen. If you ever change your mind and want to revert back to the Tab Bar mode (being able to swipe between tabs is pretty handy!), follow the steps above and tap Show Bottom Tab Bar.

How to Place the Website Search Bar at the Top in Settings

This is a different method to adjust the same setting shown in the shortcut above. Below, we'll cover how to move your iPhone or iPad search bar to the top in Settings. 

The landscape tab bar in Safari displays open tabs across the top of your screen and allows you to tap and switch between them, much the same way you would on your laptop. This is a handy update, as it means you no longer have to tap the Tab icon to switch tabs while browsing in landscape view. However, if you feel the landscape tab bar is crowding your screen and cramping your style, you can disable this feature: 

That's all there is to it! Once you've adjusted these iOS 15 Safari settings, you'll be back to the previous browsing layout you know and love. You can also learn how to customize the Safari Start page to show the information you need. 

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The Safari search bar was near the top of the iPhone's screen for the longest time. But starting with iOS 15, Apple moved the search bar to the bottom, making it easily accessible on big iPhones. Plus, the addition of an effortless swipe gesture even made it easy to switch tabs.

However, if you do not like the bottom placement of the tab bar, there is a way to move the Safari search bar back to the top of your iPhone. Here, we've listed the steps to help you do that.

Two Ways to Get Back the Old Safari Search Bar on iPhone

Modern versions of iOS offer two ways to move the address bar to the top and improve your Safari experience on an iPhone . The first is from within the Safari app, while the second involves using the iPhone Settings app. We've detailed both ways to move the Safari search bar on your iPhone to the top below:

1. Move the Safari Search Bar to the Top Directly in Safari

This is the more convenient method, as you can do it straight from the browser:

• Visit any website in Safari on your iPhone.
• Tap AA located on the left of your address bar.
• Now, choose Show Top Address Bar . Instantly, the search bar will move to the top and stay like this.

Even if you close Safari and relaunch it, the address bar will stay at the top, making this a quick and easy way to switch its position.

2. Move Safari's Search Bar to the Top From Settings

This is the usual method to find all Safari-related settings in one place. You can also use the option here to move the Safari search bar back to the top:

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
• Scroll down and tap Safari .
• Under Tabs, select Single Tab .
• Now, open Safari, and you'll find the search bar at the top.

How to Switch Back to the Bottom Safari Search Bar

If you change your mind or wish to give Safari's bottom address bar a try, here's how to switch back and use the tab bar:

• When you are inside Safari, tap AA from the top-left.
• Tap on Show Bottom Tab Bar .
• Alternatively, you may go to Settings > Safari and select Tab Bar .

Enjoy seamlessly switching between multiple tabs and better one-handed usage with Safari's tab bar.

What Is the Landscape Tab Bar Option in Safari's Settings?

Inside Safari Settings on an iPhone running iOS 15 or later, you'll see an option called Landscape Tab Bar , which is enabled by default. When you rotate the iPhone in landscape mode and use Safari, you will see all the open tabs on the top, just like you would on a computer browser.

When this particular option is off, this thin strip showing your open tabs is absent. Look at the image below to understand the difference. You may want to keep this enabled for better tab management.

Apple's Safari Redesign for Bigger iPhones

iPhone screens are increasing in size. As a result, most people have trouble reaching the top search bar when using an iPhone one-handed. But this redesign to move the Safari search bar to the bottom of the screen aims to fix that problem. Plus, this change introduces the tab bar, which is quite handy.

However, it's nice to see Apple give long-time iPhone users the option to move the address bar back to the top in case they prefer the old-school look and feel of Safari on the iPhone.

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How to Set Safari's Address Bar to the Top or Bottom of the Screen

During the beta phase of iOS 15, Apple added a new Safari design element that moves the URL and tab interface to the bottom of the screen, a decision that was immediately controversial with iPhone users.

If you can't get on with the address bar living at the bottom of the screen and would prefer to have it in its original position at the top, like it was in iOS 14, follow these steps.

• Launch Safari on your ‌iPhone‌.
• Tap the " aA " icon in the left side of the address bar.
• Tap Show Top Address Bar in the popup menu.

You can also control this design change in Settings -> Safari , under the "Tabs" section. To take the URL bar to the top of the Safari interface, select Single Tab .

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How to move the Safari address bar back to the top on iOS 15

Apple's moved the Safari address bar to the bottom of the screen on iOS 15 — but you can change it

Though Apple's iOS 15 introduced a bunch of handy new features, many iPhone users were left wondering how to move the Safari address bar back to the top after it was shifted to the bottom of the screen. 

Granted, having the address bar at the bottom of Safari makes it easier to access if you're using your iPhone with one hand. But when something that you've become used to after years of use is changed — such as the taskbar being moved to the center in Windows 11 — it's understandable when you just want things to be the way they were.

Of course, iOS 15 does have many positive upgrades, as detailed in our full iOS 15 review . In addition to improving the experience of using the latest Apple devices, such as the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max , it also gives new life to older Apple products, with compatibility going as far back as the six-year-old iPhone 6s. 

Thankfully, though, it's easy to move the address back to the top on iOS 15, as detailed in our guide below.

How to move the Safari tab bar on iOS 15

1. Open up Safari. On your Apple device with iOS 15 installed navigate to Safari; we're sure you know what it looks like, but just in case you've forgotten, it's the app with a blue and white compass icon.  

2. Press the “aA” button on the tab bar. This can be found on the left side of the tab bar. Press it to bring up a submenu. 

3. Click “Show Top Address Bar” in the submenu (it's the top option). 

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4. Your tab bar will now appear at the top of the display. It will now default to being at the top, rather than the bottom, from now on.

Now you've moved the address bar back to the top on Safari, take a look at the hidden trackpad that makes editing a breeze on iPhone. You may also want to learn how to get full-screen Caller ID on iOS 15 and how to launch apps by tapping the back of your iPhone .

Rory is an Entertainment Editor at Tom’s Guide based in the UK. He covers a wide range of topics but with a particular focus on gaming and streaming. When he’s not reviewing the latest games, searching for hidden gems on Netflix, or writing hot takes on new gaming hardware, TV shows and movies, he can be found attending music festivals and getting far too emotionally invested in his favorite football team. 

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How To Move The Safari Search Bar To The Top of An iPhone Screen

By Author Turner Tomlinson

Posted on Last updated: April 9, 2023

In older iOS versions, the Safari search bar was always located at the top of the screen, but starting with the iOS 15, it was moved to the bottom of the screen. This shift is meant to make it easier to access the bar on larger iPhones. However, you can easily move it back to its former position if you prefer the older setup.

There are two ways to move the Safari search bar to the top of the iPhone screen: You can open the Safari app and tap on the ‘AA’ icon at the left of the search bar. Choose ‘Show Top Address Bar’ from the menu. Alternatively, you can also open the Safari section in Settings and tap on ‘Single Tab.’ 

So, if you find the search bar at the bottom of your screen to be inconvenient or hard to use, then there’s no need to worry. You can easily move it to the top with just a few taps. Let’s take a closer look at how you can move your search bar to the top and a few other iOS 15 updates that are worth mentioning. 

Why Is Your Search Bar at the Bottom of Your iPhone? 

With the iOS 15 update, Apple has moved the Safari search bar to the bottom of the screen, which can greatly enhance the user experience for many people. 

The new Safari search bar also acts as a tabs bar, making it easier for users to manage and access their tabs. You can now scroll right and left between open tabs.

Previously, if you wanted to select an open tab on older versions, you had to choose the tabs icon in your screen’s lower right corner. This would open the page that shows thumbnail images of all the open tabs so that you could choose the one that you wanted. 

The search bar at the bottom is also much easier to control with one hand, and it clears up space, allowing users to focus better on the webpage’s content.   

How to Move Your Search Bar Back to the Top 

If you’re not too happy with your search bar being at the bottom, you can easily revert to the previous top-of-the-window bar. This can be done through two apps — the Safari app or the Settings app.

Move the Search Bar in Safari

The easiest way to move your search bar is from within Safari itself. Here’s what you need to do:  

• Tap the ‘ AA ‘ icon on the left-hand corner of the address bar at the bottom of your iPhone’s screen. If the address bar isn’t visible on the screen, scroll up to bring the address bar back.
• When you choose the AA icon, a list of options will appear. Choose ‘ Show Top Address Bar.’ Ta-da!

Move the Search Bar in Settings

Moving the search bar in Settings is a bit more complex and a bit less intuitive. But it’s still pretty easy! This is how you do it:

• Go to ‘Settings’ . Scroll down the list to ‘Safari’ and tap on it.
• Under the ‘Tabs’ section of the Safari page, you’ll see two icons. By choosing the ‘Single Tab’ on the right, you can move the address bar back to the top of Safari. These icons helpfully show the position of the address bar, whether it’s at the top or bottom of the window.
• If you want to move the search bar back to the bottom, instead of choosing the icon on the right, tap on the ‘ Tab Bar’ icon on the left.

Other iOS 15 Updates You Should Know 

It was the iOS 15 update that caused the changes in Safari, specifically moving the address bar down. And there are a few other important iOS 15 updates that are designed to enhance the iPhone user experience. These include:

With significantly enhanced details, the Maps app now exhibits bike lanes, pedestrian crosswalks, buildings, and more in a new 3D view.

This provides users with an improved city-driving experience thanks to added road details and unique transit features like AR walking directions, pinned favorite lines, and notifications to disembark. 

This is basically an extension of the Do Not Disturb feature. When you activate this feature, your iPhone won’t be able to receive calls or messages to distract you. This feature is particularly useful when you don’t want to be disturbed while working or sleeping. 

With iOS 15, you can now enjoy Spatial Audio and Voice Isolation in FaceTime calls. The Portrait mode in FaceTime also now offers a new grid mode that allows you to see more faces at the same time. 

Additionally, with the new SharePlay feature, you can share pictures during a FaceTime call. You can also schedule a FaceTime call and send its link to participants, which can be accessed through Windows and Android devices as well.    

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Your iPhone’s Optical Character Recognition allows you to highlight or extract text from an image to send it directly via email, get directions, and even make a phone call.       

Here’s How To Move Your Safari Search Bar Back To The Top In iOS 15

For when you don’t want to deal with too much change at once.

Apple’s highly-anticipated software update, iOS 15, finally became available for public download on Monday, Sept. 20. Now that iOS 15 here, you can test out all the new features on your iPhone, including a redesigned Safari browsing experience that comes with a new bottom tab bar. If you prefer the OG design, however, you may be wondering how to move the Safari search bar back to the top in iOS 15. There are a few steps you’ll need to follow.

Apple’s latest software update is packed with a whole slew of new features that are designed to improve the way you use your iPhone. Of course, Safari is the go-to way to search the internet while on your device, so Apple made some major changes to make browsing more convenient.

When you open Safari, you’ll immediately notice a new tab bar at the bottom of the screen rather than the top. Since iOS 15 introduces the ability to switch Safari tabs by swiping left or right on the address bar, having the search bar at the bottom makes it easier to access as you hold your phone. You’ll even be able to “swipe between tabs with one hand,” per the iOS 15 guide.

If you prefer the old Safari, don’t fret. The bottom tab bar is simply a default setting, and you can switch back to the single tab at the top at any time. To switch it back to a top search bar, all you’ll have to do is head to “Settings,” tap “Safari,” scroll down to “Tabs,” and finally opt for “Single Tab” instead of the default “Tab Bar.” Of course, with the “Single Tab” setting, you won’t have the ability to swipe left and right to switch tabs, but it’ll look and feel just like your Safari browser did prior to your iOS 15 update.

The new bottom tab bar also lets you swipe up to see all of your currently open tabs, so it might be worth it to give it a try — but if you’re not here for the change, you can implement the simple fix.

Other redesigned Safari features you’ll want to try out include the new Tab Groups, which allow you to save tabs you want to keep together (say, if you’re planning for a trip) into groups and access them with one tap across your Apple devices. You can also customize your browser start page to show what you’d like, such as Favorites, Frequently Visited, and more.

Now that you know how to move your search bar to the top, you can return to the old Safari whenever you’re feeling nostalgic or just a little too overwhelmed by all the iOS 15 updates.

• Digital Life

There's a Way to Move Your iPhone Safari Search Bar Back to the Top (Where It Belongs)

Ever since the first iPhone was introduced in 2007, the Safari search bar — aka the address bar, the tab bar, or just where the URL goes — has rested at the top of the page. There were no ifs, ands, or buts about its placement; it simply stayed at the top, and no one blinked an eye . . . that is, until now. Apple's recent iOS 15 update moved the Safari Search Bar to the bottom of the page, changing our searching routine in a small way with an undeniably big impact.

Sure, moving the Safari search bar was a simple switch-up, and one that even made sense: our fingers are down there anyway. But damn, has it been a struggle to adapt to. Muscle memory is a real thing, and I (and many other friends and colleagues) can't seem to get used to a bottom search bar. While I was very welcoming of iOS 15's Safari background customization , the rearranged search bar is something I may never get used to. The good news? You can move the Safari search bar back to the top of the page in just a few simple steps:

How to Move Your iPhone Safari Search Bar Back to the Top of the Page

• Open Settings.
• Scroll down and tap Safari.
• Under Tabs, select Single Tab.

It's that easy! Please keep in mind that by choosing the Single Tab option, your search bar will move back to the top of the page, but you won't be able to scroll left and right between different Safari tabs like you could with the Sidebar option. Regardless, your memory will be very happy to see it back at the top.

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Safari search bar has disappeared

The search bar on my Safari Browser has disappeared. Apple support helped me to switch to Tab Layout from Separate to compact. This works, but really prefer the Separate view. I did some research and went to customize the view and the search bar is dimmed out. When I switch to compact view it is not. I really need some help. I am at a loss.

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.2

Posted on Feb 28, 2022 6:03 PM

Posted on Mar 1, 2022 12:17 PM

Hello DRR84,

We see you have a question regarding Safari's search box, and we'd be happy to help out.

This page here helps to provide some assistance for getting Safari customized as desired:

Customize the Safari browser window on Mac

You may try using this to help drag the default set (which includes the address/search bar), back to the toolbar, if you're having issues with dragging just 'Address, Search, and Tabs'.

Regarding tabs, this page can help to go over the available options for adjusting that, if needed: Change Tabs preferences in Safari on Mac

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Mar 1, 2022 12:17 PM in response to DRR84

Mar 3, 2022 6:20 PM in response to Eric_G1

Thank you for your help. I was able to do it through customize toolbar. Strange, but the option was dimmed out.

iOS 15 Safari: How to change the address/search bar design on iPhone

Apple’s latest iOS release comes with an all-new Safari design that places the address/search bar at the bottom of the screen by default. But you can switch back to the classic iOS Safari design with a top bar. Here’s how to change the iOS 15 Safari address/search bar on iPhone.

Apple made its way through multiple iterations of the new iOS 15 Safari design and with the sixth beta , it included the option to switch between the bottom address/search bar and the classic iOS Safari top address/search bar on iPhone .

The official iOS 15 public release also includes the classic bottom menu bar instead of packing all of Safari’s buttons into the unified address/search/tab bar.

How to change iOS 15 Safari address/search bar on iPhone

• Running iOS 15, open Safari on your iPhone
• In the bottom address/search bar, tap the “aA” icon on the left (when on a website)
• Tap Show Top Address Bar
• Tap the “aA” icon in the top address/search bar
• Choose Show Bottom Tab Bar

Alternatively, you can also change the iOS 15 address/search bar by heading to the Settings app > Safari > swipe down and choose “Single Tab.”

Here’s how it looks to change the Safari address/search bar on iPhone:

And here’s how it looks to change it back to the bottom address/search bar:

The other way to change the address/search bar design is in the Settings app.

In addition to changing between the bottom and classic top address/search bar designs, you can choose to enable/disable website tinting (matches the top iPhone status bar to websites’ colors) and enable/disable the landscape tab bar.

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How to use the Smart Search bar in Safari on iPhone and iPad

• How to search the web using the Smart Search bar
• How to search bookmarks and web history using the Smart Search bar

How to search the text on a specific web page using the Smart Search bar

How to change your default search browser in safari, how to search safari from search on the home screen in ios 15.

The Smart Search bar in iOS 15 is a hybrid of the old address and search bars melded into one universal place to type and go. You can access your default search provider, your browsing history, saved bookmarks, and even specific words on web pages, all through the unified Smart Search bar at the top of your Safari browsing window. It makes searching for something on your best iPhone more straightforward. Here's how to use the Smart Search bar in Safari on iPhone and iPad.

How to search the web using the Smart Search bar on iPhone and iPad

• Launch Safari from the Home screen.
• Tap in the Smart Search bar at the top or bottom of your browser.

• Type in some keywords or a phrase you would like to search for.
• Tap on the Go button at the bottom right of your screen.

That's it! Safari will now use your default search engine to scour the internet for you.

How to search bookmarks and web history using the Smart Search bar on iPhone and iPad

• Launch Safari from your Home screen.

• Type in some keywords you would like to search the internet for (I searched for "apple").
• Tap on the site or bookmark you would like to navigate to under the Bookmarks and History heading.

• Open Safari on your iPhone or iPad.
• Open a web page in Safari.
• Tap the Smart Search bar .

• Type the word or phrase that you want to find on the page.
• Tap the word or phrase under On this Page.

• Tap the navigation buttons to jump to each instance of the word if there's more than one.
• Tap Done when you're finished.

Everyone has their favorite search engine. Make sure yours is programmed as the default and use the Smart Search bar in Safari.

• Tap on Settings from your Home screen.
• Tap on Safari (you may have to scroll down to find it).

• Tap on Search Engine .
• Tap on your preferred search engine from the list.

Next time you open up Safari and type something into the Smart Search bar, it will use your newly-set search engine.

In iOS 15 , super-powered the native search functionality available to the left of the Home screen. When you enter a search term in the Search feature, you'll see suggested web searches and even websites based on your term.

• Swipe right on your Home screen to navigate to search.
• Enter your search term in your search bar.
• Tap the search result you want.

As you can see in the example above, the search terms that iOS found for "iMore" will automatically open Safari and search the web using that term.

The Smart Search bar can be at the top or bottom

If you're on iOS 15, you may notice that Apple switched the search/address bar from the top of the screen in Safari to the bottom of the screen. There's no functionality difference between the two options, but if you prefer the Smart Search bar to be at the top rather than the bottom, you can change the location of the address bar in Settings .

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Updated March 2022: Updated for the most recent version of iOS 15.

Luke Filipowicz has been a writer at iMore, covering Apple for nearly a decade now. He writes a lot about Apple Watch and iPad but covers the iPhone and Mac as well. He often describes himself as an "Apple user on a budget" and firmly believes that great technology can be affordable if you know where to look. Luke also heads up the iMore Show — a weekly podcast focusing on Apple news, rumors, and products but likes to have some fun along the way. 

Luke knows he spends more time on Twitter than he probably should, so feel free to follow him or give him a shout on social media @LukeFilipowicz .

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Safari User Guide

• Get started
• Go to a website
• Bookmark webpages to revisit
• See your favorite websites
• Use tabs for webpages
• Import bookmarks and passwords
• Pay with Apple Pay
• Autofill credit card info
• View links from friends
• Keep a Reading List
• Hide ads when reading
• Translate a webpage
• Download items from the web
• Add passes to Wallet
• Save part or all of a webpage
• Print or create a PDF of a webpage
• Interact with text in a picture
• Change your homepage
• Customize a start page
• Create a profile
• Block pop-ups
• Make Safari your default web browser
• Hide your email address
• Manage cookies
• Clear your browsing history
• Browse privately
• Prevent cross-site tracking
• See who tried to track you
• Change Safari settings
• Keyboard and other shortcuts

Customize searching in Safari on Mac

Searching the web is a powerful way to find information, and in Safari you can choose which search engine you wish to use.

Open Safari for me

Choose a search engine

When you search, you also give information about yourself to the search engine. For example, if you enter “Golden Retriever” in the Smart Search field, the search engine learns that you’re interested in information about Golden Retriever dogs, even if you don’t press Return to submit the search terms. Search engines have different policies for what they do with search data they collect from you.

Prevent search engine suggestions

Deselect “Include search engine suggestions.”

Safari stops sending the search engine your partial search terms as you type them, and the search engine doesn’t send Safari search suggestions to show in the results list below the search and address field.

Prevent searching within a site from the Smart Search field

Click Search, then deselect Enable Quick Website Search.

Stop getting Safari Suggestions from Music, Maps, and more

Deselect “Include Safari Suggestions.”

Safari stops using Safari Suggestions .

Stop preloading the top search hit

Deselect “Preload Top Hit in the background.”

While you’re typing in the Smart Search field, Safari no longer starts to load a webpage it determines to be the top hit based on your bookmarks and browsing history.

Stop showing icons for your favorite websites below the Smart Search field

Deselect “Show Favorites.”