Safari, Apple’s default web browser, is well-known for its elegant layout and streamlined user experience. Whether you’re a casual internet user or a power user, learning how to switch between tabs quickly will help you browse more efficiently.
In this post, we’ll look at Safari tab switching, several ways to easily browse between tabs in Safari, catering to a variety of tastes and usage circumstances.
Mastering the art of tab management not only speeds up your surfing sessions, but it also allows you to multitask more effectively.
Whether you’re researching a topic, shopping online, or simply reading for fun, the ability to quickly navigate between tabs can improve your online experience.
Safari Switch Tabs Shortcut
Without further ado, here are the top keyboard shortcuts for macOS Safari
1. Quickly navigate between open tabs
To swiftly switch between Safari tabs with your keyboard, press Control + Tab or Control + Shift + Tab to move your open tabs forward or backward. You may also use Command + 1 to Command + 8 to swiftly navigate to a specific tab. If your open tabs don’t fit in Safari’s tab bar, just slide left or right on any tab with your trackpad to display those outside the window bounds.
2. Immediately navigate to the rightmost tab
To quickly navigate to the rightmost open tab, press Command + 9. This useful shortcut is only available on Mac machines running macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 or newer. This shortcut opens the ninth Safari tab on previous macOS releases.
3. Close one tab
Press Command + W to swiftly shut a Safari tab. To close all tabs other than the currently active one, right-click or control-click the one you want to keep and select Close Other Tabs from the popup menu.
Alternatively, press the Option key and select the tab’s close symbol (x). This will keep this tab open while closing all other active tabs!
4. Open recently closed tabs or windows
Have you ever closed a tab and quickly regretted it? No big deal! There are numerous shortcuts for opening recently closed tabs. If you just closed a tab in Safari, use the regular undo shortcut. Command + Z.
Otherwise, use Shift + Command + T, or select Reopen Last Closed Tab from Safari’s History menu.
You can use this shortcut (or the Undo action) several times to reopen multiple closed tabs. To reopen a closed tab, pick it from Safari’s History → Recently Closed submenu.
Tip: To reopen any mistakenly closed windows or tabs from your last browsing session, go to Safari’s History menu and select Reopen All Windows From Last Session.
5. Switch between windows
We understand how to switch between tabs, but how do you fast transition between windows in Safari? Simply press Command +’or Command + Shift +’to switch windows in reverse.
6. Move back or forward
Let the trackpad and mouse rest. In Safari on Mac, use the Command +] shortcut to navigate to the next webpage and Command + [ to return to the previous webpage.
7. Scroll a whole page
In Safari for Mac, hold the Option key and press the Up or Down arrow keys to scroll a whole page at a time. You can also use the Space bar or Shift + Space bar to scroll down or up a complete page.
8. Jump to the top or bottom of the webpage
To quickly go to the top or bottom of a webpage in Safari, hold the Command key on your keyboard while tapping the Up or Down arrow key.
9. Show or hide the Favorites bar
Every bit of real estate counts. To display or hide your Favorites bar in Mac Safari, press Command + Shift + B.
10. Open a private browsing window.
To rapidly open a new private browsing session in Safari for Mac, use Command + Shift + N.
11. Display or hide the sidebar.
Want quick access to Safari’s bookmarks, reading list, and shared links? Try pressing Command + Shift + L.
12. Jump straight to the URL bar
To rapidly open the Safari address bar to type in a URL or enter a search query, press Command + L.
How to switch between tabs in Safari using trackpad
Enabling trackpad movements for tab switching on your Mac is a simple operation. Here’s how you can accomplish it:
- Open System Preferences by clicking on the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen and selecting “System Preferences” from the dropdown menu.
- Select the trackpad: In the System Preferences box, locate and click the “Trackpad” icon.
- Select “More Gestures”: In the Trackpad settings, go to the “More Gestures” option. Here you can find a variety of trackpad motions that you can customize.
- Enable Tab Switching Gesture: Locate the option titled “Swipe between full-screen apps” or anything similar. To enable the gesture, check the box next to it.
- Adjust Trackpad Sensitivity: If necessary, you can modify the trackpad gesture sensitivity to your preference. Experiment with the parameters to get the most comfortable and responsive arrangement.
- Test the Gesture: After you’ve enabled the tab switching gesture, you may try it out. Open a few tabs in your choice online browser, then swipe left or right on the trackpad using three fingers. The tabs should switch back and forth as you do the gesture.
Follow these steps to enable the trackpad gesture for tab switching on your Mac. This allows you to move through your open tabs with natural and efficient swiping gestures.
Two-Finger Swipe Gesture
The two-finger swipe motion is a popular way to switch between tabs on a Mac trackpad. It provides an easy and straightforward way to navigate your open tabs. Here’s how to make the two-finger swipe gesture:
- Place your fingers on the trackpad. Place two fingers (often your index and middle) on the trackpad’s surface. Make sure your fingers are in a comfortable position with a strong grip.
- Swipe left or right: After placing your fingertips on the trackpad, swipe left or right in a horizontal motion. To trigger the tab transition, use a smooth and precise movement. You can begin the swipe from either edge of the trackpad, depending on your preferences.
- Observe the tab switch: When you use the two-finger swipe gesture, the active tab will transition to the next or previous tab in your web browser or application. This allows you to swiftly switch between open tabs without having to click on each one or use keyboard keys.
- The two-finger swipe gesture is a versatile and quick way to switch between tabs. It offers a smooth and tactile experience, making it easier to manage and navigate several tabs on your Mac.
It is important to note that different applications and web browsers may interpret the two-finger swipe gesture differently. Some may need that specific settings be enabled, while others may have additional functionality associated with this motion. To get the most out of the two-finger swipe gesture for tab switching, check out the settings and options of your favorite apps.
Three-Finger Swipe Gesture
A three-finger swipe gesture is another effective way to switch between tabs on a Mac trackpad. It provides a somewhat different experience than the two-finger swipe motion, allowing for greater usefulness and versatility. Here’s how to make the three-finger swipe gesture:
- Position your fingers: Place three fingers (such as your thumb, index, and middle) on the touchpad. Make sure your fingers are comfortably placed and have a decent grip.
- Swipe left or right: Use your three fingers on the trackpad to swipe left or right horizontally in a clean and controlled manner. The swipe can begin at either edge of the trackpad, depending on your taste.
- Observe the tab switch: When you use the three-finger swipe motion, the active tab in your web browser or application flips to the next or previous tab, much like the two-finger swipe gesture does. Furthermore, some programs may use the three-finger swipe action to offer additional features, such as switching between full-screen apps or displaying the Mission Control view.
- The three-finger swipe gesture provides greater control and ease while switching between tabs. Its multi-finger functionality provides for smoother navigation and increases the diversity of your trackpad usage. Using this gesture, you may quickly and efficiently navigate across your tabs, increasing your total productivity.
Please bear in mind that the interpretation of the three-finger swipe gesture may differ based on the application or web browser you are using. It’s worth looking into the settings and preferences of your favorite apps to see what other features can be triggered by the three-finger swipe gesture.
Four Finger Swipe Gesture
The four-finger swipe motion is an effective and versatile way to switch between tabs on a Mac trackpad. It provides more functionality and customization possibilities than the two- and three-finger swipe gestures. Here’s how to make the four-finger swipe gesture:
- Position your fingers: Place four fingers (thumb, index, middle, and ring) on the trackpad. Make sure your fingers are in a comfortable position and have a solid grip.
- Swipe left or right: Use your four fingers to swipe left or right horizontally on the trackpad in a clean and controlled motion. The swipe can begin from either edge of the trackpad, depending on your taste and comfort.
- Consider the tab switch and other features: When you use the four-finger swipe gesture, the active tab in your web browser or application will switch to the next or previous tab, just like the two and three-finger swipe gestures. Depending on your macOS settings and program setups, the four-finger swipe gesture can also activate Mission Control or expose the Notification Center.
- The four-finger swipe gesture gives you more control and personalization while switching tabs, as well as access to other system functions. Using this gesture, you may easily navigate across your tabs while simultaneously taking advantage of other macOS capabilities.
It’s worth noting that the four-finger swipe gesture can be interpreted differently based on the programs and settings you use. Certain applications may use this gesture for certain functions, so it’s worth looking into your favorite apps’ choices and settings to fully realize the possibilities of the four-finger swipe motion.
Switch between tabs Safari iPhone
With iOS 15, the Safari UI was updated to include a tab bar at the bottom. You can use the old Safari or rotate into landscape mode to access your tabs. However, there is a clever technique to navigate between tabs while the bar is at the bottom and in portrait mode.
To begin, launch the Safari browser on your iPhone and open several websites in separate tabs. If you are on the first tab in the list of open tabs, you will sell a small portion of the tab to the right.
You can now switch to the next tab by swiping left on the tab bar. Similarly, if you notice a section of a tab on the left side of the tab bar, swipe right to move to that tab and left to return to the previous tab.
How to Switch Tabs Using Tabs Button in Safari
Swiping on the tab bar to navigate between open Safari tabs can be time-consuming, especially if you have a large number of them. However, the Tabs button allows you to rapidly navigate from the first to the last tab, or wherever in between.
Launch the Safari browser on your iPhone and open many webpages in separate tabs. Tap the “Tabs” button (two cascading squares) on the right (top or bottom, depending on where you have the tab bar).
It will bring up a card-style grid of Safari tabs. You can switch between tabs by scrolling and tapping, which is faster than swiping through other open tabs.
That is it! After surfing, you can close all Safari tabs at once on an iPhone.
Conclusion
Using keyboard shortcuts in Safari can greatly improve your surfing experience while saving you time and effort. With experience, you can soon become accustomed to these shortcuts and explore Safari more efficiently. Safari’s keyboard shortcuts make it easy to manage bookmarks, navigate webpages, and retrieve your browsing history.
In addition, tab management has changed significantly on Apple iOS 15 and is similar to how tabs are maintained in Safari for Mac and iPad. With iOS 15, users can now customize their start page to include a set background, favorites, continuity tabs, and more. The start page is shared via Continuity; therefore, any start pages produced on macOS or iPadOS will be reflected on iOS.
This is significant since having pages saved to a start page for rapid access reduces the need to keep hundreds of tabs open. Tabs can also be searched, closed, and grouped together for convenient organizing.