Episode
Compact vs Classic: Choosing Your Safari Tab Style
- Podcast
- AppleVis Podcast
- Published
- Sep 16, 2025
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Summary
In this episode, Thomas Domville walks through Safari’s new Tabs layout options in iOS 26 , explains the default Compact view, and shows how to switch between Compact , Bottom , and Top tab layouts. The demo is VoiceOver-centric, with practical navigation tips (rotor use, headings, and screen-edge gestures) to make changing this setting quick and repeatable. Summary What changed: Safari now defaults to a Compact UI along the bottom: a single row with More , Tabs , the Address Bar , and a Page Menu . Traditional back/forward controls aren’t where long-time users expect. Why it matters: If Compact disrupts your muscle memory (or your VoiceOver workflow), iOS 26 lets you pick an alternate layout— Bottom (classic iOS) or Top (very old Safari style). Key Points & Takeaways Three layouts available: Compact (default), Bottom (classic), Top (legacy-style). Settings location: You change this in Settings → Apps → Safari → Tabs . VoiceOver navigation pattern: Use headings to jump quickly through long Settings screens; the Apps button sits just left of the Search field at the bottom of Settings. Customization is back: Apple now lets you choose the tab bar placement instead of enforcing a single layout. Step-by-Step Guide Fast Path Open Settings . Go to Apps → Safari . Find the Tabs section. Choose one: Compact , Bottom , or Top . Detailed Instructions with VoiceOver Open Settings. Four-finger single tap near the bottom to reach the footer controls. Navigate to Apps. You’ll encounter the Search field and a Dictate button; Apps is just to the left of Search. Double-tap Apps . Jump by Headings to the letter sections and flick to S ; move right to Safari and double-tap. In Safari settings, use Headings to reach Tabs . Swipe right to the layout choices and double-tap your preferenc…