icloud tabs safari not working

turing complete with a stack of 0xdeadbeef

How to fix iCloud Safari tabs syncing bug

02 march 2023.

Since iOS 15 and and macOS 12, or whenever Apple launched the new “Start Page” for Safari, I’ve had various issues getting tabs to sync across my devices. It seems to be a common problem .

Aside from tabs not syncing, the biggest problem I’ve had is that tabs from my Mac get “stuck” on my iPhone and iPad. These “ghost tabs” are ones that have been closed on my Mac — often for weeks or months — yet they continue to appear as open tabs on my iOS devices. Most recently, a tab appeared on my iPhone that was supposedly open on my Mac for a project on GitHub that I haven’t worked on for over a year! I’ve tried deleting/closing these ghost tabs on my iPhone, but they always reappear.

I finally decided to try to fix it. Most online forums suggest signing out of iCloud completely on all devices — but that is too destructive and risky for me. I decided to try another approach and it looks like it worked. If you have the same issue, here’s what you can do:

• On your Mac, backup your Safari data — bookmarks, etc. Just in case.
• Completely quit Safari on all devices.
• Disable Safari syncing in iCloud settings on all devices. Choose the option to delete the data from the device on iOS, but keep the data on your Mac.
• Launch Safari on all devices. Bookmarks, etc. should be gone on iOS.
• Completely quit Safari on all devices, again.
• Reboot all devices.
• Re-enable Safari syncing in iCloud settings on all devices.
• Launch Safari on your Mac, so it can sync the initial data.
• Launch Safari on all iOS devices.

After doing this, the issue should be fixed!

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iOS 17.4 iCloud tabs syncing bug

• Thread starter Morac
• Start date Mar 6, 2024
• Sort by reaction score
• iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
• iOS and iPadOS

macrumors 68020

• Mar 6, 2024

iCloud tab syncing was working fine until I upgraded to iOS 17.4 on my iPad and iPhone and now the way it works has changed. If i close Safari with tabs open it works the same way it used to. My other devices, including my Mac on 14.3.1 will show those tabs as iCloud tabs on my other device. Now though, if I close all tabs and close Safari, instead of the other devices showing no open tabs on my device, it just shows the tabs that had been open. Syncing isn’t broken per se as opening new tabs and closing Safari will remove the old tabs, but basically tabs won’t sync if there are no open tabs. Effectively that makes clearing out the closed tabs from other devices impossible. icloud tabs has effectively become currently open or recently open tabs. Basically tabs only sync when at least one is open.  

macrumors newbie

I noticed this and I'm glad it's not just me!  

macrumors regular

If it is indeed a change made by Apple and not a bug, I’m in the ‘dislike’ camp and hope for it to be restored to its previous way of working.  

• Mar 7, 2024

I'm seeing the same issue. I can't remove the last closed tab in iCloud tabs, but they do sync when there are open tabs. Syncing isn't broken like before but definitely a behavior/bug change. Funny thing is tabs on Mac Safari sync perfectly. When there is no open tab in Mac Safari, nothing shows on iPhone or iPad. Seems to be an iPhone/iPad issue at the moment.  

macrumors 65816

• Mar 8, 2024

yes confirmed I just noticed this too. Finally after it was working for a couple of months its broken again So ive tested this out if I open 1 lonesome tab on iOS, it gets reflected as being open on my iOS device in safari on Mac OS if I close that 1 tab on iOS, it stays open on MacOS if I now open a new tab in iOS, it replaces it on macOS and updates accordingly Now if I open several tabs in iOS, it updates macOS accordingly but I have to manually close each tab for it to be deleted in macOS but the last tab will still remain as being opened.... Now if I try to use the close all tabs option on iOS, none of the tabs get closed on MacOS how do they implement this without noticing it doesn't work is beyond me Thankfully it works in the opposite direction as in if I open a tab in safari on the Mac and close it iOS reflects accordingly.  

macrumors 6502

Also interested. "BNN Breaking" linked in the OP appears to be an AI-driven, dubious website. But, since updating, my iOS 17.4 device's previous tabs still carry over to Ventura and Sonoma machines on the same Apple ID even though they're closed, and they cannot be permanently closed as of this post by right-click -> close on those machines as you can with iCloud tabs in general. Bookmarks also are not currently syncing properly to the iOS device, but they are in sync on the desktop machines. Are others seeing this problem also?  

• Mar 9, 2024

I can confirm the reported bug. It appeared after 17.4 update. It was too good to be true...month of well functioning Safari tabs sync...gone 🤦‍♂️ The problems is somehow tied to iOS devices sync. Their synced tabs on Mac seem to be open forever even if they are not anymore.  

• Mar 11, 2024

Want to add in here, with the iCloud syncing + overall iCloud Apple ID issues across the board since updated.  

The problems to me seems resolved, likely on the iCloud infrastrutture side.  

XRC771 said: The problems to me seems resolved, likely on the iCloud infrastrutture side. Click to expand...

• Mar 16, 2024

Since updating ipads to 17.4 there has never ending problems syncing the Notebooks App to iCloud. it is some iCloud issue, it's amazing how such a huge company, with so many thousands of employees, and huge profits, can still create new OS that are problematic.  

• Apr 4, 2024

Just curious if people are still seeing this persistence of iCloud tabs from a device. I am but just want to make sure it isn't something I can be working on myself / is a backend issue with Apple/iCloud.  

exi said: Just curious if people are still seeing this persistence of iCloud tabs from a device. I am but just want to make sure it isn't something I can be working on myself / is a backend issue with Apple/iCloud. Click to expand...

macrumors 6502a

winburn said: Since updating ipads to 17.4 there has never ending problems syncing the Notebooks App to iCloud. it is some iCloud issue, it's amazing how such a huge company, with so many thousands of employees, and huge profits, can still create new OS that are problematic. Click to expand...

twintin said: I don't think issues magically decreases just by throwing more money an employees on a project (not from my experience with SW development). Solving issues are seldom that easy. But the complexity of writing services increases with number of users and code base size (scalability issues). Click to expand...

Morac said: iOS 17.4 was rushed out as there was deadline to release it set by the EU. It’s fairly obvious Apple didn’t want to push it out that early considering they didn’t push out the iOS 17.5 beta 1 until a month later. I’m hoping Apple has this fixed by iOS 17.5, though my guess is they aren’t even aware of the problem as it seems like the Apple engineers don’t even use the products they are working on. Click to expand...

xpxp2002 said: I just don't understand how they even break something like that in that way. I mean, there's no new functionality in iCloud Tabs between iOS 17.3 and 17.4. They shouldn't have even been touching it. Especially knowing how fickle iCloud Tabs has been in the past. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Click to expand...

macrumors 68030

Lee Eel said: I still see this. But the frustration is far lower as I turned off iCloud tabs from the start page settings Click to expand...

scouser75 said: How do you turn off icloud tabs? Click to expand...

• Apr 6, 2024

I have 17.5b1 on both my iPad and iPhone and I think they fixed this. iCloud tabs match what is open and then they disappear when the tab is closed on the other device.  

macrumors 68040

• Apr 8, 2024

Regardless of however which way I've been able to "fix" my iCloud Tabs issues over the last couple years, it happens again and I end up getting a number of phantom tabs on one or all of my 4 devices. Try and close tab, boom- it pops right back up. In some cases the phantom tab is a specific Macrumors Post which helps pinpoint the date it occurred. And so far the only consistent "fix" has been restoring "the device" until it happens again.  

• Apr 10, 2024

And a new annoyance with Tabs has cropped up! I just went to edit my Favourites and noticed all the Tabs I was trying to save under Tabbed Favourites "Stairs" have gone straight to my Favourites section. As I was constantly trying to find a fix to get these Tabs to go to "stairs", I now have a fair few saved in Favourites. But when I go to delete them, they don't delete.  

blotchy-veil

Macrumors member.

gwang73 said: I'm seeing the same issue. I can't remove the last closed tab in iCloud tabs, but they do sync when there are open tabs. Syncing isn't broken like before but definitely a behavior/bug change. Funny thing is tabs on Mac Safari sync perfectly. When there is no open tab in Mac Safari, nothing shows on iPhone or iPad. Seems to be an iPhone/iPad issue at the moment. Click to expand...

iPhoneTricks.org

• iPadOS 17.2
• watchOS 10.2
• HomePod 17.2
• AirPods 6.1
• Safari 17.2
• visionOS Beta
• iOS 17.2 Beta 3
• iPadOS 17.2 Beta 3
• macOS 14.2 Beta 3
• watchOS 10.2 Beta 3
• tvOS 17.2 Beta 3
• HomePod 17.2 Beta 3
• iPhone 15 Pro
• Apple Watch 9
• Apple Watch Ultra 2
• AirPods Pro 2

Fix Safari iCloud Tabs Not Syncing Between iPhone, iPad & Mac

Safari iCloud tabs bug

The Safari iCloud tabs not working issue was highlighted to us by Pam . She mentioned that she can’t access tabs that are open on her iPad, remotely from her iPhone to continue browsing. Although we’re not currently able to replicate the problem at our end, we’ve found numerous other similar reports on Reddit and the Macrumors forums .

How To Fix Safari Tabs Not Syncing

Apple is aware of this bug and is currently working to provide a solution. At the time of writing, there is no permanent fix available but you can try the following to attempt to troubleshoot Safari tabs not syncing across devices, via iCloud .

1. Reboot Devices

Your first option is to restart all devices that are plagued with the Safari tabs syncing problem: – iPhone: Quickly click and release Volume Up, Volume Down and then press & hold the Side Button until the Apple log is displayed on the screen. Be patient until the device is restarted. – iPad: Perform the same steps as the ones described above, the Side Button being replaced by the Power button. If you have an iPad with a Home Button, simultaneously press & hold it together with the Power Button to generate a force restart. – Mac: Click the Apple logo , in the top-left corner of the screen and select Restart…

2. Reset Safari iCloud Sync

• Open Settings and tap on your Apple ID available at the top of the screen.
• Next, tap iCloud .
• In the list with ‘Apps Using iCloud’ , disable Safari. You’re asked what you want to do with previously synced data. Select ‘Keep on My iPhone’ if you don’t want to lose anything important. However, to properly reset this you should go for ‘Delete from My iPhone’.
• Re-Enable Safari iCloud syncing and check if the problem is fixed.

On Mac Open System Preferences -> Click on Apple ID -> In the iCloud section, un-check Safari to disconnect it from iCloud. Click the checkbox once again to re-enable Safari iCloud syncing. Fact: Click OK , on the popup that asks you if you want to merge your bookmarks and Reading list with iCloud.

3. Sign Back Into iCloud

4. Update Software

This Safari tabs iCloud issue could also be generated by an iOS 14 or macOS Big Sur bug. Apple will most likely fix this problem with the help of a software update. That’s why we recommend you to always update to the most recent version. Tip: iOS 14.3 RC is already available for public beta testers. You can update your iPhone and iPad to it as described here and let us know, if it fixes the Safari tabs not syncing issue!

Did you make any breakthrough? Has any of the above tips fixed the iCloud Safari tabs not working on your iPhone, iPad and Mac? Use the comments section and share your feedback. Don’t hesitate to mention if we’re missing something out.

Related: Other common bugs currently occurring in iOS 14.2 are: – Messages notifications not working for iMessages and regular SMS. This bug has surfaced in iOS 14.2 and is occurring randomly. When it does the sender is also receiving a read receipt, although the receiver hasn’t even been notified about the new message. – iPhone and iPad keyboard lags when typing in Messages and other apps. – Apps crash randomly because of poor RAM management and iPhone displays the Home Screen. – Sound Recognition bug is crashing the Settings app and the feature can’t be edited. iPhone app closing animation stuttering when dismissing an app to bring up the Home Screen.

15 Responses to Fix Safari iCloud Tabs Not Syncing Between iPhone, iPad & Mac

I have an iPhone X and iPad Air 2019 both running IOS14..3, until yesterday with no issues. Yesterday I disabled and re-enabled my Hotmail account on both devices to try and prevent the flags changing colour between devices, which hasn’t been successful. Today I note that my iPad safari tabs no longer appear on my iPhone, although on my iPad the iPhone tabs do appear. None of your suggestions has resolved the issue. Has my email action caused this or is it pure coincidence?

It’s definitely iOS14 that’s at fault.

iCloud tabs works between my Intel Mac (10.13) and iOS 12 iPad. It doesn’t work with my iOS 14 phone, and it’s still broken in iOS 14.4. Signing in and out of iCloud has not helped, nor has confirming my Apple ID in Safari and System Preferences. Apple really seems to have broken it.

I’ve also not been receiving phone calls on my Mac for a while due to a mysterious mismatch between iMessage and iCloud accounts that I was notified of when signing back into iCloud on my iPhone. As other have noted, there’s no explanation for this warning, my Apple ID is correct, and not even Apple knows how to correct it.

Thanks for confirming that this issue is still present in iOS 14.4 and for specifically pinpointing it to iOS 14. Let’s hope that Apple will fix it asap.

I had the problem of hundreds of old tabs coming up on my brand new IPhone 12 Max Pro. I tried a few things on my own like rebooting, disabling then enabling Safari in the cloud and deleting them but they kept coming back. Apple support barely understood what I was saying, couldn’t fix it and elevated the case to a supervisor. The supervisor was also unable to solve the issue and elevated the case to the engineering team. I found this thread before they called back. I did the following on all three of my devices. iPhone, iPad and Mac. 1. Downloaded the latest IOS. 2. Disabled Safari in the cloud. 3. logged out of my Apple ID. 4. Shutdown then rebooted. 5. Logged back into my Apple ID. 6. Enabled Safari in the cloud 7. Success

p.s. Apple called back several days later. The had no solution to offer.

Thanks for reporting. Glad that the article helped you out. Enjoy your new iPhone 12 Pro Max.

I have this issue. Nothing has fixed it, multiple times. I’m giving ups as it appears to be a bug. Started for me in June 2021. A zombie tab for Ann Arbor’s transit system is one of the ones that won’t go away.

Sorry to hear this. Are you on iOS 15?

I too am not able to sync safari. Bookmarks are my issue. I have recently switched to apple entirely however this issue has caused me to re install chrome as it has the functionality I desire. Maybe give this a go. It will involve opening a google account if you don’t have one but in my case I consider this a fix until apple either catch up or I get to a point where I want to get new devices (I’m a little while off that)

Thanks for the feedback Adam. Bookmarks seem to sync fine over here. There is always a small delay when I created new Bookmarks on iPhone, until they show up in Safari on Mac. But you can make that instant if you force close Safari on Mac and re-open.

Thanks for the Chrome workaround. Yes, that’s a good option too. But if you’re already using Safari on iPhone it’s kinda difficult to migrate all your bookmarks from there to Chrome.

P.S.: Are you using the same Apple ID across all your devices?

Just want to say thank you, it solved my problem turning Safari sync off and then On again in iCloud On my iPad and iPhone. After doing that, i could see the open tabs on either device.

You’re welcome. Glad we could help! Thanks for confirming.

thanks 👌 turning icloud safari sync off and on fixed it

You’re welcome. Glad that it did!

Hi, unfortunately I tried all of the above but I still cannot see the tabs. Any further suggestions?

Thanks for the feedback Lara. Unfortunately, there’s nothing else to recommend at the moment. Let us know if you have any breakthrough.

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How to set up and use Safari iCloud tabs on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Whether you want to pick up where you left off or effortlessly transfer tabs between devices, Safari iCloud tabs are essential an essential feature. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of setting up and using Safari iCloud tabs, ensuring a synchronized browsing experience across all your Apple devices.

One of the coolest features of the Apple ecosystem is the connections between devices. You can start an email on your iPhone and finish it on your iPad, or send a text message from your Mac and reply to it on your iPhone. All of this co-mingling of apps on our devices makes life that much easier.

iCloud Tabs are a Safari feature that allows you to access and view your open tabs across all your Apple devices. It enables seamless synchronization, making it easy to pick up where you left off and transfer browsing sessions between your iPhone, iPad, and Mac for an uninterrupted browsing experience.

How does this work exactly? That’s what we’re here to show you!

Set up iCloud Tabs for Safari

First things first, you’ll need to enable the sharing of those iCloud Tabs for Safari on the devices you want to use them.

• Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad and select your Apple ID  from the top.
• Tap iCloud  > Show All .
• Turn on the toggle for Safari .

• Open System Settings on your Mac.
• Click your Apple ID tile.
• Go to iCloud > Show All and turn on the toggle for Safari .

• If your Mac is running macOS Monterey or earlier, go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud and enable Safari .
• On macOS Mojave or earlier, go to System Preferences > iCloud.

Use iCloud Tabs in Safari

Once you’ve enables the sharing of these tabs using the steps above, everything else is seamless. You’ll be able to jump to any Safari tab from any device.

Go to Safari on your iPhone, and go on the Start Page . You should see your open Safari tabs from other devices on this screen under the “ From your device name ” heading. Just tap to open a site.

The steps for iPad are similar. However, to select another device, tap the name of the current device on the Start Page. Here’s how it looks:

Do the following if you don’t see Safari iCloud tabs on your iPhone or iPad:

• Tap Edit and turn on iCloud Tabs
• Force quit the Safari app and reopen it
• Make sure your iPhone or iPad is connected to the Internet
• Restart your device

Open Safari on your Mac, and you should see your open Safari tabs from your iPhone, iPad, and other Macs here on the Start Page. You can click the name of the device and choose another one.

Follow these steps if you don’t see your iCloud tabs in Safari on Mac:

• Click the settings icon from the lower right and check the box for iCloud Tabs
• Quit and reopen Safari
• Ensure Wi-Fi or Ethernet is working on your Mac
• If nothing helps, restart your computer

Do more in Safari:

• How to change your Safari Homepage on Mac, iPhone and iPad
• How to customize your Safari Start Page on Mac
• How to download videos from Safari on iPhone and iPad

Great tips and insight

• Apple / iOS / iPad / iPhone / Mac / Tips

How to use iCloud Tabs in Safari now Apple has changed it

by Jonny Evans · Published September 27, 2021 · Updated October 4, 2021

Apple Tabs, a whole new way to confuse yourself

Apple has changed one of its most useful features on iPhones and iPads with the new version of Safari, making iCloud Tabs less useful, discoverable, and effective. Here is how t get the best out of what is left.

What are iCloud Tabs?

iCloud Tabs is a useful feature that lets you find all the Safari windows you currently have open across all the Macs, iPhones and iPads you own that are logged into the same Apple ID.

I use this a lot while researching topics across my devices. I find it invaluable.

Until now, all the information has been shown on one page in Safari.

What has changed?

When Apple introduced iOS 14 and Safari it introduced a new Start page in Safari .

That’s the page which opens when you launch a new browser window, and contains Favorites, Frequently Visited sites, Privacy report, Siri Suggestions, Reading List and iCloud Tabs.

iCloud Tabs gained a new layout that required we use a drop down menu to find other Apple devices and which pages you have open in Safari on them.

However, at that time it was still possible to access the old iCloud Tabs menu – which listed all your other devices and all their open pages in one page – by tapping the conjoined squares icon to the top right of Safari. Now, sadly, that view has gone.

Apple Tabs, a solution to a problem I didn’t have

How to use iCloud Tabs on iPhones and iPads

Here is how to make the best of what’s left of iCloud Tabs on iPhones and iPads.

Move into position:

Open a new window in Safari and you’ll be on the Start Page, which probably highlights your most frequently visited sites at the top with your iCloud Tabs at the bottom. Safari on iOS 15/iPadOS 15 now lets you reorder this by flicking to the bottom of the page and tapping Edit. Now you can drag iCloud Tabs from its default position at the bottom of the Start page to the top of the list, or wherever makes sense for you. You can also disable and sections you don’t use.

Choose your device:

Now you’ve put iCloud Tabs at the top of your start page it’s faster to get to. To navigate open pages across all your devices you’ll have to open a new start page as you did before and then choose the device in the drop down ‘From [device]’ list.

How to change Safari address bar position on iPhone

It’s far more laborious than before, but by slotting these at the top of the Start page I guess that saves one tap to lower the page.

You can add a shortcut in Safari on Mac

If you use iCloud Tabs with Safari on a Mac you do get to make one change that makes iCloud Tabs work better. This is a toolbar icon you can add which shows all the tabs you have open on all your devices in a dropdown menu.

To add this, open  View>Customize Toolbar , and drag the iCloud Tabs icon to where you want it to be on your toolbar. Click Done to save this.

Now you’ll be able to see all your current tabs in a drop down menu, but I still found the earlier on page version a lot easier to handle.

Why is Apple doing this?

Apple really seems wedded to the idea of Safari tabs and Tab Groups . Apple says Tab Groups “allow you to easily save your tabs 
 and organize them in a way 
 that works best for you. Switch between your groups from Tab Overview.” Tab Groups sync across devices, so you can continue your project from anywhere, at least in theory. The problem with them is that conceptually they really are quite unwieldy and they functionally replace Bookmarks, which most of us have used since we started browsing the internet. Here’s how to use them:

• Create a Tab Group

You can create a tab group by tapping the conjoined squares to invoke the New Empty Tab Group command. Give your tab group a name.

• Populate a Tab Group

Now when browsing the web you can add tabs to specific tab groups by long pressing the tab (why) and then adding Move to Tab Group and choosing a group, or choosing and tapping a Tab Group name if it appears. That item will be added to that group. It’s just like using Bookmarks. Except you don’t use the Share button, which still has an Add Bookmark but does not have an Add to Tab Group button (at least on my current machine). Which makes no sense at all.

Let me know when they get this feature right.

Please follow me on  Twitter , or join me in the  AppleHolic’s bar & grill  and  Apple Discussions  groups on MeWe.

Tags: Apple iOS iPad iPhone Safari

Jonny Evans

Watching Apple since 1999. I don't say what they should do. I say what they might do. They sometimes do.

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iOS 15 Safari iCloud Tabs Not Syncing: Best Fixes Here

Safari is a pretty famous browser for iPhone users. Every iPhone loves using this reliable and outstanding browser. But at times, some users complain about the “iOS 15 Safari iCloud tabs not syncing” issue.

Whatever the reasons behind your Safari tabs not working are, we’ll give you proper solutions to solve the issue.

How to Fix Safari Tab Groups Not Syncing iOS 15

If your Safari Tabs aren’t working well, you need to look at the following solutions to fix your problem.

Fix 1. Set Up iCloud Tabs Correctly on Each Device

Correctly setting up iCloud tabs on your device can fix the iOS 15 Safari iCloud tabs not syncing issue. You need to follow these steps to set up iCloud Tabs.

On your iPad, iPhone, iPod touch

• 1. Open Settings and then open your name icon and then click iCloud ID.
• 2. Now, you need to ensure that Safari is on. 

On your Mac

• 1. After choosing the Apple menu, you need to navigate to System Preferences. Now, you need to press iCloud after clicking on Apple ID. 

Fix 2. Quit and Reopen Safari to Try Again

Despite setting up iCloud tabs, if you’re still having a problem with your Safari, you need to quit the app and restart it again.

• 1. Press the Apple menu and select “Force Quit”.
• 2. Navigate to the apps and select Safari, and press Force Quit. After, you need to confirm your action. 
• 3. Now, you need to wait for few minutes to relaunch Safari. Hopefully, this process will solve your problem. 

Fix 3. Check If Tabs are Opened in Private Browsing Mode

Sometimes, you open many Tabs on Safari and forget to close all the Safari tabs before leaving Safari. And when you open it again, you may face trouble running Safari.

It is why you need to clear all the Safari tabs to prevent Safari not to function correctly. Here’s the simple guide to close all the Safari Tabs

• 1. Press File after opening Safari.
• 2. Choose Close All Windows, and it will remove all the tabs you’ve opened in Safari. 
• 3. After doing so, you need to open Safari again and check whether Safari is properly working or not.

Fix 4. Turn Off Safari and Back in iCloud to Solve iOS Safari Tab Groups Not Syncing

If nothing works for you and the iOS 15 Safari iCloud not syncing issue still exists, you need to navigate iCloud settings and disable Safari syncing. After disabling it, you need to enable it again.

Here’s the guide to perform this task.

• 1. After opening settings, you need to click on your Apple ID on the screen. Now, you need to hit the iCloud option.
• 2. Navigate to the list “App Using iCloud” and disable Safari from there.
• 3. If you don’t want your data to get deleted, you need to choose the Keep on My iPhone option. However, if you want to remove all your data, click “Delete from My iPhone”.
• 4. After disabling it, you need to enable Safari iCloud again. This process will restart your device after restarting your device if your problem is fixed; if not, move to the next solution.

Fix 5. Restart All of Your iPhone, iPad, and Mac

If the above solutions don’t work, you need to restart your iPhone device to check it can solve your problem or not. Here’s the guide to restart your iOS device.

Hold the Side Button after clicking and releasing Volume Down and Volume Up button until Apple Logo is visible.

On iPad, you need to hold the Power button instead of the Side button, and the rest is the same you’ve done with iPhone.

In Mac, you need to hit Apple Logo and choose “Restart” to restart your device.

Fix 6. Sign Out and Back iCloud for iOS 15 Safari iCloud Tabs Not Syncing Issue

Another excellent solution that may solve your problem is to sign out of your iCloud in the first place and then sign in again. Following is the complete guide to Sign out your iCloud account.

For iPhone and iPad

Navigate to settings and tap on Apple ID after tapping Sign Out from your iCloud ID.

• 1. Move to your system preferences and Sign out your iCloud ID after clicking Apple ID.
• 2. After signing out from iCloud ID, you need to sign back to your iCloud ID.
• 3. After signing in, check whether things have improved or not.

Fix 7. Update All Your Device to the Latest Version

Sometimes your Safari tab group doesn’t work because you didn’t update your iPhone to the latest version.

It is why you need to navigate to settings and check whether the new update is available or not. If you see a recent update, you need to install it on your iPhone without a second invitation.

If you don’t see any new updates available, you need to look for other solutions to solve your problem.

Fix 8. Use StarzSoft Fixcon to Solve iOS 15 Safari iCloud Tabs Not Syncing

If you’re facing any issue, StarzSoft Fixcon can fix it in a flash. It is a majestic third-party tool that sets apart all other instruments.

You’ll get a pretty straightforward interface and marvelous support from this tool. Importantly, you’ll not lose any data after repairing your device.

Since you’re facing issues with your Safari Tabs, StarzSoft Fixcon will fix your problem through Standard Repair. Here is the step-by-step guide to repairing your device.

• 1. After launching Fixcon, you need to look for the “Standard Repair” option and click on it.

• 4. After selecting the firmware package, you need to hit the” Continue” button to repair your device. It will take some minutes. After restoring your iPhone, you need to check the Safari Tabs are working or not.

If Safari tabs are working correctly, it is good. But if the Tabs are not responding well, you’ll need to look for some other solution.

Fix 9. Report the iOS 15 Bug to Apple

If all the options mentioned above don’t work, another issue might need to be addressed as soon as possible.

It is why you need to contact Apple support and tell them about the Safari issue you’re having. You’re most likely to get a reply within some hours, and they’ll probably help you fix your problem.

Restarting your iPhone device or clearing all the Safari Tabs can solve the iOS 15 Safari iCloud not syncing issue.

You can also quit the Safari app and relaunch it to check whether it helps or not. Try StarzSoft Fixcon , a mind-blowing third-party tool that can solve iOS device-related issues if you can’t figure out the answer despite applying many solutions.

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Author: Hare Rainsun

Specialized in resolving iPhone/iPad/iPod touch issues for more than 10 years. View all posts by Hare Rainsun

How to access iCloud Tabs in Safari on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac

iCloud Tabs allow you to access web pages you have open in Safari across any iPhone, iPad, or Mac you've got synced up with your iCloud account. If you're at home browsing on your Mac and later need to access a page you had open on that Mac from your iPhone or iPad, there's no need to scour the web for it, just use iCloud Tabs to instantly view the page on any of your iCloud enabled devices.

Here's how.

How to enable iCloud Tabs on iPhone and iPad

How to enable icloud tabs in mac os x mountain lion, how to access icloud tabs on your iphone and ipad, how to access icloud tabs on your mac.

iCloud tabs doesn't have its own setting to enable but if you don't have iCloud syncing with Safari turned on across all your iOS or OS X devices, you won't be able to use iCloud Tabs.

• Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.

• Tap on iCloud .

• Make sure the option to sync Safari with iCloud is ticked to On .

iCloud Tabs are only available in OS X Mountain Lion, so if you are on an older version of OS X, unfortunately, you won't have the ability to use iCloud Tabs on your Mac. If you are on Mountain Lion, just perform the following steps to make sure iCloud Tabs are enabled.

• Click the Apple logo in the upper left hand corner and click on System Preferences .

• Click on iCloud .

• Make sure the option to sync Safari with iCloud is checked.

• Launch Safari from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad.

• Tap on the Bookmarks icon in the bottom navigation. (It's the second icon from the right.)

• Tap on iCloud Tabs .

• Here you'll see a list of all the open Safari tabs you've got across all your iOS and OS X devices. Simply tap on whatever tab you'd like to open. That's it!

• Launch Safari on your Mac running OS X Mountain Lion.

• Click on the Cloud icon to the left of the address bar .

• Click on whatever web page you'd like to go to from any of your listed devices. That's all there is to it!

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iCloud Tabs is a simple but very convenient thing that keeps me organized even when I’ve got some fifty tabs open on my computer, but I want them on my iPad. And it’s that feature on all your iOS devices that will help you continue your browsing on all devices seamlessly.

The feature lets me do two things: First off, keep reading across all devices without having to bookmark or keep a list of URLs you have to read. Secondly, it makes sure you can continue your work from any place, just like iCloud documents: iPhone, iPad, or whatever other devices that are configured with your iCloud credentials. Let’s see how to set it up and use it.

• Setup iCloud Tabs on iPhone or iPad

Setup iCloud Tabs on Mac

Use icloud tabs on iphone or ipad, use icloud tabs on mac.

Before we start,

• Make sure that both the device, i.e. iDevice and Mac are on the same iCloud account
• The sync process sometimes doesn’t work in real-time and you may need to disable Safari from iCloud settings in iPhone and Mac. Turn it back on, and it works flawlessly

Setup iCloud Tabs on iPhone and iPad

Step #1. Go to Settings → tap on your name at the top → tap on iCloud.

Step #2. Turn on the Switch next to Safari.

Step #1. Click on Apple Menu → Click on System Preferences.

Step #2. Click on iCloud.

Step #3. Tick the checkbox beside Safari.

Once iCloud is set up on all devices, connected through the same account, you can now browse websites and open as many tabs as you want.

Step #2. It will reveal the websites already opened on your iDevice. Access them as you wish.

If there are no tabs open, tap the “+” icon and launch a new tab and visit any website.

You’ll see all local tabs as well as tabs open on other iOS devices. Access them from here.

That’s all, mate!

Signing off…

One of the biggest advantages of using the Apple ecosystem is that switching between Apple devices is pretty smooth and straightforward. Whether it is a universal clipboard or handoff, things just work out of the box. What’s your take on this?

You may also like to explore:

• Universal Clipboard Not Working Between Mac and iPhone
• How to Set Up iCloud Photo Sharing on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows
• Messages Not Syncing with iCloud on the iPhone? Tips to Cut the Chase

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Set up and use iCloud Tabs

iCloud keeps the tabs you have open in Safari up to date on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Mac. That means you can go from one device to the next and pick up browsing wherever you left off.

Set up iCloud Tabs

Complete these steps on all of the devices where you want to share tabs.

On your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Go to Settings, then tap your name.

Tap iCloud.

Under Apps Using iCloud, make sure that Safari is on. You might need to tap Show All to see Safari.

On your Mac

Choose Apple menu  > System Settings. In macOS Monterey or earlier, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.

Click Apple ID, then click iCloud.

Click to turn on Safari.

Open a tab or close a tab from another device

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Open Safari.

By default the Start Page includes a section showing the tabs that are open on your other devices.

Tap the one you want to open.

To close a tab from another Apple device, touch and hold the link, then choose Close.

From the Bookmarks menu in the menu bar, choose Show Start Page.

Tap the one that you want to open.

To close a tab on another Apple device, Control-click the tab, then choose Close Tab.

Use Tab Groups

To keep your tabs organized and easy to find again later, you can organize them into Tab Groups. After you create a Tab Group, you can share it with others who also use iCloud to collaborate in Safari.

Learn how to organize your tabs into Tab Groups

Learn how to share a Tab Group and collaborate in Safari

If you can’t set up or use iCloud Tabs

iCloud Tabs works between devices running iOS 13 or iPadOS 13 or later and macOS Mojave 10.14.4 or later, or between devices running iOS 12 or earlier and macOS Mojave 10.14.3 or earlier.

If your iCloud Tabs aren't updating, make sure that you're running the latest iOS or iPadOS on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and the latest macOS on your Mac.

Check that you signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices, and that your Apple ID has two-factor authentication turned on.

Contact Apple Support

Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online and we'll connect you to an expert.

6 Tips to Improve Your Safari Experience on iPhone

A ccessing the internet on an iPhone is made simple by Safari, Apple's native web browser; it does a great job of getting you started, but there are several other features that you can leverage to enhance your user experience.

Below, we'll list some valuable tips you can use to get the most out of Safari on your iPhone. So, let's get started.

1. Modify the Start Page

The start page is the first element you usually run into when launching Safari—it's the default screen if you've not used the browser before or didn't leave any tabs open after your last session. And the first step you can take in improving your Safari experience is to customize it.

Customizing the start page involves changing the background image and choosing the sections (listed below) you want the app to show. We've added descriptions to help you understand a little more about each section.

• Favorites : This section will show all your favorite websites and bookmarks which have been added to the Favorites section on your iPhone.
• Frequently Visited : This is a collection of searches and websites you've frequented in recent months. The information is said to be a mix from all your Apple devices if you've enabled iCloud.
• Shared with You : It works by finding links, images, music, and more, sent within the Messages app, and brings them up in relevant applications. For example, if someone texted you a link via iMessage, you'll find it in this section of the start page.
• Privacy Report : This section surfaces information on the trackers used by websites you've visited in the last 30 days and showcases when your iPhone—and other Apple devices—prevented them from profiling you.
• Siri Suggestions : You can find website suggestions based on your recent browsing history, bookmarks, and open tabs within this section if you choose to use them.
• Reading List : You can find the three latest additions to your Reading List in this section, with a Show All button available in case you want to view the other articles you've added to your read later list.
• iCloud Tabs : This feature showcases up to four most recent tabs open on each Apple device you own with iCloud enabled for Safari.

To begin customizing your Safari's start page, follow the steps listed below:

• Scroll down to the bottom of the Safari start page and tap Edit.
• Now, enable the desired sections using the toggles or reorder them by pressing (and dragging) the three horizontal lines.

If you want to experience Apple's Continuity feature , toggle on Use Start Page on All Devices at the top of the edit menu. This will ensure your start page is in sync across all devices connected to your iCloud account.

2. Create Tab Groups in Safari

The next step in improving Safari on iPhone is to create and use Tab Groups . The feature lets you bring order and control to tabs by allowing you to group similar ones—or those you often use together—into folders. Ideally, you can use the feature to separate search results and websites related to work from those you open during casual browsing.

To create a Tab Group, follow the steps listed below:

• View all your tabs by tapping the Tab button in the bottom-right corner.
• Now, tap the text box at the bottom of the screen—it mentions the number of tabs open.
• In the menu that appears, tap New Empty Tab Group or the second option, New Tab Group with X Tabs .
• Name the Tab Group according to your liking and hit Save .

The X in the second option will vary based on the number of tabs open when creating a Tab Group.

3. Use Safari Extensions

Like Chrome, you can install Safari extensions to improve your browsing experience. For those unaware, these are applications built for web browsers that bring additional functionality and make your life easier.

For example, you can install applications that scour the web for coupon codes and bring them up when you're making a purchase or add ones that help edit written content to ensure you aren't making silly errors.

Adding extensions to Safari on an iPhone is a bit different compared to installing and removing extensions in Safari on a Mac . To do this, follow the steps listed below:

• Go to Settings > Safari on your iOS device.
• On the next screen, find Extensions under the General subsection and tap on it.
• You'll now see a list of extensions available. In case you see no options, tap More Extensions to visit the Safari Extensions store.

You may sometimes see options without having installed an extension before; these are present due to an application—that offers Safari extensions—installed on your iPhone from before.

Once you've installed an extension, activate it in Settings using the same steps above and then do the following:

• Open Safari and tap the AA button in the address bar.
• Now, tap Manage Extensions and select the extension you want to activate.

4. Choose Websites to Automatically Use Reader

Reader in Safari is a nifty add-on that lets you read content from a website with minimal distractions and no ads. It makes the experience quite simple and offers options like changing the page color, font, and font size.

Activating Reader is quite simple; tap the AA button in the address bar when you're on a supported webpage and choose Show Reader . However, if you frequently visit a specific website, you can configure Safari to load all its webpages in Reader. Here's what you need to do:

• Open the desired website and tap the AA button.
• In the context menu that appears, tap Website Settings .
• Now, toggle on Use Reader Automatically . Each supported webpage will now open in Reader, making it easier to read the content.

5. Set Tabs to Open in Background

Despite it being easy to access AI tools like ChatGPT on mobile for learning about things, if you prefer getting deep into the weeds when doing research, you may want to view many of the following webpages in new tabs.

By default, opening a new tab via a hyperlink will leave the old tab behind and move you to the new tab. While this behavior is fine, it can feel like a chore if you'd like to open multiple results from a search page.

Fortunately, you can change this behavior. Here's what you need to do:

• Open the Settings app, and scroll down to the Safari option.
• On this page, under the Tabs subsection, tap on Open Links .
• Now, choose In Background .

6. Configure Safari to Automatically Close Tabs

Lastly, while the ability to open many tabs in Safari is a boon, knowing ways to organize your browser and keeping it clutter-free can help you focus better and increase productivity. And keeping only a few tabs open can be a part of this regime.

Safari on iPhone also helps with this, with the ability to automatically close tabs after a set period of time; we've detailed the steps to activate the feature below:

• On this page, under the Tabs subsection, tap on Close Tabs .
• Now, choose from the available options: After One Day , After One Week , or After One Month .

Become a Safari Power User With These Changes

Each customization method listed above will help improve your Safari experience, be it with a new background image that makes the app feel more personal or a setting that keeps it clutter-free.

Overall, Safari is an excellent browser that can be made even better for power users with a few changes. And some of Apple's exclusive features make a strong case for the app, especially if you're a Mac user.

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Safari iCloud tabs not showing on iPhone

iPhone 11 iOS 15.5 - MacBook Air macOS Monterey 12.4

I have been battling this problem for a while, and it turned out that Malwarebytes was blocking iCloud update so I removed it.

On the iPhone however the iCloud tabs are not showing at all. The other way around, on my Mac it’s that show. When I go to customize start page I have the iCloud tabs marked. Bookmarks and reading list are showing.

I tried unchecking Safari in iCloud, delete the info on the iPhone and reboot the phone. That did not help.

iPhone 11 Pro Max, iOS 15

Posted on Jun 14, 2022 9:01 AM

Posted on Jun 15, 2022 10:18 AM

Hello Short3,

Thank you for reaching out to Apple Support Communities.

Let's sign out of iCloud on both your iPhone and Mac and sign back in.

Sign out on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

• Go to Settings > [your name]. 
• Scroll down to the bottom.
• Tap Sign Out.
• Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.  Forgot your Apple ID password ? 
• Turn on the data that you want to keep a copy of on your device.
• Tap Sign Out again to confirm that you want to sign out of iCloud.

Sign out on your Mac

• Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences.
• Click Apple ID, then click Overview. If you use macOS High Sierra or earlier, click iCloud.
• Click Sign Out.
• If you want to a keep a copy of your iCloud data on your Mac before you sign out, make sure that you select the appropriate checkboxes. Then click Keep a Copy.
• If you want to keep a copy of your Safari passwords on your Mac, click Keep on This Mac.

More details can be found here: Sign out of iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac

Once this is complete test to see if the issue persists.

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Jun 15, 2022 10:18 AM in response to Short3