Safari stuck in compact tab mode, iOS 26

This isn’t just iOS 26, I had the issue back on 18.6 and can see my chat support history with Apple from August. Back then it was Single Tab vs Tab Mode and mine was stuck on annoying Tab Mode. I’ve verified the cloud sync and deleted everything, even reset network settings, reset all settings, erased phone and restored from back up, nothing fixes it. At some point around 18.6.2 I think it was, it just started working again. Earlier this week I updated to 26.1 and it’s now stuck in compact mode. I don’t believe tha existed on 18.6, back then it was stuck on “Bottom” setting. I like the address bar at the top of the screen. When I checked and saw 26.2 I immediately updated as it was a software update that seemed to “unstick” this setting, it worked! This morning it’s back to Compact. I’ve force closed Safari every time, am very tech savvy and build my own PCs and support all my family’s iPhones, this is definitely an issue with Apple but doesn’t affect all devices so no real way to tell why it’s happening to some but not everyone. I’m on an iPhone 14 Pro.

It works for me as described, though you do have to force close (swipe up) Safari then re-open it to get all the new settings.

And my phone modified like that has the url/search at now at the top, my other phone still has the compact one at the bottom.

So mine works as expected. You need to find out why yours doesn't. Maybe you are not closing and reopening Safari?

When you say the top settings do you mean the settings for safari in the settings app? If you haven’t try there.

That’s exactly what happened on my 15 pro max too. On 26.0.1 I realized that tabs were stuck in compact mode, although I have them set to ‘top’.

With 26.1 they were ‘fixed’ for a few days, and reverted back after a few days.

Your procedure assumes that setting the compact setting to top works after turning off iCloud sync and the phone. (It’s already set to top, and switching to any mode doesn’t work whether before this procedure or after. At least not on my phone.)

Raveren wrote:

Didn’t work for me unfortunately. I don’t use iCloud. Tried turning safari sync on and then off and deleting it, but it’s still bugged.

And you definitely force closed Safari, made the change, then opened Safari?

Out of interest do you have another phone on ios26 with the compact setting?

I have this issue with no other iPhones. I do have a Mac with safari set to separate tabs. The phone stuck on compact is getting infuriating.

Try iPhone, Settings, [tap your name], iCloud, see all, Safari, turn off the icloud sync. Select Delete from my iPhone.

Power the phone off, then on again.

Set the compact setting to Top.

Turn iCloud sync back on, did the setting stick or change back again?

Just tried again, this time closing safari before turning off safari iCloud sync and powering off then on the phone. Still no change in behavior. 🤷🏻‍♂️

Me too ¯\_(ツ)_/¯