Apple Releases macOS Big Sur Safari 15.1 Beta With Relocated Favorites Bar

Apple today seeded a new beta of Safari 15.1 for macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina, allowing developers to test the new Safari update ahead of its launch. Safari 15.1 is also the version of Safari that's available in the macOS Monterey beta.

macos monterey safari favorites
In yesterday's macOS Monterey release, Apple tweaked the design of the Favorites bar, moving it back up above the Tab bar where it was before Safari changes were implemented with the macOS Monterey update and the Safari 15 release. Safari 15.1 includes the same tweak to the Favorites bar.

Apple in macOS Monterey overhauled the look of Safari, debuting a new tab design that has proven to be unpopular with users. Apple has been refining the Safari design since then, and the changes coming in Monterey were made available to macOS Big Sur and macOS Catalina users with the launch of Safari 15.

Registered developers can download the Safari 15.1 beta by logging in and then navigating to the More Downloads section. The latest versions of macOS Big Sur or macOS Catalina are required to install the beta.

Tag: Safari

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.4 and iOS 27 Features Revealed in New Leak

Friday December 12, 2025 10:56 am PST by
Macworld's Filipe Espósito today revealed a handful of features that Apple is allegedly planning for iOS 26.4, iOS 27, and even iOS 28. The report said the features are referenced within the code for a leaked internal build of iOS 26 that is not meant to be seen by the public. However, it appears that Espósito and/or his sources managed to gain access to it, providing us with a sneak peek...
iOS 26

iOS 26.2 Coming Soon With These 8 New Features on Your iPhone

Thursday December 11, 2025 8:49 am PST by
Apple seeded the second iOS 26.2 Release Candidate to developers earlier this week, meaning the update will be released to the general public very soon. Apple confirmed iOS 26.2 would be released in December, but it did not provide a specific date. We expect the update to be released by early next week. iOS 26.2 includes a handful of new features and changes on the iPhone, such as a new...
iOS 26

Apple Releases iOS 26.2 With Alarms for Reminders, Lock Screen Changes, Enhanced Safety Alerts and More

Friday December 12, 2025 10:10 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, the second major update to the iOS 26 operating system that came out in September, iOS 26.2 comes a little over a month after iOS 26.1 launched. ‌iOS 26‌.2 is compatible with the ‌iPhone‌ 11 series and later, as well as the second-generation ‌iPhone‌ SE. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones over-the-air by going to Settings >...
AirPods Pro Firmware Feature

Apple Releases New Firmware for AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3

Thursday December 11, 2025 11:28 am PST by
Apple today released new firmware designed for the AirPods Pro 3 and the prior-generation AirPods Pro 2. The AirPods Pro 3 firmware is 8B30, up from 8B25, while the AirPods Pro 2 firmware is 8B28, up from 8B21. There's no word on what's include in the updated firmware, but the AirPods Pro 2 and AirPods Pro 3 are getting expanded support for Live Translation in the European Union in iOS...
macOS Tahoe 26 Thumb

Apple Releases macOS Tahoe 26.2 With Edge Light

Friday December 12, 2025 10:08 am PST by
Apple today released macOS Tahoe 26.2, the second major update to the macOS Tahoe operating system that came out in September. macOS Tahoe 26.2 comes five weeks after Apple released macOS Tahoe 26.1. Mac users can download the macOS Tahoe update by using the Software Update section of System Settings. macOS Tahoe 26.2 includes Edge Light, a feature that illuminates your face with soft...
AirTag 2 Mock Feature

Apple AirTag 2: Four New Features Found in iOS 26 Code

Thursday December 11, 2025 10:31 am PST by
The AirTag 2 will include a handful of new features that will improve tracking capabilities, according to a new report from Macworld. The site says that it was able to access an internal build of iOS 26, which includes references to multiple unreleased products. Here's what's supposedly coming: An improved pairing process, though no details were provided. AirTag pairing is already...
ipados 26 1 slide over

Apple Releases iPadOS 26.2 With Multitasking Improvements

Friday December 12, 2025 10:09 am PST by
Apple today released iPadOS 26.2, the second major update to the iPadOS 26 operating system released in September. iPadOS 26.2 comes a month after iPadOS 26.1. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. iPadOS 26.2 continues with the multitasking improvements that were added with iPadOS 26.1. You can now drag and...
bug security vulnerability issue fix larry

Update Now: iOS 26.2 Fixes 20+ Security Vulnerabilities

Friday December 12, 2025 11:11 am PST by
Apple today released iOS 26.2, iPadOS 26.2, and macOS 26.2, all of which introduce new features, bug fixes, and security improvements. Apple says that the updates address over 20 vulnerabilities, including two bugs that are known to have been actively exploited. There are a pair of WebKit vulnerabilities that could allow maliciously crafted web content to execute code or cause memory...

Top Rated Comments

baryon Avatar
55 months ago
Oh but please don't make any changes to the tabs. I love having no clue which tab is active, it makes closing tabs so much more fun and unexpected!
Score: 29 Votes (Like | Disagree)
justperry Avatar
55 months ago
Just go back to the old UI version.
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
TheYayAreaLiving ?️ Avatar
55 months ago
What is Apply trying to achieve here with Safari lol?
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
dguisinger Avatar
55 months ago
These tabs are horrendous....
Just Stop

Someone needs to be fired for this mess
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Westside guy Avatar
55 months ago
All these recent Safari changes (both on iOS and macOS) are classic examples of what happens when you've got a fairly mature piece of software and a development team that's trying to justify its current staffing levels.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Tagbert Avatar
55 months ago
Having the favorites above the tabs makes sense. Now the tabs are closer to the content thus emphasizing the relationship of the tabs and content. If only they would fix the inverted shading of active vs inactive tabs in light mode. The active tab should be the lightest and have most contrast. the inactive tabs should be darker and have less contrast.

I've given up hoping that they will make the tabs look more like tabs and less like buttons that are completely unconnected to the content.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)