iOS 18.4 Shows Your Search History in New Safari Tabs

With iOS 18.4, Apple made a small tweak to Safari that could be polarizing because it puts your search history front and center. When you open up a new Safari tab and then tap into the search field, Safari shows your recent search history.

ios 18 4 safari search
In iOS 18.3.1, opening up a new tab and then tapping into search does not show your history, and the view remains on the personalized Safari home page. iOS 18.3.1 has no clear view of prior searches at all, except that a recent search will show up in your suggested results if you search for the same thing again.

As noted by 9to5Mac, having Safari search so visible may not always be desirable if you're ever in a situation where you hand your iPhone or iPad over to someone else to let them use Safari or another app.

Of course, if you don't ever let anyone use your devices, having recent search available at a tap has the potential to be useful if you're often using the same search terms multiple times. Apple also offers a Private browsing mode where searches are not saved.

There is no setting in iOS 18.4 to disable the recent search view, but Apple may opt to tweak the feature before the beta sees a public launch. Users can also opt to clear their search history at any time with the "Clear All" option.

Tag: Safari

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Top Rated Comments

Skyscraperfan Avatar
16 weeks ago
Even if my search history contains NSFW phrases? I am asking for a friend of a friend.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
16 weeks ago

A good change. As sometimes you just want to tweak a recent search and have to annoyingly retype it all.
I mean, typing the first character or two should do the trick for that. The privacy advantage of the current approach is that it doesn't disclose which suggestions are previous searches and which are search engine suggestions.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
16 weeks ago

Use a private tab.
Which loses all your website preferences, like already the Google search preferences.
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
svish Avatar
16 weeks ago
Not happy with the change. Hopefully there will be an option to turn it off in the final 18.4 version
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
John_Blackthorne Avatar
16 weeks ago
Who just gives someone their phone? I bought my 1st iPhone in 2009. I have never been asked by someone for my phone and I have never offered it.

Even my wife never asked for it.

It's like asking to hold someone's underwear.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
KurtWilde Avatar
16 weeks ago
Can’t imagine this hangs around till RC in this form, let alone without a way to disable
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)