So, I'm in a bit of a panic... after downloading and installing 11.1 my MacBook Pro restarted and all of my Safari tabs and windows were gone. I thought it was no big deal and that I could click "Reopen all windows from last session"... wrong. It was grayed out, along with "Reopen last closed window). I restarted the Mac again, and no luck. I have no Time Machine backup, and I hoarded dozens of important tabs... I guess maybe I'm screwed unless anyone knows any tips I could try.
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Help... Lost all of my Safari tabs and windows after updating to 11.1
- Thread starter myrtlebee
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Thank you. Thought so. Yes, they are gone then. My stupidity. I just assumed they were safe since they had been for so long.
Maybe if you're lucky, they're still on another device that hasn't been connected to the internet—e.g., an iPad or iPhone—since you updated your computer's OS?
I've saved a few tabs like that in the past thanks to iCloud Tabs. But it only works if Safari on a device hasn't updated/refreshed.
I've saved a few tabs like that in the past thanks to iCloud Tabs. But it only works if Safari on a device hasn't updated/refreshed.
I don't think cmd-shift-t has ever let me down for reopening closed tabs, unless I opened something else inbetween.
The problem is I had tons of important ones I was going to get to later that I don't even remember now. It never crossed my mind to back them up in any way since I never had an issue in all of these years. Guess I should have been using bookmarks instead. Oh well.Oh dear.
Maybe you'll have to start collecting them again
Understood. You wouldn't have expected to lose them in these circumstance unless you did a fresh install rather than an upgrade.
Never lost them before in 10+ years of doing updates on my Macs.
Yup. I've got that message by now. Never had a problem in 10 + years, so never saw the need for a backup. All of my important files are on iCloud and flash drives. Tabs were the only thing not backed up. Was just wondering if there was a way to get them back without having done a backup. The answer was no, so I've moved on. Will use bookmarks instead of tabs going forward.
When was the last time you had quit and reopened Safari? If those tabs had been visited/reloaded in the past week or month (or whatever your "keep history" setting), maybe you can find the links in your browser history?
I don’t understand. Do you not save documents either, or just leave them open? You’ve had tabs open for 10 years? Am I missing something?
The ones I don't remember exactly weren't visited in the last month. I cannot access them in my history, unfortunately. I've accepted they're gone.
Sigh... I knew I shouldn't have even made this thread. Every time I ask a question here it's the same thing.
Did you read my other replies? I save documents and other files. I use iCloud and flash drives. I'm talking about Safari tabs. I used tabs like other people use bookmarks - that's just how I liked my workflow, and I shouldn't have done that.
No I did not have tabs open for 10 years. I am saying that in my 10+ years of using Macs I have never lost my tabs to an update.
I wish I could close this thread now. I understand I screwed up by not backing up the tabs. I got it. There's nothing I can do, they're gone, and I've moved on. I'll be smarter in the future. Honestly no need for anyone to reply anymore, I don't really feel like being chastised or judged or have smart remarks made about the way I use my computer or didn't back things up properly. I got the message. I was asking a quick question as to if there was any way to remedy my **** up, and I got my answer.
I think this is a very bad and stupid bug to have in an update process. I think this happened to me on one machine once before and I was very annoyed. However, I was able to restore some kind of Safari session file from a backup that I had, so that got me all the tabs back. But it is a pain in the ass, and I am unhappy to hear that might happen when I do an upgrade to 11.1 Big Sur. I’m already concerned about bricking the two 2014 MacBook Pros I have in my family.
I believe the .1 update shouldn't delete anyone browser tabs, period.
I know how you feel. As a fellow tab hoarder, I’m still mourning the loss of Sessions which would have been a lifesaver in this scenario.
As a fellow tab hoarder, I’m still mourning the loss of Sessions which would have been a lifesaver in this scenario.sorry to come in so late to the gate ... but here is how to find those missing / lost tabs . it’s been happening to me recently too and REALLY is annoying .
Simply touch the book-icon (top-left of the page) - then touch the History (clock) icon to reveal the recently viewed sites in reverse chronological order. Tap the page you wish to reopen. shows on left on my ipad, might be on the right on a macbook, can’t recall . hope that helps in future w/o bookmarking everything
Simply touch the book-icon (top-left of the page) - then touch the History (clock) icon to reveal the recently viewed sites in reverse chronological order. Tap the page you wish to reopen. shows on left on my ipad, might be on the right on a macbook, can’t recall . hope that helps in future w/o bookmarking everything
This won't help the OP, but I'm posting to help others searching for a solution. If you have Time Machine running, you can easily recover your lost tabs as a previous session:
(from www.reddit.com/r/osx/comments/lylzef/restore_lost_tabs_in_safari/)
Make sure Safari isn't running and restore:
~/Library/Safari/LastSession.plist
Then start up Safari and in the History menu choose 'restore all windows from...'.
(from www.reddit.com/r/osx/comments/lylzef/restore_lost_tabs_in_safari/)
Make sure Safari isn't running and restore:
~/Library/Safari/LastSession.plist
Then start up Safari and in the History menu choose 'restore all windows from...'.