As we all debate Safari changes (and whether or not Apple should provide options or choose a design), let's focus on the tab view.
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Safari tab layout
- Thread starter srbNYC
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After installing Beta 4, I noticed the option to go back to the unified bar is gone. Always show tab bar is greyed out and I have tabs on the 2nd row. I prefer it all in one row actually, so I hope this doesn't mean the feature is gone for good. Anyone else have this issue with Beta 4?
Got it! Thanks!
I notice now that when you hover over the options, the Compact option has the tooltip of "Use a light appearance..." and the other option says "Use a dark appearance..." so basically they copied/pasted code from another part of MacOS into Safari lol.
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Great idea; hadn't thought of that. Thanks for sharing. I've added that and removed menubar icons for extensions that run without my needing to access them, so now things are neat and efficient!
Only 15 votes ( 😢 ) but it's "Compact" by a landslide.
Really like Compact. I am not one who likes major interface changes unless they really improve user experience and the Compact tabs does it.
Agree. I'm actually now really appreciating it on my MBA. And it seems they've also distinguished the current tab more; wouldn't mind that going further.
I think compact is definitely great especially for a laptop. It is good if someone has maybe 5-7 tabs open. I can see how it can become a real problem if someone likes To keep 25+ tabs open though. I am glad they have a choice, but I hope the compact is the way of the future.
I'm finding a new problem: with more than a couple of tabs open, there is truly no sign of them in the menu bar. if I toggle "collapse tabs into icons" they appear (not as icons); if I toggle that off, there's just background. Will try to report when I figure out decent way to put that into words clearly. (I fear the preceding wasn't it!)
Interestingly, in the latest Safari Technology Preview Release 128 (Safari 15.0, WebKit 17612.1.22.11.3) it is still in the View menu as 'Show Separate Tab Bar' and not in Preferences.
I've been using Safari Technology preview. I started using it because it fixed the bug on the ESPN site that causes that tab to become active every time the page refreshed (ugh!).
But I now have completely changed the paradigm of how I use Safari. I keep 5 tab groups open in the left side bar. Each group has the 4 or 5 tabs I use most. I've removed the Favorites Bar from the top. I also use the new Compact tab layout. This allows me to have incredible vertical space, without hiding the dock. I have found the Compact tab layout very intuitive an easy to use - and with only 5 or so open tabs, I can see the entire URL. It's really given me a whole new way of browsing that, after a day or two to adapt, I really loved.
Of course, you can go back and forth with the Compact to Separate tab bars, so it's easy to find what works best for you.
But I now have completely changed the paradigm of how I use Safari. I keep 5 tab groups open in the left side bar. Each group has the 4 or 5 tabs I use most. I've removed the Favorites Bar from the top. I also use the new Compact tab layout. This allows me to have incredible vertical space, without hiding the dock. I have found the Compact tab layout very intuitive an easy to use - and with only 5 or so open tabs, I can see the entire URL. It's really given me a whole new way of browsing that, after a day or two to adapt, I really loved.
Of course, you can go back and forth with the Compact to Separate tab bars, so it's easy to find what works best for you.
Compact
Sometimes buttons disappear when hovering, but hope this will be fixed. Would also be great if you could close windows in tab overlay without the need to right click. Apart from that better than I expected.
Sometimes buttons disappear when hovering, but hope this will be fixed. Would also be great if you could close windows in tab overlay without the need to right click. Apart from that better than I expected.
None.
The Compact mode - I just don't really like it, it's a personal preference.
The Separate mode takes so much screen estate compared to what it was in Big Sur (because of all the padding between tabs and quick tabs), that I just don't like it anymore. They should just revert to Big Sur at this point.
Ergonomically speaking, it also doesn't make sense. The tabs had a depth before, and you could tell it was related to the page below because it was below the favorites bar and right above the page. Design-wise, it's a huge regression.
I like the changes they made in the recent betas in Safari on iOS, but on macOS, I might as well just shop for another browser for the first time in 15 years
The Compact mode - I just don't really like it, it's a personal preference.
The Separate mode takes so much screen estate compared to what it was in Big Sur (because of all the padding between tabs and quick tabs), that I just don't like it anymore. They should just revert to Big Sur at this point.
Ergonomically speaking, it also doesn't make sense. The tabs had a depth before, and you could tell it was related to the page below because it was below the favorites bar and right above the page. Design-wise, it's a huge regression.
I like the changes they made in the recent betas in Safari on iOS, but on macOS, I might as well just shop for another browser for the first time in 15 years
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To each his or her own. I'm loving the compact mode, as seeing the URL in the tab clearly indicates the active tab to me, and I get more vertical screen space. I also no longer need to show the Favorites Bar with the tab groups, so I'm able to enjoy two full extra rows of vertical space - even more than I'd save by hiding or moving the Dock.
If only there was a design that didn't waste both vertical and horizontal space, hmm...
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Yeah, it's easy to hide/show the sidebar with its default shortcut. I happen to have a wide monitor, so it isn't always better to have more horizontal space.
Many websites - those that are mostly text - aren't as readable as those that are wider.
Others, especially those with large pictures or video, look better as wide as can be.
I concur.
I was a firm opponent of new Safari design and I tear my hair out when I was using first iOS 15 beta on my iPad. Harder to refresh. Harder to share website etc. but now I'm loving it. I get it.
I'm using Safari on my MBA almost the same as you. Compact. Website tinting. Tab groups for 4-6 tabs (enough to cover my interest. Not enough to make tabs confusing). The only difference is I don't use Sidebar at all. I just access my tab groups through pulldown menu, and I'm still using Favorite Bar.
When people realize how tab groups make your browsing way easier and friction-free they will love the new design. Of course on Mac we can improve the original 15 design by having Sharing or Refresh button permanently so it isn't disastrous like the first iOS 15 beta.
I'm now even used to refresh the webpage using Refresh on address bar instead.
Still I'm using Separate view on my iPad since I want big address bar to show all my extensions.
What's wrong for you might be right for another, and vice versa. No UI is completely intuitive, although even though I'm not young, the new Safari tab structure took me very little time to get totally used to. Of course, I only started about 5 weeks ago with Safari Technology Preview, so I probably didn't suffer through many buggy early iterations.