Safari's compact tabs feature removed with macOS 26 Tahoe and iPadOS 26

Apple’s newest developer betas for macOS 26 Tahoe and iPadOS 26 arrived just hours after WWDC wrapped up. Alongside the fancy new UI design, one surprise has everyone talking: Safari’s compact tabs are gone. What once felt like a cleaner way to browse on Macs and iPads has quietly vanished in the first beta builds.

Compact tabs first appeared last year. They trimmed the space between tabs and folded the address bar right into the tab row. Here’s a screenshot I found that shows the ‘Compact’ layout option in Safari settings shared by a user on the Apple community forums.

For many, it offered a sleeker look and nudged them to keep fewer tabs open. For others it felt cramped and confusing. Either way, Apple let you choose. But not this time. Dive into Safari’s settings in the macOS 26 or iPadOS 26 betas and you won’t find any option to toggle them on or off.

Here’s a screenshot of the Tabs settings in Safari on macOS 26 Tahoe:

As you can see, there’s no layout selection option. A quick scroll through online forums shows a mixed bag of reactions, though a good number of users are expressing disappointment.

“It sucks. I was using compact tabs to break the habit of keeping too many tabs open (and it actually helped). If they don’t bring that mode back by release, I’ll have to switch to Firefox,” one user lamented on Reddit.

Another person echoed the sentiment, highlighting the feature’s appeal for those who prefer a less busy interface.

Wow now this is the one thing I am disappointed about. As you said most people didn’t like it but I am a huge fan of that feature. Keeps it consistent with the iPhone UI as well.

Apple often tweaks or removes features during beta testing. Not every change makes it to the final release. But nipping compact tabs in the bud feels odd, especially since Apple invested time redesigning Safari around that view. 

On iPadOS 26, the story is the same. Compact tabs on iPad felt more in line with the smaller screen. They kept the interface uniform with the iPhone. Now iPad users see the classic tab bar under the address field.

At this stage, it’s hard to know what Apple will do before the public release later this year. If enough developers and early adopters speak up, compact tabs could make a comeback. Or Apple might be testing a completely new tab experience we haven’t seen yet.

For now, anyone missing compact tabs should launch the Feedback Assistant app on their Mac or iPad. Let Apple know how you feel. And keep an eye on future beta updates. Those tiny, space-saving tabs might sneak back in — or disappear for good. Either way, Safari’s look and feel are once again in Apple’s hands.