How to switch on iOS 12's Safari favicons for easier tab navigation

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iOS edited October 2020
Something we almost take for granted on desktop Web browsers is favicons -- tiny icons that identify a tab at a glance, which can be particularly handy when you have a dozen open at a time.

iOS 12 Safari favicons


Until iOS 12 though, these weren't an option in the mobile version of Safari. They're still off by default, in fact, so you'll have to turn them on.

The process is relatively simple. Open the Settings app, and scroll down until you see the Safari menu. It's mixed in with a section dedicated to other first-party apps like Voice Memos, FaceTime, and Maps.

iOS 12 Safari settings


Once you've opened it, scroll down until you see the Show Icons in Tabs toggle under "General," and flip it on. You're done.

iOS 12 Safari settings


You'll only be able to see favicons in action if you use Safari on an iPad, or in landscape mode on Plus- or X-model iPhones. The latter case may actually be the most useful, since iPhones have the least screen space to work with. Note also that you may have to visit a website again to make its favicon appear, and not every website has one.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 8
    doozydozendoozydozen Posts: 539member
    So Apple will let me turn on a feature that is non-existent in my iPhone 7? Hmmm
  • Reply 2 of 8
    tycho_macusertycho_macuser Posts: 88member
    So Apple will let me turn on a feature that is non-existent in my iPhone 7? Hmmm
    Working perfectly on my iPhone 6S.... not sure what the article is talking about.
    edited October 2018 watto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 8
    loekfloekf Posts: 41member
    tycho_macuser said:
    So Apple will let me turn on a feature that is non-existent in my iPhone 7? Hmmm
    Working perfectly on my iPhone 6S.... not sure what the article is talking about.
    Yeah, iPhone Xs as well. When you turn landscape, the icons are fully visible.
    minicoffeewatto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 8
    marcus1983marcus1983 Posts: 19member
    Thanks. Great tip 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 8
    hentaiboyhentaiboy Posts: 1,252member
    Sweet! Thanks. 
  • Reply 6 of 8
    esaruohoesaruoho Posts: 61member
    nice callout to the cryo chamber label.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 8
    wg45678wg45678 Posts: 47member
    Worked on my iPhone 7. Feature was disabled, I presume,  because it was not available on prior versions of Safari. Hadn't thought to turn it on. Works in Portrait or Landscape mode for me. 

    Also looked at Safari 12 on the Mac (which wasn't displaying favicon in the tabs). The setting is under Safari->Preferences->Tabs "Show website icons in tabs."
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 8
    mac_128mac_128 Posts: 3,454member
    Now I understand why this is an optional setting ... at least on the iPad it takes up more room forcing you to scroll through tabs with far fewer open ... I like them, but I think I’ll pass ... I’d rather see all of my tabs in one glance
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