iOS 13 Can Auto-Close Safari Tabs for You Based on When You Last Viewed Them

[MacRumors]

In iOS 13, Apple has added new functionality in Safari that should enable iPhone and iPad users to better manage their open tabs.

Because of the way Safari for iOS displays tabs in a vertical array, the amount of open tabs in the browser can often get out of hand, and sometimes number in the tens or even hundreds.

@MacRumors this popped up in #ios13 today while doing the close all tabs in safari. Pretty awesome! pic.twitter.com/BnMQsxnTJY - Chris Weaver (@spartanweaver) June 9, 2019

However in iOS 13, Safari will offer to automatically close tabs that have not been viewed recently after one day, one week, or one month. The new Safari function can be changed later in the Settings app.

Apple unveiled iOS 13 last week at WWDC. The newest version of the operating system for iPhone (and the iPad, though the iPad version has been renamed to iPadOS) introduces a long list of new features and some changes that are quite exciting. Be sure to check out the video above for more.

(Thanks, Chris!)

Article Link: iOS 13 Can Auto-Close Safari Tabs for You Based on When You Last Viewed Them

 

[gigapocket1]

I feel like 3 days would’ve been perfect

 

[bmac89]

Unfortunately since iOS 11, Safari already automatically closes some of my tabs randomly & intermitently even when my device is locked. It doesn’t happen often but it has happened enough times to be an issue.

 

[madsci954]

I’m I the only one who opens at most 2, rarely 3, tabs in a browser, then closes them when I’m done?

 

[now i see it]

After one hour would have been a nice option.

 

[Spartan Weaver]

Woo hoo I'm popular! thanks Macrumors.

 

[JosephAW]

They need a setting to close all tabs when terminating safari.

 

[I7guy]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

So when iOS 13 comes around I’m setting this option on her phone.

 

[Phillyfinest89]

I do the same thing. My ocd get me every time lol.

 

[Braderunner]

iOS 13 keeps getting better by the day!

 

[KALLT]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

So… what is wrong with that?

 

[TheSkywalker77]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

So when iOS 13 comes around I’m setting this option on her phone.

That's the best response I've heard.

 

[B4U]

I’m I the only one who opens at most 2, rarely 3, tabs in a browser, then closes them when I’m done?

You are not alone on this.
I can never understand why some of my family members can have over 15 tabs opened at the same time.
And the icing on the cake is, they say they don’t know when I asked them why so many tabs opened.
[doublepost=1560174517][/doublepost]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

So when iOS 13 comes around I’m setting this option on her phone.

At least you took the time to count.

 

[decypher44]

I guess I’m a weirdo. 95% of the time, I have one tab only. The other 5% I may have two. And when I lock my phone, Safari and any open apps get swiped away.

 

[Focusx0131]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

So when iOS 13 comes around I’m setting this option on her phone.

Funny thing is it was probably just the same few sites just over and over again.

 

[testcard]

I’m I the only one who opens at most 2, rarely 3, tabs in a browser, then closes them when I’m done?

Me too.

 

[Hastings101]

Anyone who has had to play tech support for family over the holidays will love this feature. For some reason having 50+ open Safari windows and being unable to close them is the norm for iOS users.

 

[dz5b609]

I’m I the only one who opens at most 2, rarely 3, tabs in a browser, then closes them when I’m done?

I think a lot of people (including myself) are using tabs as reminders for stuff.

 

[Grey Area]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

I just counted (and closed) the tabs on my SE: there were 506 of them. And yes, what is the problem with that? I do not think they are doing much in the background, they sure aren’t updating themselves.

To be honest, I have never really thought of them as tabs, given that they neither look nor behave like desktop browser tabs. Rather, to me they were something like a browser history.

I’m not even sure why there would be so many open ones otherwise, it is not like I create them by explicitly opening links in a new tab.

 

[diego.caraballo]

We also need this for apps...auto close them if not used in X hours/days

 

[I7guy]

...
At least you took the time to count.

You don't have to count...the display lists the number of open tabs.
[doublepost=1560180344][/doublepost]

I just counted (and closed) the tabs on my SE: there were 506 of them. And yes, what is the problem with that? I do not think they are doing much in the background, they sure aren’t updating themselves.

To be honest, I have never really thought of them as tabs, given that they neither look nor behave like desktop browser tabs. Rather, to me they were something like a browser history.

I’m not even sure why there would be so many open ones otherwise, it is not like I create them by explicitly opening links in a new tab.

How could one find a previously open tab within 300? Safari became a digital garbage can. lol.

 

[macduke]

I’m I the only one who opens at most 2, rarely 3, tabs in a browser, then closes them when I’m done?

Every few weeks I have to hold it down and click on the "Close 500 tabs" button. That is the limit. I am a tab whore.
[doublepost=1560184983][/doublepost]

How could one find a previously open tab within 300? Safari became a digital garbage can. lol.

If you tap to go to the top of your tabs, and then pull down, there is a search bar.

 

[cecil444]

I just counted (and closed) the tabs on my SE: there were 506 of them. And yes, what is the problem with that? I do not think they are doing much in the background, they sure aren’t updating themselves.

To be honest, I have never really thought of them as tabs, given that they neither look nor behave like desktop browser tabs. Rather, to me they were something like a browser history.

I’m not even sure why there would be so many open ones otherwise, it is not like I create them by explicitly opening links in a new tab.

One other nice Safari feature is the ability to search the open tabs (by page title) which makes it a helpful way to return to content you didn’t finish reviewing.

I definitely use Safari tabs on iPhone as a secondary to-do list...not important enough to add to my primary to-do list/app, but worthwhile enough not to simply close and forget.

 

[neliason]

I’m I the only one who opens at most 2, rarely 3, tabs in a browser, then closes them when I’m done?

Probably not the only one. I tend to accumulate open tabs. Most often that is because I think I need to go back and reference the tab later. When that is so the information (url) is probably better kept in a note or to do list. So for me it is often a problem of organization and workflow. It isn’t too different from my problem of a pile of mail to go through.

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

So when iOS 13 comes around I’m setting this option on her phone.

My wife had that problem. When I ran into it I also learned this was all in private browsing mode, which she had no idea how she got into. Many of the tabs she said were important. I decided it was best to not get involved.

 

[xraydoc]

A necessary feature for my wife. It’s insane how many tabs she has open... and isn’t aware of them at all.
[doublepost=1560197849][/doublepost]

I went to use my wife’s xr and she had 300+ tabs open. I looked at her like ??? She said, what’s wrong with that?

We must be married to the same woman.