iOS 18.4 Shows Your Search History in New Safari Tabs

[MacRumors]

With iOS 18.4, Apple made a small tweak to Safari that could be polarizing because it puts your search history front and center. When you open up a new Safari tab and then tap into the search field, Safari shows your recent search history.

In iOS 18.3.1, opening up a new tab and then tapping into search does not show your history, and the view remains on the personalized Safari home page. iOS 18.3.1 has no clear view of prior searches at all, except that a recent search will show up in your suggested results if you search for the same thing again.

As noted by 9to5Mac, having Safari search so visible may not always be desirable if you're ever in a situation where you hand your iPhone or iPad over to someone else to let them use Safari or another app.

Of course, if you don't ever let anyone use your devices, having recent search available at a tap has the potential to be useful if you're often using the same search terms multiple times. Apple also offers a Private browsing mode where searches are not saved.

There is no setting in iOS 18.4 to disable the recent search view, but Apple may opt to tweak the feature before the beta sees a public launch. Users can also opt to clear their search history at any time with the "Clear All" option.

Article Link: iOS 18.4 Shows Your Search History in New Safari Tabs

 

[klasma]

It's what Chrome does on Android.

 

[LogicalApex]

A good change. As sometimes you just want to tweak a recent search and have to annoyingly retype it all.

 

[Skyscraperfan]

Even if my search history contains NSFW phrases? I am asking for a friend of a friend.

 

[klasma]

A good change. As sometimes you just want to tweak a recent search and have to annoyingly retype it all.

I mean, typing the first character or two should do the trick for that. The privacy advantage of the current approach is that it doesn't disclose which suggestions are previous searches and which are search engine suggestions.

 

[Apple Fan 2008]

Wait... this didn't exist already?

 

[klasma]

Even if my search history contains NSFW phrases? I am asking for a friend of a friend.

Those will be blurred.

 

[gsmornot]

Use a private tab. The previous results are fine by me.

 

[klasma]

Use a private tab.

Which loses all your website preferences, like already the Google search preferences.

 

[dannyyankou]

You don’t even need to open a new tab. Tap the search bar of whatever tab you’re currently in and delete the URL, and the search history comes up.

 

[balupton]

may not always be desirable if you're ever in a situation where you hand your iPhone or iPad over to someone else to let them use Safari or another app.

Of course, if you don't ever let anyone use your devices

Don't equivocate, if you aren't ashamed there is no problem with sharing with peers. Just be honest, then you can be authentic, then this stuff wouldn't be a problem.

 

[verdi1987]

I noticed this the other day and wondered if I had somehow never noticed it for 18 years.

 

[Scoob Redux]

Corporations love to disclose your private information without your consent. Most people are too ignorant to care.

 

[ProbablyDylan]

Teenagers everywhere will hate this I'm sure

 

[Minato1990]

Even if my search history contains NSFW phrases? I am asking for a friend of a friend.

Yes big ole bootay will be there 😂

 

[KurtWilde]

Can’t imagine this hangs around till RC in this form, let alone without a way to disable

 

[platinumaqua]

Submit feedback now!

 

[John_Blackthorne]

Who just gives someone their phone? I bought my 1st iPhone in 2009. I have never been asked by someone for my phone and I have never offered it.

Even my wife never asked for it.

It's like asking to hold someone's underwear.

 

[binaryfuneral]

Corporations love to disclose your private information without your consent. Most people are too ignorant to care.

Bro, It's your own device...

 

[racerhomie]

I just search for the pornstar or Instagram model by name. So, it appears more aesthetic than random dirty words. Plus Apple added Private Browsing Mode which uses Advanced Machine Learning to filter out nasty trackers. But personally I do not like iOS 18, and have decided to stick to iOS 17.7 on all iOS and iPadOS devices.

 

[tazinlwfl]

I prefer this over having to type a letter or whatever. I don’t want map links, search suggestions, currently open tabs, shared links, reading list entries, etc EVERY time. Sometimes I just want to see my last searches. There really isn’t a clear way to do this now. It looks like 18.4 lets me see those recent searches and if I want to get the rest of that other stuff, start typing… I’m fine with it.

ETA: I’ll also be more likely to clear some of that data off my phone more often now that I’d see it more frequently. Probably promoting good digital hygiene in a way.

 

[Andy_2341]

Who just gives someone their phone? I bought my 1st iPhone in 2009. I have never been asked by someone for my phone and I have never offered it.

Even my wife never asked for it.

It's like asking to hold someone's underwear.

The number of times my friends have asked, or not even asked, and tried to/ have taken my phone is beyond count. It used to drive me nuts, but not so much anymore. It's usually so they can see it better.

 

[xSushi]

Even if my search history contains NSFW phrases? I am asking for a friend of a friend.

I have a custom profile called “The Streets” for this very reason 😅

 

[spaxxedout]

Uh oh

 

[Reason077]

So this is only when you've just opened a new tab? Not when you've tapped the search field in an existing tab (where the Favourites grid is currently displayed?)

As long as the Favourites grid isn't going away, I think I'm fine with this. But maybe an option to customise what view you get when tapping on the search field would be ideal?