Safari tab sync

[agregson]

I have always had issues with tab sync between multiple devices (iMac, MBA, iPad Pro and iPhone Pro). On recent major versions it mostly works and seems to keep in sync. One odd issue has come up and I cannot find a fix.

On macOS I get a stuck tab that is not open on the iPad yet list of tabs on Safari shows that it is and is first tab open. Checking on iPad confirms it is not open. iPhone list of tabs also does not show it open on iPad Pro. Same issue affects iMac and MBA though to add a curiosity each Mac shows a different stuck tab.

If I close these tabs on iMac they reappear after some set time or a safari reset. Same on MBA. Not sure how to resolve this. I tried iCloud sign out and in on iPad Pro. Also have tried multiple times to disable safari in iCloud on all devices individually and did not resolve it.

Has anyone else seen this and found a fix?

 

[agregson]

Apple advised I reset iPad and setup from scratch. I had one or two other issues. Oddly mostly linked to network and Safari - it would lock up completely and network would stop responding despite clearing showing connect while adjacent MBA and iPhone were fine on same WiFi. So I had a clean out and also got rid of all the apps I had been meaning to kill - goodbye long unused FB, Twitter and others.

After reset the mutant tab seems to have gone. So has all sync between macOS and iOS. Not just iPad but now iPhone has dropped out of list on macOS machines. I did not change the macOS or iPhone! History not updating and now per-device. Also seems bookmarks in similar place. Also just noticed bookmarks not in sync between iMac and MBA - added a few to test. Also no device tabs accessible from macOS and iPhone has stale version of iMac and no others.

This has been an issue I have seen for numerous years. Multiple support calls and I am not sure I can face another.

As a quick test I just ran up Firefox and Edge. Flawless and almost immediate sync of history, bookmarks and tabs on each. They work not only cross-device but cross-platform and all without the benefit of the "amazing" iCloud and no monthly cost associated. Even Brave manages to get it right. They also seem to work perfectly. Just tried between my Windows desktop and PI Desktop and they worked.

How can Apple get this so wrong when others can get it right and move on?

I am not sure I can face another call with AppleCare. Maybe I need to move to an alternative browser to get peace.