Safari 26.01 Tab Bar Always Visible: Feature or Bug?

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Level 1

4 points

Safari 26.01 Tab Bar Always Visible: Feature or Bug?

In Safari 26.01, the tab bar, with a hideous X on the left side, is always visible, even when there is only one page open. This is very confusing, as I can never tell when all of my tabs are closed. The only way to get rid of it, apparently, is to click the "Always Show Tab Bar" in the view menu. But it reappears as soon as you open a tab and only goes away when you open the view menu again. Is this a feature or a bug? Is there a way to make Safari not do this -- to revert to the old view where the tab bar disappeared when there was only one page open>?

[Edited by Moderator]

Original Title:Tab Bar Always visible

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 26.0

Posted on Oct 30, 2025 6:28 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

TrafGib

Level 3

514 points

Oct 30, 2025 7:12 AM in response to otamolloy

You wrote 26.01 as the version. Did you mean 26.0.1 instead?

For me, on 26.0.1, the Tab bar disappears when down to only a single tab.

The old settings of Settings > Tabs > Tab Layout > Compact no longer exists.

As you noted, the functionality to have the Tab disappear when ONLY a single tab is open is now managed under the View > Always Show Tab Bar menu option.

For the experience you are wanting (disappearing Tab bar) it should be unchecked.

You should not have to restart your browser for the setting to toggle. However, if you are not getting the setting to stick, you might try quitting Safari and relaunching.

When did the problem start? Immediately upon upgrade to 26.0.1 or sometime after?

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Answer 2

TrafGib

Level 3

514 points

Oct 30, 2025 9:25 AM in response to otamolloy

By "toggle" I meant having the checkmark either On or Off.

Your settings look correct, for what you want, in that there is no check next to Always Show Tab Bar.

To answer your "Feature or Bug?" question, it is definitely NOT a feature.

The behavior you are seeking is what should result from having the Always Show Tab Bar un-checked.

$1,000 question being why yours is bugging out. I can tick my checkmark on and off and the behavior changes as it should. I cannot duplicate your bug.

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Answer 3

otamolloy Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 30, 2025 8:59 AM in response to TrafGib

I meant 26.0.1.

I do not have a toggle. It always says looks like the screen shot below. I can only turn off the tab bar but I can not change the overall setting. This has been true in both versions of safari since 26 appeared.

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Answer 4

otamolloy Author

Level 1

4 points

Oct 30, 2025 9:01 AM in response to otamolloy

I actually restarted and it did start to toggle. However, if I open a second tab and close it, leaving only one tab open, it reverts to the open tab with the X to the left.

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