How to move Safari Address Bar to top of screen in iOS 15

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How to move Safari Address Bar to top of screen in iOS 15
It’s easy to make Safari in iOS 15 look like it did in iOS 14.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

iOS 15 makes the Safari web browser easier to use by moving the Address Bar to the bottom of the screen when the iPhone is held vertically. But not everyone is ready for such a change, so Apple put in the option to move it back to the top.

Here’s how to flip the location.

iOS 15’s more reachable Address Bar

How to move the Safari Address Bar to the top of the screen in iOS 15
The Safari Address Bar can be at the bottom of the screen or at the top in iOS 15.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Safari Address Bar at the bottom of the screen is less hassle to use. When holding your iPhone vertically and holding it one handed, buttons and text fields at the top of the screen are more difficult to reach because the display is so large.

But iPhone users have become accustomed to having the Address Bar at the top of the screen. And some people resist the change. So there were complaints after Safari was rearranged in early iOS 15 betas until Apple put in the option to undo the improvement.

How to restore the Safari Address Bar location

Flipping the Safari Address Bar in iOS 15 from bottom to top — or vice versa — is as easy as pressing a button.

  1. Open the Settings app and scroll down to the Safari settings. Tap on it.
  2. Then scroll down to the Tabs section where you’ll find the option to switch between a Tab Bar at the bottom of the screen or a Single Tab at the top.
  3. Choose your option.
Safari in iOS 15 Address Bar Settings
Moving the location of Safari’s Address Bar is as easy as pressing a button.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Note that the buttons stay at the bottom of the screen in both options. It’s only the Address Bar that moves.

And keep in mind that this setting only affects the layout when the iPhone is held vertically. When held horizontally, the Address Bar and buttons stay at the top of the screen.

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