iOS 18 Safari tabs not syncing via iCloud

Whenever opening a new page in Safari, open tabs that were closed on other devices still show under the open iCloud tabs. The only way to remedy this so far has been to turn off iCloud syncing with Safari and then back on.


Also those iCloud open Safari tabs on the Start page are ridiculously large compared to the previous text versions that were condensed properly. There needs be an option to have text only instead of a small page preview next to the text, which takes up a large amount of screen real estate.




iPhone 12, iOS 18

Posted on Sep 20, 2024 3:13 PM

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Posted on Oct 26, 2024 2:30 AM

I've also noticed the same problem and I'm very much annoyed with this bug and the fact that it hasn't been fixed with the latest 18.0.1 update. iCloud tabs and its seamless syncing across devices has been my primary reason in sticking with Safari and now it's just straight up a complete mess.


Closing tabs on other devices does not actually close them, open tabs don't automatically show up, and the new interface looks ugly with the blown up icons and the drop down menu to choose between devices is now unintuitive.


I wonder what makes Apple keep making unnecessary changes to ruin what otherwise has been a perfectly fine feature and experience.

42 replies

Jun 5, 2025 8:15 AM in response to Molarkey

Apple support article on turning on iCloud tabs says we should:

  1. Go to Settings > your name > iCloud.
  2. Tap See All, next to Saved to iCloud…
  3. Make sure that Safari is turned on.

I am on iOS 18.5 and that Show All now no longer offers any choices other than a toggle to “Sync this iPad”.


My iPad stopped syncing tabs recently. iCloud tabs was broken for me earlier this year. Then it started working better than ever. Now completely broken on my iPad. June5, 2025. Yes, I restarted the iPad!


On my iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 18.5, iCloud tabs is running well and that Show All command does offer all the different choices.

Dec 29, 2024 10:32 PM in response to Molarkey

I was going to try and pull up a page open on my desktop tonight when I noticed this (note: for privacy, I have removed my personal favorites icons from the second screen grab):



Dev personnel: I know what we'll do. Let's just phase the section/selection out completely even though the box is ticked on to be there in the start page Safari settings (sarcasm)

Feb 10, 2025 5:20 AM in response to Molarkey

I'm just adding to the chorus. Same issue. I did the 'turn them off and on again' thing and they all updated, but then everything just stuck on the newer version. According to iCloud Safari tabs, nothing has closed or opened since this reset several weeks ago, which is not the case. Based on my experiences, it would mean repeating the initial turn it on and off again across devices every time you want a current version of your tabs, and providing you never want any new additions you're set... which sort of defeats the whole idea.

Mar 10, 2025 10:15 AM in response to Molarkey

Same here. My iPhone (15 Pro Max) and iPad Pro (first 11 in) seem to stay in sync with each other, but my Mac will only display the tabs open on the other two if I either A) toggle off and back on Safari syncing or B) quit and re-open Safari. Once synced, I can see and even close tabs on the other devices, but adding new tabs to either my phone or iPad does nothing. All devices are on the latest (non-beta) software versions.


I have tried toggling all 3 devices off simultaneously then re-syncing, and also (huge pain) signing out from iCloud on all devices and logging back in, but the problem persists.


Very frustrating that this feature that I have come to rely on remains broken throughout this software release cycle. This should have been an 18.1 fix.

Jun 11, 2025 1:31 AM in response to lunhil

You might have found the cause. After many attempts deleting/restarting/toggling, I have two devices synchronising perfectly again, but the third is not at all. And it turns out I also have two Safari lines (of vastly different sizes) in Icloud storage.


I will just try deleting the small one to start with, and will report back if there is subsequent meaningful progress. But it feels like the right path.

Jun 11, 2025 2:05 AM in response to Beameranged

I had noticed that my larger Safari file had been growing exponentially throughout trouble shooting, so it was probably corrupted. As such, I ultimately deleted them both.


This has fixed the problem — all three devices are synchronising perfectly again — but at the expense of Profiles (easy to recreate) and Tab Groups (much more upsetting). Bookmarks are preserved.


So the workaround for other people who do not want to lose tab groups might be a favourite folder for each tab group and save them there first.

iOS 18 Safari tabs not syncing via iCloud

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