I’ve been using Safari as my daily browser for years, and one of the cleanest features I loved was Compact Tabs. It kept everything tight and minimal — the address bar and tabs merged into one line, which gave me more screen space for content, especially on my MacBook Pro.
But right after updating my Mac to macOS 26 Tahoe, I opened Safari and instantly felt something was off. The whole toolbar felt chunkier… and that’s when it hit me: the Compact Tab layout was completely gone.
What Actually Happened
After digging into Safari Settings and even the View menu, I confirmed it — Apple has removed the Compact Tab layout option entirely in Safari on macOS 26.
- There’s no toggle under Settings → Tabs anymore.
- Only the Separate Tab Bar layout remains.
- Even switching between profiles doesn’t bring it back.
It’s not a bug or a hidden setting — it’s just gone. Apple quietly deprecated Compact Tabs in the Tahoe update without any clear notice inside the browser.
| Feature | After (macOS Tahoe) — Separate Tabs | Before (macOS Sequoia) — Compact Tabs |
|---|---|---|
| Tab Bar Style | Compact — tabs and address bar merged | Separate – dedicated tab bar above address bar |
| Vertical Space Used | Widely praised for its sleek look | Taller, more space used |
| Available in Settings → Tabs | Yes (Compact or Separate options shown) | No (Compact option removed) |
| Ideal For | Small screens, minimal UI lovers | Traditional tab layout users |
| User Feedback | Widely praised for sleek look | Many find it bulky and cluttered |
Why This Matters
For people like me who use smaller screen MacBooks or just prefer a minimal UI, this is a big deal. Compact Tabs saved vertical space and gave Safari a modern, streamlined feel.
Now, the interface feels bulkier, and I lose a bit of content space at the top — which sounds small, but after hours of web work every day, it adds up.
f you’re missing the clean Safari layout and want your Mac back the way it was, here’s how to downgrade macOS Tahoe to macOS Sequoia without losing your files.
What You Can Do Instead
While there’s no direct way to bring Compact Tabs back, here are a few small tweaks I made to reclaim space:
- Enable Show Toolbar in Full Screen only when needed
- Hide the Favorites Bar to reclaim vertical pixels
- Consider trying other minimal browsers like Arc or Brave if minimal UI is a must
It’s not the same, but it helps reduce the clutter.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I’m disappointed. I used Compact Tabs every day, and it made Safari feel sleek and fast. Removing it without warning feels like a step backwards — especially for users who care about screen real estate.
If you’re like me and relied on Compact Tabs, you’ll have to adjust or explore other browsers until Apple gives us something similar back… if they ever do.
If Safari’s new layout ruins your workflow, going back might be your best move. Follow this guide to roll back macOS Tahoe to macOS Sequoia and bring back your old setup.
