How to move the Safari address bar on an iPhone

2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 4 October 2026

Short answer

Open Settings, tap Apps, then Safari, and scroll to Tabs. Choose Compact, Bottom or Top. Top puts the address bar at the top of the screen, as in older versions. Bottom and Compact keep it at the bottom, within reach of your thumb.

Device: iPhone
Shown on: iOS 26.5 (iPhone 17)
App: Settings
Path: Settings › Apps › Safari › Tabs: Compact › Bottom or Top
Real screenshots: 4 of 4 steps
Checked: October 2026
Sources: 1 official, linked below

On iOS 26, Safari starts with a compact bar at the bottom of the screen. If you prefer the address bar where it used to be, or want a full bar at the bottom, the choice is in Settings. It only changes where the bar sits. Your tabs and bookmarks stay as they are.

The screenshots show iOS 26.5 on an iPhone 17. On older versions the rows have the same names, with a slightly different look.

Step by step

Open Settings and tap Apps
Apps is near the bottom of the main Settings list.
Done
Tap Safari
The apps are in alphabetical order, so Safari is under S.
Done
Scroll to Tabs and choose a layout
Three small phone pictures show where the bar goes: Compact, Bottom and Top. Tap one. The tick shows the active layout, here Compact.
Done
Decide how links open and when tabs close
In the same group, Open Links chooses between a new tab and the background. Close Tabs is set to Manually at first; Safari can also close tabs that you have not viewed recently by itself.
Done