How to open Safari links in the background on an iPhone

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.

howtosimply.com/guides/how-to-open-safari-links-in-the-background-on-an-iphone/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e · iOS 27.0.1

4 of 4 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device

iPhone

Shown on

iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e)

App

Settings

Path

Settings › Apps › Safari › Open Links › In Background

Real screenshots

4 of 4 steps

Checked

October 2026

Sources

1 official, linked below

Step by step

1. 

   Open Settings and tap Apps

   Apps is near the bottom of the main Settings list. On iOS 17 and earlier, Safari is in the main list itself.

   Done

2. 

   Tap Safari

   The apps are in alphabetical order, so Safari is under S.

   Done

3. 

   Scroll to Tabs and tap Open Links

   Open Links is in the Tabs group, just below Allow Website Tinting and above Close Tabs. The row shows the current choice at the right, here In New Tab.

   Done

4. 

   Tap In Background

   The tick moves to your choice. Ours was on In New Tab, so the picture shows the screen just before you tap In Background.

   Done

What changed: the screenshots are now our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording is checked against those screens.

If you do not see this option

• Your iPhone runs iOS 17 or earlier. Safari is in the main Settings list itself, not under Apps.
• Search for it. Open Settings, tap the search field at the bottom and type Open Links. Apple notes that the sections in Settings depend on the iPhone model. Source: Find settings on iPhone

If this does not work

• A plain tap still opens the link in the same tab. The setting is for links you open in a new tab: touch and hold the link, then tap Open in New Tab. Source: Open and close tabs in Safari on iPhone
• You cannot find the new tab. Tap the tabs button to see all open tabs. The new one is there. Source: Open and close tabs in Safari on iPhone

About this guide

When you open a link in a new tab, Safari jumps to that tab at once. If you are reading an article and want to collect several links for later, that pulls you away each time. Apple's user guide names the setting that keeps you on the current page.

The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 17e running iOS 27.0.1, in dark mode.

Good to know

To open a link in a new tab in Safari: touch and hold the link, then tap Open in New Tab.

In short: Settings, Apps, Safari, Open Links, In Background.