Safari is getting a substantial update that makes browsing easier to organize, particularly for people who keep dozens of tabs open or prefer using Dark Mode.
Apple is introducing vertical tabs and Adaptive Dark Mode in Safari with iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, and macOS Golden Gate 27.3.
The updates are currently available to developers, with a public release expected in December.
Vertical Tabs Make Browsing Easier to Organize
Safari’s new vertical tab layout places open tabs along the left side of the screen instead of across the top.
By default, the sidebar displays website icons to conserve space. You can expand it to reveal full page titles, making it easier to identify and switch between open websites.
Vertical tabs also work with existing Safari features, including Tab Groups, pinned tabs, and Topics, which automatically organizes related tabs.
On iPhone, the option appears in Safari’s settings. On iPad and Mac, you can enable vertical tabs through the View menu.
The layout is available across supported devices, although the larger screen on the iPhone Duo makes it particularly useful.
Adaptive Dark Mode Fixes Bright Websites
One of Safari’s more welcome additions is “Adaptive Dark Mode”, which can automatically give websites a dark appearance even when they don’t offer one.
If Safari detects a website without native Dark Mode support, it displays a “Try” button that lets you preview the darker version.
Rather than simply inverting the entire page, Safari adjusts individual elements, including backgrounds, text contrast, logos, graphics, and shadows.
The result is intended to preserve readability while reducing the harsh contrast of bright websites against a dark browser interface.
You can enable Adaptive Dark Mode across all websites or choose which sites should use it.
Websites that already support Dark Mode won’t be affected, and developers can prevent Safari from modifying their designs.
The feature also overlaps with the functionality of third-party Safari extensions such as Noir, which have offered automatic dark rendering for websites without native support.
Siri Can Now Organize Tabs and Manage Browsing History
Apple is also expanding Siri’s capabilities inside Safari on devices that support Apple Intelligence.
With iOS 27.3, users can ask Siri to:
- Sort, move, or close open tabs.
- Organize tabs into Tab Groups.
- Clear browsing history for a particular website over a specified period.
More advanced webpage understanding is planned for a future update.
Apple says Siri will eventually be able to read content across multiple open tabs, including pages that aren’t currently visible.
For example, users could ask Siri to compare products across several shopping tabs, organize them by price, or retrieve specific information without manually switching between pages.
That capability isn’t included in the first beta, and Apple hasn’t confirmed when it will become available.
The Safari improvements are expected to reach the public with iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, and macOS Golden Gate 27.3 in December.
