Safari gains vertical tabs and adaptive dark mode in developer betas
The updates are due in December, while a planned Siri feature for understanding content across webpages is absent from the first beta.
Apple is updating Safari with a vertical tab layout, Adaptive Dark Mode and additional Siri controls in developer betas for iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3 and macOS Golden Gate 27.3. The operating system updates will launch in December following further beta testing.
Available on iPhone, iPad and Mac, Vertical Tabs provide an alternative to the horizontal tab bar. Tabs appear along the display’s left edge as icons, with an option to expand the bar and display website titles. The layout supports Tab Groups and Topics, which are generated through automatic Apple Intelligence tab sorting.
Adaptive Dark Mode offers to adjust bright websites when the device is using Dark Mode. It can darken backgrounds, alter text contrast and modify graphics and shadows, applying different adjustments according to the page. Users can enable it across websites or for individual sites. It does not activate on sites that already have a dark appearance or native dark mode, and developers can add a tag to prevent it from changing their pages.
The new Siri actions cover organizing, moving and closing tabs and windows, as well as arranging tabs into groups. Users can also request that browsing history be cleared for a specific website and time period. These functions require a device capable of running Apple Intelligence.
Apple says broader Siri awareness of webpage content is coming, but it is not included in the first beta. That capability will extend to inactive tabs and material outside the visible area, allowing questions across websites and tasks such as sorting shopping tabs by price.
