The iOS 18.4 beta includes a small change to Safari that may be okay with some users but will definitely irritate others, as it exposes your Safari search history whenever you open a new tab and tap in the search field.
As first noted by 9to5Mac, having your Safari search exposed is not a good thing if you’re ever opening a browser window with someone looking over your shoulder, or if you hand your iPhone or iPad over to someone else to let them use Safari.
What users are really worried about here are having anniversary, Christmas, and birthday gift searched being exposed, right? None of my readers search for “[INSERT NAME OF CELEBRITY HERE] nude,” right?
For those of us who are not worried about having their search entries exposed, the the new search feature could be useful if you’re using the same search terms on a regular basis. Users can also take advantage of Safari’s Private Browsing Mode, which does not save searches.
While there is currently no way to toggle the new search view off and on, Apple may opt to do so before iOS 18.4 is released to the public, if enough beta users complain about the feature, that is. Until then, Safari users can clear their search history by tapping the “Clear All” option.
There is no setting in iOS 18.4 to disable the recent search view, but Apple may opt to tweak the feature before the beta sees a public launch. Users can also opt to clear their search history at any time with the “Clear All” button in the upper right hand corner of the Safari search screen.
