How to use Safari Tab Groups

If you’re using Safari but you’re not using Tab Groups, well, it’s time to change that.

Tab Groups, as the name implies, allows you to group a selection of tabs together and essentially set them aside for future use. For example, if you have a bunch of tabs you use for work and a bunch of tabs you use after work, you can cordon these tabs off into batches so that they don’t get in each other’s way. You can use your work tabs at work and, when you’re finished, swap them for your “after work” tabs with just one click.

You might also have different Tab Groups for different assignments at work or different school projects. Folks who share a computer might have different Tab Groups for each user. The possibilities are endless.

Here’s how to create a tab group in Safari.

How to create Safari Tab Groups on macOS

There are a couple of ways to do this. The easiest method is to make a group out of whatever tabs you currently have open. If you’re about to close Safari but think you might need to pick up where you left off when you open it later, throwing your tabs into a group can give you some peace of mind.

You can also create a tab group from scratch if there is a batch of tabs you think you might want to use later. This is a bit more time-consuming but will allow you to be more selective about which tabs to include.

To create a tab group from existing tabs

• In Safari, click the down arrow in the toolbar. (It’s on the left side, next to the button that opens the sidebar.)
• Pick New Tab Group With [X] Tabs.
• In the left column, look for the Tab Group subhead. Name your tab group, then press Enter.

To create a tab group from scratch

• Click the down arrow in the toolbar. (It’s next to the button that opens the sidebar.)
• Pick New Empty Tab Group.
• Name your tab group, then press enter.
• Right-click a tab you want to add to the group, click Move to Tab Group, and select the tab group you want. Alternatively, you can click and drag the tab to your group on the left side.

To open your new tab group

• Click on that down arrow again.
• Click on the tab group you want.

Once you’ve got a group up and running, it’s not set in stone. You can adjust the makeup of a given tab group by clicking the arrow to its right in the sidebar’s tab group list. Right-click any tab that comes up, and you’ll have the option to remove it from the group, remove all tabs that aren’t it from the group, or move it to a different group,

You can also click the three dots just next to the arrow if you want to rename, delete, or share the group, along with other options.

How to create Safari Tab Groups on iOS

Tab Groups can sync between iOS and macOS devices, so if you create one on your Mac computer, you can still access it on your iPhone. Nevertheless, if it’s more convenient for you to create these from the Safari app on iOS, you can certainly do so.

• In the Safari app, click the tabs button on the bottom right. (It’s the one with two squares.)
• Press and hold a tab you want to add, then pick Move to Tab Group.
• Select New Tab Group.
• Name your new group.