To fix iCloud Tabs not syncing, turn on Safari in iCloud on every device, use the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication, and enable iCloud Tabs on Safari’s Start Page. If those settings are already correct, check the Safari profile and whether the missing tabs are open in Private Browsing.
The short version
- Sync settings: Enable Safari in iCloud on each participating iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
- Account requirements: Every device needs the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication.
- Tab visibility: Show iCloud Tabs on the Start Page and check the matching Safari profile.
- Further troubleshooting: Check service status, connectivity, and date and time before trying sync troubleshooting, restarts, and compatible updates.
| Check or fix | When to use it |
|---|---|
| Safari iCloud switch | Tabs are missing between devices |
| Matching Apple Account | Devices show different account details |
| Two-factor authentication through settings | Your account has not enabled it |
| Two-factor authentication through the website | You prefer account setup through Apple’s website |
| Screen Time account permissions | Screen Time blocks account settings |
| Administrator review | Your organization manages the device |
| Start Page visibility | The other devices’ tabs are hidden |
| Matching Safari profile | Tabs belong to a different profile |
| Normal browsing | The missing page is open privately |
| Apple service status | Settings are correct but syncing fails |
| Connection checks | Safari also cannot load websites |
| Automatic date and time | Your device’s clock needs correcting |
| Safari sync toggle cycle | Basic checks have not helped |
| Reopen Safari | Safari on Mac needs restarting or the mobile app is unresponsive |
| Device restart | The problem persists after earlier checks |
| Software updates | A compatible update is offered |
| Remote tab closing | You want to close a tab on another device |
| Shared Start Page preferences | You want matching visibility settings |
| Synchronized Tab Group | You want an alternative way to access pages |
Enable Safari syncing on every device
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, then open iCloud. Tap See All beside Saved to iCloud and turn on Safari. Repeat this on each iPhone and iPad whose tabs you want to access.
On Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings, click your name, then choose iCloud > See All. Turn on Safari there as well, since each participating device needs Safari syncing enabled.
On iOS 17 or earlier, open Settings, tap your name, then open iCloud > Show All under Apps Using iCloud. Turn on Safari; these older menus use Show All where the current interface uses See All.
Check your Apple Account and security settings
Compare the Apple Account shown under your name in Settings on iPhone or iPad with the account under your name in System Settings on Mac. Every participating device must use the same Apple Account for iCloud Tabs.
For an account that does not already use two-factor authentication, open Settings, tap your name, and select Sign-In & Security on iPhone or iPad. On Mac, open System Settings, click your name, then select Sign-In & Security. Enable two-factor authentication and complete the setup instructions displayed on your device.
Eligible accounts can also complete this setup on Apple’s account website. Sign in, complete any email-code or security-question challenge, then tap Upgrade Account Security and follow the displayed instructions. Sign in only through Apple’s own app or website, and never share a code, password, or remote access with someone who contacts you.
If Screen Time blocks access to account settings on iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. When All Restrictions is enabled, find Privacy Restrictions > Allow Changes to Settings > Accounts, then choose Allow. Enter the Screen Time passcode when requested; a parent or guardian must authorize the change on a child’s device.
If your organization manages the device, ask its administrator to review restrictions on Safari, account changes, and iCloud services. This checks for policy restrictions that may affect your setup, but does not establish that a restriction caused the missing tabs.
Show iCloud Tabs on the Start Page
Safari’s Start Page has its own control for displaying iCloud Tabs. Enable it as well as the Safari switch in iCloud so you can see tabs from your other devices.
On iPhone with the iOS 27 interface, open Safari, tap the Tabs button, then tap the Add button. Scroll down, tap Edit, and turn on iCloud Tabs. Return to the Start Page and scroll to the other devices’ tabs. With the iOS 26 Compact layout, open the new tab through More > New Tab instead.
On iPadOS 26 or 27, open Safari and tap the New Tab button at the top right. Scroll down and tap Edit, then turn on iCloud Tabs.
On Safari 27 for macOS 27, choose Bookmarks > Show Start Page. Click Edit in the bottom-right corner, select iCloud Tabs, then click elsewhere in the Safari window.
Check profiles and leave Private Browsing
In Safari 17 and later, iCloud Tabs shows tabs from the matching profile on your other devices. On Mac, click the profile button in Safari’s toolbar and choose New [Profile] Window for the profile containing the missing tabs. From an empty window or the Start Page, you can instead choose Switch to [Profile] Window, then check that profile’s Start Page.
Safari on Mac intentionally does not store private windows’ open webpages in iCloud. Choose File > New Window, or switch to an existing non-private window, and open the website there.
On iPhone with iOS 27, tap the Tabs button, then swipe left to open a Tab Group from the menu at the bottom of the screen, and open the website there. On iOS 18 through iOS 26, open More > New Tab instead, though toolbar placement varies by layout; on iOS 17 or earlier, tap the Tabs button and select the numbered tab group to leave Private Browsing.
On iPad, tap the Tabs button, then tap [number] Tabs or Start Page. Open the website outside Private Browsing, since private browsing activity is intentionally not shared with other devices.
Check service status and your connection
Check Apple’s System Status page for iCloud Bookmarks & Tabs. If an incident is listed, retry after Apple resolves it.
If Safari on iPhone or iPad also has connection problems, try loading a website, then test cellular data or another Wi-Fi network if it fails. If a VPN is active, inspect its settings for connectivity interference. Apple recommends these checks for website-loading failures; they can help you investigate connectivity when syncing also fails, but do not specifically repair an isolated stale-tab list.
If pages still will not open, continue with the steps for fixing Safari pages that will not load. Once websites load again, return to Safari’s Start Page and check your other devices’ tabs.
Correct the clock and refresh Safari syncing
Apple recommends checking date and time when troubleshooting Safari synchronization. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > General > Date & Time and turn on Set Time Automatically, which may appear as Set Automatically on iPad and on older iPhone software.
For location-based time-zone detection, open Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services. Turn on Setting Time Zone. On iOS 27 or iPadOS 27, also turn on Set Time Zone Automatically in Settings > General > Date & Time.
On Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Date & Time. Turn on Set time and date automatically and Set time zone automatically using your current location.
If the earlier checks have not helped, return to the Safari switch in your device’s iCloud settings. Turn off Safari, wait a few minutes, then turn on Safari again. Apple recommends this for Safari bookmark syncing, so treat it as broader Safari sync troubleshooting rather than a guaranteed iCloud Tabs repair.
Reopen Safari or restart your device
On Mac, close Safari and reopen it. If Safari will not quit normally, press Option + Command + Esc to access Force Quit. You can also restart the Mac through the Apple menu > Restart.
Force-close Safari on iPhone only when it is unresponsive. On an iPhone without a Home button, swipe up from the Home Screen and pause halfway; on a model with one, double-click the Home button. Find Safari, swipe its preview upward, then reopen it.
For an unresponsive Safari on iPad, swipe up from the bottom to open the app switcher. On a model with a Home button, you can double-click the Home button instead. Find Safari, swipe its preview upward, and reopen it.
To restart a Face ID iPhone, hold either Volume button and the Side button until the power-off slider appears. On iPhone SE (2nd or 3rd generation), hold the Side button instead; on iPhone SE (1st generation), hold the Top button. Drag the slider, wait 30 seconds, then hold the Side button, or the Top button on iPhone SE (1st generation), until the Apple logo appears.
To restart an iPad without a Home button, hold either Volume button and the Top button until the power-off slider appears. On an iPad with a Home button, hold the Top button instead. Drag the slider, wait 30 seconds, then hold the Top button until the Apple logo appears.
Install compatible Safari updates
Safari updates on iPhone and iPad arrive with operating-system updates. Back up your device, connect it to power and Wi-Fi, then open Settings > General > Software Update. When an update offers Download and Install, tap it and complete the displayed instructions.
On Mac, open the Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update. Install the compatible updates offered, including Safari updates. The update or restart button’s wording depends on the update being offered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you close a tab on another device through iCloud Tabs?
Yes, closing a remote tab closes the selected tab on the other device. Locate it on the Start Page, then on iPhone or iPad, touch and hold it and choose Close; on Mac, Control-click it and choose Close Tab. Remote closing is not a guaranteed repair for recurring ghost tabs.
Does Use Start Page on All Devices turn on Safari syncing?
It shares Start Page preferences, but you still need Safari enabled in iCloud. On Mac, open the Start Page, click Edit, and select Use Start Page on All Devices. Enable the same option under Start Page > Edit on participating iPhones and iPads using the same Apple Account with two-factor authentication.
Can a Tab Group provide another way to access pages across devices?
Yes, Tab Groups synchronize through iCloud across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with Safari enabled in iCloud. On iPadOS 27, open Safari’s sidebar, tap New Tab Group, then New Empty Tab Group, enter a name, and tap Save. To move a page, touch and hold its tab, choose Move to Tab Group, and select the group, then open the matching group on another device. This gives you an alternative browsing workflow without repairing the iCloud Tabs list.
Should you install Safari for Windows to troubleshoot iCloud Tabs?
No, Safari for Windows is obsolete and is not a current iCloud Tabs solution. Apple no longer supplies Safari updates for Windows or other non-Apple operating systems.