Exploring the New Features of iOS 18.4: A Look at Safari’s Changes
If your iPhone is updated to iOS 18.4, you may have discovered several exciting enhancements. Notable among these are the AI-Enhanced Priority Notifications and seven newly introduced emojis. However, one adjustment that may spark debate is the implementation of Safari’s Search feature, which now displays a list of your most recent searches each time a new query is entered. Is this feature beneficial? Perhaps—yet it undoubtedly raises privacy concerns.
There’s no need to worry: For those who prefer to avoid Safari’s new “Recent Searches” display, this option can be easily deactivated or simply cleared in no time.
Understanding the New Safari Search Interface
Upon opening a new tab and selecting “Search or enter website” in iOS 18.4, a new screen will present itself, showcasing all your recent search activities.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak
There are numerous reasons you might choose to disable this feature—perhaps you’d rather not be reminded of yesterday’s queries, or maybe you want to keep your recent search history private from others who might use your device. Apple has opted to enable this feature by default, rather than requiring users to opt-in. The positive aspect is that with updates like these, Apple usually includes an additional toggle in the Settings menu, allowing you to revert to previous configurations.
Clearing Recent Search Entries in Safari
For those who appreciate this new feature but wish to occasionally clear away their search history, managing this is quite straightforward. Although there isn’t an option to delete specific search entries, eliminating all recent searches is a simple process.
To achieve this, access the Search screen, tap the Clear All button at the top, and witness all your past queries vanish in an instant. As you continue searching, the list will gradually start to populate once more.
Disabling Recent Search Results in Safari
The implications of this feature extend beyond concerns about privacy; it occupies the entire screen and obscures visibility of the Start page while in use. Even if there’s nothing to conceal, the feature limits your view of Safari.
To deactivate this functionality, navigate to the Settings app, select Apps > Safari, scroll down, and toggle off the Show Recent Searches option. After completing this, returning to the Search menu will show that your recent search results are no longer displayed.
