Safari switch tab gesture

ardchoille · Jun 21, 2015

This is something that I stumbled upon a few minutes ago. I was unaware of a gesture that allows us to switch tabs in Safari.. until now. I know that, in landscape mode on iPhone 6, we can pinch a tab in Safari to zoom out and see all open tabs. However, if you pinch just enough so that you can see the edges of adjacent tabs, you can then hold the pinch there, before the full zoom out, and swipe sideways to move to the next tab.

This gesture works rather well in landscape mode in iOS 8.3, but doesn't work in portrait mode. This tells me that the gesture is dependent on the pinch-to-see-open-tabs feature.

ardchoille · Jun 21, 2015

I'm curious if this gesture works in both landscape and portrait mode on the iPhone 6+. If so, could someone post the information for us?

J. A. · Jun 21, 2015

I can switch tabs on my iPhone 6 plus using your method in landscape mode. I couldn't do it in portrait mode, simply because I can't pinch.

ardchoille · Jun 21, 2015

J. A. said:
I can switch tabs on my iPhone 6 plus using your method in landscape mode. I couldn't do it in portrait mode, simply because I can't pinch.

Ok, it's the same as iPhone 6. I had hoped that, since the home screen rotates on the iPhone 6+, this gesture would work in both modes on that phone, but that doesn't seem to be the case.

Thank you for the info, J. A.

J. A. · Jun 21, 2015

You're welcome.

I've tried it in Zoomed and Standard view. Both times it worked in landscape mode, but not portrait mode.

bear7962 · Jun 21, 2015

Pinch? Pinch what?
Currently I tap on the page symbol on the right. All my tabs show and I tap on the one I want to move to it click the x to close it out. Works the same in landscape and portrait on my 6+. What am I missing?

ardchoille · Jun 21, 2015

bear7962 said:
Pinch? Pinch what?
Currently I tap on the page symbol on the right. All my tabs show and I tap on the one I want to move to it click the x to close it out. Works the same in landscape and portrait on my 6+. What am I missing?

I think you may have misunderstood what I posted in the OP. If not, let me know and I will try to make it more clear.

bear7962 · Jun 21, 2015

Well, are the results I posted what you meant? Because I did one in landscape, the other in portrait, on my 6+

J. A. · Jun 21, 2015

When you pinch the site you're looking at, using thumb and pointer, it'll look different. You won't see all the open tabs. As soon as you can see a part of the next tab, slide the one you're pinching to the left or right quickly, with both fingers still pinching the site. When you see that the next tab moves to the center of the screen lift both fingers.
I can't take a screenshot. As soon as you lift one finger, it's not possible to switch tabs any more, because one of them will open.

ardchoille · Jun 21, 2015

You don't even have to wait for the adjacent tab to come fully into view, just pinch a little and swipe and you can lift your fingers before the switch completes. It does a bit of practice, though.

bear7962 · Jun 21, 2015

I see. That pinch does exactly what my tapping that page rectangle symbol in the lower right in portrait ( and upper right in landscape) does but seems easier to work to me. Try the tap when you have several sites open and see if I am right or I need work work on this sme more.

ardchoille · Jun 22, 2015

bear7962 said:
I see. That pinch does exactly what my tapping that page rectangle symbol in the lower right in portrait ( and upper right in landscape) does but seems easier to work to me. Try the tap when you have several sites open and see if I am right or I need work work on this sme more.

Yes, that pages icon is there for the purpose of zooming out to see all open tabs. The tab switching gesture I stumbled upon is, I believe, a mistake.. I don't believe Apple intended it to work that way.