The iOS 18 update includes updates to many of Apple's built-in apps, and the Safari browser is no exception. Apple has added new and useful features to its browser for faster access to the information you want from websites. In this article, we highlight everything new in the Safari browser in the iOS 18 update.

From iPhoneIslam.com, iOS 18 icon on the left and Safari icon on the right, placed on an abstract background in blue and pink colors.


Highlights feature

From iPhoneIslam.com, the iOS 18 tablet displays a web page with a map and directions on the left and an image of the hotel's pool area with lounge chairs and palm trees on the right, all viewed through the new Safari browser.

The Highlights feature is one of the new functions in the Safari browser with iOS 18, and its goal is to help you find important information on the site you are visiting quickly and without having to browse the entire page.

From iPhoneIslam.com, two smartphones displaying a hotel booking website and a maps app. The left screen shows room details from Arrive Hotels, while the right screen, running iOS 18, shows a map with an option to manage browser extensions in Safari.

When you visit a website, Safari automatically analyzes the page content, and if it finds information that it thinks might be of interest to you, it will highlight it. To notify you of the presence of this special information, a small purple spark will appear above the tool icon in your browser bar. When you click this icon, Safari will display the important information it has detected. For example:

◉ If you visit a store or restaurant location it may show the address, hours and directions.

◉ If you visit a website about a movie, information about the actors, director, and release date may appear.

◉ If you visit a news site, a summary of the main news may appear.

The idea is to save you time and provide essential information quickly without having to search for it on the page.

Currently, this feature is only available in English and may not work on all sites since iOS 18 is still in beta. You can turn this feature on or off from Safari settings if you don't want to use it.


Reader Mode

From iPhoneIslam.com, iOS 18 smartphone screen displays an article titled “Can Meditation Change Your Mind?” With sections on the benefits of meditation, brain structure, and cognitive functions within the Safari browser.

Reader Mode is a feature that has been around in Safari for a while, aiming to simplify the display of articles and make them easier to read. In the iOS 18 update, Apple has greatly improved this feature. Among the improvements that have occurred:

◉ For longer articles, Safari now automatically creates a table of contents that helps you quickly see the structure of the article and jump directly to the section you're interested in.

◉ Safari now provides a brief summary of the page content, which gives you a quick idea of ​​what the article is about without having to read it in its entirety.

◉ Currently, these new features are only available in English.

How to use

◉ When opening an article in Safari, look for the reader mode icon (usually a page with lines).

◉ After activating reader mode, you will find new options for displaying the table of contents and summary.

These improvements are important because they help you decide whether the article is worth reading in its entirety. It also saves time by allowing you to jump directly to only the parts that interest you, and it improves the overall reading experience, especially for long or complex articles, allowing you to quickly understand the content of the article and easily navigate within it.


Design changes

From iPhoneIslam.com, two smartphones display a website discussing iOS 18 features. Both displays display text and menu options on a green background, highlighting new items of the latest update. One phone displays a Safari browser interface, making navigation smooth and intuitive.

Apple has updated the design of Safari widgets that can be accessed through the address bar. The tools icon is now a square with two lines, and clicking on it opens a full pop-up window at the bottom of the screen. This window contains all of Safari's tools and settings.

◉ All tools are no longer displayed at once, as Apple has prioritized the tools that people may want to use most, such as translation, reader mode, privacy protection, and font size.

◉ Clicking on the three dots (…) at the bottom of the interface will show the rest of the Safari settings, such as showing the IP address, requesting the desktop location, and hiding the toolbar.

◉ Apple also changed the design of the tab management page, with a unified toolbar for separate sections and tab groups.

The goal of these changes is to make using Safari easier and more efficient, prioritizing the most frequently used tools and better organizing settings.


New quick access options

From iPhoneIslam.com, a smartphone showing the new Safari browser menu options screen for iOS 18 with settings for Privacy Report, Hide Toolbar, Request Desktop Website, Share IP Address, Printing and many other tab-related actions on a yellow background.

Some features that were previously hidden in the Shares window are now easily available through the Safari toolbar. New options include:

◉ Print Print.

◉ Add to Favorites.

◉ Add a bookmark.

◉ Add to Quick Note.

◉ Add to Reading List.

◉ Move to Tab Group.

◉ Install Pin Tab.

◉ Camera Access.

◉ Microphone Access.

◉ Location Access.

◉ Open Links in Profile.

The page menu can be modified to customize which tools appear in the Favorites list for quick access. All of these options are also still available through the Shares window.


passwords

From iPhoneIslam.com, a smartphone screen showing a password manager app with a list of saved passwords for various services, including DoorDash, QuickBooks, LinkedIn, Etsy, and Duolingo. It is now compatible with iOS 18 and can be accessed through the Safari browser.

With the new standalone Passwords app, Safari logins, passwords, and passkeys are automatically populated if your information is saved in the app.

The Passwords app has the same functionality as the Passwords section in the Settings app, but it has been separated into a standalone app for easier access. Safari can automatically save your login and password information in the Passwords app, and everything syncs across devices. It can even access passwords on Windows computers.


Lock applications

From iPhoneIslam.com, two smartphones show off new iOS features. The left displays a contextual menu containing options for the Safari browser application. The right shows a prompt asking for Face ID to access the reading list in Safari, which embodies iOS 18's enhanced security measures.

Apps like Safari can be locked and hidden, requiring face or fingerprint authentication to unlock. Locking the Safari app entirely is a layer of protection against hackers, and it may be much better than the Protected Private Browsing feature that Apple introduced in an earlier version of iOS.

Hiding an app locks it, removes it from the Home screen, and places it in the secret Hidden Apps folder in the App Library.

After learning about the new Safari features in iOS 18, which feature do you like the most? Do you think these improvements will change your browsing experience? Share your opinion with us in the comments!

Source:

macrumors

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