How to Close All Tabs on iPhone 14

Clearing out your web browser does not have to be a chore. If you have accumulated dozens of open pages, you do not need to swipe them away one by one. There is a hidden shortcut that wipes the slate clean instantly. Open the Safari app on your phone and look for the icon that looks like two overlapping squares in the bottom right corner. Press and hold your finger on that icon until a menu pops up. Tap the red option that says Close All Tabs. Confirm your choice, and your browser will be fresh and ready for new searches.

Step by step guide on how to close all tabs on iPhone 14

This section will walk you through the exact movements required to clear your browser history. By following these instructions, you will remove every active web page currently open in Safari. This helps declutter your digital workspace in just a few seconds.

Step 1. Open the Safari app on your iPhone home screen

You need to be inside the web browser to perform this action. Locate the blue compass icon that represents Safari. Tap it once to launch the application.

Step 2. Long press the tabs icon in the bottom right corner

This is the most critical part of the process because many people just tap the button. The icon looks like two small squares stacked on top of each other. Instead of a quick tap, hold your finger down on the icon for about two seconds.

Step 3. Select the option to close all tabs

A menu will appear on the screen with several different options. You will see a specific line of text in red that indicates how many windows are currently open. Tap the line that says “Close All [Number] Tabs” to proceed.

Step 4. Confirm your decision to close the tabs

Your iPhone wants to make sure you did not press the button by mistake. A small confirmation window will pop up at the bottom of the screen. Tap the confirmation button to permanently close all the open web pages.

Once you finish these steps, Safari will immediately remove every page that was previously active. You will be left with a blank start page. This gives you a clean slate for your next browsing session.

Another Way: Close All Tabs from the Tab Overview

Newer versions of iOS also let you close everything from the tab overview, which helps if the Tabs button is hard to find in your Safari layout. According to Apple’s iPhone User Guide, you can:

1. Open Safari and tap the Tabs button (two overlapping squares) to see all open tabs.
2. Touch and hold Done.
3. Tap Close All [number] Tabs, then confirm.

If you use Tab Groups, this only closes the tabs in the group you’re viewing. Switch to each group and repeat to close the rest.

Tips for how to close all tabs on iPhone 14

• You can set your iPhone to close tabs automatically after a certain period of time. Open the Settings app, tap Apps > Safari (just Safari on iOS 17 and earlier), and tap Close Tabs. You can choose to have them close after one day, one week, or one month.
• If you accidentally close a tab you needed, you can get it back quickly. Open the tabs view by tapping the squares icon once. Then, press and hold the “plus” sign to see a list of recently closed tabs.
• You can search through your open tabs before closing them to make sure you don’t lose anything important. Swipe down from the top of the tab overview screen to reveal a search bar. This helps you find that one recipe or article you wanted to save.
• Private browsing tabs are handled separately from your main tabs. If you use “Private” mode, remember that closing your main tabs does not close the private ones. You have to close those out separately to be fully clear.

Troubleshooting

I Don’t See a Tabs Button

Safari’s toolbar changes with your layout. Scroll up slightly on a page to bring the toolbar back. If you use the compact layout, tap the More (three dots) button or swipe up on the address bar to see your tabs. You can switch layouts in Settings > Apps > Safari.

Some Tabs Are Still Open

Close All only clears the current Tab Group or the Private group you’re viewing. Check your other Tab Groups and Private Browsing, and close those tabs separately.

Tabs Reappear After I Close Them

If you use Tab Groups, they sync through iCloud with your Mac and iPad. Tabs you open in a group on another device will show up on your iPhone too, so close them on that device as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo the action if I close all my tabs by mistake?

Unfortunately, there is no single “undo” button that restores all tabs at once after a mass close. However, you can reopen them one by one. You would need to long-press the plus icon in the tabs view to see your recently closed pages.

Does closing all tabs delete my browsing history?

No, closing your tabs is like cleaning off your desk, but it does not erase the record of what you read. Your history is stored separately, and you can view it from the Bookmarks button in Safari. To erase it, open Settings > Apps > Safari and tap Clear History and Website Data.

Will this process save my battery life?

Having hundreds of tabs open generally does not drain much battery because they are suspended in the background. However, closing them can help the browser app feel snappier. It can also free up a small amount of system memory.

How do I close tabs on Chrome for iPhone 14?

The process is slightly different if you use Google Chrome instead of Safari. In Chrome, you tap the square showing the number of tabs. Then you tap “Edit” or the menu button and select “Close All Tabs” from there.

Why is the close all tabs option not showing up?

If you do not see the option, you might not be long-pressing the button correctly. Ensure you are holding your finger down on the squares icon without lifting it. Also, verify that you actually have multiple tabs open.

Related: How to see the Safari history on an iPhone.

Related: How to Scan Documents on iPhone 14.

Related: how to close all private tabs on iPhone.