How to Use Safari Tab Groups on Mac

With each macOS update, Safari undergoes a significant change. For example, Safari can add background wallpapers, Privacy Report, and more with the macOS Big Sur update. macOS Monterey now brings a fine-tuned design, new privacy features, Tab Groups, and a uniform tab bar. Although tabs look different, let’s take a look at the Tab groups feature to manage them in Safari.

Before we show you how to use group tabs on Mac, let’s take a look at what Tab Groups is in Safari and why you should use it.

What Are Tab Groups in Safari on Mac?

In theory, Tab Groups is similar to what Google did with Groups in the Google Chrome browser. However, the application is different.

Tab Groups are most useful when dealing with dozens of tabs in the browser. For example, you can create a group such as Social and add your opened social tabs to the group.

Similarly, you can create multiple groups in the Safari browser and move the tabs to the created groups from the public homepage. It’s all about smarter tab management in the Safari browser on Mac. Something power users will appreciate when they get a taste of Tab Groups in Safari.

Excited to try Safari Tab Groups? Let’s set it up.

Create Tab Groups in Safari Browser on Mac

Tab Group functionality is best served on the desktop. After all, you have to open dozens of tabs on the Mac, not the iPhone.

If you have multiple tabs open in the Safari browser, you can follow the steps below to deal with the tab clutter on Mac.

Note: Tab Groups is part of the Safari update in macOS Monterey 12.0. If you are still using macOS Big Sur, you need to update the software from the System Preferences menu. Apple is ready to release the new update later this year. Until then, you can try the shiny new OS on Mac at your own risk.

Stage 1: Open the Safari browser on your Mac and start browsing. Try opening the corresponding tabs in the browser.

Step 2: Select a Tab you want to move to a group.

Stage 3: Right-click a tab and choose Move To Tab Group from the context menu.

Step 4: Select New Tab Group.

Step 5: Safari will open a sidebar and you can give the group a corresponding name.

Step 6: You will see that the tab has moved from the standard interface to the newly created tab group.

You can follow the routine for all opened tabs and organize them neatly into tab groups.

It can be a time-consuming process though.

Create Tab Groups from Currently Open Tabs

Apple also has a better way to create tab groups from existing tabs. Here’s how.

Stage 1: Launch the Safari browser on Mac and open the corresponding tabs for which you want to group.

Step 2: Click the little down arrow next to the Sidebar menu at the top.

Stage 3: Select New Tab Group with x Tabs.

Step 4: Give the New Tab Group a name and Safari will add all open tabs in that group.

No manual entry required. You don’t need to move every tab to a group in Safari on Mac.

How to Delete Tab Groups in Safari

If you no longer need to use a particular set of tabs in the Safari browser, you can simply delete it from the app. Here’s how.

Stage 1: Launch the Safari browser on Mac.

Step 2: Click Sidebar at the top.

Stage 3: Under the Tab Groups menu, right-click the Tab Group you want to delete, or use two-finger click with the MacBook trackpad.

Step 4: Select Delete and Safari will delete the Tab Group from the browser.

You can also rename a Tab Group from the same menu.

About Safari on iPhone

Safari on iPhone is also getting the new Tab Group plugin with the iOS 15 update. Any Tab Groups you create will also sync to iPhone running iOS 15.

On iPhone, you can also create new Tab Groups, add new tabs to it, rename and even delete the group.

Edit Safari Tabs Like a Pro

Tab Groups in the Safari browser is a nice extension to enhance the desktop browsing experience. However, we would like to see more theme options for future updates, such as custom icons in Safari and colored tabs like Google Chrome.

Do you see yourself using Safari Tab Groups when macOS 12.0 Monterey arrives? Or are you happy with the Safari alternative on Mac? Share your thoughts in the comments below.