The Safari browser in Apple’s iOS 18.4 software update exposes your recent searches, but there’s a toggle to stop this from happening for privacy reasons.
iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 tweak the Safari browser to display a list of recent searches upon touching the address bar. The change irked privacy advocates because a casual search while on a subway or other crowded places could reveal what you recently searched for to anyone looking over your shoulder.
I argued that Apple could add a simple toggle to the Safari settings to make this an opt-in feature and kill the potential controversy while it hasn’t had a chance to blow up yet. That’s precisely what the company has done in the fourth beta of iOS 18.4, which brings the option to turn off the display of recent searches.
iOS 18.4 lets you toggle recent searches in Safari
Instead of pulling the feature, Apple added a setting to toggle it at will. Whether you upgrade your iPhone to iOS 18.4 or install the software from scratch, Safari will default to showing your recent search queries when hitting the URL bar.
To turn it off, go to Settings > Apps > Safari and turn off the “Show Recent Searches” switch in the “Search” section. Doing so will stop showing your recent search history whenever you hit the address field or open a new Safari tab.
People who want to turn this feature off are parents with kids using their iPhones, those who feel comfortable handing their iPhones to other people, and those who are simply concerned about the privacy implications of having their searches exposed like that. Otherwise, leave the feature turned on to save time when you’d like to repeat a recent search query. While we’re at it, why not add the ability to clear individual recent searches on top of the existing option to clear all recent searches?