Preview in Safari, the native browser on Mac, allows you to quickly check open websites without clicking on them using your mouse or trackpad. This feature was introduced in version 14, starting with macOS 11 Big Sur, and later made available for macOS Catalina 10.15 and Mojave 10.14.
While this feature is handy for a quick glance at a website’s content without leaving your current page, it can become overwhelming with multiple tabs open, flooding your screen with information. If you find this less than ideal, we’ve put together a tutorial to help you disable tab previews in Safari on your Mac using a straightforward trick in Terminal.
Important Note: While this method is generally safe, mishandling Terminal can harm your data. Follow the instructions carefully and avoid skipping any steps. It’s crucial to exercise caution, and we are not responsible for any damage caused to your computer.
Disabling the preview of tabs in Safari
Before starting, make sure Safari is closed. Then follow the steps below:
1. Open the Terminal app. You can find it in Finder. Go to “Applications” > “Others” > “Terminal”.
2. Type the command below:
defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu 1
Then tap return to confirm.
3. Open Safari. Go to the menu bar and click “Debug.” Then select “Tab Features” > “Show Tab Preview on Hover” and uncheck this option.
After following the steps above, you can disable Safari’s debug menu. To do this, open Terminal and enter the code below:
defaults write com.apple.Safari IncludeInternalDebugMenu 0
Easy. Done.
