iPhone Basics: How to Navigate the iOS Safari App Using the Webpage Icons

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Are you wondering how to use the Safari app because you're not quite sure what the icons mean? Here's a brief overview of the main icons in the iOS Safari app and how to use them. All the icons reviewed can be found along the bottom bar after you open the Safari app on your iPhone. The icons do the same thing in the iPad Safari app, but may be located in a different part of the screen.

Related: How to Browse Privately in Safari on iPhone

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The back & forth arrows 

• Use these arrows to navigate between pages you've opened in a tab. So if you've clicked a link on a web page like Wikipedia, it opens a new page. If you want to go back to the first page, just tap the back arrow and vice versa. You can also swipe left and right on the screen instead of using the arrows to navigate between pages.

The Share icon

• This icon looks like a box with an arrow at the top. This lets you open the Share menu and share a web link to chats, social media, or other apps. You also use the Share icon when you want to save a web link to your bookmarks, reading lists, or perform another activity.

The Bookmarks icon

• This icon looks like an open book.
  • Tap the Bookmark tab on the left to view your saved links.
  • Tap the Reading List tab in the center (the reading glasses icon) to view articles you saved to read later.
  • Tap the History tab (the clock icon) to view and clear your browsing history.

The Tabs icon

• This icon looks like two overlapping squares.
  • Tap the Tabs icon to view all your open tabs and switch between them by tapping on the tab you wish to navigate to. This can help if you're researching a subject or going between looking at something like a recipe and reading an article from another website.
  •  Press the + symbol to open a new tab.
  • Swipe left on a tab or tap the X in the upper left corner of a tab to delete it.
  • Press and hold the + symbol to view and reopen recently deleted tabs.
  • Tap Private to open a tab for private browsing.
  • Tap Done to return to the tab at the front of the open tabs.

Now you can navigate the Safari app with the options these icons provide.

Top image credit: ImYanis / Shutterstock.com