why do my safari windows disappear

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Safari tabs disappeared on your iPhone or iPad? How to get them back!

We’ve all been there: Opened Safari on our iPhone or iPad, ready to pick up where we left off, only to realize that all our tabs have suddenly disappeared. It is natural to panic when this happens. But fret not. This guide explains what causes Safari tabs to disappear on your iPhone or iPad and, more importantly, how to get them back.

Why have Safari tabs disappeared on my iPhone or iPad?

Unless you have accidentally closed all your open tabs, either by swiping them away or tapping the Close All Tabs option, there are only a few reasons that can cause your Safari tabs to disappear on an iPhone or iPad.

If there is a corrupted cache in Safari, it can sometimes make tabs disappear on your device.
At times, software bugs or glitches can cause the Safari tabs to disappear unexpectedly.
If your iPhone or iPad is running low on memory, Safari may automatically close tabs to free up space, causing them to vanish.
Having the auto-close tabs feature enabled on your device can automatically close tabs after a specified period of time.

Understanding the cause can help you prevent it in the future. Now, let us jump to the methods to restore the disappeared Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad.

How to get back disappeared Safari tabs on an iPad

Safari’s interface on the iPad is a bit different from that on the iPhone. So, first we will share some iPad-specific troubleshooting steps to help you get back disappeared Safari tabs on your iPad.

1. Show all Safari windows

Sometimes, your tabs aren’t lost; they’re just in a different window. It might be because you are using multiple Safari windows on your iPad. Let us see how to switch between multiple Safari windows and find the disappeared tabs:

Press and hold the Safari app icon on the Dock or Home Screen.

2. Access hidden Safari tabs

If you have too many Safari windows open and cannot find the disappeared tab(s), you can merge all windows into one to find them quickly. All you have to do is:

Open Safari .
Tap and hold the Show Tab Overview button in the top-right corner.

As you can see, all the tabs present in multiple Safari windows will be combined and shown under a single window. Now, you can jump between tabs without fear of losing any tab unexpectedly until you close them.

How to find disappeared Safari tabs on an iPhone

Now that you know the methods to get back disappeared Safari tabs on an iPad, let us see how to restore the tabs on an iPhone. You can also use the following steps on your iPad if the above methods didn’t fix the issue.

1. Reopen your recently-closed tabs

Safari keeps a history of all the tabs you have visited. So, if you have accidentally closed all your tabs, you can reopen them, as shown below.

Tap and hold the + button in Safari for iPad in the top-right corner of the screen. On iPhone, tap the tabs button and long press the + button.

2. Look for the tabs in a Tab Group or Safari profile

Safari Tab Groups help you organize tabs into specified folders. For example, I organize all the tech-related news tabs in a tab group named iGeeks. For more personalization, iOS 17 brought Safari Profiles , which allows you to divide your browser sessions into distinct profiles.

So, it is possible that the tab you have been looking for may be hidden in a Tab Group or Safari profile. You can find the tab like this:

In Safari, tap the tab icon at bottom.
Swipe left on the tab bar below.
Here, you can see the other tab groups you have created previously.

To change the Safari profile, tap the list icon in the middle and select the drop-down beside Profile . Choose any profile and check its Tab Groups.

3. Go through your browsing history

Your browsing history is a reliable source to get back your disappeared Safari tabs on an iPhone. This is what you need to do:

Open Safari and tap the book icon.
Go to the History tab (a clock icon).

How to prevent losing Safari tabs on an iPhone or iPad

It is not uncommon to have your Safari tabs disappear on your iPhone or iPad. But there are a few things you can do to prevent losing Safari tabs.

1. Disable the auto-close tabs feature

Safari has a built-in auto-close feature to close all the tabs automatically after a particular period, such as a day, week, or month. This makes sure your browsing experience is not cluttered. If it is turned on, you can disable it like this:

Open Settings .
In iOS 18, go to Apps and select Safari . (In iOS 17, Open Settings and select Safari )

2. Update your iPhone or iPad

You cannot update Safari individually since it is a system app. The only way to update it is by updating your iOS or iPadOS version . Another advantage of keeping your device updated is that it can prevent all other kinds of bugs, too.

To check for the latest software updates on an iPhone or iPad, open Settings and navigate to General → Software Update . Download and install any available updates.

3. Bookmark all tabs on Safari

If none of the above fixes solve the issue and Safari tabs keep disappearing on your iPhone or iPad, it could be due to some bugs in iOS or iPadOS. However, if you do not see a new software update on your device, it would be better to stick with a workaround until one arrives with a fix. The best one is to bookmark all the tabs that you are using.

Go to the page you want to bookmark.
Tap and hold the book icon.
Select Add Bookmarks for X Tabs .
Give a name for the bookmark folder and choose the bookmark location.

Signing off…

Having your Safari tabs disappear on your iPhone or iPad can be a really frustrating experience. But we hope the fixes in this guide will help retrieve your disappeared tabs and prevent the issue from happening again.

Once retrieved, be sure to take preventive steps to prevent losing Safari tabs on your iPhone or iPad again.

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Disappearing Safari Tabs on iPhone or iPad? How to Find Them

Every so often, a seemingly small bug in Apple's operating systems survives the company's annual OS launches and continues to cause users huge frustration from one software update to the next.

apple macos bigsur safari improvedtabs 06222020

While there isn't an accepted solution to the problem of disappearing tabs, there are cases where it might seem that your tabs are gone, when in fact they are just hidden from view. Here are some ways that you may be able to get them back or stop them from disappearing in the first place.

Reveal Hidden Tabs

On iPadOS, for example, if you press and hold the Show Tab Overview button (four squares in a quadrant) in the top-right corner of the Safari window, this will reveal a dropdown menu that includes an option to Merge All Windows .

Reveal the Shelf

Another action worth trying on iPadOS is pressing and holding the Safari icon in the Dock or on the Home Screen and selecting Show All Windows from the popup menu that appears.

Recently Closed Tabs

If you have an inkling that some of the tabs you're missing have been inadvertently closed, you can always use the Recently Closed Tabs option to re-open them. All you have to do is open up the tab view in Safari and long press on the "+" icon to get a look at all of the tabs that you've recently closed.

play Even if you're aware of the gesture, it's worth a reminder that this feature exists in case someone gets ahold of your phone and checks your browser. Even if you've closed out a tab, it's still going to be visible in Safari, unless you were using a private browser window or have cleared your browsing history.

Turn Off Auto-Close Tabs

If you still haven't been able to find some of your tabs, make sure that Safari isn't closing them after a certain duration on your behalf: Open Settings , tap through to Safari -> Close Tabs and ensure that Manually is selected.

Bookmark All Open Tabs

If the above suggestions haven't worked for you, there is a workaround: Consider bookmarking your open tabs after each browsing session. This might sound like more hassle than it's worth, but since iOS 13 Apple has included a one-tap option to just that.

A popup menu will appear at the on the screen from which you can select Add Bookmarks for X Tabs , the X being the number of tabs open.

Once you've tapped this option, you'll be asked to save the tabs in a new bookmarks folder (remember to give it a recognizable name). Alternately, you can choose a location from the existing folder list in which to save the tabs.

To access your bookmarks in Safari at any time, simply tap the Bookmarks icon in the main browsing interface or the sidebar to reveal all of your saved favorites and folders. Press and hold on the folder of bookmarks and select Open in New Tabs , or alternatively, Open in Tab Group if you want them grouped.

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Safari Tabs Disappeared on iPhone? How to Get Them Back!

What to know.

You can re-open recently closed tabs in Safari by tapping and holding the plus icon.
Lastly, check if your missing tab is hidden in another tab group or within a separate Safari profile.
If your Safari tabs disappeared on iPad, you can try merging windows or revealing the iPad shelf.

Why do your tabs keep closing on iPhone or iPad? Maybe you wanted to retrieve a few interesting recipes you saw online, but now the tabs for those recipes are nowhere to be seen in Safari. But don't panic! We'll show you how to retrieve those lost tabs on your iPhone or iPad.

iPad-Specific Fixes
Re-Opening Closed Tabs
Frequently Asked Questions

Why Do My Tabs Disappear in Safari on iPad?

Safari closing tabs on its own seems to happen somewhat frequently to iPad users. We'll start with some iPad-specific fixes for how to get tabs back. Has your Safari app completely disappeared from your Home Screen? Find out how to get Safari back on your iPhone or iPad . For more iPhone and iPad troubleshooting pointers, be sure to sign up for our free Tip of the Day newsletter.

How to Get Tabs Back on iPad

If you're browsing the web on an iPad and you have multiple Safari windows open, then you may not be able to see all your tabs. These steps will allow all your open tabs to appear in the current window. This potentially includes some tabs that weren’t visible in the Tab Overview screen. For a more in-depth tutorial, check out our article on re-opening closed tabs in Safari .

Reveal the Shelf on iPad

This method will show any open windows directly above the Dock. As a result, you will be able to switch between windows and potentially reveal any Safari tabs that disappeared on your iPad.

How to Open a Closed Tab on iPhone & iPad

The purpose of this method is to find and reopen tabs you may have accidentally closed. This works on both iPhone and iPad (although the placement of the buttons in the below screenshots will look different depending on your device).

safari on iphone with tab button circled in red

Disable Auto-Close Tabs

Another cause of Safari tabs disappearing is a setting that automatically closes open Safari tabs after a set amount of time. This can prevent the problem of too many open tabs but can also lead to tabs you still want open getting closed. Here's how to solve this issue on your iPhone or iPad.

iphone settings with safari circled in red

Bookmark Open Tabs

Once a tab is bookmarked, you will always be able to find it, even if it's closed or your browser history is closed

Check Tab Groups & Safari Profiles

In Safari, you can create tab groups to separate all of your different tabs into specific groups. For example, if you have several recipe tabs open, you could place these tabs into a group called "Dinners." Additionally, iOS 17 and newer include a feature called Safari Profiles, allowing you to separate your browsing sessions into different profiles.

iphone safari tab view with red arrow pointing left indicating to swipe left on the tab bar

If you are still having trouble opening closed tabs or locating a missing tab, it may, unfortunately, be lost forever. Next, find out the best ways to manage your Safari tabs .

Why do my tabs keep closing on iPhone? You might have your Safari tabs set to automatically close. You can change this by going into Settings, tapping Safari, and then selecting Close Tabs. Check out the above section on how to set your Safari tabs to manually close for more information.

How to close all tabs in Safari? You can close all your open tabs at once. If you've become too overwhelmed by all your open tabs, simply tap and hold the tabs button, then select Close All Tabs. Check out this tip on how to close all tabs at once for a more detailed view.

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Disappearing Safari Tabs Fix

Martina Nikolova

Table of Contents

Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone/iPad

Disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone/iPad is a bug in iOS and iPadOS that causes one or more tabs opened in Safari to seemingly go away. If Safari tabs are disappearing on your iPhone/iPad there are a couple of easy fixes you can try.

Although every year Apple operating systems receive a major release and there are also many smaller updates throughout the year, some bugs seem to be more persistent than others and manage to remain in the specific operating system across multiple OS releases. Case in point, the disappearing Safari tabs on iPhone and iPad is a strange bug that has been around since iOS 13 and still seems to frustrate users to this day.

Though this isn’t a very commonly-encountered bug, when it takes place, it can be quite irritating, especially if it’s not a one-time occurrence but keeps happening again and again. The cause of this issue remains unknown and, though there are things you can do to mitigate it (we’ll tell you about them in a bit), there’s currently no permanent fix for this bug. Until Apple releases a patch that resolves this issue, you’d need to make do with the alternative fixes we’ll show you on this page.

Here, we should note that the problem with disappearing tabs could refer to two separate occurrences – one, in which your tab(s) get closed entirely, and another, in which the tab or tabs remain open but are hidden. It is unclear whether these two separate issues are related, but the fixes we’ve prepared for you should help resolve both of them.

Why do my Safari tabs keep disappearing?

It is currently not known what causes Safari tabs to keep disappearing, but in most cases, it’s likely a bug in iOS/iPadOS. The other possible cause for Safari tabs to keep disappearing is if the browser is set to automatically close inactive tabs.

There is a function that Safari has that, when enabled, will cause the browser to automatically close tabs that you haven’t viewed recently. You can even choose between three-time period options to determine how long time would need to pass before the inactive tabs get closed. However, this is only one possible reason for the tabs to close/get hidden. If this function of your Safari browser isn’t enabled, the likely cause for the tabs’ disappearance is probably a bug in iOS or iPadOS that Apple needs to address in its future patches for the respective operating system.

Disappearing Safari tabs fix

The Disappearing Safari tabs fix methods include merging all Safari windows on iPad, revealing the Safari windows shelf, and searching through the recently closed tab’s history. Other potential fixes for disappearing Safari tabs are to disable the Auto-close tabs Safari function or to bookmark everything.

As already mentioned, the fixes suggested here aren’t a permanent solution to the problem. The developers at Apple are the only ones who can release a patch that would resolve this bug. Until then, you can hopefully circumvent the problem with either of the next temporary solutions/workarounds.

Merge All Windows (iPadOS only)

This should help you reveal any tabs that have become hidden but are still open. It won’t return any tabs that have already been closed.

Open the Safari browser on your iPad and press and hold the button with four squares in the top-right.

Look through all the tabs that are in the current Safari window and see if you can find the one you need.

Reveal the Safari windows shelf (iPadOS only)

This is another potential fix for revealing hidden tabs but not for restoring ones that have been closed.

Press and hold your finger on the Safari icon in the Dock or the Home Screen .
Select Show All Windows from the menu that should appear shortly.
Look through the shelf of open windows, switch between them, and see if you can find the needed tab. In some cases, doing this should reveal any tabs that have become hidden.

Search in the Recently Closed Tabs history

This fix is used to restore tabs that have been closed.

Disable the Auto-close tabs feature

As we mentioned in the article above, if this feature in your Safari browser is enabled, tabs you don’t visit will get closed after a while. If you don’t want this to keep happening in the future, you should check the settings of Safari and make sure that this function isn’t enabled.

Go to the Settings app and tap on Safari.

Bookmark the tabs you don’t want to lose

If nothing else you’ve tried has helped thus far, you can always resort to simply bookmarking everything you want to visit at a later time. Admittedly, it’s a rather clunky workaround, but one that can still let you quickly access content that you’d like to revisit. Here’s how to quickly bookmark stuff in Safari:

Once you open the browser, open the site/page that you may want to visit later.

If you want to save all currently open tabs as bookmarks, select instead the Add Bookmarks for * number of open tabs * .
To access the bookmarks you’ve saved, tap the Bookmark button and then select the saved page that you want to open again.

Martina likes to get into nitty-gritty of tomorrow’s tech, from product design across to security based solutions. A long time mac user and developer, she has the expertise and strives to give new insight

How to fix Safari tabs disappearing on iPad and iPhone

While using Safari, have you noticed that some of your open tabs are missing and you can’t seem to find them? The tabs are most likely still open, you just have to look for them in the right places. Let’s show you how.

1. See all your open windows in Safari on iPad

Unlike iPhone, but like Mac, Safari on iPad lets you open more than one window.

You might not see a Safari tab that’s open in a different window in case you have multiple active windows that you opened and forgot. Secondly, clicking some website links can force a new browser window.

In these situations, you might miss seeing a specific tab if it isn’t on your current Safari window but on a different one.

Here’s how to quickly see all open Safari windows on iPad:

Go to your iPad Home Screen or pull up the Dock.
Press and hold the Safari app icon.
Tap Show All Windows .

Now, tap one of the windows that has the Safari tab you thought had disappeared.

2. Merge all Safari windows on iPad to get back hidden tabs

With Safari open on Mac, when you click Windows from the top menu bar, you see an option called Merge All Windows. Clicking this instantly brings all the tabs of different windows in a single window.

The same handy functionality is in Safari for iPad.

Here’s how to see your hidden Safari tabs on iPad by merging all active windows into one:

Inside Safari, press and hold the button made up of four tiny squares.
Tap Merge All Windows .

Now, Safari will bring all the tabs of different windows to a single place. From here, you can easily find the Safari tabs that you thought were missing or hidden from plain sight.

3. Reopen your recently closed Safari tabs on iPad and iPhone

Sometimes, it’s likely that you accidentally closed a Safari tab or closed one intentionally and then forgot about it.

You can easily open such recently closed Safari tabs by following these steps:

Inside Safari, tap the tab button (made of two overlapping squares).
Press and hold the plus button (+) to see Recently Closed Tabs.
Tap the desired website to reopen it.

For more: How to quickly reopen recently closed tabs in Safari on iPhone or iPad

4. Stop Safari from automatically closing open tabs

With iOS 13 and later, Safari can automatically close open tabs after one day, one week, or a month. In case you or someone with access to your iPhone or iPad enabled this option, you might be opening a tab, and the next day it closes, making you wonder, “Where has my Safari tab gone!”

To fix this, follow these steps to prevent the auto-close of Safari tabs:

Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap Safari .
Select Close Tabs .
Choose Manually .

Stop Safari from automatically closing tabs

From now, open Safari tabs won’t disappear, and you can access them as long as you don’t close them manually.

Fixed: Safari tabs hiding or missing on iPhone or iPad

This is how you can fix the issue of Safari tabs hiding or disappearing from plain sight on your iPhone or iPad. Besides this, if you continue to face such inconveniences, make sure you inculcate the habit of restarting your iPhone at least once every three days.

Finally, if you’re on an old version of iOS or iPadOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update and install the newest available version of the operating system for your device. Usually, such bugs are fixed by Apple via software updates, ensuring an improved experience.

Safari tips for you:

11 tips to customize and personalize Safari on iPhone and iPad
How to allow pop-ups in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
How to stop name, address, email, and payment autofill suggestions in Safari

How To Find Your Missing Tabs In Safari

While Apple spends a lot of time working on new updates, testing them with developers in the beta software program, and making sure bugs and errors are squashed, some can still make it through. One such bug causes tabs to go missing in Safari, Apple's web browser: while clearing Safari's cache can solve many problems with its performance, some glitches can be trickier to address. Recently, some Safari users have opened multiple tabs in Safari on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but then after a break have found all the tabs disappeared as if they've never been opened.

The root cause of the problem remains unknown. Sometimes, you might suspect Safari simply hid the tabs out of view. In other cases, Safari might close them altogether, perhaps because of a system setting you might not be aware of. The good news is, for whatever reason the error occurs, there are a few ways to recover your missing tabs on Safari, and most of them are pretty straightforward.

Check for the missing tabs in other Safari windows

If you are using Safari on iPadOS, your first step should be to check all the Safari windows. That's because, in newer versions of iPadOS, you can open multiple windows of the same application to perform different tasks simultaneously; sometimes, the web browser swaps the tabs in these windows. There are a few ways to view all the Safari windows on your iPad.

The simplest method to view all your Safari windows is to press and hold the Safari app icon on the home screen, and then select 'Show All Windows' from the options. This reveals all the Safari windows, and you can tap on one to open it and check the tabs.
The second method also opens all the Safari windows active on the iPad. All you need to do is open Safari, slide up from the bottom of the display to view the app Dock, and tap on Safari a second time.
Finally, you can open the recent apps menu by double-tapping the Home button on the regular iPad, or sliding up to the center of the screen on the latest iPad Mini/Air/Pro. That will show all the Safari windows active at the time (via appletoolbox ).

If juggling multiple Safari windows is proving confusing, you can open any tab, press and hold the four-square icon at the top right, and then tap on 'Merge All Windows' to collate them into a single view.

Check in the Recently Closed Tabs list

It's not just iPad users who are affected: the missing tabs error has also appeared on Safari for iPhone and Mac. Sometimes, Safari closes its tabs when you end a browsing session and exit the application. Thankfully, the closed tabs in Safari are stored in a separate section that is easy to access. To open the list of Recently Closed Tabs on your iPhone, open Safari, tap the Tabs icon at the bottom right corner (the two overlapping squares), then tap and hold the '+' icon at the bottom. Here, you'll find the lost tabs if they were closed automatically.

It's worth checking the 'Close Tabs' option in Safari's settings on an iPhone, too. If you have been facing the missing tabs issue, there is a good chance that the Close Tabs frequency is set to 'After One Day' on your iPhone. Instead, select 'Manual' to keep your tabs intact (via Apple ). Similarly, if your device of choice is an iPad, open Safari, tap and hold the '+' icon at the top right corner, and check whether any of your missing tabs are in the recently-closed list. If you are losing tabs on your Mac, open the web browser and click on History to select Recently Closed.

Your browsing history might be the last resort

If you still haven't been able to recover the missing tabs on Safari, this final method should help. Every time you access a website on the internet — as long as you're not in Private Browsing mode — Safari stores its address in your history. Even if you can't find your tabs in the web browser, there will be a record of the websites you've visited, assuming you haven't deleted it along with Safari's cookies . If you use an iPhone or an iPad, open Safari and tap on the book icon to select 'History'; you'll see a chronological list of all the websites you've opened recently, including those you could not access.

You can also use this method on Mac: open the web browser, click on 'History' on the menu bar, and select 'Show All History.' In addition to the list of visited sites, you can search for a particular website in the search bar, and double-click to open it. If you want to make doubly-sure you won't lose important tabs again, there's an easy way to save them from vanishing in the first place. In Safari, tap and hold the book icon and select 'Add Bookmarks for X Tabs,' where X represents the number of tabs. Later, you can open the whole group of tabs from the bookmark section (via MacRumors ).

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iPhone Why do all safari tabs just sometimes disappear and are gone?

Thread starter tivoboy
Start date Feb 15, 2020
Sort by reaction score
iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
iOS and iPadOS
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macrumors newbie

Aug 1, 2020

I have had this problem too. My work around is that I use history to find & restore most tabs (yes it’s tedious) then I make a ‘save all tabs’ bookmark. I try to remember to redo that occasionally As a backup & I name the folder with the date. If you tap & hold on the multi bookmark icon there is an option to open them all. It’s not perfect but it gets me back most of what I’ve Lost.

Oct 3, 2020

Still happening on IOS14, not only on my iPad Pro 12,9 2nd gen but also on mother’s-in-law ipad 5th gen so she is loosing 20-30 tabs worth of recipes each time... iPhone X with 300+ tabs open for 12+ months now as a test, rock steady, never lost a single tab... Firefox now selected as the default browser, thank you Apple...

Oct 25, 2020

I was reading down the answers, a few weeks late for many, trying various things having frustratingly again found several tens of pages have disappeared when they were showing just a minute before. Thanks for the Show all windows tip someone gave but for me that’s only part A. Part B was to note the titles above the various windows displayed - one said that seven widows were included then opening that window, pressed and held the copy symbol (top right) and clicked merge all windows to find my lost windows appeared. In passing, I think the maximum number of open windows allowed is 36.

macrumors 65816

Oct 26, 2020

I have had many tabs spontaneously disappear over the past few versions of iOS. Not temporarily or invisible glitch but completely disappear with no way to get them back. For me this started back in iOS 11. Thankfully this does not occur anywhere near as much since updating to 13. However, as well as spontaneously disappearing tabs for no apparent reason, I have found that shortly after merging all safari windows in iPadOS 13 that all the tabs from every window except the current one disappear - again with no way of getting them back. So now I never use the merge all windows feature which is a big shame!

macrumors member

Nov 13, 2020

Looks like Apple is not going to fix this. What browser is the most compatible with Safari and will open web sites as desktop not Mobile and does not have this problem. I too have the disappearing tabs issue on my iPad Pro. Firefox? Chrome? Edge? ...

macrumors 601

Nov 16, 2020

JESUS f...!..... I CAN’T believe this is STILL happening... I’ve been reading the posts Here and been SOOO careful when clsoing windows and swiping up when closing arbitrarily opened safari windows and yet, AND YET, now with more Thant 400+ open tabs that I’ve been KEEPING and READINg through having done NOTHING unusual, just opening a tab, opening a couple more, realizing that it was a NEW WINDOW, NOT HAVING CLOSED THAT WINDOW or ANY WINDOW at all, ALL WINDOWS and TABS from the last 3-4 months ARE GONE!!!!! Just GONE... this is so f...in ANNOYING APPLE!.. as if i didn’t have ENOUGH in my life to worry and think about now... WTF. Just FIX THIS S..T! Apple, either create some way to create a snapshot or save tabs this ISNT add all to reading list (who even USES that!) or don’t call this a browser.

tivoboy said: JESUS f...!..... I CAN’T believe this is STILL happening... I’ve been reading the posts Here and been SOOO careful when clsoing windows and swiping up when closing arbitrarily opened safari windows and yet, AND YET, now with more Thant 400+ open tabs that I’ve been KEEPING and READINg through having done NOTHING unusual, just opening a tab, opening a couple more, realizing that it was a NEW WINDOW, NOT HAVING CLOSED THAT WINDOW or ANY WINDOW at all, ALL WINDOWS and TABS from the last 3-4 months ARE GONE!!!!! Just GONE... this is so f...in ANNOYING APPLE!.. as if i didn’t have ENOUGH in my life to worry and think about now... WTF. Just FIX THIS S..T! Apple, either create some way to create a snapshot or save tabs this ISNT add all to reading list (who even USES that!) or don’t call this a browser. Click to expand...

bmac89 said: It sure is incredibly frustrating! It is almost like Apple doesn’t even care and providing third party default apps is there ‘do nothing’ solution. What ever you do... do NOT “merge all windows” as this always causes my tabs in all my windows except one to disappear. I know it isn’t the only cause of disappearing tabs, but it is the only one that I know has a particular trigger. Really not satisfactory, but when I remember... I do a bookmark all tabs and add them to folders. Sometimes I do a quick screen recording if I can easily distinguish what tabs are open. It can be hard to believe Apple is the most valuable company in the world and yet they seem to make a habit of breaking apps which work and then seemingly not capable of acknowledging or fixing these major bugs. I really hope this will be fixed before iPadOS 20 but I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t. Click to expand...

tivoboy said: Thanks, but I NEVER merge all windows and in ios safari there is really no place to bookmark all tabs? I really wish there was, but until apple adds that feature, we’re SOL Click to expand...

bmac89 said: Actually you can bookmark all tabs in iOS and iPadOS. Simply long press on the bookmark button and it gives you the option to add bookmark, add bookmarks for x tabs, add to reading list. Click to expand...

tivoboy said: Holy mother of OGD when did THAT appear? Click to expand...

Dec 30, 2020

Just sayin...

Macrumors 6502.

Jan 7, 2021

Just found this thread after having at least 20 tabs wiped out for the nth time on my 2nd gen 12.9” iPad Pro running iOS 14.3. Finally got sick enough of this repetitive occurrence that I took the time to search - and found out that: 1). Others have been experiencing this issue, and 2). There is no fix other than switching to another browser (i.e. Firefox or Chrome) I’ve just downloaded Firefox.

Jan 19, 2021

You can find them again by holding the ‘+’ and all the tabs are there, if you click on them they all open up as individual tabs. So they’re not lost completely...

imaphysicist

Jan 27, 2021

I am afraid the problem is worse than reported on this thread. Safari can keep multiple sets of hidden tabs, and they cannot always be accessed by double-clicking the home button. I discovered this when I hit the limit of 500 tabs when my window only showed about 20. I found that I could switch to a different set of tabs by starting to type the site of one of the missing tabs; Safari will offer "Top Hits" and below this "Switch to Tab". Switch to the missing tab and now I have one of the missing sets of tabs. Currently on my iPad when I double-click the home button I can see three Safari windows, each with a different set of tabs. There must be more hidden if the total is near 500.

Jan 29, 2021

this does continue to be a problem, but with some of the added functionality in Safari I can manage it better.. saving all tabs as a bookmark folder works well, so I freqeunctly save a backup. Then, often what I do now is close ALL tabs, after saving a backup and purge Safari cached data.. reboot, and then go to the folder where I saved all the tabs and open ALL tabs Anew.. you’ll get a pop up that says, “are you sure you want to open all 398 tabs”.. but go ahead. I’ve tried this with up to about 425, but 453 has failed, so I don’t know where the limit is. It might also NOT be a tab limit but what is IN the tabs that somehow overwhelms RAM. Any, the availability of these functions makes it LESS annoying that yes it can still just crack the bed unexpectedly. And it works in Private tabs as well, although whatever is saved is in the open in the bookmarks folder so user beware.

macrumors regular

Feb 1, 2021

This seems to happen several times a year. To great frustration, when you,leave some tabs open for reference later on. I have lost all my tabs a few times with an OS update and then randomly for no apparent reason. It just happened to my wife, after she tried to closed an accidental split screen. Closed Safari. All tabs gone. Latest iOS 14.x Shame on Apple for not fixing whatever bug(s) in this regard.

Feb 9, 2021

My wife had the same issue on her iPad running 14.4. All of her tabs disappeared after an accidental split screen session. After a lot tinkering here is what I learned: Only one window would occupy the screen at once. No previous tabs were visible and they were not in the tab history. When I tried to open a new tab, the current tab would slide off the screen to the left and the new screen would open with no evidence of the previous screen showing on the open screen (aka, no tab). A quick check of the Safari settings showed that SHOW TABS BAR was selected as was CLOSE TABS MANUALLY. So I used my solution to every computer problem I ever have, I turned the iPad off for 3-4 minutes and restarted it. Still no tabs. So I checked the settings again only to learn the show tabs bar was now deselected . I turned it back on and was able to add tabs again. Not sure what happened to the previously open tabs but at least we can rebuild! I hope this works for others. Good luck.

Apr 17, 2021
Have a few tabs open.
Hold down on a link and tap on Open in New Window.
Immediately close the new window (drag it off to the side).
Force quit Safari.
Reopen Safari... and all your tabs except the frontmost one are now gone.
Apr 29, 2021

tivoboy said: I’ve had this issue a couple times, and can’t figure out what the common element is, but sometimes (often after for some reason I have either opened in split screen, or put a safari window inadvertently in the side slide out), but then a window with MANY tabs will just be done. Can’t find it anywhere, all I have left is the one window with one tab, useless. I can’t figure out anyway to get BACK the window I had open with what is often 100+ tabs that I WANTED to save. Is there A) any way to find these again (other than going through all history) B) any way to stop this behavior from happening? Click to expand...

I may have solved my problem with Safari crashes on the iPad. I went to Settings -> Safari, then scrolled down to near the bottom and selected "Clear History and Website Data". Ever since I did this over a week ago, I haven't had a single Safari crash, where previously, it crashed every couple days. Cautiously optimistic here... 2021-05-02 update: Nope. Safari just crashed again and I lost all my tabs…again.

May 2, 2021

Tumen said: I just stumbled upon a possible solution for when this happens. I held down the double sheet of paper icon in the top right corner of the safari screen. Several options appeared. One is to “merge all tabs” or merge all something. When I selected that option all 125 tabs reappeared. Now when I hold the icon down I don’t receive that option and can’t say for sure what it said other than ‘merge all.....” Up until now, once I lost all tabs they were gone forever. I hope this helps. Click to expand...

Nov 30, 2021

Hi I usually suffered from this problem in the past multiple times. I had nearly maxed tabs, and then suddenly gone. Normally all I had to do was close the Safari window and wait a minute or two. It normally worked in the past. There was this one instance it didn't seem to work, as in the safari homepage twice in a row, but I just waited longer, and my tabs came back. And now I'm facing a similar problem. I suffered a second blank page, and just like last time, I waited much longer, but my tabs are still gone. So I closed the window, and waited half an hour. Still no result. Can someone here explain how I work these methods for any attempt at getting my tabs back?

Why Did My Safari Tabs Disappear

Software & Applications
Browsers & Extensions

Introduction

Have you ever experienced the frustration of opening Safari on your iPhone or iPad, only to find that all your tabs have mysteriously disappeared? It's a perplexing situation that can leave you feeling bewildered and inconvenienced. The tabs in Safari are meant to be a convenient way to keep track of websites you want to revisit or reference later. However, when they vanish without a trace, it can be quite disconcerting.

In this article, we'll delve into the possible reasons behind the sudden disappearance of your Safari tabs and explore various troubleshooting steps to help you recover them. Whether you use Safari for casual browsing, work-related research, or simply to keep track of your favorite websites, the unexpected loss of tabs can disrupt your workflow and cause unnecessary stress.

So, if you've found yourself in the perplexing predicament of missing Safari tabs, fear not! We're here to guide you through the potential causes and solutions, ensuring that you can regain access to your valuable browsing history and resume your online activities seamlessly. Let's embark on this journey to unravel the mystery of disappearing Safari tabs and reclaim the browsing experience you deserve.

Clearing Safari History and Website Data

One of the common culprits behind the sudden disappearance of Safari tabs is the accumulation of excessive browsing history and website data. Over time, this data can become bloated, leading to potential glitches and unexpected behavior within the Safari browser . Clearing the history and website data can often resolve these issues and restore the functionality of your tabs.

To initiate the process of clearing Safari history and website data on your iOS device, follow these steps:

Open Settings : Navigate to the "Settings" app on your iPhone or iPad.

Scroll Down and Tap Safari : Once in the Settings menu, scroll down until you find the "Safari" option. Tap on it to access the Safari settings.

Select "Clear History and Website Data" : Within the Safari settings, you'll find the option to "Clear History and Website Data." Tap on this option to proceed.

Confirm the Action : A confirmation prompt will appear, asking if you want to clear your browsing history and website data. Confirm the action to initiate the clearing process.

By clearing the history and website data, you effectively remove the clutter that may be contributing to the disappearance of your Safari tabs. This process can also free up storage space and potentially improve the overall performance of the Safari browser on your iOS device.

After completing these steps, relaunch Safari and check if your tabs have been restored. If the tabs reappear, you can continue browsing without the lingering concern of sudden disappearances. However, if the issue persists, it may be necessary to explore additional troubleshooting methods to pinpoint the root cause.

Clearing Safari history and website data is a fundamental maintenance task that can help optimize the performance of the browser while addressing common issues such as tab disappearance. By incorporating this practice into your routine, you can mitigate the risk of encountering similar challenges in the future and enjoy a smoother browsing experience on your iOS device.

Updating Safari and iOS

Ensuring that your Safari browser and iOS operating system are running the latest versions is essential for maintaining optimal performance and addressing potential software-related issues, including the mysterious disappearance of tabs. Software updates often include bug fixes, security enhancements, and improvements to overall stability, making them a crucial aspect of device maintenance.

To check for and install updates for Safari and iOS on your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:

Updating Safari :

Open the App Store on your iOS device.
Tap on your profile icon in the top right corner to access your account.
Scroll down to the "Available Updates" section. If an update for Safari is available, it will be listed here.
If an update is available, tap the "Update" button next to Safari to initiate the installation.

Updating iOS :

Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Navigate to "General" and select "Software Update."
If a new iOS version is available, tap "Download and Install" to begin the update process.

By keeping Safari and iOS up to date, you can benefit from the latest features, performance enhancements, and security patches, all of which contribute to a more reliable and seamless browsing experience. Additionally, software updates often include fixes for known issues, which could potentially resolve the underlying cause of the tab disappearance in Safari.

Regularly checking for and installing updates is a proactive approach to maintaining the health of your iOS device and ensuring that you are running the most stable and secure software versions. By staying current with updates, you can minimize the likelihood of encountering unexpected issues, such as missing tabs in Safari, and enjoy the full capabilities of your device.

Incorporating the habit of checking for software updates at regular intervals can help you stay ahead of potential software-related challenges, providing peace of mind and a more consistent user experience. With the latest software versions in place, you can navigate the digital landscape with confidence, knowing that your device is equipped with the most up-to-date features and enhancements.

Remember, staying updated is not just about accessing new features; it's also about safeguarding the stability and functionality of your device, ensuring that it remains a reliable companion in your daily activities.

Checking iCloud Tabs

Another potential avenue to explore when attempting to recover missing Safari tabs is the utilization of iCloud Tabs. iCloud Tabs allow for seamless synchronization of open tabs across multiple Apple devices linked to the same iCloud account. By leveraging this feature, you can check if your missing tabs are accessible on other devices, providing valuable insight into the status of your browsing sessions.

To check iCloud Tabs for your Safari browsing history, follow these steps:

Access Safari on Another Device : Open Safari on a different Apple device, such as another iPhone, iPad, or Mac, that is signed in to the same iCloud account.

Tap the Tabs Icon : Look for the tabs icon within Safari, typically located in the upper or lower corner of the browser interface. This icon resembles two overlapping squares and represents the tabs view.

Navigate to iCloud Tabs : Within the tabs view, there should be an option to access iCloud Tabs. This feature allows you to view tabs open on other devices linked to your iCloud account.

Check for Missing Tabs : Once in the iCloud Tabs interface, review the list of open tabs to see if the missing tabs from your original device are visible. If they appear in the list, you can simply tap on them to open the respective webpages.

By examining iCloud Tabs on alternate devices, you can determine if the missing Safari tabs are accessible through synchronization. If the tabs are present on another device, it indicates that the synchronization process is functioning as intended, and you can easily access your browsing history from a different platform.

In the event that the missing tabs do not appear in iCloud Tabs on any of your linked devices, it may suggest that the tabs were not successfully synchronized or that they were inadvertently closed or lost. However, this troubleshooting step provides valuable clarity and helps narrow down the potential causes of the tab disappearance.

Checking iCloud Tabs serves as a valuable method for cross-referencing your browsing history across multiple devices, leveraging the seamless integration facilitated by iCloud synchronization. This approach can offer reassurance by confirming the availability of your tabs on other devices or prompt further investigation into the underlying reasons for their absence.

Incorporating iCloud Tabs into your troubleshooting process underscores the interconnected nature of Apple's ecosystem, allowing for the seamless transfer of browsing sessions and enhancing the accessibility of your browsing history across various devices.

Restoring Tabs from Recently Closed

When Safari tabs disappear unexpectedly, it can be a disconcerting experience, especially if you had important websites or resources open for reference. However, there is a glimmer of hope in the form of the "Recently Closed" feature in Safari, which can potentially help you restore tabs that were inadvertently closed or lost due to unforeseen circumstances.

To access the "Recently Closed" feature in Safari on your iOS device, follow these steps:

Open Safari : Launch the Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad to begin the restoration process.

Long-Press the Plus Icon : In the Safari interface, locate the "+" icon at the bottom center of the screen. Long-pressing this icon will reveal a menu containing the "Recently Closed Tabs" option.

Select "Recently Closed Tabs" : Tap on the "Recently Closed Tabs" option to view a list of tabs that were closed recently, including those that may have disappeared unexpectedly.

Restore the Desired Tabs : Within the "Recently Closed Tabs" menu, you will see a chronological list of tabs that were closed. Simply tap on the specific tab you wish to restore, and it will reopen, allowing you to resume your browsing session from where you left off.

The "Recently Closed" feature in Safari serves as a valuable safety net, offering a chance to retrieve tabs that were closed inadvertently or vanished without a trace. By leveraging this functionality, you can potentially recover the lost tabs and continue your online activities seamlessly.

It's important to note that the availability of tabs in the "Recently Closed" list is contingent upon the browsing history and recent activity within the Safari browser. If the missing tabs were closed or disappeared within a relatively short timeframe, there is a higher likelihood of finding them within the "Recently Closed" menu.

In the event that the tabs you seek are not present in the "Recently Closed" list, it may indicate that they were closed or lost earlier, potentially requiring alternative methods for recovery. However, exploring the "Recently Closed" feature is a prudent initial step in the quest to reclaim your vanished tabs and restore continuity to your browsing experience.

By incorporating the practice of periodically checking the "Recently Closed" tabs, you can proactively safeguard against the inadvertent loss of important websites and resources, ensuring that you have a recourse for tab restoration in the event of unexpected disappearances.

Restoring tabs from the "Recently Closed" list in Safari is akin to rediscovering lost treasures, offering a chance to revisit valuable webpages and continue your digital exploration without the hindrance of missing tabs. This feature underscores the resilience of Safari in preserving your browsing history and providing a lifeline for recovering tabs that may have slipped through the cracks.

Remember, the "Recently Closed" feature is not just a safety net; it's a beacon of hope in the face of tab disappearances, offering a tangible means of restoring your browsing continuity and reclaiming the digital pathways that matter to you.

Checking for Tab Limitations

In some cases, the unexpected disappearance of Safari tabs may be attributed to inherent limitations within the browser or the device's operating system. Understanding and identifying these potential limitations can provide valuable insights into the behavior of Safari and the factors that may contribute to tab-related issues.

One crucial aspect to consider is the maximum tab limit imposed by Safari on iOS devices. Safari, like many web browsers, has a finite capacity for open tabs, and exceeding this limit can lead to the automatic closure or consolidation of tabs. This limitation is designed to optimize system resources and prevent excessive memory consumption, ultimately contributing to a smoother browsing experience.

To ascertain whether tab limitations are a contributing factor to the disappearance of tabs in Safari, it's essential to be aware of the maximum tab capacity and monitor the number of open tabs regularly. By doing so, you can proactively manage your browsing sessions and prevent potential tab-related disruptions.

On iOS devices, Safari typically imposes a tab limit, which varies based on the device model and available system resources. Exceeding this limit may prompt Safari to close older tabs or consolidate them into a more manageable format, such as the "Tabs Overview" interface, where multiple tabs are grouped together for efficient navigation.

To check for tab limitations and manage open tabs effectively, follow these steps:

Open Safari : Launch the Safari browser on your iOS device to access the browsing interface.
Review Open Tabs : Take note of the number of open tabs currently active within Safari. This can be done by tapping on the tabs icon, typically located in the upper or lower corner of the browser window .
Monitor Tab Behavior : Observe the behavior of Safari when reaching or exceeding the maximum tab limit. Look for indicators such as tab consolidation or automatic closure of older tabs.

By actively monitoring the number of open tabs and observing Safari's behavior in response to tab limits, you can gain valuable insights into the browser's management of browsing sessions. This awareness empowers you to make informed decisions regarding tab management and ensures that you stay within the confines of Safari's tab limitations, minimizing the risk of unexpected tab disappearances.

Understanding and respecting the tab limitations set by Safari is a proactive approach to maintaining a stable and efficient browsing environment on your iOS device. By staying mindful of these limitations and managing your tabs responsibly, you can mitigate the likelihood of encountering disruptions related to tab capacity and enjoy a more seamless browsing experience.

Incorporating tab management into your browsing habits not only promotes efficient resource utilization but also fosters a deeper understanding of Safari's operational parameters. By aligning your tab management practices with Safari's capabilities, you can navigate the digital landscape with confidence, knowing that you are optimizing the browsing experience while respecting the inherent limitations of the platform.

In the realm of digital navigation, the unexpected disappearance of Safari tabs can disrupt the rhythm of our online endeavors, leaving us in a state of perplexity and inconvenience. However, armed with a deeper understanding of the potential causes and troubleshooting methods, we can navigate through these challenges with resilience and resourcefulness.

As we conclude our exploration into the enigma of vanishing Safari tabs, it becomes evident that proactive maintenance and strategic utilization of Safari's features are pivotal in safeguarding our browsing continuity. From clearing history and website data to leveraging iCloud Tabs and the "Recently Closed" feature, we've uncovered a repertoire of tools that empower us to reclaim lost tabs and fortify our browsing experience.

The journey of troubleshooting tab disappearances in Safari has not only equipped us with practical solutions but has also underscored the interconnected nature of Apple's ecosystem. The seamless synchronization facilitated by iCloud Tabs and the safety net provided by the "Recently Closed" feature serve as testaments to the cohesive integration of browsing experiences across multiple devices.

Furthermore, our foray into the realm of tab limitations has shed light on the importance of mindful tab management, aligning our browsing habits with the operational parameters of Safari. By staying cognizant of tab limits and proactively monitoring our open tabs, we can navigate within the bounds of Safari's capabilities, minimizing the risk of unexpected tab closures or consolidations.

As we bid adieu to the perplexing predicament of missing Safari tabs, let us carry forward the knowledge and insights gained from this journey. Let us embrace the practice of regular maintenance, stay vigilant in monitoring tab behavior, and harness the power of iCloud synchronization to fortify our browsing resilience.

In the ever-evolving landscape of digital exploration, the disappearance of Safari tabs may present itself as a transient challenge, but armed with the right tools and knowledge, we emerge as adept navigators, ready to reclaim our digital pathways and continue our online odyssey with unwavering confidence.

So, as we embark on our future browsing endeavors, let us do so with the assurance that the mystery of vanishing Safari tabs holds no power over us, for we stand equipped with the wisdom to restore, recover, and rediscover our digital trails, ensuring that our browsing experience remains a seamless and enriching voyage.

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What to Do if Your Computer Is Affected by the Microsoft Outage

A massive outage related to a security update by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company, crippled airlines and other businesses on Friday.

Share full article

Three open laptops with the same colorful displays on their screens.

By David McCabe and Kate Conger

July 19, 2024

An outage that crippled businesses around the world turned many Microsoft computers into bricks overnight.

That means a lot of people are seeing the blue screen of death as computers continually try to reboot. The issues stemmed from a faulty software update delivered to Microsoft devices and servers from CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company that mainly works to help protect bigger companies from attacks.

On Friday, CrowdStrike said it had issued a software update fix that should repair the computers, and it posted instructions for manually fixing the problem. Customers can also call the company. But cybersecurity experts said the process might still be complicated.

Here’s what to do if you’re affected.

Why is your computer crashing?

If your computer is bricked, you’re not alone. The problem, cybersecurity experts say, is with a bug in an overnight update caused by a bad file, which essentially sends the computers into an endless loop of reboots. That means the fix that CrowdStrike sent may not be able to repair your systems from afar.

About 300 companies on the Fortune 500 list are CrowdStrike customers, and it is the second-largest independent cybersecurity firm in the United States. If you work for a big company that is affected, your I.T. department will most likely need to be involved.

Adam Harrison, a managing director at FTI Consulting, which works with companies on their cybersecurity strategies, said smaller businesses were “less likely” to be using these kinds of security tools, although he added that many small businesses relied on vendors or suppliers who did.

So what should you do?

The truth is you probably can’t do all that much. Cybersecurity experts are saying that if a computer has entered a doomloop, it will most likely take an expert to fix it.

If you do happen to be tech savvy, CrowdStrike has posted instructions advising customers to put computers into a recovery mode. Then, you would need to delete the file that is causing the problem.

But that might be more complicated than you’d expect, cybersecurity experts say. For example, businesses may be operating hundreds or thousands of computers, which would increase the work required to bring its systems back online, said Mr. Harrison. Or, if you work at a retail store, the self-checkout kiosks frequently don’t have mouses or keyboards — and there most likely isn’t an I.T. specialist on site to help.

“There’s lots of complexity in solving this problem,” he said.

“This is millions of computers around the world,” said Mikko Hypponen, a security expert and chief research officer at WithSecure, a cybersecurity company. “Many of them are at home because of remote work. It’s going to take a long while, several days if not weeks, to fix them all if you have to go and physically touch every machine.”

Can CrowdStrike fix the issue remotely?

Not necessarily. CrowdStrike has tweaked the faulty update already. That means computers that did not already download the software won’t crash.

But machines that are already affected by the issue are stuck in a loop where they keep rebooting, making it harder to update them from afar. It is possible that CrowdStrike or someone else will come up with a way to automate the process of fixing the problem, which could make it easier for you or your employer to address the issue.

George Kurtz, the chief executive of CrowdStrike, said in an interview with the “Today” show that the update had been able to break through to some computers while they were rebooting, allowing them to receive the fix automatically. But many computers remain offline, and will require a manual fix.

What are Microsoft and CrowdStrike saying about the outage?

In a post on X, Satya Nadella, the chief executive of Microsoft, said, “We are aware of this issue and are working closely with CrowdStrike and across the industry to provide customers technical guidance and support to safely bring their systems back online.”

In a separate statement, Microsoft said to contact CrowdStrike. CrowdStrike advised customers who communicated through official channels.

“We understand the gravity of the situation and are deeply sorry for the inconvenience and disruption,” Mr. Kurtz said in a statement. “We are working with all impacted customers to ensure that systems are back up and they can deliver the services their customers are counting on.”

Reporting was contributed by Meaghan Tobin .

David McCabe is a Times reporter who covers the complex legal and policy issues created by the digital economy and new technologies. More about David McCabe

Kate Conger is a technology reporter based in San Francisco. She can be reached at [email protected]. More about Kate Conger

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Global Outage Alert: Windows BSOD Crisis Following CrowdStrike Update – Recovery Steps & Qualys Assurance

Last updated on: July 22, 2024

Steps For Regaining Access to Windows PCs, AWS & Azure
Discover Assets Running CrowdStrike Falcon Using Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management (CSAM)
Qualys Assurance No Impact on Our Services

Agent Version Control: Ensuring Consistency and Security

On Friday, July 19, 2024, morning, reports surfaced globally of Microsoft Windows operating system users encountering the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) following the latest update from CrowdStrike. This widespread issue has severely impacted critical services, including telecommunications, banking, airline and railway operations, supermarkets, hospitals, and major news networks.

For those customers concerned about this impact on Qualys, Qualys does not leverage any services from CrowdStrike, and there is no impact on our production environments.

As we have many joint customers with Crowdstrike, below is some information for those customers on how they can address the challenges caused by the issue.

Steps For Regaining Access to Windows PCs, AWS & Azure

CrowdStrike has outlined a four-step process for regaining access to Windows PCs affected by the update:

Boot Windows into Safe Mode or the Windows Recovery Environment.
Navigate to the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\CrowdStrike directory.
Locate and delete the file matching “C-00000291*.sys”.
Boot the host normally.

For cloud environments, customers can revert to a snapshot taken before 4:09 am UTC.

For AWS (Amazon Web Services), follow these steps:

Detach the EBS volume from the impacted EC2 instance.
Attach the EBS volume to a new EC2 instance.
Fix the CrowdStrike driver folder.
Detach the EBS volume from the new EC2 instance.
Attach the EBS volume back to the impacted EC2 instance.

For Azure, follow these steps:

Log in to the Azure console.
Go to Virtual Machines and select the affected VM.
In the upper left of the console, click “Connect”.
Click “More ways to Connect” and then select “Serial Console”.
Once SAC has loaded, type in ‘cmd’ and press Enter.
Type ‘ch -si 1’ and press the space bar.
Enter Administrator credentials.
‘bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal’
‘bcdedit /set {current} safeboot network’
Restart the VM.
To confirm the boot state, run the command: ‘wmic COMPUTERSYSTEM GET BootupState’.

The manual nature of this fix poses a significant challenge for companies, especially those without backups for all VDIs, potentially slowing down the recovery process. Customers will also need a recovery key to access Safe Mode if Bitlocker is enabled on the system disk.

CrowdStrike Engineering has reversed the changes causing this issue, with the error code displayed on affected systems: “ Tech-Alert-Windows-crashes-related-to-Falcon-Sensor-2024-07-19. “

Discover Assets Running CrowdStrike Falcon Using Qualys CyberSecurity Asset Management (CSAM)

The initial and crucial step in managing this incident involves pinpointing all assets where Falcon sensor is installed. Use CSAM 3.0 with External Attack Surface Management to identify assets with Falcon.

software:(name:”Falcon” OR name:”CrowdStrike”)

You can also use asset.lastUpdated: token with the timestamp based on your time zone in addition to software:(name:”Falcon” OR name:”CrowdStrike”) to identify assets with Falcon that have stopped communicating after the incident and may still be down.

Qualys Assurance – No Impact on Our Services

We want to reassure our customers that Qualys does not leverage any services from CrowdStrike, and there is no impact on our production environments (shared and private platforms), codebase, customer data hosted on the Qualys Cloud Platform, Qualys Agents or Scanners, and Qualys’s corporate infrastructure. All Qualys platforms and agents remain fully functional and operational.

In light of these recent global outages, we want to highlight the safety and reliability of the technologies used in the Qualys Agent for Vulnerability Management, Policy Compliance, Software Composition Analysis, Cloud Agent Passive Sensor, Custom Assessment and Remediation, Patch Management, and Global AssetView. Developed in user mode, our approach does not interfere with the operating system kernel thus minimizing the risk of impacting customer assets, ensuring uninterrupted service.

Qualys enforces stringent policies and procedures against newly introduced detections before publishing to production. Automated checks are in place to prevent any potentially malicious commands since the last build from being published to production environments. Commands like rm , kill , and mv are carefully monitored to ensure safety.

For Qualys’ Endpoint Detection and Response and File Integrity Monitoring solutions, which do involve a kernel driver, all detections, content, signatures, and data collections are non-intrusive and not resource intensive. Our updates (For Agent Binaries, Signatures, Manifests, Backend and other components) are released in a staggered manner, beginning with our internal deployment and subsequently extending to a group of customers to reduce the broad impact of an unfortunate event. Before any code release, each update undergoes comprehensive security and functional testing, including static and dynamic analysis.

Our testing protocols include (not limited to):

Conducting static code/binary analysis of new features and code changes.
Performing driver load-unload tests on all supported Windows platforms, including x86 and x64 architectures, both on servers and client workstations.
Assessing performance impact using custom scripts to test the performance impact on both the system and applications by toggling kernel components on and off.
Conducting longevity and performance tests in various modes (burst, high, normal) before signing off agent and driver packages.

Agent Version Control, an innovative feature of the Qualys Cloud Agent, offers enhanced control and flexibility, facilitating efficient management and update of agents and ensuring alignment with the latest security advancements.You can create Agent Version Control Profiles to lock specific platforms (e.g., Windows, Linux) to the organizationally certified agent version. Choose the timing and method of updates to align seamlessly with your operational needs, minimising disruptions to daily activities while maintaining high security standards to maintain a stable, secure and well-regulated IT environment.

At Qualys, we remain committed to providing solutions that empower you to protect what matters most, ensuring business continuity. We strongly recommend that organizations verify they are engaging with authorized vendor representatives through official channels. We understand that many organizations have been impacted and are working hard during this challenging time to restore their normal operations; we are dedicated to actively assisting wherever we can.

If you have any questions about the Qualys Cloud Agent or need any assistance regarding this incident, please contact your TAM or support .

Get the latest updates from CrowdStrike for this outage.

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