What Is Website Tinting on iOS 15 and How to Enable or Disable It in Safari

Apple has refreshed the Safari browser in iOS 15. The built-in browser now has the address bar at the bottom, is more secure than ever, and even supports extensions. Major features aside, there are also some minor features: one of which we will be discussing today. So, without further ado, let us check out what Website Tinting is and how you could use it on your iOS 15-running iPhone.

What is Website Tinting?

When you are viewing a website, the top and of the screen — the notch area — has always been translucent, both in light and dark shades. Although aesthetically pleasing, it runs the risk of not being immersive enough for viewers. To counter that, Apple has introduced something called ‘Website Tinting,’ which matches the top bar with the shade or tint of the website you are currently viewing. The address bar at the bottom of your screen remains translucent as usual. It is only the top bar that carries the tint.

Website Tinting on iOS 15: How does it work on Safari?

Website Tinting is a new, aesthetically pleasing feature that allows for a more immersive experience when consuming content through the Safari web browser. The Website Tinting option is turned on by default and is only available on iOS 15 running iPhones.

Apple’s iOS 15 simply matches the tint of the top bar with the general theme of the website, which is done by taking the predominant color scheme of the website.

Since Website Tinting is enabled right from the get-go, you are likely to get accustomed to it within a couple of days.

What happens when you enable Website Tinting in Safari?

When you enable Website Tinting on your iOS 15-powered iPhone, the websites you view through the Safari web browser become a lot more immersive. iOS 15 does this by matching the top bar of the website with the color scheme of the web page. On websites with a darker color scheme, Website Tinting even gives you the impression of hiding the notch.

For example, on Nerdschalk.com, the predominant color scheme is white. So, when Website Tinting is on, the top bar of the Safari web browser will be white.

When turned off, it will become translucent for all websites.

There is no way for you to turn Website Tinting on some websites while keeping it off on other sites.

How to allow Website Tinting in Safari

You will not have to do anything extra to turn on Website Tinting, as this feature is turned on by default on iOS 15. Still, if you want to know where the option resides, first, go to Settings and scroll down. Now, tap on ‘Safari.’

This will take you to all the options available for the Safari web browser on iOS 15. Scroll down until you get the ‘Tabs’ section. Now, toggle on ‘Allow Website Tinting’ option.

How to turn off Website Tinting in Safari

Website Tinting is a pretty immersive feature but not everyone is a fan of it. Thankfully, iOS 15 makes it pretty easy for anyone to turn the Website Tinting feature off whenever they feel like it. First, go to Settings and tap on the ‘Safari’ option.

Now, scroll down and toggle off ‘Allow Website Tinting’ under the ‘Tabs’ banner.

Your familiar translucent look will be back in Safari web browser.

FAQs:

Is Show Color in Tab Bar the same as Website Tinting?

Yes ‘Show Color in Tab Bar’ is the same as ‘Website Tinting.’ In iOS 14, users did not have Website Tinting, but they did have the same functionality in the form of ‘Show Color in Tab Bar.’ Since it was hidden in Accessibility, it was a lot more difficult for regular users to find. By incorporating Website Tinting inside the Safari menu itself, Apple has made the discovery a lot easier.

Is Website Tinting available on other browsers?

No, Website Tinting is exclusively available on the iOS 15-enhanced Safari web browser. Even if you have any other browser on your iOS 15 device, Website Tinting will not work on it, as it is an exclusive Safari browser feature.

Should you use Website Tinting?

For those looking for a more immersive experience, Website Tinting is definitely the way to go. However, if you are not a big fan of change and would rather use Safari’s tried and tested translucent backgrounds, it is better to keep the Website Tinting off. Additionally, if you do not like the color scheme of a particular website, turning Website Tinting on would practically make the experience considerably worse for you.

RELATED