How to turn off tab preview in Safari on Mac

With the update to Safari 14, Mac users have noticed a new preview of open pages: simply hover over a tab to see a small window with an image of the site. This helps you navigate through dozens of open tabs faster but can be annoying for some.

There is no way to disable this option in the browser settings, but if you have a couple of minutes to spare, you can remove the preview quite quickly using the terminal. Here's how to do it.

How to disable tab preview in Safari 14

Before you open the terminal, ensure it has access to the necessary data. To do this:

1. Open System Preferences → Security and Safety.
2. Click the padlock icon to make changes in the Disk Access section. You must enter your computer password or use the fingerprint scanner.
3. Press the "+" and enter Terminal in the search box to find the desired utility. Click Open.
4. After ensuring the desired program appears in the list, close the settings.
5. After that, open a terminal and type the command: defaults write com.apple.Safari DebugDisableTabHoverPreview 1
6. Press Enter, then restart Safari: there will be no more annoying previews.

How to return the tab preview

If you decide to give this feature a second chance, open the terminal again and type the command:

1. defaults write com.apple.Safari DebugDisableTabHoverPreview 0
2. Press Enter, and you're done.