How to Disable Safari Highlights in iOS 18

Apple introduced Safari Highlights in iOS 18 to automatically surface key information such as summaries, locations, and quick links directly from web pages. However, users who prefer experiencing websites in their original, unaltered designs can easily disable or bypass this feature. This article explains how Safari Highlights works and provides the exact steps to turn it off so you can browse standard web layouts without automated interruptions.

Can You Turn Off Safari Highlights?

Yes. While Safari Highlights is enabled by default to help users quickly scan information, Apple provides an option within iOS 18 settings to turn the feature off completely. Disabling it ensures that Safari does not actively generate automated summary cards, location pop-ups, or quick-action panels over your web content.

How to Disable Safari Highlights in iOS 18

To stop Safari from automatically generating highlights on websites, follow these steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone running iOS 18.
  2. Scroll down and tap Apps, then select Safari.
  3. Under the browsing settings, locate the Highlights toggle.
  4. Turn the switch to the Off position.

Once disabled, Safari will cease scanning web pages for key metadata, leaving the original web page formatting and layout untouched.

Managing Highlights Per Page

If you do not want to disable the feature globally, you can ignore or collapse highlights on individual pages:

  • Dismiss the Card: When a Highlight appears near the address bar, swipe it away or tap outside the prompt to return focus to the standard webpage.
  • Page Menu: Tap the Page Menu icon (the icon with lines and toggles on the left side of the address bar) to control reader features or reset your view without engaging automated summaries.

Difference Between Highlights and Distraction Control

It is important to distinguish Safari Highlights from Distraction Control (Hide Distracting Items), another iOS 18 feature:

  • Highlights: Automatically surfaces relevant information (such as directions, phone numbers, or article overviews) from the site.
  • Distraction Control: A user-initiated tool that allows you to manually hide static elements like sign-up banners or sidebars.

Disabling Highlights will not affect Distraction Control or Reader Mode; it simply stops iOS 18 from overlaying machine-generated callouts on original web layouts.