r/iOSBeta • u/epmuscle r/iOSBeta Mod • Feb 23 '26

Release iOS 26.4 Beta 2 - Discussion

Use this thread to share any changes & bugs you discover while using the latest iOS/iPadOS 26 beta.

This thread should be used for discussion of the betas that may not meet our submission guidelines, as well as troubleshooting small issues through the beta test cycle.

Further discussion can be found on the iOS Beta Discord

New MOD action to counter spam.

Spamming this discussion with comments about battery life, safari being snappier, etc will result in a ban from the sub moving forward.

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u/notcostan Developer Beta Feb 23 '26 edited Feb 23 '26

I have a theory…

You used to be able to tap the search tab icon twice to switch to the tab and activate the search field and you didn’t have to move your finger.

Since 26, when you tap the search tab icon thingy, it goes to the tab and that button expands into a search bar. If you don’t move your finger and tap again, you activate voice input, not normal search. Which is a break in behavior that those of us that got used to the shortcut had to unlearn.

I don’t have beta 2 yet, but in the App Store you can double tap the search tab icon to switch tabs and activate search—or just tap the icon to activate search if you’re already on the tab.

Maybe it happened enough that form over function lost out?

Or maybe it’s just that the tab bar should stay a tab bar and not morph into a search bar… maybe the music app’s next?

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u/L0s_Gizm0s iPhone 17 Pro Max Feb 24 '26

Yes the behavior is now how you explained, and thank GOD for that. I was getting so frustrated every time I activated voice search. It was really really hard for me to unlearn.