To get a site’s desktop version in Safari on iPhone, open the site, tap the Page Menu button on the left side of the search field, then tap Request Desktop Website. Safari reloads the page and asks the site for the layout it shows on a computer.
These steps are for iOS 27, the current iPhone software in October 2026, and iOS 26 with one extra tap. They’re the same on an iPhone 13 and newer models running those versions. Apple’s Customize your Safari settings on iPhone guide lists Request Desktop Website among the Page Menu’s display controls.
How to Request the Desktop Version of a Website
- Open the site in Safari and let the page finish loading.
- Tap the Page Menu button on the left side of the search field. A menu of page options opens.
- Tap Request Desktop Website. On iOS 26, tap More first if you don’t see it.
Safari reloads the page with the site’s desktop layout, usually with a full navigation bar and smaller text. If it’s too small to read, rotate to landscape or zoom in or out on a page in Safari.
The Page Menu button is in the same place whether you move the Safari address bar to the top or keep it at the bottom. The request applies to the site in the current tab.
The same menu is where you bookmark a website or add it to Favorites.
How to Switch Back to the Mobile Site
Open the Page Menu again and tap Request Mobile Website. If the site has its own Desktop or Mobile link, use that too, because the site’s own choice can override Safari’s request.
Make a Site Use the Desktop View by Default
For a site you visit often, open its Page Menu, tap Website Settings, and turn on Request Desktop Website. On iOS 26, tap More to reach Website Settings. Safari then loads that site’s desktop version every time. To undo it, return to Website Settings and turn the switch off.
To use the desktop version on every website:
- Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Safari.
- Under Settings for Websites, tap Request Desktop Website.
- Turn on All Websites. Sites you set one at a time appear on the same screen.
Turn the switch off to go back. Desktop pages on every site mean a lot of zooming on a phone, so setting only the sites that need it usually works better.
Other Safari options live in the same settings screen, including one to automatically close tabs after one week.
Request the Desktop Website in Safari on iPad
On an iPad, open the website in Safari, tap the Page Menu button on the left side of the address field, and choose Request Desktop Website. On iPadOS 26, tap More in that menu first. Apple’s iPad Safari guide lists the option in the Page Menu.
iPad Safari loads desktop sites by default, so you may see Request Mobile Website first.
Request a Desktop Site in Chrome, Firefox, or Edge
- Chrome: tap the More button (three dots), then tap Request Desktop Site.
- Firefox: tap the menu button, tap More, then tap Desktop Site. Mozilla’s Firefox for iOS menu guide lists the option.
- Edge: you can set Edge on iPhone to show desktop sites by default.
Why the Page Might Not Change
- Responsive design. Many sites use one layout that adapts to any screen, so the desktop request may look identical.
- A separate mobile address. If the address starts with m. (for example, m.example.com), the site may keep sending you to its mobile pages. Try the site’s own Desktop link.
- You’re in another app’s browser. If a link opened inside a social media or email app, open it in Safari first. Apple notes the command appears only when it’s available for the current page.
- Old data or blockers. A content blocker or old website data can keep a page stuck. Turn off the blocker for that site, or clear the Safari cache on iPhone, then try again.
Other Display Controls in the Page Menu
- Show Reader: A text-focused view of the page. Here’s how to use Reader mode in Safari.
- Page Zoom: Tap the large A or small A to resize the page.
- Hide Toolbar: Hides the search field. Tap the bottom of the screen to bring it back.
- Summarize: On iPhones with Apple Intelligence, Safari can summarize the page.
Customize the Page Menu
To choose which actions appear in the Page Menu:
- Tap the Page Menu button, then tap Customize Menu.
- Tap the Insert button to add Page or Tab Actions, or the Remove button to remove one.
- Tap Done, then Done again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Request Desktop Website in Safari on iPhone?
It’s in the Page Menu, which you open with the button on the left side of the search field. On iOS 26, it’s under More in that menu.
Why is Request Desktop Website grayed out or missing?
The command appears only when it’s available for the current page. Let the page finish loading in Safari itself, not in another app’s built-in browser or on a blank start page.
Does the desktop site use more data?
It can. Desktop pages often load larger images and scripts, so they may be slower on cellular.
Does requesting the desktop site change anything else in Safari?
No. It only affects how that website loads. Other sites stay mobile unless you turn on All Websites.
If a site still won’t load or keep you signed in, check your cookie settings. Here’s how to block or allow cookies on iPhone.
Menus and sign-in forms also stop working if you turn off JavaScript in Safari on iPhone, so make sure that switch is on.
Matthew Burleigh is the founder, head writer, and editor of Solve Your Tech, which he launched in 2012. He has written technology tutorials since 2008 and worked in IT since 2003, including small-business support, IT management, and consulting. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science from Arizona State University.
Matthew writes practical guides for Windows, iPhone and iPad, Microsoft Office, Outlook, Google apps, and Android. Solve Your Tech’s guides are checked step by step against the device or app maker’s own documentation and tested on his own devices whenever he has the hardware or software, with clear steps, sources, and update dates.
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