# Private tabs are automatically closed

**URL:** <https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415>\
**Category:** Mobile Support\
**Tags:** ios\
**Created:** [February 28, 2020, 9:12am UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415 "2020-02-28T09:12:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mbader](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/mbader/32/37990_2.png) [@mbader](https://community.brave.app/u/mbader)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 9:12am UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415/1 "2020-02-28T09:12:58Z")

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**Description:**  
When browsing with Brave on iPhone using private tabs, when I put the phone aside for like 5 to 10 minutes and come back to it later, the private tabs are gone. No trace of it and all closed. Why is that so? That is so unbelievably annoying - I see no reason for this to happen. Is is programmatically? Or maybe because the browser crashes which is not visible to me?

**Reproduce issue:**

1. Use private tab on iPhone
2. Put phone aside for a few minutes
3. Reopen browser - private tabs are gone

**Expected result:**  
Tabs should never be closed automatically!

**Brave Version:**  
Version 1.14.3 (20.02.01.06)

**Mobile Device details**  
iPhone 6; iOS 12.4.5

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**Author:** ![steeven](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/steeven/32/17661_2.png) [@steeven](https://community.brave.app/u/steeven)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2020, 3:03pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415/2 "2020-02-28T15:03:34Z")

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Hi @mbader - I’m testing now on my end. Thanks for reporting. Are you closing the app before putting the phone aside for a few minutes?

Thanks in advance!

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**Author:** ![anon1255531](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@anon1255531](https://community.brave.app/u/anon1255531)\
**Post date:** [March 4, 2020, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415/3 "2020-03-04T17:57:35Z")

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> No trace of it

This is exactly what private mode is for. Using private mode should leave no trace.

Private mode does not retain your tabs. It is private and so we do not store any data to disk. If you require your tabs to be saved, you will need to use normal mode.

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**Author:** ![Wiggly](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brave/user_avatar/community.brave.app/wiggly/32/37905_2.png) [@Wiggly](https://community.brave.app/u/Wiggly)\
**Post date:** [March 5, 2020, 2:01pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415/4 "2020-03-05T14:01:59Z")

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It’s because of the way iOS handles RAM. When you set your phone aside it clears the browser from memory, so when you pick your phone back up it’s not loaded in the background anymore because iOS closed it. The browser reloads when you unlock your phone and open it, and because private tabs do not persist on new browser sessions they’re gone.

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**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/brave/original/3X/1/8/182067f3480d1a5e7aea5ae3131b116ca1ef7918.png) [@system](https://community.brave.app/u/system)\
**Post date:** [April 4, 2020, 2:02pm UTC](https://community.brave.app/t/private-tabs-are-automatically-closed/110415/5 "2020-04-04T14:02:21Z")

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