A GMR sensor has a head surface with an active region and first and second inactive regions along the head surface with the active region being located between the first and second inactive regions, and includes an antiparallel (AP) coupled free layer structure having an active portion and first and second inactive portions located in the active region and the first and second inactive regions respectively. The free layer structure has a free layer, an antiparallel (AP) coupling layer and a ferromagnetic bias layer wherein the AP coupling layer is located between the free layer and the bias layer wherein each of the free layer, the AP coupling layer and the bias layer has an active portion and first and second inactive portions which are located in the active region and the first and second inactive regions respectively. First and second tabs are located in the first and second inactive regions respectively with the first tab including a ferromagnetic first bias layer magnetically coupled to the first inactive portion of the bias layer and the second tab including a ferromagnetic second bias layer magnetically coupled to the second inactive portion of the bias layer.