"Tipping point" is defined as a critical threshold at which a tiny perturbation can qualitatively alter the state or development of a system. “Tipping element” is defined as components of the Earth system that may pass a tipping. In our climate system, multiple tipping elements have been found, such as the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), Greenland or Antarctic Ice Sheet, boreal or tropical forest, permafrost, sea ice, etc. Here we specifically study the AMOC stability under past and future conditions. It is found that when freshwater forcing is dominant, multi-equilibrium states of this circulation (an abrupt collapse/reactivation) become possible only under simulated glacial conditions with closed Bering Strait. Under present day and future conditions, both freshwater and greenhouse gas forcings could collapse this circulation, but only greenhouse gas forcing produced a bi-stable equilibrium state comparable to abrupt climate change. Our results demonstrate that the Bering Strait status (open vs. closed) may facilitate or prohibit the existence of this circulation’s hysteresis, irrespective of the background climate conditions, but is directly related to the primary forcing.