Fix Safari problem on Mac: 10+ common problems and fixes

• Quick fix: Close extra tabs, clear Safari’s cache, cookies, and website data, and disable unnecessary extensions.
• Advanced fix: Disable DNS prefetching via Terminal, update Safari and macOS and reset Safari settings.
• Tip: Use CleanMyMac to clear junk, improve browsing with ClearVPN for better speed, block ads with AdLock, download YouTube videos via PullTube, and manage apps with QuitAll to boost Safari performance.

Last month, I faced frequent Safari issues on my Mac for the past few days. I tried refreshing, force quitting, and a few other hacks to fix Safari. Spoiler: Nothing worked out.

Finally, I dove into troubleshooting mode and started researching possible reasons why Safari wasn’t working on Mac. The good news? Fixes to Safari problems are easier than you’d think. Now, let’s get to the point.

The most common issues with Safari

I’ll dive into the issues and how to fix them, but first, let’s look at some of the reasons why Safari might be running slow:

• Too many open tabs
• Excessive cache and cookies
• Outdated iOS or Safari version
• Too many extensions
• Background app activity 
• Slow or unstable internet connection 

All these things really impact how well Safari runs because they affect your iPhone overall. If your device gets sluggish from too many background activities, old software, or lack of storage, Safari is going to slow down, too.

Safari running slow

A slow browser can be super annoying. If it takes more than 10 seconds to load a page (ideally, it should be around 3 seconds), Safari is likely lagging. Here’s what you can do to speed it up.

Close all extra tabs

Every open tab consumes system storage and CPU cycles. Now, imagine the strain that too many tabs put on your Mac. Even websites (like music and video sites) you visit also impact the performance of your Mac and browser. Closing unnecessary tabs can help speed up a slow browser. 

You can also use Command + W to close the current tab in Safari (and most other macOS apps). If only one tab is open, this shortcut will close the entire window.

Clear caches, cookies, and website data

Having too many caches and cookies can make Safari sluggish since it takes more power to sift through all that stored data. It’s a good idea to clear out your cache, cookies, and website data regularly to speed things up and give Safari a performance boost.

Here’s how to clear cache and cookies in Safari:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings > Privacy.
3. Click Manage Website Data > Remove All.
4. Confirm.

If you want to clean the cache without deleting history, go back to Safari’s Settings window > Advanced. Select Show Develop in the menu bar, then close Settings and click Develop in the menu bar > Choose Empty Caches. 

Disable search suggestions

Search engine suggestions also use extra system resources, thus slowing down your searches. So, turn off this feature:

1. Open Safari
2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings > Search. 
3. Deselect Include Safari suggestions.

Check all extensions

While extensions can be useful, too many of them can make your browser behave sluggishly. It’s because each extension adds code to your browser and requires additional resources to run. So, regularly review and remove unnecessary or resource-heavy extensions.

To do so: 

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings > Extensions.
3. Click Uninstall for extensions you no longer need.

Test other Safari plug-ins and add-ons

Extensions aren’t the only things that can slow down Safari; plugins and add-ons can do that, too. If getting rid of the extensions doesn’t help, it’s a good idea to check for any plugins or add-ons you don’t really need or that might be causing issues, and remove those as well.

However, Safari no longer supports traditional plug-ins like Flash, as Apple phased them out in 2020. Instead, it primarily relies on extensions. So, if you're troubleshooting slow performance, focus on disabling unnecessary extensions rather than plug-ins. 

Disable DNS prefetching

Introduced with Safari 5.0.1 and later, DNS prefetching allows loading links on any web page before you click them. Although prefetching is meant to speed up loading, it can occasionally slow down your browser. So, if Safari is slow, disabling DNS prefetching can help.

To do this:

1. Go to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal.
2. Type defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabled -bool false > Press Return.
3. Relaunch Safari to apply the changes.
4. To re-enable DNS prefetching, use the same command but change false to true > Type defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabled -bool true.

You can also switch to a public DNS server, like Cloudflare (1.1.1.1) or Google Public DNS (8.8.8.8) to resolve the issue. 

Update to the latest version of Safari

Outdated versions of Safari can cause many problems, and slow performance is one of them. So, keep Safari up to date. Safari updates are included with macOS updates, so keeping your Mac with the latest version ensures you have the latest version of Safari.

To update it:

1. Go to the Apple menu. 
2. Click System Settings > General.
3. Click Software Update > Install Safari or macOS updates if available.

Restart your Mac, open Safari, and see if this solves the issue.

Inspect your network

Sometimes, network issues cause Safari to load slowly. From time to time, inspect your network to figure out and fix the underlying cause. You can do this manually (recommended for networking pros) or use tools that help you detect and troubleshoot the problem. For example, I use WiFi Explorer, which analyses my network and fixes problems like an expert and faster without technical skills or professional help.

You can look through the advanced detail of you r network to detect issues, so you’ll know hwat exactly you need to troubleshoot.  Check out this guide for network issues on Mac.  

Safari not responding on the Mac

If Safari is not working on Mac, try the following fixes.

Force quit and relaunch Safari

Sometimes, quitting and reopening Safari resolves the issues. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click the Apple menu bar > Force Quit. 
3. Select Safari > Click Force Quit.

Turn on JavaScript

Another reason why Safari isn’t working could be because JavaScript is off. JavaScript is, by default, enabled on all macOS devices. But you may disable it for websites that don’t support it.

So, check the settings to see whether JavaScript is enabled or disabled:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings > Security.
3. Select JavaScript to enable it.
4. Restart Safari to apply the changes.

Reset Safari

On older Macs, you cannot reset Safari (you can only delete the browser). But macOS versions like Monterey and Ventura allow you to reset Safari to its default factory settings and resolve many common Safari issues. 

To do so: 

1. Quit Safari.
2. Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G.
3. Type ~/Library and press Return.
4. Find the Preferences folder and search for files that start with com.apple.Safari > Move them to the Trash.

Safari crashing

Safari might keep crashing on Mac for different reasons — corrupt browser files, odd settings, incompatible third-party software, or bad plugins or extensions. Good news? There are many simple fixes for Safari quitting unexpectedly. 

Start with simple solutions — all Safari fixes I’ve explained above.

Still no luck? Try trickier solutions:

• Reset PRAM or NVRAM (For Intel Macs): Intel Macs use PRAM or NVRAM to store certain settings and preferences, such as startup disk, volume, screen resolution, time zone, and keyboard layout. Check out the detailed guide on how to reset PRAM/NVRAM and SMC on Mac. 
• Run Apple Diagnostics: There must be something wrong with the hardware. Run Apple Diagnostics to identify potential issues with your Mac’s hardware.

Other common Safari issues

Safari can be slow, unresponsive, or even crash, and those are definitely the main headaches to deal with. However, there are also some other less common issues that could need fixing. Let’s dive into those.

YouTube videos not working

Like other glitches with Safari, there are multiple reasons why YouTube videos fail to load in your browser. From cookies and cache overload to poor internet connection, there are various possible causes for this.

Try the Safari fixes discussed so far in this blog. If the problem persists, ensure that:

• Safari loads other websites well.
• Your internet is fast enough to support YouTube videos.
• YouTube is not down.
• YouTube has website permissions. Go to Safari > Settings > Websites. Find YouTube in the list and ensure it has all necessary permissions enabled.

See or hide full website URLs

By default, Safari only shows the domain name and hides the full address for any website you visit. What if you need to see the full URL? It’s simple:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings > Advanced.
3. Select Show full website address.

If you want to hide it again, simply deselect Show full website address again.

Stop website push notifications

By default, Safari websites enable push notifications. But you may want to disable them, maybe because they are distracting! Here’s how to disable website Push notifications in Safari: 

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings > Websites. 
3. Click Notifications > Select Deny in the drop-down.

More essential Safari troubleshooting tips

Check out the table below for other common Safari issues and their possible fixes:

• Safari not loading web page: Check your internet connection, clear the cache and cookies, and disable extensions.
• Safari not opening: Force quit Safari, restart your Mac, and check for macOS updates.
• Safari can't establish a secure connection: Check the date and time settings on your Mac, disable VPN or proxy settings, and switch to another Wi-Fi network.
• This connection is not a private error: Refresh the web page, check the website’s SSL certificate, and browse the page in a private window.
• Safari doesn’t download files: Restart Safari, check the default download folder, check for enough storage space.
• Safari not opening PDFs: Enable Open safe files after downloading in Safari Settings, use Preview to access PDFs manually.
• Safari not syncing with iCloud: Restart your Mac, verify iCloud settings, and make sure Safari is checked.

Common Safari issues resolved

I truly hope I’ve covered the Safari issues (and their fixes) we face commonly. The majority of Safari problems can be resolved with simple and quick fixes like restarting your Mac, refreshing the page, clearing the cache and cookies, updating macOS, and more. 

For more advanced solutions, tools like CleanMyMac and QuitAll can help tidy up your system, while WiFi Explorer assists with network issues, and ClearVPN provides fast and secure Safari browsing. PullTube is a great tool for downloading YouTube videos, and AdLock offers an ad-free browsing experience.

All these apps, and more, are available on Setapp — a subscription platfrom that provides access to collection of over 250 high-quality apps for your Mac and iOS. Setapp lets you try these apps in a 7-day free trial. So, why wait?

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