Top 12 Ways To Fix: Safari Not Responding On Mac

The article is about Safari not responding on Mac. Safari is a robust search engine that comes pre-installed on Mac computers. Most Mac users had no problems using Safari until lately when several users discovered it was suddenly not working. After an update, you can experience issues with Safari on Mac not responding.

This guide provides solutions for Safari not responding on Mac/MacBook. You can try removing apps from startup, eliminating Safari preferences, and other general fixes. By following the instructions, you can restore Safari to its normal functioning.

You can try the solutions listed below if you have Safari not responding on Mac, such as Safari not opening because it can’t establish a secure connection to the server, not responding, quitting unexpectedly, running slowly, not loading web pages, online videos not playing on a MacBook or other issues. Click here to learn how to find the Wifi Password on Mac.

See Also: How to find IP address on Mac

What is Safari?

The most straightforward response to the inquiry “What is a Safari browser?” is that it functions virtually like any other well-known web browser. It was the first browser to support HTML 5 because it was designed using the WebKit engine. The most recent version of Safari for macOS is 11.1; it now has improved the performance of Intelligent Tracking Prevention. Even if Safari offers many features, sunshine and flowers aren’t always. The iCloud tab surfing, the Sharing tool, Spectator view, and energy economy are just a few of the Safari browser features that set it apart from other browsers. Additionally, it lacks crucial elements like a tab icon, restricted Plugin support, and exclusivity to Apple devices.

It is nevertheless still helpful. But as time passes, you’ll find that your Mac’s Safari app needs to be faster. The following is a list of Safari’s primary causes:

• Cookies, cache, and history data in excess.

• Safari extensions need to be fixed or more effective.

• Data storage for autofill is running low.

• Outdated plugins, such as Java and Flash.

• Update software soon.

• Third-party programs and Safari collide when accessing the same sources.

• Firewall preventing access to certain Safari browser features.

See Also: How to Find IP Address on Mac in 5 Simple Ways

Resolving Issue If Safari Is Not Responding On Mac

According to our experience, Safari frequently freezes when your Mac’s physical memory is low. Here’s how to clean your ram. There are also other elements at play. Let’s talk about Safari not responding on Mac and solve the issue.

Force Safari to close

Any browser with background processes that aren’t operating as planned will directly suffer the adverse effects. Therefore, consider terminating all these operations by forcing the browser to close and allowing it to start over in a new environment.

1. Choose Force Quit from the Apple menu by selecting it in the top-left corner of the screen. Hit Command + Option + Escape as an alternative.
2. Choose Safari and press the Force Quit option from the Force Quit Applications menu that pops up.
3. Force Quit Applications and Force Quit button with Safari chosen; the browser should be restarted after a brief delay.
4. Continue with the following fix if it continues to hang or freeze while opening.

Restart your Mac

You should begin with the fundamental fixes before moving on to more complicated ones. Restarting the computer is the best line of action in the situation of Macbook Safari not working.

1. From the menu bar, click the Apple logo. From the submenu that displays, choose Restart.
2. Restart the Mac device by clicking the command button. Check to see if the Safari not functioning issue has been resolved once it has booted up. This will fix the underlying problem brought on by failed upgrades and restore normalcy to Safari.

Delete website data, cookies, and caches

For each website you visit, your browser stores cached files and cookies. However, you don’t have to retain these permanently; removing them might speed up a sluggish browsing experience.

1. Open the Apple Safari internet browser. Select the Preferences sub-menu by clicking on the Safari menu.
2. Open the Advanced tab. Check the option to make the menu bars show Develop menu visibly—Safari Advanced Preferences for Apple Display Develop Menu. The Safari menu bar will create a new Develop menu available.
3. The Develop option is from the menu bar. Select Empty Caches from the menu. Clear Caches in Safari’s Develop menu. All cache files kept by the Safari browser will be cleared and emptied.
4. After deleting the cache data, the browser may take a few seconds to show the websites.

Put Other Applications On Hold 

Most Mac users with 8GB of RAM can use this approach. You risk running out of physical RAM on your devices if too many background services and apps are active, which could be why Safari on Mac does not respond.

You may check the total amount of physical memory and the amount of memory utilized on your Mac by launching the Activity Monitor (refer to the instructions in the section above). Close the extra apps and services operating in the background if your RAM is low. Launch Safari on the Mac once more after clearing the RAM.

Check out: How To Install Apps On SD Card On Android

Remove Apps From The Startup Opening

You could have problems installing apps safari won’t open on Mac when many apps and services open at startup. Here’s how to locate and turn off the apps that start up with your Mac.

1. Toggle the small Apple icon to the left-top corner.
2. Select System Preferences from the menu.
3. Visit Users & Groups.
4. Slide to the menu of Login Items.
5. Decide which app you wish to prevent from running at startup.

To remove it, click the – icon at the bottom. Before making any changes, you might need to click the lock button at the bottom. This safeguards against unintentional modifications. How to fix Bluetooth not available on MAC Error? Read This.

Delete Safari Preferences

The homepage, new tabs, default search engine, and other settings can all be found in the browser’s preferences file. However, if any of the material becomes corrupted, it could cause issues for the entire browser and cause Safari not to work on Mac.

As a result, consider removing this file and letting the browser start a new instance.

1. Open the Mac’s Finder window. Click the Go menu by pressing and holding the Option key.
2. From the drop-down menu, choose the Library option. It will open the Finder window’s Library folder. Open the Preferences folder by navigating there—library with Preferences folder in the Mac Finder.
3. Find apple.com.safari.plist the file in the preferences folder and remove it. Restart the browser after the file has been deleted. A new Preferences file will be created and used by Safari. And having done so, the problem would have been fixed as well.

Safe Mode

Basic tests are made in Safe Mode, which might solve your issue. Safe Mode is frequently used to identify problems.

1. Shut down your Mac. Press and hold the Shift key until a login screen appears. As soon as your Mac starts up.
2. Log in to your Mac and let go of the Shift key. Does Safe Mode solve your issue? It’s Safe Mode on your Mac—Launch Safari to test.
3. Regardless, restart your Mac as usual. Do not hit the Shift key; switch off and restart your Mac. It will start up your Mac. Test your issue once more. To check if your concern has been resolved, open Safari.

Disk Utility

Safari not working on Mac could be caused by disc faults; for instance, a Safari file may be corrupted.

We are going to verify the starting drive using Disk Utility. To do this, adhere to the procedures below:

Note: Before continuing, make a backup of your Mac.

1. Shut down your Mac. In macOS Recover, we will restart the computer. Just keep going as directed. Press and hold the Command () and R keys immediately after turning on your Mac. 
2. When you see the Apple logo or a picture of a spinning globe, let go of these keys. If prompted, enter your password. The “macOS Utilities” window will then appear. To continue, select Disk Utility and then click.
3. In most cases, Macintosh HD – Data is your startup volume. Pick out both of them. Select First Aid from the menu. Run, then continue by clicking.
4. Next, try Safari. It will launch Disk Utility. Click Done and restart your Mac from the Apple menu if Disk Utility finds no issues or fixes any that it does find.

Clean Up Mac’s Junk Files

Users of macOS can download apps from the web, unlike iOS games. It’s possible that you downloaded too many undesirable files from the internet. Some of these garbage files may interfere with how other Mac apps operate, and Safari on Mac is not responding.

You can use CleanMyMac X software to quickly erase these files instead of searching for them in the Finder menu.

Update macOS 

Outdated macOS could be a significant reason Safari not responding on Mac. A component of macOS is Safari. The software cannot be updated directly from the Mac App Store. Apple updates the OS as a whole and then sends updates for Safari.

There will inevitably be problems with system apps when a significant macOS update is released. Apple releases OS upgrades right away to fix them.

To install the most recent macOS version, enter System Preferences and select the Software Update option. Retry your attempt with Safari. Read this article to learn how to mirror Mac to Firestick.

See also: Best driver updater.

Look Into Safari Alternatives 

When users open dozens of tabs in the Safari browser, the software begins to freeze and become unresponsive. It’s time to stop using Safari on Mac and switch to Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome if you have the same problems.

Safari Updates

Apple often publishes updates for Safari to address potential problems. Timely software updates can solve a lot of problems. Therefore, if Safari stopped working on Mac, it’s possible that you should have updated to a newer version. Select About Safari from the Safari menu. You can see the performance of Safari you are currently using in the popup that pops up. It’s essential to ensure your Mac runs the most recent Update because the new macOS versioUpdateen include updates for Safari.

1. To update the software, click the Apple logo > About This Mac.
2. If newer versions exist, select Update Now or Upgrade Now.

See Update The 7 Best Music Players For Mac In 2023

FAQs

How Do I Get Safari To Work Again?

Bugs can sometimes be the root of Safari issues. You might try updating Safari to the most recent version to fix issues. Select the 'Software Update' option on the menu by clicking the 'Apple' icon. The App Store will open and direct you to the 'Updates' area.

How Can I Fix Safari's Issue With CleanMyMac X?

Preferences can be found by selecting the CleanMyMac X menu. Click the Uninstaller option in the Ignore List tab. Ignore system application is checked. Decide on Uninstaller. Find Safari by scrolling the list, then right-click it. Press Reset after selecting 'Safari' for reset. After the reset, open Safari to see if CleanMyMac X corrected the issue.

How Do I Fix My MacBook Air So That Safari Will Open?

Try these remedies Update Safari not working on Mac, temporarily turn off antivirus software, then clear your browser's cache. 4 Use Time Machine to restore data on your Mac. 5 Install macOS. Because you are using an outdated version of Safari, you might be experiencing problems.

How Can I Force Safari To Close On My IPhone?

Try forcing the program to close if you're having difficulties getting Safari to reply. Hit the Apple menu button. Choose Force Quit. Click Safari from the list of applications. Verify what you've done.

On A Mac, How Do You Restart Safari?

Open Safari on a Mac and choose Safari from the top menu bar to reset Safari. Select Preferences from the drop-down menu after that. You can also delete extensions and reset security on the Safari options page. To delete cookies, choose Manage Website Data under the Privacy tab.

On A Mac, How Do You Restart Safari ?

Open Safari on a Mac and choose Safari from the top menu bar to reset Safari. Select Preferences from the drop-down menu after that. To delete cookies, choose Manage Website Data under the Privacy tab. You can also delete extensions and reset security on the Safari options page.

On A Mac, Where Are The Safari Settings ?

Open the desired website in Safari to configure its options. Then select Safari> Settings for this website from the top menu bar of Safari. Launch Safari and select Options from the Top menu bar to debug the preferences.

Why Is Safari Not Working On Mac ?

Try these solutions if Safari or a new Safari window won't launch. Make sure you are running the most recent Safari and macOS versions. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then choose General in the sidebar, followed by Software Update on the right, to look for a Safari or MacOS update.

Can You Uninstall Safari And Install It Again ?

One such embedded program that cannot be changed or uninstalled without a few adjustments is Safari. It would help if you deactivated System Integrity Protection through the Console or by utilizing third-party apps to remove Safari from a Mac. However, if you are not a computer wiz, we warn against doing so.

Conclusion

Safari not responding on Mac can result in lost time. However, you should try the earlier solutions to fix the problem before considering quitting Safari on Mac. 

Many fantastic browsers are available these days, and combining the two is acceptable. Doing this allows you to divide the workload between two browsers, producing marginally better results—worth a shot.