iPhone User Guide

  • iPhone models compatible with iOS 18
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  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation)
  • iPhone 12 mini
  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13 mini
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone SE (3rd generation)
  • iPhone 14 Plus
  • iPhone 14 Pro
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone 15 Plus
  • iPhone 15 Pro
  • iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • iPhone 16 Plus
  • iPhone 16 Pro
  • iPhone 16 Pro Max
  • Setup basics
  • Make your iPhone your own
  • Take great photos and videos
  • Keep in touch with friends and family
  • Share features with your family
  • Use iPhone for your daily routines
  • Expert advice from Apple Support
  • What’s new in iOS 18
  • Turn on and set up iPhone
  • Wake, unlock, and lock
  • Set up cellular service
  • Use Dual SIM
  • Connect to the internet
  • Sign in and manage your Apple Account
  • Subscribe to iCloud+
  • Find settings
  • Set up mail, contacts, and calendar accounts
  • Learn the meaning of the status icons
  • Charge the battery
  • Charge with cleaner energy sources
  • Show the battery percentage
  • Check battery health and usage
  • Use Low Power Mode
  • Read and bookmark the user guide
  • Learn basic gestures
  • Learn gestures for iPhone models with Face ID
  • Adjust the volume
  • Silence iPhone
  • Find and use your apps in App Library
  • Switch between open apps
  • Quit and reopen an app
  • Multitask with Picture in Picture
  • Access features from the Lock Screen
  • Use the Dynamic Island
  • Perform quick actions
  • Search on iPhone
  • Get information about your iPhone
  • View or change cellular data settings
  • Travel with iPhone
  • Change sounds and vibrations
  • Use and customize the Action button
  • Create a custom Lock Screen
  • Change the wallpaper
  • Adjust the screen brightness and color balance
  • Keep the iPhone display on longer
  • Use StandBy
  • Customize the text size and zoom setting
  • Change the name of your iPhone
  • Change the date and time
  • Change the language and region
  • Add, edit, and remove widgets
  • Move apps and widgets on the Home Screen
  • Customize apps and widgets on the Home Screen
  • Lock or hide or an app
  • Organize your apps in folders
  • Remove or delete apps
  • Use and customize Control Center
  • Change your default web browser or email app
  • Rotate your iPhone screen
  • View and respond to notifications
  • Change notification settings
  • Set up a Focus
  • Allow or silence notifications for a Focus
  • Turn a Focus on or off
  • Stay focused while driving
  • Customize sharing options
  • Type with the onscreen keyboard
  • Dictate text
  • Commands for dictating text
  • Select and edit text
  • Use predictive text
  • Use text replacements
  • Add or change keyboards
  • Add emoji, Memoji, and stickers
  • Take a screenshot
  • Take a screen recording
  • Write and draw in documents
  • Add text, shapes, stickers, and more
  • Fill out forms, sign documents, and create signatures
  • Interact with content in a photo or video
  • Identify objects in your photos and videos
  • Lift a subject from the photo background
  • Camera basics
  • Set up your shot
  • Use Photographic Styles
  • Use Photographic Styles with an iPhone 16 camera
  • Take Live Photos
  • Take Burst mode shots
  • Take a selfie
  • Take panoramic photos
  • Take macro photos and videos
  • Take portraits
  • Take Night mode photos
  • Take Apple ProRAW photos
  • Use the Camera Control
  • Use the Camera Control to open another app
  • Adjust the shutter volume
  • Adjust HDR camera settings
  • Record videos
  • Take spatial photos and record spatial videos for Apple Vision Pro
  • Change sound recording options on iPhone 16 models
  • Record ProRes videos
  • Record videos in Cinematic mode
  • Change video recording settings
  • Save camera settings
  • Customize the Main and Fusion camera lens
  • Change advanced camera settings
  • View, share, and print photos
  • Use Live Text
  • Scan a QR code
  • Subscribe to Apple Arcade
  • Play with friends in Game Center
  • Connect a game controller
  • Use App Clips
  • Update apps
  • View or cancel subscriptions
  • Manage purchases, settings, and restrictions
  • Install and manage fonts
  • Buy books and audiobooks
  • Annotate books
  • Access books on other Apple devices
  • Listen to audiobooks
  • Set reading goals
  • Organize books
  • Use the basic calculator
  • Use the scientific calculator
  • Solve math with Math Notes
  • Work with graphs in Math Notes
  • Convert units or currency
  • See previous calculations
  • Create and edit events in Calendar
  • Send invitations
  • Reply to invitations
  • Change how you view events
  • Search for events
  • Change Calendar settings
  • Schedule or display events in a different time zone
  • Keep track of events
  • Use multiple calendars
  • Use reminders
  • Use the Holidays calendar
  • Share iCloud calendars
  • See the world clock
  • Set an alarm
  • Change your wake up alarm
  • Use the stopwatch
  • Add and use contact information
  • Edit contacts
  • Add your contact info
  • Add or remove accounts
  • Use NameDrop on iPhone to share your contact info
  • Use contacts from the Phone app
  • Merge or hide duplicate contacts
  • Sync contacts across devices
  • Import contacts
  • Export contacts
  • Get started with FaceTime
  • Make FaceTime calls
  • Receive FaceTime calls
  • Create a FaceTime link
  • Take a Live Photo
  • Turn on Live Captions in a FaceTime call
  • Use other apps during a call
  • Make a Group FaceTime call
  • View participants in a grid
  • Use SharePlay to watch, listen, and play together
  • Share your screen in a FaceTime call
  • Request or give remote control in a FaceTime call
  • Collaborate on a document in FaceTime
  • Use video conferencing features
  • Hand off a FaceTime call to another Apple device
  • Change the FaceTime video settings
  • Change the FaceTime audio settings
  • Change your appearance
  • Leave a call or switch to Messages
  • Block and silence FaceTime calls from unknown callers
  • Report a call as spam
  • Modify files and folders
  • Find files and folders
  • Organize files and folders
  • Send files from the Files app
  • Set up iCloud Drive
  • Share files and folders in iCloud Drive
  • Transfer files from iPhone to a storage device, a server, or the cloud
  • Share your location
  • Meet up with a friend
  • Send your location via satellite
  • Add or remove a friend
  • Locate a friend
  • Get notified when friends change their location
  • Notify a friend when your location changes
  • Add your iPhone
  • Add your iPhone Wallet with MagSafe
  • Get notified if you leave a device behind
  • Locate a device
  • Mark a device as lost
  • Erase a device
  • Remove a device
  • Add an AirTag
  • Share an AirTag or other item in Find My on iPhone
  • Add a third-party item
  • Get notified if you leave an item behind
  • Locate an item
  • Mark an item as lost
  • Remove an item
  • Adjust map settings
  • Turn off Find My
  • Get started with Fitness
  • See your activity summary
  • Adjust your Activity ring goals
  • Sync a third-party workout app
  • Change fitness notifications
  • Share your activity
  • Get started with Freeform
  • Create a Freeform board
  • Draw or handwrite
  • Solve handwritten math problems
  • Add text in sticky notes, shapes, and text boxes
  • Add shapes, lines, and arrows
  • Add diagrams
  • Add photos, videos, and other files
  • Apply consistent styles
  • Position items on a board
  • Navigate and present scenes
  • Send a copy or PDF
  • Print a board
  • Share boards and collaborate
  • Search Freeform boards
  • Delete and recover boards
  • Change Freeform settings
  • Get started with Health
  • Fill out your Health Details
  • Intro to Health data
  • View your health data
  • Share your health data
  • View health data shared by others
  • Download health records
  • View health records
  • Monitor your walking steadiness
  • Log menstrual cycle information
  • View menstrual cycle predictions and history
  • Log a pregnancy
  • Track your medications
  • Learn more about your medications
  • Log your state of mind
  • Take a mental health assessment
  • Set up a schedule for a Sleep Focus
  • Turn off alarms and delete sleep schedules
  • Add or change sleep schedules
  • Turn Sleep Focus on or off
  • Change your wind down period and sleep goal
  • View your sleep history
  • Check your headphone audio levels
  • Use audiogram data
  • Register as an organ donor
  • Back up your Health data
  • Intro to Home
  • Upgrade to the new Home architecture
  • Set up accessories
  • Control accessories
  • Control your home using Siri
  • Use Grid Forecast to plan your energy usage
  • View Electricity Usage and Rates
  • Set up HomePod
  • Control your home remotely
  • Create and use scenes
  • Use automations
  • Set up security cameras
  • Use Face Recognition
  • Unlock your door with a home key
  • Configure a router
  • Invite others to control accessories
  • Add more homes
  • Get music, movies, and TV shows
  • Get ringtones
  • Manage purchases and settings
  • Get started with Journal
  • Write in your journal
  • Add formatting, photos, and more
  • Journal for your wellbeing
  • Build a journaling habit
  • View and search journal entries
  • Print and export entries
  • Change Journal settings
  • Use iPhone like a magnifying glass
  • Customize controls
  • Get live descriptions of visual information around you
  • Detect people around you
  • Detect furniture around you
  • Detect doors around you
  • Detect text around you and have it read out loud
  • Set up shortcuts for Live Recognition
  • Add and remove email accounts
  • Set up a custom email domain
  • Check your email
  • Unsend email with Undo Send
  • Reply to and forward emails
  • Save an email draft
  • Add email attachments
  • Download email attachments
  • Annotate email attachments
  • Set email notifications
  • Search for email
  • Organize email in mailboxes
  • Flag or block emails
  • Filter emails
  • Use Hide My Email
  • Use Mail Privacy Protection
  • Change Mail settings
  • Delete and recover emails
  • Add a Mail widget to your Home Screen
  • Print emails
  • Explore 3D maps
  • Get travel directions
  • Change or add stops to your route
  • View a route overview or a list of turns
  • Change settings for spoken directions
  • Get driving directions
  • Get directions to your parked car
  • Set up electric vehicle routing
  • Report traffic incidents
  • Get cycling directions
  • Get walking directions
  • Save walks or hikes
  • Get transit directions
  • Get traffic and weather info
  • Estimate travel time and ETA
  • Download offline maps
  • Search for places
  • Add places and notes to your library
  • Mark a location with a pin
  • Share places
  • Rate places and add photos
  • Organize places with custom guides
  • Find nearby attractions, restaurants, and services
  • Get information about places
  • Explore places with guides
  • Look around places
  • Take Flyover tours
  • Clear location history
  • Delete recent directions
  • Choose a default travel mode and units
  • Report an issue with Maps
  • Measure dimensions
  • View and save measurements
  • Measure a person’s height
  • Use the level
  • Set up Messages
  • About iMessage
  • Send and reply to messages
  • Text via satellite
  • Unsend and edit messages
  • Keep track of messages
  • Forward and share messages
  • Group conversations
  • Share screens
  • Collaborate on projects
  • Use iMessage apps
  • Take and edit photos or videos
  • Share photos, links, and more
  • Send stickers
  • Create and send Memoji
  • React with Tapbacks
  • Style and animate messages
  • Draw and handwrite messages
  • Send and save GIFs
  • Request, send, and receive payments
  • Send and receive audio messages
  • Turn read receipts on or off
  • Change notifications
  • Block, filter, and report messages
  • Delete messages and attachments
  • Recover deleted messages
  • Subscribe to Apple Music
  • Get personalized recommendations
  • Mark items as favorites
  • Add music and listen offline
  • Create an Apple Music Profile
  • Share music with friends
  • See what friends are listening to
  • Search for music
  • Find music shared with you
  • Find new music
  • Use the music player controls
  • Use Siri to play music
  • Play lossless audio
  • Play Spatial Audio
  • Listen to radio
  • Play music together using SharePlay
  • Play music together in the car
  • Adjust the sound
  • Queue up your music
  • Shuffle or repeat songs
  • Sing along with Apple Music
  • Show song credits and lyrics
  • Tell Apple Music what you enjoy
  • Intro to playlists
  • Create, edit, and delete playlists
  • Collaborate on a playlist
  • Join a collaborative playlist
  • Add a reaction to a collaborative playlist
  • Get started with News
  • Use News widgets
  • See news stories chosen just for you
  • Read and share stories
  • Follow your favorite teams with My Sports
  • Listen to Apple News Today
  • Subscribe to Apple News+
  • Browse and read Apple News+ stories
  • Use Offline Mode to read downloaded News content
  • Manually download Apple News+ issues
  • Listen to News stories
  • Find puzzles in Apple News+
  • Solve crossword and crossword mini puzzles
  • Solve Quartiles puzzles
  • Search for stories in News
  • Save stories in News
  • Clear your reading history in News
  • Subscribe to individual news channels
  • Get started with Notes
  • Create and format notes
  • Use Quick Notes
  • Add drawings and handwriting
  • Enter formulas and equations
  • Add photos, video, and more
  • Record and transcribe audio
  • Scan text and documents
  • Work with PDFs
  • Search notes
  • Organize in folders
  • Organize with tags
  • Use Smart Folders
  • Share and collaborate
  • Export or print notes
  • Change the Notes view
  • Change Notes settings
  • Use passwords
  • Find your password for a website or app
  • Change the password for a website or app
  • Remove a password
  • Recover a deleted password
  • Create a password for a website or app
  • Use passkeys to sign in to apps and websites
  • Sign in with Apple
  • Share passwords
  • Automatically fill in strong passwords
  • Change weak or compromised passwords
  • View your passwords and related information
  • Find and share your Wi-Fi password
  • Share passwords securely with AirDrop
  • Make your passwords available on all your devices
  • Automatically fill in verification codes
  • Automatically fill in SMS passcodes
  • Sign in with fewer CAPTCHA challenges
  • Use two-factor authentication
  • Use security keys
  • Make a call
  • Change your Phone settings
  • View and delete the call history
  • Answer or decline incoming calls
  • While on a call
  • Have a conference or three-way call on iPhone
  • Set up voicemail
  • Check voicemail
  • Change voicemail greeting and settings
  • Select ringtones and vibrations
  • Make calls using Wi-Fi
  • Set up call forwarding
  • Set up call waiting
  • Block or avoid unwanted calls
  • Get started with Photos
  • View photos and videos
  • See photo and video information
  • Find photos and videos by date
  • Find and name people and pets
  • Find group photos
  • Browse photos by location
  • Find recently saved photos
  • Find your travel photos
  • Find recently receipts, QR codes, recently edited photos, and more
  • Find photos, videos, and more by media type
  • Customize the Photos app
  • Filter and sort the photo library
  • Back up and sync your photos with iCloud
  • Delete or hide photos and videos
  • Search for photos and videos
  • Get wallpaper suggestions
  • Watch memories
  • Personalize your memories
  • Make and play slideshows
  • Feature someone less
  • Create photo albums
  • Edit and organize albums
  • Filter and sort photos and videos in albums
  • Share photos and videos
  • Share long videos
  • Create shared albums
  • Add and remove people in a shared album
  • Add and delete photos and videos in a shared album
  • Set up or join an iCloud Shared Photo Library
  • Use iCloud Shared Photo Library
  • Add content to an iCloud Shared Photo Library
  • Edit photos and videos
  • Crop, rotate, flip, or straighten photos and videos
  • Undo and revert photo edits
  • Trim video length, adjust speed, and edit audio
  • Edit Cinematic mode videos
  • Edit Live Photos
  • Edit portraits
  • Make stickers from your photos
  • Duplicate and copy photos and videos
  • Merge duplicate photos and videos
  • Import and export photos and videos
  • Print photos
  • Find podcasts
  • Listen to podcasts
  • View podcast transcripts
  • Follow your favorite podcasts
  • Use the Podcasts widget
  • Organize your podcast library
  • Download, save, remove, and share podcasts
  • Subscribe to podcasts
  • Listen to subscriber-only content
  • Change download settings
  • Get started with Reminders
  • Set reminders
  • Make a grocery list
  • Add details
  • Complete and remove items
  • Edit and organize a list
  • Search your lists
  • Organize multiple lists
  • Use Smart Lists
  • Print a list
  • Work with templates
  • Change Reminders settings
  • Browse the web
  • Search for websites
  • See highlights
  • Customize your Safari settings
  • Change the layout
  • Create multiple Safari profiles
  • Open and close tabs
  • Organize your tabs with Tab Groups
  • View your tabs from another Apple device
  • Share Tab Groups
  • Use Siri to listen to a webpage
  • Bookmark a website
  • Save pages to a Reading List
  • Find links shared with you
  • Annotate and save a webpage as a PDF
  • Automatically fill in forms
  • Get extensions
  • Hide distractions when browsing
  • Hide distractions when reading
  • Block pop-ups
  • Clear your cache and cookies
  • Enable cookies
  • Browse the web privately
  • Sign in with passkeys in Safari
  • Check stocks
  • Manage multiple watchlists
  • Read or listen to business news
  • Add earnings reports to your calendar
  • Use a Stocks widget
  • Translate text, voice, and conversations
  • Translate text in apps
  • Translate with the camera view
  • Subscribe to Apple TV+, MLS Season Pass, or a channel
  • Find shows, movies, and more
  • Personalize the Home tab
  • Buy, rent, or pre-order items
  • Stream content and control playback
  • Watch sports
  • Manage your library
  • Add your TV provider
  • Change the settings
  • Make a recording
  • View a transcription
  • Play it back
  • Edit or delete a recording
  • Keep recordings up to date
  • Organize recordings
  • Search for or rename a recording
  • Share a recording
  • Duplicate a recording
  • About Apple Wallet
  • Set up Apple Pay
  • Use Apple Pay for contactless payments
  • Use Apple Pay in apps and on the web
  • Passes, loyalty cards, tickets, and more
  • Apple Account
  • Organize your Wallet
  • Remove payment cards
  • Change Wallet & Apple Pay settings
  • Check the weather
  • Check the weather in other locations
  • View weather maps
  • Manage weather notifications
  • Use Weather widgets
  • Learn the weather icons
  • Find out what Siri can do
  • Tell Siri about yourself
  • Have Siri announce calls and notifications
  • Add Siri Shortcuts
  • About Siri Suggestions
  • Use Siri in your car
  • Change Siri settings
  • Introducing Apple Intelligence
  • Contact emergency services
  • Use Emergency SOS via satellite
  • Request Roadside Assistance via satellite
  • Set up and view your Medical ID
  • Use Check In
  • Manage Crash Detection
  • Reset privacy and security settings in an emergency
  • Set up Family Sharing
  • Add Family Sharing members
  • Remove Family Sharing members
  • Share subscriptions
  • Share purchases
  • Share locations with family and locate lost devices
  • Set up Apple Cash Family and Apple Card Family
  • Set up parental controls
  • Set up a child’s device
  • Get started with Screen Time
  • Protect your vision health with Screen Distance
  • Set up Screen Time
  • Set communication and safety limits and block nudity
  • Set up Screen Time for a family member
  • Charging cable
  • Power adapters
  • MagSafe chargers and battery packs
  • Qi-certified wireless chargers
  • Use AirPods
  • Use EarPods
  • Apple Watch
  • Wirelessly stream videos and photos to Apple TV or a smart TV
  • Connect to a display with a cable
  • HomePod and other wireless speakers
  • Pair Magic Keyboard
  • Enter characters with diacritical marks
  • Switch between keyboards
  • Use shortcuts
  • Choose an alternative keyboard layout
  • Change typing assistance options
  • External storage devices
  • Connect Bluetooth accessories
  • Play audio from your iPhone on a Bluetooth accessory
  • Work across devices using Continuity
  • Use your iPhone from your Mac
  • Receive iPhone Notifications on your Mac
  • Use AirDrop to send items to nearby devices
  • Hand off tasks between devices
  • Copy and paste between devices
  • Stream video and audio from your iPhone
  • Allow phone calls and text messages on your iPad and Mac
  • Share your internet connection with Personal Hotspot
  • Use iPhone as a webcam
  • Insert sketches, photos, and scans on Mac
  • Start SharePlay instantly
  • Connect iPhone and your computer with a cable
  • Transfer files between devices
  • Transfer files with email, messages, or AirDrop
  • Transfer files or sync content with the Finder or iTunes
  • Automatically keep files up to date with iCloud
  • Intro to CarPlay
  • Connect to CarPlay
  • Use your vehicle’s built-in controls
  • Get turn-by-turn directions
  • Change the map view
  • Make phone calls
  • View your calendar
  • Send and receive text messages
  • Announce incoming text messages
  • Play podcasts
  • Play audiobooks
  • Listen to news stories
  • Control your home
  • Use other apps with CarPlay
  • Rearrange icons on CarPlay Home
  • Change settings in CarPlay
  • Get started with accessibility features
  • Use accessibility features during setup
  • Change Siri accessibility settings
  • Quickly turn accessibility features on or off
  • Overview of accessibility features for vision
  • View a larger version of text you’re reading or typing
  • Change display colors
  • Make text easier to read
  • Reduce onscreen motion
  • Use iPhone more comfortably while riding in a vehicle
  • Customize per-app visual settings
  • Hear what’s on the screen or typed
  • Hear audio descriptions
  • Adjust CarPlay settings
  • Turn on and practice VoiceOver
  • Change your VoiceOver settings
  • Use VoiceOver gestures
  • Operate iPhone when VoiceOver is on
  • Control VoiceOver using the rotor
  • Use the onscreen keyboard
  • Write with your finger
  • Keep the screen off
  • Use VoiceOver with an external keyboard
  • Use a braille display
  • Type braille on the screen
  • Customize gestures and keyboard shortcuts
  • Use VoiceOver with a pointer device
  • Get live descriptions of your surroundings
  • Use VoiceOver in apps
  • Overview of accessibility features for mobility
  • Use AssistiveTouch
  • Adjust how iPhone responds to your touch
  • Use Reachability
  • Auto-answer calls
  • Turn off vibration
  • Change Face ID and attention settings
  • Use Voice Control
  • Use Voice Control commands with CarPlay
  • Adjust the side or Home button
  • Adjust accessibility settings for the Camera Control
  • Use Apple TV Remote buttons
  • Adjust pointer settings
  • Adjust keyboard settings
  • Control iPhone with an external keyboard
  • Adjust AirPods settings
  • Turn on Apple Watch Mirroring
  • Control a nearby Apple device
  • Control iPhone with the movement of your eyes
  • Intro to Switch Control
  • Set up and turn on Switch Control
  • Select items, perform actions, and more
  • Control several devices with one switch
  • Overview of accessibility features for hearing
  • Use hearing devices
  • Use Live Listen
  • Use sound recognition
  • Set up and use RTT and TTY
  • Flash the indicator light for notifications
  • Adjust audio settings
  • Play background sounds
  • Display subtitles and captions
  • Show transcriptions for Intercom messages
  • Get live captions of spoken audio
  • Play music as taps, textures, and more
  • Get notified about car horns and sirens in CarPlay
  • Overview of accessibility features for speech
  • Type to speak
  • Record your personal voice
  • Use Vocal Shortcuts
  • Overview of cognitive accessibility features
  • Lock iPhone to one app
  • Control what you share
  • Set a passcode
  • Set up Face ID
  • Set up Touch ID
  • Turn on Lock Screen features
  • Keep your Apple Account secure
  • Manage information sharing with Safety Check
  • Control app tracking permissions
  • Control the location information you share
  • Control access to information in apps
  • Control access to contacts
  • Control how Apple delivers advertising to you
  • Control access to hardware features
  • Create and manage Hide My Email addresses
  • Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay
  • Use a private network address
  • Use Advanced Data Protection
  • Use Lockdown Mode
  • Use Stolen Device Protection
  • Receive warnings about sensitive content
  • Use Contact Key Verification
  • Turn iPhone on or off
  • Force restart iPhone
  • Back up iPhone
  • Reset iPhone settings
  • Erase iPhone
  • Restore all content from a backup
  • Restore purchased and deleted items
  • Sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone
  • Install or remove configuration profiles
  • Important safety information
  • Important handling information
  • Find more resources for software and service
  • FCC compliance statement
  • ISED Canada compliance statement
  • Ultra Wideband information
  • Class 1 Laser information
  • Apple and the environment
  • Disposal and recycling information
  • Unauthorized modification of iOS

Customize your Safari settings on iPhone

You can customize your start page, change the text size on websites, and change display and privacy settings. Sign in to iCloud with the same Apple Account on multiple devices to keep your open tabs, bookmarks, browsing history, and Reading List up to date across all your Apple devices.

Customize your start page

When you open a new tab, you begin on your start page. You can customize your start page with new background images and options.

safari open preferences

Scroll to the bottom of the page, then tap Edit.

Choose the options you want to appear on your start page:

Use Start Page on All Devices: Use these settings on all your Apple devices where you have Use Start Page on All Devices turned on and you’re signed in to the same Apple Account using two-factor authentication .

Favorites: Display shortcuts to your favorite bookmarked websites. See Bookmark a favorite website .

Privacy Report: Stay updated on how many trackers and websites Safari blocked from tracking you. See View the Privacy Report .

Reading List: Show webpages currently in your Reading List. See Add the current webpage to your Reading List .

Recently Closed Tabs: Go back to tabs you previously closed.

iCloud Tabs: Show open tabs from other Apple devices where you’re signed in to the same Apple Account and Safari is turned on in iCloud settings or preferences. See Organize your tabs with Tab Groups .

Suggestions: See websites you visit most, websites shared in other apps (such as Calendar and Maps), and links shared with you in Messages, Mail, and more. See Find links shared with you .

Select Image from Library

Customize the Page menu

safari open preferences

Tap Done, then tap Done again.

Change the text size for a website on Safari

Use the Page Settings button to increase or decrease the text size.

Tap the large A to increase the font size or the small A to decrease it.

Change the display controls for a website on Safari

You can hide the search field, switch to Reader, and more.

See a streamlined view of the webpage: Tap Show Reader (if available).

the Details button

You can also adjust Safari settings in Accessibility settings. Go to Settings > Accessibility > Per-App Settings. Tap Add App, choose Safari, then tap Safari to adjust the settings.

Choose where to save downloads

When you download a file in Safari, you can choose whether to save it to iCloud or on your iPhone.

safari open preferences

Tap Downloads, then choose one of the following:

iCloud Drive: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder in iCloud Drive. This allows you to access the downloaded file on any iPhone, iPad, or Mac where you’re signed in to the same Apple Account .

On My iPhone: Select this option to save downloads to the Downloads folder on your iPhone.

Share website passwords with a group

You can create a group of trusted contacts and share a set of passwords. Passwords stay up to date for everyone in the group, and you can remove someone at any time.

See Share passwords or passkeys with people you trust .

Adjust privacy settings for Safari

You can choose what privacy settings you want across Safari, and create individual exceptions for websites. See Browse privately .

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How to Change Safari Settings on iPhone or iPad

Last Updated: November 4, 2019 Tested

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 39,570 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to customize the behavior of the Safari web browser on your iPhone or iPad. If you're using iOS 13 or later, you now have the option to choose display options for individual websites in addition to making global changes.

Changing Web Preferences by Website

Step 1 Open any website in Safari.

  • Changes you make with this method will only affect the currently-open website. If you want your preferences to affect all websites rather than just for those you customize, see the Changing Web Preferences for All Websites section instead.

Step 2 Tap the Aa icon.

  • Select Ask on a feature if you'd like to be asked each time the site tries to access the feature (default).
  • Select Deny if you never want the site to access the feature.
  • Select Allow to always allow the site to access the feature.

Step 9 Tap Done when finished.

Changing Web Preferences for All Websites

Step 1 Open your iPhone or iPad's Settings icon.

  • It is also possible to customize these settings on a per-website basis. See this method to learn how.
  • Changing your web preferences using this method will not affect sites you've customized individually.

Step 4 Tap Page Zoom to adjust the default font size.

  • Select Ask on a feature if you'd like to be asked each time any site tries to access the feature (default).
  • Select Deny if you never want websites to access the feature.
  • Select Allow to always allow websites to access the feature.

Changing General Safari Settings

Step 1 Open your iPhone or iPad's Settings icon.

  • Use the sliders in the "IN SAFARI" section at the top to choose whether Siri has access to Safari.
  • Use the sliders in the "IN SEARCH" section to customize whether Safari options show when searching your iPhone/iPad or using the Shortcuts app.
  • Tap the back button when you're finished.

Step 4 Modify your default search preferences in the

  • Tap AutoFill to adjust which information appears automatically in form fields, such as your name, address, phone number, email, and credit card info.
  • Pop-up ads are blocked in Safari by default. If you'd like to see pop-up ads on websites, slide the "Block Pop-ups" switch to the Off (gray) position.
  • Tap Downloads to choose where to save files and media you download from websites. You'll have the option to choose a cloud storage service or your iPhone/iPad.

Step 6 Change tab behavior in the

  • To allow sites and services to track your browsing anywhere on the web, slide the "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" switch to the Off (gray) position. To retain your privacy, you can leave this switch in the On (green) position.
  • Cookies are used by websites to keep track of your visits, preferences, and login information (for sites that require username/password access). [2] X Research source The "Block All Cookies" switch is Off (gray) by default, but you can enable it by toggling it to the On (green) position.
  • Safari will display a warning message if a website you visit is deemed fraudulent in some way. If you don't want to see these messages, you can toggle the "Fraudulent Website Warning" switch to the Off (gray) position.
  • Adjust the "Check for Apple Pay" switch to reflect your desired Apple Pay behavior on all websites.

Step 8 Tap Advanced for advanced and experimental features.

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

Add an App Back to Home Screen

  • ↑ https://www.cultofmac.com/636450/how-to-use-safaris-amazing-new-settings-in-ios-13/
  • ↑ https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-privacy-what-are-cookies.html

About This Article

Nicole Levine, MFA

1. Go to a website in Safari. 2. Tap the Aa button. 3. Tap Website Settings . 4. Make your changes. 5. Tap Done . Did this summary help you? Yes No

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safari open preferences

How to customize Safari settings on Mac

Learn how to change Safari settings on your Mac to make it just the way you like for a personalized and productive browsing experience.

Safari Reader mode on MacBook Pro

One of the things you want to do when get a new device or computer is customize it. And if you use Safari as your preferred web browser on Mac, it’s no different.

You can set an image as your home page or customize the Safari toolbar . These adjustments can make your experience more pleasant.

Change the window settings

The simplest way to start with customizing Safari is with the general settings for what you see when you open Safari windows and tabs.

Open Safari and click Safari > Settings or Preferences from the menu bar. In the pop-up window, choose the General tab. You can then adjust each of these settings.

Safari General settings on Mac

  • Safari opens with: When you open Safari, you can choose to open a new window or a private window. You can also open it with all windows from your last session or just non-private windows from your last session.
  • New windows open with: If you only open a new window in Safari, you can pick what displays from Favorites to your homepage to a specific folder.
  • New tabs open with: You can also choose what to see when you open a new tab from things like top sites to your homepage to an empty page.
  • Homepage: Pop in a URL or click the Set to Current Page button to determine your homepage.
  • Remove History Items: Choose to remove history manually or automatically after a day, week, two weeks, month, or year.
  • Start Page Favorites or Favorite shows: Choose which folder you want to see for your Favorites.
  • File download location: Select where the files you download are saved on your Mac.
  • Remove download list items: Clear your downloads list manually, after successful download, when Safari quits, or after one day.
  • Top Sites shows: Pick how many top sites to show.

Working with websites

Safari offers several features for how you want to work with the websites you visit regularly. To check out these options, open Safari , click Safari > Settings or Preferences from the menu bar and choose the Websites tab.

On the left side, you’ll see your various options like Reader, Auto-Play, Notifications, and more. When you pick an option, you can then make your adjustments to the sites that display on the right. These settings let you decide how you want to handle specific items for different websites.

You can do things like:

  • Reader: Automatically open websites using Reader .
  • Auto-Play: Stop websites from automatically playing media .
  • Location: Allow or deny websites from accessing your location .
  • Downloads: Allow or deny downloads from sites .
  • Notifications: Show alerts from sites in your Notification Center.

To delete a website from the list, select it and click the Remove button.

Websites settings in Safari on Mac

After making your changes for those particular sites, you can select an overall setting for each option to apply to other websites that aren’t on the list. Just click the When visiting other websites drop-down box at the bottom and make your choice.

Manage Safari extensions

Extensions for Safari are just like add-ons for Firefox or Chrome. They’re third-party tools that you can install for extra features and functions. Those for Safari may not seem as plentiful as other browsers, but you can still find some useful ones.

Open Safari , click Safari > Settings or Preferences from the menu bar and choose the Extensions tab. If you already have some installed, this is where you’ll manage them. You can enable, disable, or uninstall extensions.

Extensions settings in Safari on Mac

To shop for others, click the More Extensions button at the bottom. This will take you directly to that section on the Mac App Store, where you can browse the Safari extensions.

Miscellaneous settings

Here are settings that you’ll find on the other tabs in Safari Settings that relate to customization.

Tabs tab: Show site icons on tabs and choose to open pages in tabs or windows when you click a link. You can also choose a tab style.

AutoFill tab: AutoFill forms and credit cards.

Passwords tab: View saved usernames and passwords and enable AutoFill for them.

Search tab: Pick your default search engine and Smart Search Field options.

Security tab: Identify fraudulent websites and enable JavaScript.

Privacy tab: Prevent cross-site tracking, block cookies, and enable Apple Pay and Apple Card.

Profiles tab : Use this to create new profiles and manage them.

Advanced tab: Show the full website address, enable the Reading List, and select a style sheet.

Developer and Feature Flags tab: Access settings that are mostly for developers . You can also try out experimental features.

After you finish getting the basics of your Mac set up, you might want to spend a little time customizing the way that Safari looks and works. And since the settings are all in one spot, you can move through each tab and set everything the way you want it.

Are you going to customize Safari on your Mac? Or are there only certain settings that you want to change?

On a related note: How to customize and personalize Safari on iPhone and iPad

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How to use Safari on a Mac

Karen Haslam

Safari is the web browser app bundled with all Macs as part of macOS. You don’t have to use it – if you prefer to use Chrome or Firefox, for example, you can install those apps for your web surfing needs. But in our experience, Safari is a good option – and as you can see from our round-up of best web browser apps for the Mac , it’s pretty much the best you can get.

If you are new to Safari this article will help you find your way around the app. And if you are a seasoned Safari user we will reveal a few Safari tips and tricks that you might not know, including some of the fab new features in Safari 11, the latest version of Safari for Mac.

If you’d like to read about using Safari on the iPad or iPhone, read this .

How to get the latest version of Safari for Mac

First things first. You will want to make sure you have the latest version of Safari. At the time of writing the most up-to-date version is Safari 11.1.

Here’s how to find out which version of Safari you are running:

  • Open Safari.
  • Click on Safari > About Safari in the menu.
  • The resulting window will reveal the version number.

As long as your copy of MacOS – the Mac operating system – is up to date your copy of Safari should be because Safari is bundled as part of an operating system update.

However, you don’t have to be using the latest version of macOS to have the latest version of Safari. Apple is bundling Safari 11 with High Sierra, Sierra and El Capitan versions of the Mac OS. If you need to update your version of MacOS read this: how to update your Mac operating system software .

Now that you have the latest version of Safari you can start enjoying some of the new features that we will discuss below.

Safari basics

If you are a surfing novice you might want to familiarise yourself with these tips.

We’ll start off with the basics, such as how to get into Safari, how to search, and other useful pointers. You can skip this bit if you aren’t a Safari beginner, there are plenty of tips below that you might find useful.

You can find Safari in the Dock at the bottom of your Mac’s screen. Its icon looks like a compass.

safari open preferences

How to use Safari

The big bar at the top of the Safari window is where you can enter a website URL or a search term to either take you directly to a website, or to a list of pages that match your query.

It will automatically search in Google (but you can change it so it defaults to another search engine).

You rarely have to enter a complete URL for a website. Once you have visited a site once you only need to type a few letters of its name and it will autofill the rest of the URL.

For example, type: ‘Face’ and it will autofill the rest of the URL and when you press enter it will take you straight to Facebook.

How to make it easy to find your favourite sites in Safari

There are lots of ways of making it easy to get to websites you frequently visit.

When you open a new tab (see below for details of how to do that) you will see your Favourites view including Frequently Visited Sites. You could also choose to see a Top Sites view, set a Homepage, just see an empty page, or have the Same Page show up. These are all options you can access in Safari > Preferences > General. Just click on the menu beside New tabs open with.

safari open preferences

If you choose the Top Sites view you can adjust it to show 6, 12 or 24 sites. To add and remove Top Sites hover over the preview until you see an x and a pin icon. Pin those sites you wish to keep and click x on those you don’t image you will want to find again. The sites that appear in Top Sites tend to be those you visit most frequently.

You can choose one of these views for every time you open a new Safari window.

How to Pin a site in Safari

In Safari you can also ‘Pin’ favourite sites to the menu bar – a simple way of adding a shortcut to Facebook, YouTube or any site you visit frequently.

When you Pin a site you will see a small icon representing that site on the left of your tabs.

To Pin a particular web page right- or control-click on the tab and choose Pin Tab. Then it’s very easy to go straight to that site.

safari open preferences

Using tabs in Safari

Back to tabs. You can open multiple tabs in a Safari window, this means that rather than having a different Safari window open for every website you are on, you can just have one Safari window open and multiple pages accessible through that.

To open a new tab press Command + T.

There are two ways that you can see a preview of the different tabs you have open:

  • You can see a short summary of the name of the web page on the tabs themselves. This might be sufficient if you only have one or two tabs open, but once you have more than eight you’ll probably find the summary is too short to be useful.
  • Or, you can click on the icon that looks like two boxes on the right of the search/URL box. This will show a thumbnail view of all the web pages you have open.

While we’re on the subject of Tabs, you can close a single tab just by hovering over the tab and clicking on the x that shows up in the corner of that tab.

It’s also possible to close all but one tab. Just hold down the Option/Alt key when you click on the x to get rid of all the other tabs that are open, except for the page on that tab.

How to tell which Safari tabs are playing audio

Not everyone wants to surf the web in silence though. There is lots of very worthy audio and video content available on the web and no doubt many surfers wouldn’t want to miss out on that.

The problem is when you have multiple web pages open and more than one of them is blaring out audio.

Luckily there is another Safari tip to fix that.

You can identify which of your open tabs is playing audio by the speaker symbol that appears in the far right of the Safari tab associated with that web page.

It’s possible to mute the audio with a single click on the speaker symbol without even opening the tab.

safari open preferences

And if more than one Safari webpage is playing audio you can choose to mute them all at once. Just click on the speaker symbol in the URL bar and choose Mute all Tabs.

Alternatively, you can Option/Alt-click on the speaker icon of the tab you do wish to listen to and mute the audio on all the other tabs.

safari open preferences

How to reopen all windows from the last session

Here’s another useful tip. You can easily reopen all the tabs you had open last time you were using Safari.

Click History > Reopen All Windows from Last Session to quickly recover all the windows you were recently looking at. You might also find this helpful: How to export bookmarks from Chrome to Safari

How to show the full URL in Safari

Another handy Safari tip. In Yosemite Safari stopped showing the whole URL – a feature designed to help avoid users being taken in by phishing scams, wherein the URL is obfuscated. In other words, if you’re visiting https://macworld.co.uk/this/page/that/page then all you’ll see in the address bar is macworld.co.uk.

If this isn’t what you want, perhaps you want to see the full URL of the article you are reading, you can change things so that the whole URL is shown.

Open Safari’s preferences dialog box (Cmd+,) then click the Advanced icon and put a check alongside Show Full Website Address.

How to change how you view websites in Safari

One of our favourite features in Safari 11 is the extra control we have over the web. You can tweak the settings of specific websites so that they suit you for example.

How to change the font size on a website

You can tweak your settings so that when you visit a specific site the images and text are bigger – perfect if you are frustrated to find that the text on a favourite website is a bit too small for your eyes.

Here’s how to enlarge (or reduce) the font size on a particular website so that it stays that size whether you visit:

  • Go to Safari > Preferences.
  • Click on the Websites tab.
  • Click on Page Zoom.
  • Find the site you want to customise (any site you have open or have recently visited will be listed here).
  • Choose a number bigger or smaller than 100% depending on how large you want the text and images to be.

You can do this on a per website basis, or if you frequently find that the text on websites is too small for you, you can choose to default to the percentage that suits you wherever you go on the web. Note that not all websites are created the same so some will naturally have larger type than others.

safari open preferences

To choose the zoom percentage for all websites, click in the drop down box beside “When visiting other websites”.

Another benefit of having access to these controls that allow you to change the way you view the web is that it enables you to stop seeing ads and auto-playing videos. We’ll look at that below.

How to stop ads and auto-playing videos in Safari

Another enticing feature of Safari is the way you can choose to adjust the settings so that you never see another ad or auto-playing video again. We’ll look at how to do that next.

How to stop autoplay audio and video in Safari

Perhaps you are frustrated by auto-playing video blaring out every time you visit a website.

With Safari 11 you can disable autoplay video, so you will never again have to hear voices while you are browsing the web. Here’s what to do:

  • Open the offending website.
  • Click on Safari > Settings for This Website (or right-click the URL box and select Settings for This Website).
  • Allow All Auto-Play
  • Stop Media with Sound
  • Never Auto-Play

Stop Media with Sounds is the default option, and it will essentially stop any video from starting if the sound is set to be on. If the video is set to play silently it will still run but you won’t hear it, unless you choose to.

If you would rather not let auto-playing video play, you can choose Never Auto-Play.

Remember that if you adjust the settings this way it will only apply to autoplay videos on that website. If you’d like to never see an autoplaying video again follow these steps:

  • Go to Safari > Preferences and click on Websites.

And there is an option below to choose the same settings “When visiting other websites”.

We have a complete tutorial that explains how to use this feature here: How to stop autoplay video in Safari & Chrome on Mac .

We also cover how to stop Safari asking to use your location data here .

How to stop seeing ads on websites in Safari

While ads pay a part of our wage, we realise that some ads can really reduce the enjoyment of web browsing. Usually these are ads that have something wrong with the way they have been coded and aren’t behaving as intended, or even worse they are spam ads that have crept onto the ad networks. We are honestly as frustrated as you are!

One of the big changes Apple bought to Safari 11 was the ability to really manage the ads that you see – this was part of Apple’s effort to make the web work better. Effectively, if Apple can remove ads that aren’t behaving as intended and are jamming up page loading times and the like, then Safari will perform quicker, which means that the surfer has a better time surfing.

There are a few ways you can take advantage of these anti-ad related features in Safari 11.

One way is to choose to surf the web – or certain pages – in Reader mode.

safari open preferences

Reader mode is a way of viewing webpages that Apple introduced back in 2010 in Safari 5. Reader displays just the text and images from a webpage, without any of the other page furniture. We think it is a bit like reading a Word document or a PDF. The feature hasn’t changed much over the years, but in Safari 11 it’s became possible to choose for a site to always be viewed in Reader Mode.

First, here’s how to view a site in Reader mode:

  • Click on the stack of lines to the left of the URL bar.
  • This will automatically change the webpage to Reader view.
  • Click on the stack of lines to turn Reader view off.

It’s worth checking how a site appears in this mode before switching over to it because not all sites implement it particularly well (sometimes you will find that an article stops abruptly because only one page has been carried into Reader view). Some sites don’t have a Reader view at all (such as Apple, for example).

And here is how to customise your settings so that whenever you visit that site the pages are viewed in Reader mode:

  • Click on Reader.
  • Find the site you want to customise (any site you have open, or have recently visited will be listed here).
  • Toggle the drop-down menu beside that site to On.

A quicker way to do this is to right-click or control-click on the stack of lines beside the URL and choose Use Reader Automatically.

Or, as long as you are on the website you wish to change the setting for, you can click on Safari > Settings for this Website, and choose Use Reader When Available.

How to surf in private using Safari

Another useful feature in Safari is the option to use a private browsing window. This doesn’t just keep your browsing habits private from someone else who has access to your Mac, it also means that you are incognito – in other words even the websites you are visiting don’t have any information about you.

Go to Safari > File > New Private Window (or shift-cmd-n). You can tell if a window is private because the search bar will be grey. Any new tabs you open in this window will be private.

Alternatively, to open a Private Browsing window you can click shift, command and N.

You can tell it’s a private window because the URL field will be greyed out.

Hold down Option/Alt while picking Private Browsing to quickly switch it on and bypass the ‘Do you want to switch on Private Browsing?’ alert window if you happen to see it frequently. We have a complete guide to private browsing on Safari here .

For even more privacy, you can choose to always search with privacy-obsessed DuckDuckGo as your default search engine. Go to Safari > Preferences > Search, and click on the Search Engine. Then select Duck Duck Go from the Search Engine dropdown list. You can choose from Google, Bing, Yahoo or DuckDuckGo.

How to delete your histroy in Safari

If you didn’t search using a private browsing window you can still delete your history and evidence of what you were up to.

  • Click on History.
  • Scroll down and click on Clear History.
  • You can choose to clear history for Today, the last hour, today and yesterday, or all history.
  • You’ll see a warning that Clearing history will remove related cookies and other website data. Basically this is warning you that if you go ahead and Clear History you may find that you have to log onto websites, or shopping cart information may disappear.
  • If you are happy with that then click on Clear history.

We have a complete tutorial all about how to delete your browser history on a Mac here .

How to delete cookies in Safari

Another new feature that came in Safari 11 was the introduction of privacy protection, a feature that’ll stop those annoying Amazon adverts showing you products after you’ve bought them.

Safari actively tries to block the cross-site tracking data that powers targeted adverts. While it won’t completely stop it, it should have a noticeable effect when using the browser.

According to Apple this isn’t an attempt to block ads, but rather to protect your privacy.

This means that you should no longer need to delete cookies if you want to stop seeing targeted ads (cookies have also been known to affect the price for goods if you have previously shown an interest in a product so deleting cookies could avoid such practices).

If you want to go a step further regarding cookies in Safari 11 there are some preferences changes you can make.

  • Beside Website tracking click on Ask websites not to track me.
  • Beside Cookies and website data click on Block all cookies.

If you aren’t using Safari 11 you can still delete cookies.

  • Click on the Privacy tab.
  • Click on Remove All Website Data…

Here’s how to add your own background image to Safari.

Author: Karen Haslam , Managing Editor, Macworld

safari open preferences

Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.

Recent stories by Karen Haslam:

  • Best virtual machine software for Mac
  • M4 Mac mini: Everything you need to know
  • Parallels Desktop for Mac review: Parallels Desktop 20 bring AI features

Where are Safari preferences? Steps by steps guide

Modified Nov. 3, 2023, 8:43 p.m. By Maxime Levesque

Finding Safari preferences can be a nightmare for anyone not used to it, here we detail where to look at them depending on the device used.

Safari preferences can be found in the Settings application on your iPhone and iPad, and in the Safari menu at the top bar of the Safari application on your Mac.

Where are Safari preferences on iPhone and iPad?

Where are safari preferences on mac.

Safari preferences are located in the same place for both iPhone and iPad, all iOS devices. Follow these steps to find Safari preferences :

  • Find and open the settings app, and use the search feature if you can’t remember where it is
  • Find Safari in the application list, it’s in the same group as every other Apple application as Mail or FaceTime.
  • Tap on Safari to open the Safari preferences

In this section, you will be able to access every configuration that can be done on Safari.

  • What can be accessed by Safari, can be Siri for example
  • The language used in the application
  • The search browser used among search-related parameters
  • Some other general configurations, such as pop-up blocking or browser extensions
  • Where to display the tab bar and other tab bar configuration
  • Security and confidentiality
  • And other configurations and feature

You won't be able to manage network settings in Safari settings to fix some issue such as changing the DNS to fix the issue You're offline check your connection on Youtube, or the server cannot be found error message .

To find the Safari preferences on mac, follow these steps :

  • Find and open the Safari browser
  • Click on the top left “Safari” menu
  • Click on preferences
  • A new window is opened, containing all the Safari preferences grouped in tabs

Here are all the tabs available in Safari preferences with explanations about them :

In the general tab of Safari preferences, you can change your Safari home page, choose what will be opened on a new tab, what favorites to show, the browsing history length, the location to save the downloaded file, and its retention period.

In tabs, you can choose how to open a new page, where to display the tab bar, to configure the shortcuts, and other few things

In the autofill part, you can choose to autofill the data saved in the form, the saved credentials when you visit the website again, and to autofill the saved credit card information

Here you can show, modify, add, delete and share the credentials that you saved for the websites.

In the search part, you can choose which search engine you would like to use with Safari and how to use the URL bar.

Enable or disable the security warning about websites, and manage the websites allowed to use JavaScript

Manage how Safari is dealing with the different cookies, disallow third-party cookies to follow everywhere on the web, delete the cookies, restrict the storage of the cookies on your mac, and manage which website can see if Apple Pay is configured on your device. Safari is almost as concerned as Firefox about the privacy question

In this part, you can manage the authorizations given to the websites. For each of them, you can choose to block publicity, stop video autoplay, and pop-up

You should not have to go to this section, but if needed you will find specific parameters about the URL bar, you can set a minimum font size displayed on the websites, auto-save the articles to read them offline, and access development tools.

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Maxime Levesque is a technical engineer with more than 5 years of professional experience. He is an expert in computer and phones, mostly on Apple products. Maxime is also the founder of TechBrowser.

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How to Control iPhone Safari Settings and Security

Control your settings and security in the iPhone browser

safari open preferences

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How to Change the Default iPhone Browser Search Engine

How to use safari autofill to fill out forms faster, how to view saved passwords in safari, control how links open in iphone safari, how to cover your online tracks using private browsing, how to clear your iphone browser history and cookies, prevent advertisers from tracking you on your iphone, how to get warnings about potentially malicious websites, how to block websites, ads, cookies, and pop-ups using safari, how to use apple pay for online purchases.

  • Take Control of Your iPhone Security and Privacy Settings

What to Know

  • To change search engine, go to Settings > Safari > Search Engine . To control links, go to Safari > Open Links .
  • To use AutoFill, go to Settings > Safari > AutoFill > turn on Use Contact Info .
  • To view saved passwords, go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts > Website & App Passwords .

This article explains how to adjust Safari settings and security on your iPhone or iPad.

Searching for content in Safari is simple; tap the menu bar at the top of the browser and enter your search terms. By default, all iOS devices use Google for web searches, but you can select a different search engine by following these steps:

Open the Settings app.

Select Safari > Search Engine .

Select the search engine you would like to use as the default. Options include  Google , Yahoo , Bing , and DuckDuckGo . The setting is automatically saved, so you can search using the new default search engine right away.

Similar to a desktop browser , Safari automatically fills in forms by grabbing information from your address book. This saves time because you don't need to fill out the same forms over and over again. To use this feature, follow these steps:

Select Safari > AutoFill .

Toggle the Use Contact Info switch to on/green.

Your information appears in the My Info field. If it does not, select the field and browse your address book to find your contact information.

Older versions of iOS allowed you to change your username and password info here. If you want to save, edit, or delete usernames and passwords in iOS 13 or later, go to the Passwords & Accounts settings page (select Settings > Passwords & Accounts ).

To save frequently used credit cards to make online purchases quicker, move the Credit Cards switch to on/green. If you don't have a credit card saved on your iPhone, select Saved Credit Cards , and add a card.

Saving usernames and passwords in Safari means you're not forced to memorize login credentials to access a website. As this data is sensitive, iOS takes measures to protect it. If you need to look up a username or password, you can do so by following these steps:

Select Passwords & Accounts > Website & App Passwords .

You are asked to authorize access to this information using Touch ID , Face ID , or your passcode.

A list details all the websites for which iOS has saved login data. Select a site to view the corresponding username and password.

You can choose where new links open by default—in a new window that appears either in front of or behind the page you are currently viewing. Follow these steps to adjust this setting:

Select Safari > Open Links .

Select In New Tab to open links in a new window in Safari and to have that window appear in front of the current tab. Select In Background to open links in a new window that appears behind the page you are currently viewing.

Browsing the web leaves digital footprints. Between browsing history, cookies, and other usage data, you may prefer to cover some of those tracks. The Safari Private Browsing feature prevents Safari from saving information about your behavior—including browsing history, cookies, and other files—while it is turned on.

When you want to delete your browsing history or cookies manually, follow these steps:

Select Safari > Clear History and Website Data .

A menu appears asking if you would like to clear the browsing data. Select Clear History and Data .

Cookies allow advertisers to track you across the web. This lets them build a profile of your behavior and interests to target you with ads better. Here's how to opt-out of some of that tracking data:

Select Safari .

Move the Prevent Cross-Site Tracking switch to on/green.

Older versions of iOS included a Do Not Track feature that asked websites not to track your browsing data. Apple removed this feature, as the request was never mandatory and did not do much to limit the tracking of user data.

Setting up fake websites that look like ones you normally use is a common method of stealing data from users. Safari has a feature to help avoid these sites. Here's how to enable it:

Move the Fraudulent Website Warning switch to on/green.

You can speed up your browsing, maintain privacy, and avoid certain ads and websites by blocking cookies. Here's how:

Move the Block All Cookies switch to on/green, then select Block All to confirm the action.

If you set up Apple Pay , you can use it at any participating retailer to complete purchases. To make sure you can use it at those stores, enable Apple Pay for the web. Here's how:

Move the Check for Apple Pay switch to on/green.

Take Control of Your iPhone Security and Privacy Settings

While this article focuses on privacy and security settings for the Safari web browser, the iPhone has other security and privacy settings. These settings can be used with other apps and features to protect private info stored on your iPhone .

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IMAGES

  1. How to Change Your General Preferences on Safari (with Pictures)

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  2. How to customize Safari settings on your Mac

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  3. How to Change Safari Preferences on My iPhone

    safari open preferences

  4. How to Change Your General Preferences on Safari: Mac + iOS

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  5. How to set up an image as your Home page in Safari on Mac

    safari open preferences

  6. How to Change Your General Preferences on Safari (with Pictures)

    safari open preferences

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COMMENTS

  1. How to Change Your General Preferences on Safari: Mac + iOS

    Do you want to increase your privacy on Safari or maybe make it more useful for you? To change your Safari preferences on an iOS device, you'll need to use your device's Settings app instead of the Safari app. On macOS computers, you can change the settings from Safari's Preferences menu.

  2. Change settings in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

    Choose Safari > Settings, then click a settings pane: General: Change your homepage, and choose what to see when you open a window or tab, how long to keep your browsing history, which bookmarks to show in Favorites view, and where to save downloads and how long to keep them.

  3. Change preferences in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

    Use Safari preferences to make browsing the internet work best for you. In the Safari app on your Mac, choose Safari > Preferences, then click a preference pane: General: Change your homepage, and choose what to see when you open a window or tab, how long to keep your browsing history, which bookmarks to show in Favorites view, and choose where ...

  4. Customize your Safari settings on iPhone - Apple Support

    In Safari on iPhone, you can customize your start page, change the text size on websites, and change display and privacy settings.

  5. 3 Ways to Change Safari Settings on iPhone or iPad - wikiHow

    This wikiHow teaches you how to customize the behavior of the Safari web browser on your iPhone or iPad. If you're using iOS 13 or later, you now have the option to choose display options for individual websites in addition to making...

  6. How to change Safari settings on your Mac - MacPaw

    From the top menu, choose whether Safari opens with a new window, a new private window, open tabs from last session, or all non-private windows from last session. Use the next two menus to choose what is displayed when you open a new window and a new tab.

  7. How to customize Safari settings on your Mac - iDownloadBlog

    Open Safari and click Safari > Settings or Preferences from the menu bar. In the pop-up window, choose the General tab. You can then adjust each of these settings. Safari opens with: When you open Safari, you can choose to open a new window or a private window.

  8. How to use Safari on a Mac | Macworld

    First things first. You will want to make sure you have the latest version of Safari. At the time of writing the most up-to-date version is Safari 11.1. Here’s how to find out which version of...

  9. Where are Safari preferences? Steps by steps guide - TechBrowser

    Safari preferences are located in the same place for both iPhone and iPad, all iOS devices. Follow these steps to find Safari preferences : Find and open the settings app, and use the search feature if you can’t remember where it is; Find Safari in the application list, it’s in the same group as every other Apple application as Mail or ...

  10. How to Control iPhone Safari Settings and Security - Lifewire

    Control How Links Open in iPhone Safari. You can choose where new links open by default—in a new window that appears either in front of or behind the page you are currently viewing. Follow these steps to adjust this setting: Open the Settings app. Select Safari > Open Links.