how to open safari preferences

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Simple Steps to Change Your General Preferences on Safari

Last Updated: June 13, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Darlene Antonelli, MA . Darlene Antonelli is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. Darlene has experience teaching college courses, writing technology-related articles, and working hands-on in the technology field. She earned an MA in Writing from Rowan University in 2012 and wrote her thesis on online communities and the personalities curated in such communities. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 223,542 times. Learn more...

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. Both the mobile and the desktop share some similar settings, but the desktop version has many more options available.

Things You Should Know

• On an iPhone or iPad, go to your device's Settings app to change the general preferences of Safari.
• On Mac, change your general preferences in "Safari > Settings > General."
• Changing things like your search engine and preventing trackers will provide you with more privacy and increase your security.

• This method works for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.
• Forgot your iPhone's password? You can reset it in 2 ways !

• The "Search Engine Suggestions" toggle will provide search suggestions from your default search engine as you type.
• The "Safari Suggestions" toggle provides search suggestions curated by Apple.

• Use the Safari app instead of Settings to change how your Home page behaves .

• You can enable or disable various search preferences underneath this menu, including using Safari Suggestions.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265
• ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/customize-your-safari-settings-iphb3100d149/ios
• ↑ http://www.macworld.com/article/2042451/exploring-safaris-preferences.html

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Exploring Safari’s preferences

Last week, for the sake of completeness, I took you on a tour of Safari—an application that you likely used to read the lesson. This week we’ll dig deeper and explore some of Safari’s most important preferences. To begin, choose Safari > Preferences .

The General tab is your gateway to choosing a default browser, selecting a search engine, and choosing what you see when you first launch Safari, and creating new windows and tabs. Here are the settings you’ll see:

Default web browser: Much as Apple would prefer that Safari launches whenever you click a link outside the browser, you can choose another browser such as Chrome or Firefox as the default instead. To do that, click the Default web browser pop-up menu. If you’ve installed another browser, its name should appear in the list. If it doesn’t, choose Select and then navigate to the browser you wish to use and click the Select button.

Default search engine: Safari uses Google by default for Web searches. But you can change that default to Bing or Yahoo by clicking this pop-up menu.

Safari opens with: Safari under Mountain Lion remembers the tabs and windows that were open when you last quit the browser. If you like, you can have those views saved and then opened when you next launch Safari. To do that, choose All windows from last session from this pop-up menu. Otherwise, Safari will open with a new window.

New windows open with: From this pop-up menu, you choose what Safari displays when you open a new window (or one is opened for you when you first launch it). By default you’re taken to Apple’s website, which is a nice bit of advertising for the company but may not be something you wish to see. If you choose Top Sites , you’ll see a grid that displays thumbnails of sites you visit frequently (or have just recently visited). Homepage takes you to the site entered in the Homepage field below, Empty Page displays a blank page with no Web address, Same Page displays the same page you have open in another window, and Bookmarks shows the page you’d see if you clicked the Bookmarks icon in Safari’s toolbar.

New tabs open with: The choices here match those found in the ‘New windows open with’ pop-up menu.

Homepage: If you’d like Safari to open to your Facebook page or your third-cousin’s blog, just enter that address in this field and choose Homepage from the New windows open with menu. Or, if you just can’t decide, cruise around the Web for awhile, and when you find a destination you like, click the Set to Current Page button.

Remove history items: Safari will, by default, keep track of the sites you’ve visited. It stores this information in its history. You can choose to delete this history at particular intervals—after a year, month, two weeks, one week, or a day. If you like, you can instead choose Manually and issue a command to empty it (something I’ll show you how to do in next week’s lesson).

Save downloaded files to: By default, Safari saves downloaded files to the Downloads folder, which you’ll find in your user folder. But you can ask Safari to download these files to any folder you like. Just click the menu and choose Select . In the sheet that appears, navigate to a folder you find more convenient and click Select .

Remove download list items: If you’d prefer that others using your account not see what you’ve downloaded (or if you’re a tidy person), you can choose to have items in the download list removed. This doesn’t throw away these items, it only removes them from the list—they remain in the Downloads folder (or wherever you’ve chosen to store these things). By default, you remove items by clicking the Downloads button at the top-right of the Safari window and then clicking Clear in the resulting menu. But you can instead choose When Safari Quits or Upon Successful Download from this menu, and Safari will follow your orders.

Open “safe” files after downloading: Safari has a good sense of which file types are naughty and which are nice. (Meaning which can be potentially malicious.) Check this option, and the nice files will open without your having to issue a command or double-click a file.

If you’re not using tabs—Safari’s way to open and access multiple webpages within a single window—now’s the time to start. Do so by choosing View > Show Tab Bar . Now let’s see how you can configure those tabs with Safari’s preferences.

Open pages in tabs Instead of windows: The main reason to use tabs is to avoid having multiple open windows clutter your screen. This setting helps in that it determines when tabs should appear. The default Automatically setting means that Safari will make every attempt to open a new site in a tab rather than a window. You can optionally choose to have new pages never or always appear in tabs.

Command-click opens a link in a new tab: The meaning here is clear. I point it out simply to suggest that you learn this helpful shortcut.

When a new tab or window opens, make it active: This preference is turned off by default and I leave it that way. I occasionally open multiple links within a page for later browsing by using the Command-key shortcut I just mentioned. If I enabled this option, I’d routinely be taken to the linked page in an active tab. I’d rather browse these tabs later.

Among Safari’s talents is the ability to fill in Web forms with particular kinds of information. With the current version of Safari, this includes your contact information (name, address, and phone number), names and passwords, and other form information (a customer number, for example). Within this preference, you can disable some of these options as well as edit them.

For instance, if when autofilling a form with your contact information you find that something is wrong—it’s using an old address, say, or some information is missing—click the Edit button in this preference to open your personal contact card in the Contacts application. Edit the contact to include the correct and complete information that autofill lacks.

Click the E dit button following ‘User names and passwords’, and you can choose to remove or expose selected passwords (something we’ll look at next). And if you click Edit next to the ‘Other forms’ option, you can choose to remove stored information for particular websites.

The Passwords preference is closely related to the Autofill preference we just looked at. When you visit a website that requires you to create a username and password, Safari will prompt you to save that information by default. If you choose to, that information will be stored in something called the keychain . This is OS X’s secure system for storing such data. When you click the Passwords preference, you’ll see the names of any sites you’ve stored usernames and passwords for. Along the left side of the window is the address of the site, the username follows to the right, and finally you see a series of dots, which represent your hidden password. (For security, the number of dots does not correspond to number of characters in your password.)

If you can’t recall a password and you need it for some other purpose (you want to enter it on your iPhone or iPad, for example), enable the Show passwords option. You’ll be prompted for your account password. Enter it, and all the passwords in this window will be exposed. Once you have the password you need, disable that option immediately. Waving your passwords around for all to see is a very bad idea.

It’s also within this window that you can choose to remove passwords. You can remove them all by clicking Remove All, or you can select individual passwords and remove them by clicking the Remove button. When you choose to remove a password, you’re not removing it from the keychain. Rather, you’re simply removing its autofill entry.

Rather than explaining every option in this preference, I’m going to issue a single suggestion: Leave the default settings as they are. These settings will work admirably for new users.

It’s within the Privacy preference that you limit how your data is tracked. The gist is this: Websites have the ability to plant small bits of data, called cookies, in your browser. These cookies can be very helpful. For example, a cookie might alert the site that you’ve been there before so it can present you with some information that would appeal directly to you. Or a cookie could preserve a particular view you prefer. But cookies can also be issued by advertisers to track your movements around the Web, which doesn’t thrill everyone.

If you like, you can remove all cookies by clicking the Remove All Website Data button. You’ll be asked to confirm that you really want to do this. Agree, and the cookies disappear. (I’ll tell you in a moment why you might not want to do this.) You can also take a gander at the cookies that are currently stored in Safari by clicking the Details button. Do this, and a sheet appears that lists each cookie. If you’d like to remove one, just select it and click the Remove button.

In the ‘Block cookies’ area below, you can choose how to deal with these cookies. By default, Safari will attempt to block cookies from other sites and from advertisers. You can also choose to accept any cookie thrown at you by choosing Always  or reject all cookies by enabling the Never option. Note that if you choose Never, some sites won’t work properly because they require cookies. Netflix, for example, requires cookies so that it knows who you are and can present you with current information about your account and queue.

Websites may also ask you for location information. For instance, a shopping site may want to know where you are so that it can direct you to a local store. Using the Limit website access to location services option, you can choose how often you’re prompted for location information—once a day or once only. You can also deny any location information requests by enabling Deny without prompting .

Given the recent revelations about the government tracking our electronic movements, the ‘Website tracking’ option in this window now seems almost quaint. When you enable it, Safari will instruct websites you visit to not track you in any manner. However, they can ignore this request, as their cooperation is entirely voluntary. I switch it on—but then, I also believe in the Tooth Fairy. If you’re similarly naive, feel free to do the same.

Finally, you can prevent search engines from providing suggestions to you. When you enable this option and conduct a Web search (as I explained last week ), you won’t see a list of suggestions in the menu that appears below the address/search field.

Safari has some additional preferences, but most of them are unhelpful to new users. Deal with the ones I’ve explained, and you’ll be well on your way to using Safari effectively.

Next week: Safari tips and tricks

Author: Christopher Breen , Senior Editor

Chris has covered technology and media since the latter days of the Reagan Administration. In addition to his journalistic endeavors, he's a professional musician in the San Francisco Bay Area.

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New to Mac? How to customize Safari settings

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 sorts of personalization adjustments can make your experience more pleasant.

If you’re new to Mac and want to know which Safari options you can change to make it just the way you like it, we’re here to help. Here’s how to customize Safari on Mac.

Customizing Safari on Mac

Changing the window settings, working with websites, managing safari extensions, miscellaneous 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 > 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. 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.
• Favorite shows : Choose which folder you want to see for your Favorites.
• Top Sites shows : Pick how many top sites to show.

The other few settings on the General tab let you choose how often to remove history and download list items in addition to where you want to save your downloads and if you want to open them automatically.

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 > 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.

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.

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 > 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.

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.

Here are settings that you’ll find on the other tabs in Safari Preferences 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.

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.

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

Wrapping it up

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? Let us know!

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How to Control iPhone Safari Settings and Security

Control your settings and security in the iPhone browser

• Ithaca College

In This Article

Jump to a Section

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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How do you open up safari preferences on iPad . I keep getting the too many redirects page

How can I open the safari prefrences page on my iPad, I keep getting the too many redirects page

iPad Pro, iPadOS 14

Posted on Jun 21, 2021 10:33 AM

Posted on Jun 21, 2021 10:40 AM

Those instructions apply to Safari on a Mac only. They are not for iPad and will not work on an iPad.

To get to Safari Settings on an iPad, you open the Settings App, and scroll down to "Safari". Scroll down to Advanced, then on Website Data. However on iPad there is no option to delete data from a specific data. It's all or nothing.

See here for iPad specific suggestions: https://macreports.com/safari-cannot-open-the-page-because-too-many-redirects-occurred/

Similar questions

• every time i open safari there are tabs at bottom of screen When I open safari on iPad mini, tabs of most recent websites appear at the bottom. How do I get rid of this feature? 4924 7
• safari for ipad opens new page not saved tabs On iPhone or MacBook Pro I reopen Safari and all the pages I had open in the previous session open. This doesn’t happen on my newish iPad Air. Nor can I re open previous session. Is there a setting I need to change and where do I find it please? 697 1
• Safari on my iPad always opens to Google - Can I change this? On my iPad when I click the Safari icon the default website is Google. I would like to change this to DuckDuckGo. Is this possible? Or, is Google hard-coded into Safari such that Google is the only homepage available? 255 1

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Jun 21, 2021 10:40 AM in response to GhostHostNix

6 Tips to Improve Your Safari Experience on iPhone

A ccessing the internet on an iPhone is made simple by Safari, Apple's native web browser; it does a great job of getting you started, but there are several other features that you can leverage to enhance your user experience.

Below, we'll list some valuable tips you can use to get the most out of Safari on your iPhone. So, let's get started.

1. Modify the Start Page

The start page is the first element you usually run into when launching Safari—it's the default screen if you've not used the browser before or didn't leave any tabs open after your last session. And the first step you can take in improving your Safari experience is to customize it.

Customizing the start page involves changing the background image and choosing the sections (listed below) you want the app to show. We've added descriptions to help you understand a little more about each section.

• Favorites : This section will show all your favorite websites and bookmarks which have been added to the Favorites section on your iPhone.
• Frequently Visited : This is a collection of searches and websites you've frequented in recent months. The information is said to be a mix from all your Apple devices if you've enabled iCloud.
• Shared with You : It works by finding links, images, music, and more, sent within the Messages app, and brings them up in relevant applications. For example, if someone texted you a link via iMessage, you'll find it in this section of the start page.
• Privacy Report : This section surfaces information on the trackers used by websites you've visited in the last 30 days and showcases when your iPhone—and other Apple devices—prevented them from profiling you.
• Siri Suggestions : You can find website suggestions based on your recent browsing history, bookmarks, and open tabs within this section if you choose to use them.
• Reading List : You can find the three latest additions to your Reading List in this section, with a Show All button available in case you want to view the other articles you've added to your read later list.
• iCloud Tabs : This feature showcases up to four most recent tabs open on each Apple device you own with iCloud enabled for Safari.

To begin customizing your Safari's start page, follow the steps listed below:

• Scroll down to the bottom of the Safari start page and tap Edit.
• Now, enable the desired sections using the toggles or reorder them by pressing (and dragging) the three horizontal lines.

If you want to experience Apple's Continuity feature , toggle on Use Start Page on All Devices at the top of the edit menu. This will ensure your start page is in sync across all devices connected to your iCloud account.

2. Create Tab Groups in Safari

The next step in improving Safari on iPhone is to create and use Tab Groups . The feature lets you bring order and control to tabs by allowing you to group similar ones—or those you often use together—into folders. Ideally, you can use the feature to separate search results and websites related to work from those you open during casual browsing.

To create a Tab Group, follow the steps listed below:

• View all your tabs by tapping the Tab button in the bottom-right corner.
• Now, tap the text box at the bottom of the screen—it mentions the number of tabs open.
• In the menu that appears, tap New Empty Tab Group or the second option, New Tab Group with X Tabs .
• Name the Tab Group according to your liking and hit Save .

The X in the second option will vary based on the number of tabs open when creating a Tab Group.

3. Use Safari Extensions

Like Chrome, you can install Safari extensions to improve your browsing experience. For those unaware, these are applications built for web browsers that bring additional functionality and make your life easier.

For example, you can install applications that scour the web for coupon codes and bring them up when you're making a purchase or add ones that help edit written content to ensure you aren't making silly errors.

Adding extensions to Safari on an iPhone is a bit different compared to installing and removing extensions in Safari on a Mac . To do this, follow the steps listed below:

• Go to Settings > Safari on your iOS device.
• On the next screen, find Extensions under the General subsection and tap on it.
• You'll now see a list of extensions available. In case you see no options, tap More Extensions to visit the Safari Extensions store.

You may sometimes see options without having installed an extension before; these are present due to an application—that offers Safari extensions—installed on your iPhone from before.

Once you've installed an extension, activate it in Settings using the same steps above and then do the following:

• Open Safari and tap the AA button in the address bar.
• Now, tap Manage Extensions and select the extension you want to activate.

4. Choose Websites to Automatically Use Reader

Reader in Safari is a nifty add-on that lets you read content from a website with minimal distractions and no ads. It makes the experience quite simple and offers options like changing the page color, font, and font size.

Activating Reader is quite simple; tap the AA button in the address bar when you're on a supported webpage and choose Show Reader . However, if you frequently visit a specific website, you can configure Safari to load all its webpages in Reader. Here's what you need to do:

• Open the desired website and tap the AA button.
• In the context menu that appears, tap Website Settings .
• Now, toggle on Use Reader Automatically . Each supported webpage will now open in Reader, making it easier to read the content.

5. Set Tabs to Open in Background

Despite it being easy to access AI tools like ChatGPT on mobile for learning about things, if you prefer getting deep into the weeds when doing research, you may want to view many of the following webpages in new tabs.

By default, opening a new tab via a hyperlink will leave the old tab behind and move you to the new tab. While this behavior is fine, it can feel like a chore if you'd like to open multiple results from a search page.

Fortunately, you can change this behavior. Here's what you need to do:

• Open the Settings app, and scroll down to the Safari option.
• On this page, under the Tabs subsection, tap on Open Links .
• Now, choose In Background .

6. Configure Safari to Automatically Close Tabs

Lastly, while the ability to open many tabs in Safari is a boon, knowing ways to organize your browser and keeping it clutter-free can help you focus better and increase productivity. And keeping only a few tabs open can be a part of this regime.

Safari on iPhone also helps with this, with the ability to automatically close tabs after a set period of time; we've detailed the steps to activate the feature below:

• On this page, under the Tabs subsection, tap on Close Tabs .
• Now, choose from the available options: After One Day , After One Week , or After One Month .

Become a Safari Power User With These Changes

Each customization method listed above will help improve your Safari experience, be it with a new background image that makes the app feel more personal or a setting that keeps it clutter-free.

Overall, Safari is an excellent browser that can be made even better for power users with a few changes. And some of Apple's exclusive features make a strong case for the app, especially if you're a Mac user.

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Apple Releases Safari Technology Preview 192 With Bug Fixes and Performance Improvements

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview , the experimental browser Apple first introduced in March 2016. Apple designed the ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

The current ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ release is compatible with machines running macOS Ventura and macOS Sonoma , the latest version of macOS that Apple released in September 2023.

The ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ update is available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences or System Settings to anyone who has downloaded the browser . Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website .

Apple's aim with ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. ‌Safari Technology Preview‌ can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

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Top Rated Comments

Safari 17.5 with MacOS 14.5 scored a 14.2, Safari Tech Preview 192 was 13.3, and the latest Google Chrome was 26.8. Uggg....

"and Performance Improvements" Sooooo...at long last, it's the most snappiest Safari we've ever created. You're going to love it

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David Nield

It’s Time to Switch to a Privacy Browser

Google's admission that, yes, it does track you while you're in Chrome's Incognito mode , is just the latest in a long line of unsettling revelations about just how keenly Big Tech keeps an eye on our movements every time we connect to the internet. Billions of data records will now be deleted as part of a settlement to a class action lawsuit brought against Google.

As we've written before , Incognito mode and the equivalent modes offered by other browsers aren't as secure as you might think, particularly if you start signing into accounts like Google or Facebook. Your activities and searches as a logged-in user on large platforms can still be recorded, primarily to create advertising that's more accurately targeted toward your demographic.

Google, for its part, says it’s transparent about what data it’s storing and why—and in recent years it has made it easier for users to see and delete the information held about them. To really lock down your privacy and security, though, it’s best to switch to a browser not made by a company that earns billions of dollars selling ads.

And there are alternatives: Below we recommend several browsers built with user privacy and security as a priority. Even better, in many cases they can import data such as bookmarks and passwords from your current browser—Google Chrome, for example.

DuckDuckGo ( Android , iOS , Windows , macOS )

The DuckDuckGo browser blocks trackers at their source.

You might know DuckDuckGo as the anti-Google search engine, but the parent company has branched out to make its own browsers too. They keep you well protected online and at the same time give you plenty of information about the tracking technologies being proactively blocked.

DuckDuckGo starts by enforcing encrypted HTTPS connections when websites offer them, and gives each page you visit a grade based on how aggressively it's trying to mine your data. It'll even scan and rank site privacy policies for you.

When it comes to browsing data, this can be cleared automatically at the end of each session or after a certain period of time. Pop-ups and ads are snuffed out, and of course the DuckDuckGo search engine is built in, free of the Google trappings.

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You also get extras like throwaway email aliases you can use in place of your real email address to protect your privacy, and everything about the browser and its features is simple to use: You don't really need to do anything except install them, so you're getting maximum protection with minimal effort.

Ghostery ( Android , iOS , Windows , macOS )

Ghostery comes with a range of tools to protect your privacy.

Install Ghostery on your mobile device or your computer, and straight away it gets to work blocking adverts and tracking cookies that will attempt to keep tabs on what you're up to on the web. There are no complicated setup screens or configurations to manage.

Like DuckDuckGo, Ghostery tells you exactly which trackers and ads it's blocking and how many monitoring tools each website has installed. If you do come across certain sites that are well behaved, you can mark them as trusted with a tap.

Or, if you find a site that's packed full of tracking systems, you can block every single bit of cookie technology on it (for commenting systems, media players, and so on), even if the site ends up breaking. A simple, private search engine is built in to replace Google too.

Ghostery's tools are a little more in-depth and advanced than the ones offered by DuckDuckGo, so you might consider it if you want to take extra control over which trackers are blocked on which sites—but it's simple enough for anyone to use.

Tor Browser ( Android , Windows , macOS )

Tor connects you to the Tor network, to keep your online activities more private.

Tor Browser markets itself as a browsing option "without tracking, surveillance, or censorship." It is worth a look if you want the ultimate in anonymized, tracker-free browsing—unless you're on iOS, where it isn't available (Tor recommends the Onion Browser instead).

The browser is part of a bigger project to keep internet browsing anonymous: Use Tor and you use the Tor Project network, a complex, encrypted relay system managed by the Tor community, making it much harder for anyone else to follow your activities online.

As well as this additional layer of anonymity, Tor Browser is super-strict on the background scripts and tracking tech that sites can run. It also blocks fingerprinting, a method where advertisers attempt to recognize the unique characteristics of your device.

At the end of each browsing session, everything gets wiped, including cookies left behind by sites and the browsing history inside the Tor Browser app itself. In other words, private browsing that leaves no trace is the default—and indeed the only option.

Brave ( Android , iOS , Windows , macOS )

Brave gives you a clean, speedy browsing experience.

Brave comes with all the tracking protection features you would expect: Ads are completely blocked, there are tight restrictions on the data that sites can gather through cookies and tracking scripts, and you're always kept informed about what's happening.

The browser comes with an optional built-in VPN, though it costs extra ($10 a month). You can also, if you want, use Brave to access the Tor network we mentioned with the Tor browser and take advantage of its anonymizing relay service that hides your location and browsing data.

There's no doubt about the effectiveness of Brave's tracker-blocking technologies, and getting around the web in Brave is quick and snappy. It's a comprehensive package and one that strikes a well-judged balance between simplicity and power for the majority of users.

Brave has regularly pioneered features related to innovative web technologies, including cryptocurrencies, NFTs, and (most recently) artificial intelligence; there's actually a new AI assistant built into it. In other words, it's not exclusively focused on security and privacy.

Firefox ( Android , iOS , Windows , macOS )

Firefox is part of a suite of privacy products from Mozilla.

Firefox has long been at the forefront of online privacy—blocking tracking cookies across sites by default, for example—and it continues to be one of the best options for making sure you're giving away as little data as possible as you make your way across the web.

Firefox also gives you a ton of information on each website you visit regarding the trackers and cookies that pages have attempted to leave, and which ones Firefox has blocked. Permissions for access to your location and microphone can be easily managed as well.

Aside from looking after the interests of its users, Firefox also scores highly for user customization. You can change the look and behavior of the browser in a variety of ways, and there are useful integrations like the built-in Pocket utility that saves web stories on your device so you can read them later.

Firefox developer Mozilla offers plenty of extras, including a free data-breach monitor that tells you when your usernames and passwords may have been exposed somewhere online, a free email alias system to keep your actual email address protected, and a VPN that costs $10 per month. It all adds up to a comprehensive package for keeping you safe online.

Safari (iOS, macOS)

Safari has been blocking tracking cookies for some time.

Apple continues to add privacy tech to Safari with each release on iOS and macOS—like requiring user authentication (such as a Face ID scan) when returning to a browsing session—though it's obviously not a browsing option if you're on Android or Windows.

Safari has long been blocking third-party tracking cookies that try to connect the dots on your web activity across multiple sites. It also blocks device fingerprinting techniques that try to identify your devices, and it reports back on the trackers it has disabled.

The browser can now also warn you when you try to use a password that's too weak on a new website or service, and it will make a suggestion of a stronger password if needed. Recent browser updates added support for logging in with passkeys too.

Safari operates against the backdrop of Apple's commitment to collect as little information about you as possible and to keep most of that information locked away locally on your device rather than on Apple's servers.

Update: April 6, 2024, 8:30 am: This guide was updated to include new guidance for DuckDuckGo and Ghostery, as well as to bring some descriptions of browser providers' data collection policies up to date.

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How to use AirDrop on your iPhone or iPad

Use AirDrop to share and receive photos, documents and more with other Apple devices that are nearby.

Before you begin

How to use airdrop.

How to accept AirDrop

How to adjust AirDrop settings

Make sure the person you're sending to is nearby and within Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range.

Check that you and the person you're sending to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on. If either of you have Personal Hotspot on, turn it off.

Check if the person you're sending to has their AirDrop set to receive from Contacts Only. If they do, and you're in their Contacts, they'll need to have your Apple ID's email address or mobile number in your contact card for AirDrop to work.

If you're not in their Contacts, ask them to set their AirDrop receiving setting to Everyone in order to receive the file.

You can change your AirDrop receiving setting to Contacts Only or Receiving Off at any time to control who can see your device and send you content through AirDrop.

Tap the AirDrop button.

Tap the AirDrop user 1 you want to share with. Or you can use AirDrop between your own Apple devices.

If you see a red numbered badge on the AirDrop button, there are multiple devices nearby you can share with. Tap the AirDrop button, then tap the user you want to share with. Find out what to do if you can't see the AirDrop user or your other device .

If you’re near someone in your Contacts, you can share by opening the content you want to share, then bringing your devices together. 2

1. If the person you're sharing content with is in your Contacts, you'll see an image with their name. If they're not in your Contacts, you'll just see their name without an image.

2. This option will only be available if both you and your contact are using an iPhone that’s running iOS 17.

How to accept an AirDrop

When someone shares something with you using AirDrop, you’ll see an alert. You can tap Accept or Decline.

For most apps, if you tap Accept, the AirDrop will come through within the same app it was sent from. For example, photos will appear in the Photos app and websites will open in Safari. App links will open in the App Store so you can download or purchase the app.

If you AirDrop something to yourself, such as a photo from your iPhone to your Mac, you won't see an option to Accept or Decline – it will be sent to your device automatically. Just make sure both devices are signed in with the same Apple ID .

To choose who can see your device and send you content in AirDrop:

Go to Settings, then tap General.

Tap AirDrop, then choose an option.

You can also set your AirDrop options in Control Centre:

On iPhone X or later, swipe down from the top right-hand corner of the screen to open Control Centre . Or follow the same motion to open Control Centre on your iPad with iOS 12 or later or iPadOS . On your iPhone 8 or earlier, swipe up from the bottom of the screen.

Press firmly or touch and hold the network settings card in the top left-hand corner.

Touch and hold the AirDrop button, then choose one of these options:

Receiving Off: you won't receive AirDrop requests.

Contacts Only: only your contacts can see your device.

Everyone: all nearby Apple devices using AirDrop can see your device. When you set your AirDrop option to Everyone for 10 Minutes in iOS 16.2 or later, this option will revert to Contacts Only 3 after 10 minutes.

If you see Receiving Off and can't tap to change it:

Go to Settings > Screen Time.

Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions.

Tap Allowed Apps and make sure AirDrop is turned on.

3. If you’re not signed in with your Apple ID on your device, this setting will revert to Receiving Off after 10 minutes.

The Contacts Only option is available on devices that support iOS 10 and later, iPadOS or macOS Sierra 10.12 and later. If AirDrop is set to Contacts Only on your device with an earlier software version, you'll need to adjust AirDrop settings to the Everyone option in Settings or from Control Centre. You can select the Everyone option while using AirDrop and disable it when not in use.

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