Every Mac comes with Safari installed by default, and as a standard part of macOS, it’s as reliable as you could want. But it is not infallible. As with any software, one day, Safari may keep crashing, either closing, freezing, or acting erratically.
In this article you will find the following:
If you find yourself in that situation, read some tips to get your Safari working again.
Before we start
There are many reasons why Safari can crash, including corrupted caches and even malware. You can deal with all these problems using Tech. In addition to cleaning up unnecessary data and apps, it offers antivirus, ad blocking, a VPN client, and more. and try their range of tools.
Why Safari keeps crashing on your Mac?
Whether you have an iMac, a MacBook Pro, or some other model, the reasons behind Safari crashing or freezing issues are likely the same. Although malware is one possible reason, there’s no need to panic: there are many more mundane possibilities as well, including incompatible software or plugins, poorly coded websites, and corrupted installation files.
You may also encounter similar issues with Google Chrome or issues with Firefox and other third-party browsers.
How to fix Safari crashing issues on your Mac
Let’s see how you can deal with Safari crashing and crashing issues. Hopefully one of these fixes should get the browser working again.
Force quit Safari
If Safari has frozen, you should first try quitting it the normal way, using Cmd + Q. If that doesn’t work, then force quit it instead.
- Press Command + Opt + Esc on your keyboard
- This will open the Force Quit Applications window.
- Select Safari and click Force Quit .
When you reopen Safari, your freezing problem may be gone. That is certainly the case if the cause was a poorly coded website. But if there’s a deeper underlying problem, Safari might keep freezing. In that case, try some of our other solutions.
Clear Safari caches
Many applications use temporary storage areas called caches. For web browsers like Safari, caches can speed up performance because data, such as images and JavaScript files, can be downloaded to your computer. That means you don’t need to download them again when you visit the sites again. Unfortunately, these caches can grow too large or become corrupted, which can cause Safari to crash or freeze.
Here’s how to clear Safari’s caches:
- In the Safari menu bar, select Safari > preferences
2. Go to the Advanced tab, select the Show Develop menu in menu bar then close the preferences window
3. Now in the menu bar select Develop > Empty Caches .
4. After clearing your caches, restart Safari. Hopefully it will have stopped crashing or freezing.
Delete Safari history and website data
While it’s helpful to have a list of the sites you’ve visited, clearing your Safari history can help with crashes and crashes. It not only clears your history, but also removes cookies, what websites store on your Mac, as well as other website data.
- On your menu bar, select History > Clear History
2. Use the dropdown menu to choose how much of your history you want to delete
3. Click Clear History .
Now restart Safari and see if your crashing problem has been fixed.
Remove extensions from Safari
Extensions are a great way to add new features to Safari, but they can also cause problems. Uninstalling extensions can be a good way to prevent Safari from crashing or freezing. Follow these steps to remove extensions:
- In the menu bar, select Safari > preferences
- Open the Extensions tab
- Choose an extension and click the Uninstall button
4. If prompted, click the Show in Finder button
5. Remove the extension as you would any other file.
Restart your mac
Sometimes your Safari crashing issues can be related to macOS rather than Safari itself. That problem can also be temporary, and for that reason, fixing it can be as simple as restarting your Mac.
- In your menu bar, click on the Apple icon and select Restart
2. Select whether or not you want windows to reopen after reboot
3. Click Restart .
When you change settings in Mac apps, macOS stores your preferences in .plist files. Deleting your Safari preferences files will reset your settings, which can help with issues like freezing and crashing.
- Quit Safari, then in Finder, select Go > Library . If you don’t see Library, try holding Opt .
2. Navigate to Library > preferences
3. Look for any .plist files that start with .com.apple.Safari and delete them, making sure to empty your trash afterwards
4. Restart Safari.
Clear your RAM memory
The more it runs on your Mac, the more resources it will use. If you have other apps running and a lot of tabs open in Safari, that can cause it to drag, freeze, or even crash. Clearing your RAM can help, and it’s easy to do with Tech.
- Under Tech, select Memory Cleaner from the sidebar
- Click Open
3. Click Clear Memory .
That’s all about it. With your RAM clean, Safari might start running smoothly.
Update macOS and Safari
Apple regularly creates updates for macOS and Safari. In addition to offering new features and security patches, these updates often include bug fixes, so installing them might be all you need to prevent Safari from crashing.
- Open System Preferences and select Software Update
2. macOS will now check for updates, which will include default apps like Safari
3. Select the upgrade or upgrade button depending on what is available.
After restarting your Mac, open Safari again and see if the crashing issue has been fixed.
What to do if Safari won’t open
Many of these fixes depend on being able to access Safari. If it crashes or freezes immediately, then they won’t work. Fortunately, you can perform many of these fixes using Tech without having to open Safari. absolutely.
Tech’s Safe Cleanup feature allows you to find and remove all kinds of cached files, including those from Safari. Its Smart Uninstaller makes it easy to remove not only apps, but also browser add-ons and extensions. The Update Tracker helps you stay on top of app updates. And the antivirus tool keeps your Mac free of malware.
These are just some of the ways it can help you, whether Safari is crashing, your Safari bookmarks have disappeared, or you’re having some other problem with your Mac.
Last words
Ultimately, if Safari keeps crashing, you can try a different browser. There are many alternatives, with many great features that Safari does not have. Hopefully though, one of the fixes in our article has fixed the issue for you, allowing you to get back to browsing normally.
