Safari Plus: The jailbreak tweak that lets you micro-manage and customize the Safari app

Safari is the web browser of choice for iPhone and iPad users alike. While it gets the job done in its most basic form, jailbreakers can harness the power of Safari -oriented jailbreak tweaks to unlock power features that ordinary users will drool over.

Illustration showing an Apple Safari logo set against a blue gradient background

One of my favorite jailbreak tweaks for the Safari on the iPhone and iPad is Safari Plus , a long-maintained add-on by iOS developer o pa334 that lets you customize so many parameters of the app that it could be thought of as the ‘Springtomize of Safari.’

We originally showed you Safari Plus back in 2017, but a lot had changed since then. Several iterations of iOS & iPadOS later, Safari is almost unrecognizable, and yet opa334 has continued to maintain Safari Plus for up to and including iOS & iPadOS 14.

In addition to maintaining Safari Plus, the time has given the tweak time to mature. An exponential amount of new options have been added since then, so much so that we believe it warrants a second look. Having said that, today we will be showing you the modern Safari Plus tweak.

With so many options to configure, it would be better for us to walk you through the cavernous preference pane that you’ll find in the Settings app post-installation:

safari 11 plus ipad

In the primary preference pane, you’ll find a number of different sections pertaining to different aspects of the Safari app’s user experience. Among those are:

  • Privacy features
  • Upload & Download features
  • Usability features
  • Action features
  • Gesture features
  • Customization features
  • Tweak specific settings

Since there’s a lot to go over, we’ll move section-by-section to help keep things tidy and reader-friendly.

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Privacy preference pane, Safari users can:

  • List any exceptions to websites
  • Lock individual tabs for added privacy & security
  • Switching the browsing mode (private or non-private)
  • Locking or unlocking tabs
  • Accessing a locked tab
  • Opening the Downloads interface

Uploads & Downloads

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Uploads & Downloads preference pane, Safari users can:

  • Upload any file type (removes file type limitations)
  • Enable a full-fledged download manager replacement
  • Enable video downloading from the full-screen video player
  • Use the tab title as the name for the video file you’re downloading
  • Enable and choose a preferred filesystem path for downloads
  • Enable and choose pinned locations for downloading files to
  • Hide or show the download progress
  • File browser or downloads
  • Automatically switch between the two based on active downloads
  • Choose between instantaneous download or alternative download behavior
  • Limit downloads to Wi-Fi connections
  • Automatically save certain files to the media library
  • Disable download histories for Private Mode
  • Enable or disable push notifications for downloads
  • Enable or disable Status Bar alerts for downloads
  • Enable or disable application badges for downloads

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Usability preference pane, Safari users can:

  • Show both the open in new tab and open in background options when tapping and holding on links
  • Enable an open in opposite mode option that opens the selected link in either normal or private browsing — the opposite that you’re currently in
  • Enable a desktop mode toggle switch that forces all pages to load in desktop mode when turned on
  • Enable or disable a tab manager for batch-closing, exporting, or adding tabs
  • Disable Apple’s native tab limit
  • Choose to always open new links in a new tab or in the background
  • Disable tab swiping — prevents them from being closed when swiped to the left
  • Disable private browsing mode entirely
  • Insert suggestions when tapping and holding
  • Adjust the tap and hold duration
  • Focus on the URL bar when using the methods above
  • Display the number of tabs you have open
  • Enable full-screen scrolling
  • Prevent the top and bottom bars of the Safari app from disappearing when scrolling
  • Display a website’s full URL
  • Skip the download dialog
  • Suppress the mailto dialog

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Actions preference pane, Safari users can:

  • Choose which browsing mode to default to on app start
  • Choose which browsing mode to default to on app resume
  • Choose which browsing mode to default to after opening an external link
  • Configure when tabs should and shouldn’t be automatically closed
  • Configure when browsing data should and shouldn’t be automatically deleted

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Gestures preference pane, Safari users can:

  • Swipe right
  • Swipe up/down
  • Close active tab
  • Open new tab
  • Duplicate active tab
  • Close all tabs from browsing mode
  • Switch browsing mode
  • Switch tab backwards
  • Switch tab forwards
  • Reload active tab
  • Request desktop site
  • Open ‘Find on Page’ interface
  • Allow or disallow gestures in the tab switcher interface
  • Enable or disable running actions in the background

Customization

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Customization preference pane, Safari users can:

  • Enable and select a tint color
  • Enable and select a background color
  • Enable and select a Status Bar color
  • Enable and select a URL font color
  • Enable and select a progress bar color
  • Enable and select a close button color
  • Enable and select a tab bar color
  • Adjust tab bar inactive title opacity via a slider
  • Enable and select a tab title text color
  • Enable and select a tab title background color
  • Enable and select a toolbar background color
  • Back button
  • Forward button
  • Share button
  • Bookmarks button
  • Tabs button
  • Add tab button
  • Downloads button
  • Reload button
  • Clear history button
  • Search bar space
  • Enable and enter a custom home page URL
  • Enable and enter a custom search engine
  • Enable and enter a custom user agent
  • Enable and enter a custom desktop user agent

Tweak Specific Settings

safari 11 plus ipad

In the Tweak Specific Settings preference pane, Safari users can:

  • Enable large titles in every view added by Safari Plus
  • Sort directories above files
  • Disable pull up to refresh
  • Disable communication error alerts
  • Reset all options to their defaults

As we come to the end of Safari Plus’s options, it’s easy to see that this tweak offers huge improvements to the native Safari web browser on pwned iPhones and iPads. There are so many different options that both simple users and power users alike will find value in what it brings to the table.

Safari Plus is available in two different forms, but both are free to download from your preferred package manager app. The first form is the regular one that can be had from the BigBoss repository , while the second form is Cepheiless, and can be had from opa334’s personal repository . Both support jailbroken installations of iOS 8 through 14, and the tweak is open source on the developer’s GitHub page .

If you’re not already using opa334’s personal repository, then you can add it to your package manager app of choice by using the URL provided below:

Do you plan to augment your Safari app with the handy Safari Plus tweak? Be sure to tell us what feature(s) you look most forward to using in the comments section down below.

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  • Notifications

Tweak for iOS App "Safari" - Various enhancements

opa334/SafariPlus

Folders and files, repository files navigation.

Various enhancements to Safari

Force HTTPS (+ configurable exception sites)

Locked Tabs - Adds a lock switch to every tab inside the tab switcher that, when enabled, prevents the specific tab from being closed until the switch is disabled again

Biometric Protection - Require TouchID / FaceID verification for switching browsing modes, locking tabs, unlocking tabs or accessing locked tabs

Uploads & Downloads

Upload Any File - An additional option to the document sheet that can be used to upload any file on your root file system

Download Manager - Extensive enhancements to the downloading functionality of Safari, check the preference page for more detailed info

Both Link Opening Options - Have both the "Open in Background" option and the "Open in New Tab" option available alongside each other

Open in Opposite Mode Option - Adds an option to open a long pressed URL in the respective other browsing mode

Desktop Mode Switch - A switch inside the tab switcher that can be used to toggle desktop mode on / off globally

Tab Manager - An easy way to batch-export, batch-close, and batch-add tabs

Disable Tab Limit - Disables the default tab limit (varies between devices)

Always Open Links in New Tab (+ Option to always open in background)

Disable tab Swiping (Only available on iOS 12 and up)

Fully Disable Private Browsing

Insert Suggestion on Long Press - Insert a search suggestion into the URL bar by long pressing it

Suggestion Insert Button - Insert a search suggestion into the URL bar by pressing a button on the right of it

Show Tab Count - Shows the tab count on the button that opens the tab switcher

Fullscreen Scrolling - Hide the top bar when scrolling down

Lock Bars - Lock the top and buttom bar into place while scrolling

Show Full Site URL - Always show the full URL in the top bar

Suppress Mailto Dialog (on iOS 10 and above)

Change Browsing Mode on App Start, App Resume, and when an External Link is Opened

Auto Close Tabs when Safari is Minimized or Closed

Auto-Clear Browser Data hen Safari is Minimized or Closed

URL Bar Swipe Left, Right, and Down Gestures

Toolbar Swipe Left, Right, and Up / Down Gestures

Many available actions to trigger

Customization

Color Settings for the Top Toolbar, Bottom Toolbar and the Tab Switcher for both normal and private browsing modes

Change the button order of the Top and Bottom Toolbars and add additional buttons

Custom Start Site - Change the default favorites view when opening a new tab to a specified URL

Custom Start Engine - Change the search engine of Safari to any URL

Custom User Agent - Change the user agent for both mobile and desktop mode

Compatibilty

Any iOS device running iOS versions 8.0 to 14.8.1 should be supported!

You will need the following libraries / frameworks in order to compile Safari Plus:

libCSColorPicker

RocketBootstrap

To compile the WebContent part of Safari Plus, slightly patched WebKit headers are needed. Running the get_webkit.sh script will download and patch them automatically.

There are also some variables you can set when running make:

SIMJECT=1 to compile Safari Plus for an iOS simulator

ROOTLESS=1 to compile Safari Plus for rootless jailbreaks

NO_LIBCOLORPICKER=1 to compile Safari Plus without the Alderis/libCSColorPicker dependecy (color settings will be disabled if this flag is set)

NO_DEPENDENCIES=1 to compile Safari Plus with all of the above NO_* flags set

DEBUG_LOGGING=1 to compile a version of Safari Plus that produces some very verbose debug logs related to the Download Manager feature that are stored inside sandbox container/Documents/Logs

Localization

If you wish to help with localizing the tweak, take the english template from here and contact me somewhere with the localized file.

Contributors 8

  • Objective-C++ 42.8%
  • Logos 36.1%
  • Objective-C 19.2%
  • Makefile 0.4%
  • Python 0.3%

Safari Plus Changelog

1.7.22 (september 29, 2022).

  • • Fix share sheet appearing at an unusable position on iPads • Minor code improvements

1.7.21 (August 11, 2022)

  • • Drop Cephei depdency in favor of libSandy on iOS 11 and up (Cepheiless is now deprecated, please use the normal Safari Plus) • Drop RocketBootstrap dependency in favor of libSandy • Alderis is now used as the color picker library instead of libCSColorPicker when it is installed, note that existing color preferences will get lost when switching from libCSColorPicker to Alderis

1.7.20-2 (May 5, 2022)

  • • Fix SpringBoard crash on Safari launch on iOS 11 • Fix potential edge case crash when pressing video download button • Add dependency for preferenceloader

1.7.20 (April 14, 2022)

  • • New option 'Unsandbox Safari' under Tweak Specific Settings, gives Safari read access to / and write access to /var, enabled by default, replaces very hacky old solution where all file operations would be executed by SpringBoard

1.7.19-3 (Feburary 25, 2022)

  • • Fix another regression introduced in 1.7.19 that caused Safari to crash when starting a video download on some websites

1.7.19-2 (Feburary 11, 2022)

  • • Fix a regression introduced in 1.7.19 that caused Safari to crash when starting a download on some devices

1.7.19 (Feburary 9, 2022)

  • • Fix some issues with video downloading on iPads where sometimes the video url of another tab would wrongly be used • Improve hitbox of tab lock button, should be easier to touch now • Refactored download manager code, an issue where Safari could freeze for a few seconds before the download alert appears should be fixed now • Added a new option under usability to skip the stock download alert on iOS 13 and above • Fix a conflict with shuffle that would cause the banner inside preferences to not be displayed

1.7.18-3 (November 1, 2021)

  • • Fix a minor legibility issue in dark mode related to the alert that appears when merging a movpkg.

1.7.18-2 (October 29, 2021)

  • • Add support for arm64e iOS 14.4-14.8.1 (14.6+ support is theoretical and has not been tested due to lack of jailbreak) • Now depends on libundirect 1.1.3

1.7.18 (September 26, 2021)

  • • Improve security by only letting the Safari process communicate with the SpringBoard server that handles the file accesses • Fix video downloading not working on iOS 8 and 9 (1.7.14 regression) • Correct a previously incorrect version check that broke several features on iOS 8 (including enhanced downloads) • Fix some UI elements being illegible in dark mode on iOS 13 and up • Attempt to mitigate some potential crashes

1.7.17-6 (August 1, 2021)

  • • The Safari Plus download manager now properly supports authentication on iOS 11 and above. Fixes issues where certain files would download as 'access denied' html files.

1.7.17-5 (June 24, 2021)

  • • Fix preference header overlapping killswitch on recent shuffle versions • Fix rare crashes when starting a download • Fix iPad crash when starting a download while the downloads bar item has been removed using the reorder top bar option • Small code cleanup

1.7.17-4 (June 22, 2021)

  • • Improve the error message that appears when video downloading does not work

1.7.17-3 (May 26, 2021)

  • • Add support for iOS 14.6 (arm64)

1.7.17-2 (May 1, 2021)

  • • Fix a regression in 1.7.17 that could cause the preferences page to crash in certain circumstances

1.7.17 (May 1, 2021)

  • • Clean up preferences • Add support for iOS 14.5 (arm64)

1.7.16-2 (April 14, 2021)

  • • Fix a crash that happened when pressing a video download button while the Instant Download option was enabled • Fix active downloads badge count not working on iOS 12 and up

1.7.16 (March 29, 2021)

  • • Fix a startup crash that could happen in some rare instances on iOS 14 • Add an option to disable tab swiping, available under Usability on iOS 12 and above • Fix lots of issues with using multiple safari windows on iPad (Related to status bar notifications and downloads) • Fix toolbar download button position on iPads • Fix top bar tint color not applying correctly on iOS 13 and above • Improve patchfinder by utilizing features of libundirect 1.1 • Various code improvements

1.7.15-3 (March 4, 2021)

  • • Fix a regression of 1.7.15-2 that broke the ability to watch and merge movpkg files

1.7.15-2 (March 3, 2021)

  • • Fix 'Open in Opposite Mode' option being broken on some versions of iOS 14 • Fix another potential issue with uploading files from root partition

1.7.15 (March 1, 2021)

  • • Update iOS 14 patchfinder with arm64e compatibility (requires libundirect 1.0.1) • Fix an issue where the the root directory ("/") could sometimes appear empty on iOS 14 • Fix uploading files from root partition

1.7.14-7 (January 22, 2021)

  • An issue in my build setup caused the non-cepheiless version of 1.7.14-6 to be the cepheiless version that's normally available on my repo. This version is now the normal one again, the issue in my build setup has also been adressed so this does not happen again.

1.7.14-6 (January 22, 2021)

  • • Fix a regression of 1.7.14 that caused a crash on iOS 11 when opening a video while video downloading is enabled

1.7.14-4 (January 17, 2021)

  • • Fix a regression of 1.7.14-2 that caused Safari Plus to not work on arm64e devices

1.7.14-2 (January 17, 2021)

  • • Fix a memory leak

1.7.14 (January 1, 2021)

  • • Support for iOS 14 using libundirect • Way better solution of communicating with WebContent to get the video urls (because the old solution broke with iOS 14) • Fix external app open action not working on iOS 13 and above • Redirect blob urls to Safari download manager because the Safari Plus download manager does not support them • Fix some problems with color settings on iOS 13

1.7.13 (September 8, 2020)

  • • Fix crash on iPadOS when pressing the 'Merge All Windows' button • Add traditional chinese localization, thanks to @terry3041 on GitHub • Add portuguese localization, thanks to @IanDixx43 and @iTPr0 on GitHub

1.7.12 (March 28, 2020)

  • • Full support for iOS 13.4.

1.7.11 (March 20, 2020)

  • • Make sure the target directory of a download exists before starting it • Reuse the filename of a finished download when restarting it • Fix a potential crash on iOS 13.4 (untested) • Hide the 'Force Native Player' option on non-iPad devices • Fix a crash that would happen on iOS 13 when opening links in external applications while the 'Always Open Links in New Tab' option was enabled

1.7.10-2 (Feburary 18, 2020)

  • • Work around an issue where certain file operations would not work unc0ver A12/A13 • Add simplified chinese localization, thanks to @fffdmin on Twitter

1.7.10 (Feburary 16, 2020)

  • • Fix mobileprovision profiles not being installable when 'Download Manager' is enabled • Reduce memory usage when merging movpkg files significantly, fixes the entire system freezing on checkra1n when merging bigger files • Movpkg merging now supports movpkg files that contain more than one track, the tracks will be saved to separate files • Added an option inside tweak specific settings to disable pull to refresh inside the file browser

1.7.9-3 (January 10, 2020)

  • • Fix random crashes on iOS 10.2 and below

1.7.9-2 (January 2, 2020)

  • • Fix startup crash on iOS 10 and below

1.7.9 (January 2, 2020)

  • • Color settings have been reimplemented and reenabled on iOS 13, now with light/dark mode support • Fix some legibility issues with dark mode on iOS 13 • Fix some features like previewing files and saving videos to camera roll being broken on checkra1n due to incomplete / inconsistent (?) sandbox patches • Fix RocketBootstrap error alert not appearing on iOS 13 • Fix some crashes related to video downloading on iOS 13(.3?) • Fix mode switch actions not working in some cases on iOS 13 • Fix video downloading sometimes receiving the wrong URL • Internal code improvements

1.7.8-2 (November 19, 2019)

  • • Fix crash when accessing "Uploads & Downloads" on iOS 13 ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

1.7.8 (November 18, 2019)

  • • Support for iOS 13 • Color settings have been disabled on iOS 13 for now and will be added back in a future update • Fix an issue where pressing the download button would crash Safari

1.7.7-2 (October 21, 2019)

  • • The merge options should now work on Chimera / Electra too

1.7.7 (October 21, 2019)

  • • Fix the file browser inside Preferences (when adding Pinned Locations) • Fix an issue where the file browser would not correctly reload when a download finished • Fix an issue on 12.2 and above with the 3D touch options of the tab button when 'Locked Tabs' was enabled • Add an option to download the m3u8 of a video instead of the movpkg • Add an option to merge movpkg's into one (ts/mp4) file • Add an option to biometric protection to protect tapping the downloads button • Update arabic localization, thanks to iA7myd • Update italian localization, thanks to Eugenio R.

1.7.6 (September 28, 2019)

  • • Fix a rare issue where Safari Plus would sometimes not load when opening Safari • Update french localization, thanks to 06Games on GitHub

1.7.5 (September 9, 2019)

  • • Improve an inaccurate sandbox check that broke write access to anything outside of the sandbox container on unc0ver 3.6

1.7.4-3 (September 8, 2019)

  • • Fix startup crash on iOS 11.3-11.4.1

1.7.4-2 (September 8, 2019)

  • • Heavily improve the app launch time of Safari

1.7.4 (September 7, 2019)

  • • Video downloading now supports video players that use the HTML5 Fullscreen API • Add an option to force the native player on iPads that would otherwise use the HTML5 Fullscreen API video player • Add an option to use the tab title as the default filename of a video download, enabled by default • Fix download manager / toolbar reordering breaking long press gestures on the toolbar buttons on some versions of iOS 11 • Fix status bar notifications not being visible when inside a video player on iOS 10 • Improve video download icon to look better on iOS 11 and above • Minor fixes regarding video downloads on iPads • Fix biometric protection for switching browsing mode sometimes not working on the first switch after Safari has been restarted • Fix some small memory leaks

1.7.3 (September 1, 2019)

  • • Fix issues with video downloading on some devices • Other minor fixes and adjustments

1.7.2 (August 27, 2019)

  • • Video downloading should now support every site • Fix a bug with HLS downloads where canceling it would still save the unfinished movpkg to the target location • Fix an incredibly rare crash when long pressing links • Fix an issue where the FullSafari detection would incorrectly trigger on 12.2 and above, causing the addition of a plus button in the toolbar without having it enabled in settings • The 'Fullscreen Scrolling' option has been improved to use a better method on some supported versions, as a side effect, the option also works on iOS 8 now • The 'Custom Search Engine' option now displays the search query in the top bar like the stock engines do • Switch to MIT license

1.7.1-2 (August 20, 2019)

  • • Hotfix for startup crash on iOS 9

1.7.1 (August 19, 2019)

  • • Adds support for downloading HLS (m3u8) streams on iOS 10 and above • Fix a bug that could cause a download to fail when pausing and resuming it when it does not have any progress yet • Fix an extremely rare race condition that could cause Safari to crash when a download ends • Ditch libbulletin in favour of native notifications (archived through a SpringBoard hook that makes it think that Safari has the right entitlements to send notifications) • Add an option to make the application badge reflect the amount of running downloads (enabled by default) • Tab manager can no longer bypass the biometric protection for (un)locking tabs • Fix 'Switch Browsing Mode' biometric protection being unreliable on iOS 10.3-10.3.4 • Make file browser load times over five times faster by minimizing communication between Safari and SpringBoard • Add an option under Tweak Specific Settings to make the file browser sort directories above files • Fix 'Add to Force HTTPS exceptions' option on refresh button long press if no exceptions have previously been added inside settings • Fix 'Status Bar Color' option not working on iOS 12.2 and above • Fix 'Supress Mailto Alert' option not working on iOS 12.2 and above • Improved icons of download related buttons

1.7 (August 1, 2019)

1.6.8 (april 30, 2019), 1.6.7 (february 25, 2019).

Enhanced Downloads: • Fix an issue where pressing the video download button would sometimes crash on iOS 12 Action Addons: • Browsing mode switch actions should now work properly again

1.6.6 (February 22, 2019)

General: • iOS 12 Support! • Added spanish localization, thanks to Thomas CS • Updated italian localization, thanks to Eugenio R Enhanced Downloads: • Fixed an issue where the option to clear all downloads would sometimes not work • Improved sandbox detection Desktop Mode Button: • Internal code improvements • Fixed a crash on iOS 8 when the "Fully disable private browsing" option is enabled together with this option

Blazing fast. Incredibly private.

safari 11 plus ipad

Safari is the best way to experience the internet on all your Apple devices. It brings robust customization options, powerful privacy protections, and optimizes battery life — so you can browse how you like, when you like. And when it comes to speed, it’s the world’s fastest browser. 1

Performance

More with the battery. less with the loading..

With a blazing-fast JavaScript engine, Safari is the world’s fastest browser. 1 It’s developed to run specifically on Apple devices, so it’s geared to make the most out of your battery life and deliver long-lasting power.

safari 11 plus ipad

Increased performance

We’re always working to make the fastest desktop browser on the planet even faster.

safari 11 plus ipad

Improved power efficiency

Safari lets you do more online on a single charge.

safari 11 plus ipad

Up to 4 hours more streaming videos compared with Chrome 3

safari 11 plus ipad

Up to 17 hours of video streaming 3

Best-in-class browsing

Safari outperforms both Mac and PC browsers in benchmark after benchmark on the same Mac. 4

  • JetStream /
  • MotionMark /
  • Speedometer /

JavaScript performance on advanced web applications. 4

Safari vs. other Mac browsers

Safari on macOS

Chrome on macOS

Edge on macOS

Firefox on macOS

Safari vs. Windows 11 browsers

Chrome on Windows 11

Edge on Windows 11

Firefox on Windows 11

Rendering performance of animated content. 4

Web application responsiveness. 4

4K video streaming

See your favorite shows and films in their best light. Safari supports in-browser 4K HDR video playback for YouTube, Netflix, and Apple TV+. 5 And it runs efficiently for longer-lasting battery life.

safari 11 plus ipad

Privacy is built in.

Online privacy isn’t just something you should hope for — it’s something you should expect. That’s why Safari comes with industry-leading privacy protection technology built in, including Intelligent Tracking Prevention that identifies trackers and helps prevent them from profiling or following you across the web. Upgrading to iCloud+ gives you even more privacy protections, including the ability to sign up for websites and services without having to share your personal email address.

safari 11 plus ipad

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

safari 11 plus ipad

Safari stops trackers in their tracks.

What you browse is no one’s business but your own. Safari has built‑in protections to help stop websites and data-collection companies from watching and profiling you based on your browsing activity. Intelligent Tracking Prevention uses on‑device intelligence to help prevent cross‑site tracking and stops known trackers from using your IP address — making it incredibly difficult to learn who you are and what you’re interested in.

Privacy Report

Safari makes it simple to see how your privacy is protected on all the websites you visit. Click Privacy Report in the Safari menu for a snapshot of cross-site trackers currently prevented from profiling you on the website you’re visiting. Or view a weekly Privacy Report to see how Safari protects you as you browse over time.

safari 11 plus ipad

Customization

Putting the you in url..

Safari is more customizable than ever. Organize your tabs into Tab Groups so it’s easy to go from one interest to the next. Set a custom background image and fine-tune your browser window with your favorite features — like Reading List, Favorites, iCloud Tabs, and Siri Suggestions. And third-party extensions for iPhone, iPad, and Mac let you do even more with Safari, so you can browse the way you want across all your devices.

safari 11 plus ipad

Safari Profiles allow you to separate your history, extensions, Tab Groups, favorites, cookies, and more. Quickly switch between profiles for topics you create, like Personal and Work.

safari 11 plus ipad

Web apps let you save your favorite websites to the Dock on Mac and to the Home Screen on iPhone and iPad. A simplified toolbar and separate settings give you an app-like experience.

safari 11 plus ipad

Safari Extensions add functionality to your browser to help you explore the web the way you want. Find and add your favorite extensions in the dedicated Safari category on the App Store.

safari 11 plus ipad

Save and organize your tabs in the way that works best for you. Name your Tab Groups, edit them, and switch among them across devices. You can also share Tab Groups — making planning your next family trip or group project easier and more collaborative.

safari 11 plus ipad

Smart Tools

Designed to help your work flow..

Built-in tools create a browsing experience that’s far more immersive, intuitive, and immediate. Get detailed information about a subject in a photo with just a click, select text within any image, instantly translate an entire web page, and quickly take notes wherever you are on a site — without having to switch apps.

safari 11 plus ipad

Notes is your go-to app to capture any thought. And with the Quick Note feature, you can instantly jot down ideas as you browse websites without having to leave Safari.

safari 11 plus ipad

Translation

Translate entire web pages with a single click. You can also get translations for text in images and paused video without leaving Safari.

Interact with text in any image or paused video on the web using functions like copy and paste, translate, and lookup. 6

safari 11 plus ipad

Visual Look Up

Quickly learn more about landmarks, works of art, breeds of dogs, and more with only a photo or an image you find online. And easily lift the subject of an image from Safari, remove its background, and paste it into Messages, Notes, or other apps.

safari 11 plus ipad

Surf safe and sound.

Strong security protections in Safari help keep you safe. Passkeys introduce a safer way to sign in. iCloud Keychain securely stores and autofills passkeys and passwords across all your devices. Safari also notifies you when it encounters suspicious websites and prevents them from loading. Because it loads each web page in a separate process, any harmful code is always confined to a single browser tab so it won’t crash the entire application or access your data. And Safari automatically upgrades sites from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS when available.

safari 11 plus ipad

Passkeys introduce a more secure and easier way to sign in. No passwords required.

Passkeys are end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks, and they are stronger than all common two-factor authentication types. Thanks to iCloud Keychain, they work across all your Apple devices, and they even work on non-Apple devices.

Learn more about passkeys

safari 11 plus ipad

Apple Pay and Wallet make checkout as easy as lifting a finger.

Apple Pay is the easiest and most secure way to shop on Safari — allowing you to complete transactions with Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad, with Touch ID on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, or by double-clicking the side button on your Apple Watch.

Learn more about Apple Pay

With AutoFill, you can easily fill in your previously saved credit card information from the Wallet app during checkout. Your credit card details are never shared, and your transactions are protected with industry-leading security.

Same Safari. Different device.

Safari works seamlessly and syncs your passwords, bookmarks, history, tabs, and more across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. And when your Mac, iOS, or iPadOS devices are near each other, they can automatically pass what you’re doing in Safari from one device to another using Handoff. You can even copy images, video, or text from Safari on your iPhone or iPad, then paste into another app on your nearby Mac — or vice versa.

safari 11 plus ipad

When you use Safari on multiple devices, your tabs carry over from one Apple device to another. So you can search, shop, work, or browse on your iPhone, then switch to your iPad or Mac and pick up right where you left off.

Save web pages you want to read later by adding them to your Reading List. Then view them on any of your iCloud-connected devices — even if you’re not connected to the internet.

iCloud Keychain securely stores your user names, passkeys, passwords, and credit card numbers and keeps them up to date on your trusted devices. So you can easily sign in to your favorite websites — as well as apps on iOS and iPadOS — and quickly make online purchases.

safari 11 plus ipad

Designed for developers.

Deep WebKit integration between Mac hardware and macOS allows Safari to deliver the fastest performance and the longest battery life of any browser on the platform, while supporting modern web standards for rich experiences in the browser. WebKit in macOS Sonoma includes optimizations that enable even richer browsing experiences, and give developers more control over styling and layout — allowing for more engaging content.

Make Safari your default browser

Customize your start page, view your browsing privacy report, monitor your saved passwords, use apple pay in safari, view your tabs across all your devices, read the safari user guide, get safari support.

Adblock Plus for Safari (ABP‪)‬ 4+

Block bad, disruptive ads.

  • 4.4 • 7.4K Ratings

Screenshots

Description.

The easy way to block ads on your iPhone and iPad. Annoying ads like pop-ups, video ads, banners and ads disguised as content are things of the past thanks to Adblock Plus (ABP)! Safari users enjoy a peaceful and delightful web experience when using Adblock Plus, the world’s number 1 ad blocker. No disruptive ads. No tracking. No nasty viruses. REPUTABLE Adblock Plus has been the most downloaded, free ad blocker on the market since 2006. Its unique Acceptable Ads feature, turned on by default, shows occasional ads that aren’t disruptive in order to help support great content creators. You can choose to block these ads by simply turning off the Acceptable Ads feature in the ABP settings. SAFE AND PRIVATE Browse more safely and securely. Adblock Plus for Safari: - Prevents nasty stuff like malware and tracking that can hide behind ads - Reduces the risk of malware infection - Enhances your privacy CONSCIOUS BROWSING Ads can cause pages to load slower, thus eating up your data plan and consuming your battery. By using Adblock Plus for Safari you: - Save data - Save battery life Download Adblock Plus for Safari on iOS - it’s FREE! By downloading and installing the application, you agree to our Terms of Use. https://adblockplus.org/terms ------ About the people behind Adblock Plus for Safari on iOS We are a globally distributed, yet tight-knit group of developers, designers, writers, researchers, and testers. By supporting a fair and profitable Internet, we remain optimistic about the future of the web. Our mission is to create a sustainable product that makes your everyday life a little easier. ------ Enjoying the app? Please leave us a 5-star review! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adblockplus Twitter: https://twitter.com/adblockplus YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/AdblockPlusOfficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adblockplus

Version 2.2.14

**Please open ABP after updating so that the new filter lists are immediately synced!** What's New? - Improved ad blocking quality Questions or feedback? Send us a message at [email protected]. Like the app? Write a review :)

Ratings and Reviews

7.4K Ratings

Failed on first two websites

I turned this on in Safari Private Mode and see ads all over CNN and FOX8. Three or more per page. Then I turned off acceptable ads. All but the most annoying ad disappeared. Does not block NPR Paywall overlay.

The Best Ad Blocking Tool

I’ve used Adblock Plus for Safari for about two years, along with two other ad blockers. Recently I upgraded my iPad to iOS17. Suddenly got ads all over the place! I checked the Adblock Plus and readjusted my enabled websites list, and closed the iPad, then re-opened it after a few minutes. Voilá— no more ads! This app is much more efficient than the other two ad blockers I used before. My suggestion to anyone having ad problems after installing an iOS update is just to check and recalibrate your Adblock Plus, and close your device, then re-open it. I really hate ads, so I love this app.

Stopped Working

After updating to iOS 17, this app has become completely useless. The thing I loved most about this app is that it would stop ads from opening their own tab in safari but it no longer prevents that from happening & just all around stopped blocking ads for me. Hoping it gets fixed cause this is the only adblocker I’ve ever liked. Other apps block pop up windows but they still open & say “this content is blocked” which you then have to close the tab. That never happened with Adblock Plus, it would literally prevent an advertiser from opening a window PERIOD. Hence why it’s my fav 🙁

App Privacy

The developer, Eyeo GmbH , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

  • Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Arabic, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Turkish

  • App Support
  • Privacy Policy

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How to use browser tabs in Safari on iPhone and iPad

Apple's web browser, Safari , keeps getting faster and better. It sports a smart search bar, tabs, and a special Split View version for iPad users. You can view Shared Links and add articles to your Reading List, or access your saved passwords and credit cards through iCloud Keychain. And you can pay for goods and services using Apple Pay , the company's secure contactless payment system.

If you've been curious about making the most of Safari, here's everything you need to know.

How to find web pages, bookmarks, history, and search page content in Safari on iPhone and iPad

The Smart Search bar is a hybrid of the old address and search bars melded into one universal place to type and go. You can access your default search provider, your browsing history, saved bookmarks, and even specific words on web pages all through the unified Smart Search bar at the top of your Safari browsing window.

  • How to search the web using the Smart Search bar
  • How to quickly copy URLs, search, and visit websites in Safari on your iPad
  • How to search bookmarks and web history using the Smart Search bar on iPhone and iPad
  • How to search the text on a specific web page using the Smart Search bar
  • How to change your default search browser

How to use private browsing and tabs in Safari on iPhone and iPad

safari 11 plus ipad

Tabs in Safari lets you keep multiple web pages open at the same time so you can switch between them or refer back to them whenever you want to. You can open links in new tabs so you don't lose what you're currently surfing, and you can even go into Private mode so nothing you search for or navigate to can come back to haunt you.

  • How to open a new tab in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to use Safari's Split View on iPad
  • How to switch tabs in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to close a tab in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to quickly close all tabs in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to view recently-closed tabs in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to view websites from your other devices in Safari on iPhone and iPad
  • How to use private browsing in Safari on iPhone and iPad

How to use Bookmarks and Reading List in Safari on iPhone and iPad

Reading List is Apple's take on a read-it-later service: Built into the Safari browser for iPhone and iPad, Reading List let you save any articles you stumble across while browsing the web for offline viewing; you can then go back and peruse them at your convenience. Bookmarks, in contrast, aren't available offline, but can be added to your Favorites bar for easy repeat access. Because both Reading List and Bookmarks sync via iCloud, your links and stories are available while you're on the go with your iPhone, lounging at home with your iPad, or while you're enjoying a coffee at your Mac. Here's how to use them.

  • How to add a bookmark
  • How to add a bookmark to your Favorites bar
  • How to search for a bookmark
  • How to edit and remove a bookmark
  • How to add an article to your Reading List in Safari
  • How to access your Reading List in Safari
  • How to delete articles from your Reading List in Safari
  • How to use Reader View in Safari on iPhone and iPad

How to use Shared Links in Safari on iPhone or iPad

safari 11 plus ipad

Shared Links let you make a custom feed right inside the iPhone and iPad's built-in web browser, Safari . You can add social accounts and your favorite websites to your Shared Links tab and get all the content that matters to you in one convenient place.

  • How to access and use Shared Links in Safari
  • How to add a social media subscription to Shared Links in Safari
  • How to add a website subscription to Shared Links in Safari
  • How to delete subscriptions to Shared Links in Safari

How to block cookies and stop websites from tracking you in Safari

If you've recently noticed that some advertisements you receive within apps seem oddly similar to something you've just been reading about or a game you've just started playing, it's not because Siri is listening in on your conversations or because your iPhone has gained self-awareness. It's because you have ad tracking on your iPhone. The Do Not Track policy exists to prevent social networks, analytics, and online advertising from following you around the internet and recording your browsing patterns. Browsers that respect Do Not Track — like Apple's Safari — will allow you to surf the web in peace and privacy.

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  • How to limit ad tracking on iPhone and iPad

How to block ads in Safari

The Web has gotten messy. Whether it's ads, social widgets, or spoilers you want to avoid, you can make it a little less distracting by downloading and enabling content blocker widgets. Here's how to do so on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

  • How to block ads on your iPhone or iPad
  • How to view a Safari website without content blockers on your iPhone or iPad
  • The best ad blockers for iPhone and iPad
  • Can't enable content blockers on your iPhone or iPad? Here's the fix!

How to clear history and cookies in Safari

Whenever you visit a webpage using the Safari web browser, it gets recorded in your browser history so you can more easily go back and find that page again should you want to. Likewise, cookies get stored to make logins and other information easily available to you. If you don't want a particular page recorded in your history or cookies (we don't judge!) you can always use Private browsing mode. If you forget, however, you can quickly and easily clear your history and cookies and start over.

If you're worried about the safety of your kids while browsing online, we also offer a guide on setting up parental controls to block potentially nasty websites from young eyes.

  • How to view and clear your browsing history in Safari on iPhone or iPad
  • How to block websites in Safari on iPhone and iPad

Any Safari questions?

Any tips we missed or any other questions about Safari on iPhone or iPad? Drop them in the comments below!

Serenity Caldwell

Serenity was formerly the Managing Editor at iMore, and now works for Apple. She's been talking, writing about, and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, sings, and in her secret superhero life, plays roller derby. Follow her on Twitter @settern.

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safari 11 plus ipad

Safari: A Beginner’s Guide for iPhone or iPad Users

Safari can be intimidating to learn when you first start using it, but this guide will help you get used to it.

On Apple devices, the default web browser is called Safari. It shares a lot of similar features to other common browsers, like Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. But if you’re new to using Safari, you may feel a little lost because the interface is slightly different to the others.

So, here’s a beginner’s guide on how to use the Safari app to browse the web on your iPhone or iPad.

How to Search for Content in the Safari App

As with all web browsers, you’ll need to first enable your iPhone’s mobile data or connect to a Wi-Fi network to access the internet.

Then, to search in Safari, simply type a term, phrase, or URL into the Smart Search bar at the bottom of the screen and tap Go on your keyboard. The Smart Search bar is a combination of the address bar and search bar. As you type, you’ll see search suggestions based on your keyword as well as results from your bookmarks and browsing history.

How to Navigate a Webpage in Safari

Once you obtain your search results, you tap on a link you’re interested in. Now let’s look at how you can navigate the webpage once it’s loaded.

How to Jump Back to the Top of Webpage

After swiping to scroll down a long article, you may want to go back up to access the website’s menu. To instantly jump back to the top of the webpage, just tap the topmost edge of your screen.

How to Go Backward (or Forward) a Webpage

After tapping on a link, perhaps the webpage isn’t quite something you’re looking for. To go back to your search results, swipe from left to right from the edge of your screen.

To go forward on a webpage, swipe from right to left instead.

Related: Essential Safari iOS Tips & Tricks for iPhone Users

How to Reveal the Safari Address Bar

Your Safari address bar is automatically hidden away when you’re scrolling down a webpage. To bring it back, tap the bottom edge of the screen that shows the website’s main URL.

How to Work With Multiple Tabs in the Safari App

Having multiple tabs opened in Safari can help you to compare information between webpages and search for new content without having to close your current webpage. Here’s how to work with multiple tabs in Safari on your iPhone or iPad.

How to Open a New Tab

To open a new tab, select the Tabs icon in the bottom-right corner, which looks like two overlapping squares. Then tap the Plus (+) to open a new tab.

How to Switch Between Tabs

Again, hit the Tabs icon. You’ll see a gallery of all your opened tabs in Safari. Select a tab to visit the webpage you want.

Since the release of iOS 15, Apple introduced a new feature in Safari: tab groups. Many of us are probably guilty of having way too many opened tabs. Therefore, organizing tabs into groups makes them more manageable. Learn more about how to use tab groups in Safari on your iPhone .

How to Open a Link in a New Background Tab

When you read long articles, you’ll likely come across a link or two within the content that sparks your interest. To avoid disrupting your reading process, you can make Safari open the link in the background, in a new tab. To do so:

  • Go to the Settings app.
  • Select Safari .
  • Scroll down and tap Open Links .
  • Choose In Background .

Next time you want to open a link, long-press it. Then, select Open in Background . When you want to visit that link, select Tabs to view all your opened tabs and choose the loaded webpage.

Saving and Sharing Webpages in Safari

The internet gives you access to a whole new world of information. Save a webpage to refer to it later, or share it with your family and friends.

How to Bookmark a Safari Webpage

To bookmark a webpage to read later, tap the Share icon in the middle of the bottom of the screen (it looks like an arrow coming out of a square) and select Add Bookmark . Type in a bookmark name.

To access your bookmarked webpage later, tap the Bookmark icon (an opened book) and browse through your bookmarks, reading list, and history to find what you’re looking for.

Besides the bookmark option, you’ll also notice that you can add a webpage to your favorites or reading list. Marking a webpage as a favorite will make it show up on your Safari home page. It’s useful if you visit the website often.

To learn more about reading lists, you can visit our guide on the differences between a bookmark and a reading list .

How to Share a Link From the Safari App

Stumble upon an interesting DIY project? A promising recipe you’d like to share with your family? You don’t have to bookmark and remind yourself to show the webpage to them later. You can share the link directly from the Safari app.

Tap the Share icon. You can then select the receiver’s name from the horizontal list of recent contacts, or choose your preferred communication app to send the Safari link to them.

Erasing Your Digital Footprint in Safari

If you’re an aspiring crime writer, having a friend notice your crime-filled search history when they peer over your shoulder is inevitably awkward. Hence, there are some things we’d prefer to keep private and erase all traces of once we exit a web browser.

Safari has a few features to help you with this.

How to Close a Tab

If you don’t close your tabs, old webpages will just auto-load again the moment you head into Safari. Having too many opened tabs affects your browsing speed as well.

Closing a tab is simple. You just need to tap the Tabs icon and then tap the Close (x) button in the corner of the tab.

How to Browse Privately in Safari

Similar to Google Chrome’s Incognito Mode, Safari has a feature called Private Browsing Mode. Your autofill information and browser history won’t be saved when you use this function. Here’s how to use it:

  • First, tap the Tabs icon.
  • Select the center Tabs button with an arrow next to it.
  • Choose Private .
  • To open a new private tab, tap the Plus (+) button.

Whenever you’re in doubt about whether you’re in Private Browsing Mode, just check the Smart Search Bar. It will be dark grey instead of white when you’re browsing privately.

How to Clear Your Safari Browsing History

If you forgot to use Private Browsing while searching for confidential information, don’t worry. You can still clear your history in Safari. Just follow these steps:

  • Tap the Bookmarks icon.
  • Select History (the clock icon).
  • Tap Clear .
  • Choose the time length from which you want Safari to clear your history.

Use the Safari App to Surf the Internet on Your iPhone

The Safari app has all the features you need for a seamless browsing experience. Once you’re familiar with these basic functions, you can check out and download Safari extensions from the App Store to enjoy more helpful features while surfing the internet on your iPhone or iPad.

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How to Check the Version Number of Apple Safari Browser

When you need to know which Safari you're running

safari 11 plus ipad

What To Know

  • Choose Safari from the top menu, and About Safari . The version number will be on the window that pops up.
  • On iOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update . Your iOS version and Safari version are the same. (Example: iOS 11 = Safari 11)

This article explains how to find the version of Safari that you're running on a Mac and an iOS device.

Find the Safari Version Number on a Mac

To determine which version of Safari is installed on a Mac computer:

Go to the dock and select the Safari icon to open the Safari browser.

Choose About Safari under the Safari menu.

A small window appears with the browser version number.

The first number, located before the parenthesis, is the current version of Safari. The longer second number (located inside the parentheses) is the WebKit/Safari Build version. For example, if the dialog box displays Version 11.0.3 (13604.5.6), the Safari version number is 11.0.3.

Find the Safari Version Number on an IOS Device

Because Safari is part of the iOS operating system, its version is the same as the current version of iOS that you have.

To see the iOS version currently installed on an iPhone or iPad, follow the instructions below.

Open Settings .

Select General .

Select Software Update . The number that appears at the top of the screen next to iOS is the version number. For example, if your iPhone or iPad is running iOS 11.2.6, then it is running Safari 11. If your device is running iOS 12.1.2, it is running Safari 12, and so on.

Underneath the version number, you'll either see "Your software is up to date" or a prompt to update to the latest version.

As of October, 2022, the current version of Safari on Mac, iPad, and iPhone is 16.0.

First, turn off automatic updates by opening System Preferences and selecting Software Update , then turning off Automatically keep my Mac up to date . After that, either restore a Time Machine backup that included an older version of Safari, or downgrade to an earlier version of macOS .

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10 Long Press Tips to Reveal Hidden Functions in Safari on iPhone and iPad

On iPhone and iPad , a long press (also known as a press-and-hold) gesture will often initiate a different action in an app that isn't immediately obvious, such as revealing an icon's contextual menu. On recent iPhones, a long press will sometimes also offer haptic feedback in the form of a vibration, which Apple calls Haptic Touch .

Apple has made extensive use of the long press gesture and ‌Haptic Touch‌ in its apps, which means if you don't tend to long press screen elements, you could be unaware of some convenient shortcuts to everyday actions, or you could even be missing out on app functionality altogether.

Note that the default minimum period that a finger must press on the screen for the long gesture to be recognized is half a second. If you're having trouble performing a long press, open the Settings app, go to Accessibility -> Haptic Touch , and try selecting a Fast or Slow touch duration. There's also a handy interactive demo area for you to test each setting.

1. Bookmark Multiple Tabs in One Go

Make sure you have a few tabs open in Safari that you want to reference at a later time. Now, select one of those tabs, and in the main browsing window, long press the Bookmark icon (it looks like an open book).

safari tabs

2. Bulk Copy Links in a Bookmarks Folder

Following on from the last tip, if you long press on a bookmarks folder in Safari, you'll see a Copy Contents option pop up in the contextual menu.

safari

3. Fast Scroll Web Pages

A scroll bar appears on the right-hand side of the Safari window whenever you swipe to navigate a web page.

safari

4. Close All Open Tabs

If the number of active tabs has gotten out of hand in your browser session, long press the Tabs icon in the bottom-right corner (top-right on ‌iPad‌) of the web page view to reveal the Close All Tabs option.

safari tabs

In iOS 13, you‌ can actually get Safari to close tabs on your behalf, based on when you last viewed them. Launch the Settings app and select Safari -> Close Tabs , and you'll find options to make the browser automatically close tabs that have not been viewed After One Day , After One Week , or After One Month .

5. Re-open Recently Closed Tabs

If you've accidentally closed a browser tab in Safari and want to open it back up, open up the Tabs view and long press on the " + " icon to get a look at all of the tabs that you've recently closed.

safari

6. Open All Bookmarks in a Folder in New Tabs

This option appears in the same contextual menu described in tip 2. Long press a bookmarks folder and you'll see an option to Open in New Tabs .

bookmarks open new tabs

7. Preview a Favorite Site or Hyperlink

If you want to take a peek at what a specific web page hyperlink has to offer before actually visiting the site, long press the link to get a preview of it. Note that you can also perform this action on the Favorites or Frequently Visited sites that appear in the start page of a new tab.

safari

You can revert this functionality on the same long press screen at any time by selecting Tap to show preview .

8. Merge All Safari Windows

This one is exclusively for ‌iPad‌ users running iPadOS. If you have multiple browser windows open in the background, you can tidy things up by merging all of them, including their tabs, into the active browser window.

safari

9. Download a Linked File

Now that now Safari has a Downloads Manager, you can download files directly from hyperlinks. Simply tap and hold a linked file, then select Download Linked File from the contextual menu. You can tap the Downloads Manager icon in the top-right corner of the address bar to check on its progress.

safari

10. Access the Tab Control Panel

Another one that's just for Safari on ‌iPad‌. Next time you have multiple tabs open, tap and hold one of those tabs to access the new tab control panel.

safari

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How-To Geek

How to change the default search engine in safari on iphone or ipad.

Prefer DuckDuckGo or Bing to Google? Here's how to change your iPhone or iPad's default search engine.

Quick Links

Changing the default search engine in safari on iphone and ipad.

Safari uses Google as its default search engine out of the box, but it's not the only option. You can choose other search engines like Bing, Yahoo, or DuckDuckGo if you prefer them.

While most modern search engines can find the websites you're looking for, there are often ramifications to consider when making your selection. Google is the big player here, but you might want to select something else depending on your privacy stance. For example, DuckDuckGo pushes itself as a more private search engine, while Bing is integrated with Microsoft Rewards . Making the change in Safari on your iPhone or iPad is super simple, so long as you know where to look.

To get started, open the Settings app and tap "Safari."

Next, under the "Search" heading, tap "Search Engine."

Finally, select the search engine that you would like to use as your default when inside Safari. To select a search engine, tap it. You can choose either Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ecosia , or DuckDuckGo .

Sorry---those are the only options. Apple won't let you choose other search engines as your default. You can still navigate to those search engines in Safari and search them from their website, but that's it. The only way you'll get more options here is if Apple adds them in a future version of the iOS operating system.

There is, however, a caveat to consider here. This setting will only change the default search engine that is used when searching from within Safari. If you use Siri or Spotlight to search, they'll still use Google. It's not ideal, but Google pays a considerable amount of money to Apple every year to make this the situation we have to live with, unfortunately.

Related: What Is DuckDuckGo? Meet the Google Alternative for Privacy

barbarafromnj

Anyone else have VERY slow Safari loading with new 16.5 update? So annoying!

Anyone else have VERY slow Safari loading on iPhone 11pro with new 16.5 update? So annoying!

Posted on May 20, 2023 5:31 AM

retiredcathy

Posted on Sep 14, 2023 10:46 PM

I’m having the same problem after clearing tabs, history and cache. It moves from site to site quickly but takes 6 seconds to load initially.

Similar questions

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  • iOS safari all sudden slow loading pages iOS safari on iPhone 13 pro max and iPad mini 6 slow loading pages. Both devices have Firefox and brave and pages loading blazing fast. Something wrong with safari 937 6

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Page content loaded

Sep 14, 2023 10:46 PM in response to lkrupp

Jun 18, 2023 9:41 PM in response to lkrupp

I am having the same issue with Safari, lkrupp does not speak for everybody. Safari got so bad slow that I had to download a different browser on my all platforms

Jan 3, 2024 10:49 AM in response to barbarafromnj

I had the same problem for a while, I hesitated to do full safari history clearing, I did restart, clear 1 hour or last day of history use … but didn’t work. Now, I cleared the whole safari history then restarted my iPhone, tried CNN.com and it worked instantly

MrHoffman

Jun 3, 2023 1:21 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

IdrisSeabright wrote:
barbarafromnj wrote:

Nope. Not seeing any change.

I am. Safari is loading some webpages more slowly in recent versions, including here in ASC.

I’ve also hit some webpages that fail loading (usually when opening in the background), but loading another (lighter) webpage (e.g. the DDG homepage) and then immediately backing up to the webpage that failed clears that.

Other webpages will open very quickly.

I do have lots of tabs open, with multiple tab groups, and haven’t been inclined to close everything to test whether that is involved.

This with an iPad Pro M2, so not old and not slow.

Should anybody meet this, log your symptoms and your feedback with Apple: Product Feedback - Apple

Jan 14, 2024 4:01 AM in response to Omarheba1962

Yup, Even after clearing history and all still running as if it was molasses in January. Slow to sometimes unresponsive.

Jun 3, 2023 1:05 PM in response to barbarafromnj

I am having the same issue since I got the safari update, its so bad that I had to find a different web browser. I hope apple fix it right away.

Jeff_W.

May 22, 2023 10:30 AM in response to barbarafromnj

Hi barbarafromnj,

We have an article to share with suggestions for troubleshooting Safari issues on your iPhone. Please try the suggestions here, and let us know if you need further help:

If Safari isn't loading websites or quits on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

lkrupp

Jun 3, 2023 1:17 PM in response to acevedotom

Apple doesn’t need to fix anything as the rest us are not seeing slowdowns. Try restart gin your iPhone first. Then try deleting cookies, cache, history on Safari.

If Safari isn't loading websites or quits on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

ms_julie

Dec 27, 2023 3:20 AM in response to lkrupp

Nope - I’m having same issues

Jun 19, 2023 8:28 AM in response to acevedotom

acevedotom wrote:

Closing (and then reopening) (lots of) tabs, and clearing some cookies, seems to have speeded things, locally.

Jan 28, 2024 12:37 PM in response to roxane105

Mine is terribly slow even after doing the above. Chrome is much faster but i hate using it.. wondering why when all browsers are supposed to be skinned safari. I have turned off private relay too and that helped a bit

Feb 29, 2024 5:54 AM in response to Omarheba1962

When clearing Safari history and cache, make sure that you have “all history” selected and not “last hour”!

Once I selected “all history”, Safari instantly loaded.

Clear History and Website Data

Check “All History”

click the red Clear History

IdrisSeabright

May 22, 2023 10:50 AM in response to barbarafromnj

Jun 3, 2023 5:51 PM in response to MrHoffman

Restarting did nothing but closing ALL the tabs in Safari worked for me! Thanks for the advice. The slowdown coincided with the last update so I was quick to blame it. All’s good now.

Osoluis

Nov 22, 2023 6:42 PM in response to barbarafromnj

Hello yes I had the same problem, is very annoying, is worse than Windows

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  22. Anyone else have VERY slow Safari loading…

    Jun 3, 2023 1:17 PM in response to acevedotom. Apple doesn't need to fix anything as the rest us are not seeing slowdowns. Try restart gin your iPhone first. Then try deleting cookies, cache, history on Safari. If Safari isn't loading websites or quits on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support. ms_julie.

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