iphone safari extensions greyed out

How to use Safari extensions on your iPhone and iPad

Along with some extensions to try.

By Barbara Krasnoff , a reviews editor who manages how-tos. She’s worked as an editor and writer for almost 40 years. Previously, she was a senior reviews editor for Computerworld.

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One of the handiest types of software in anyone’s quiver is the browser extension: those cool little applets that let your browser do what you want it to do. And one of the nicest things about iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 is that you can now add extensions to the Safari browser. Even though this is a new feature that launched with the latest iOS version, there are already a number of useful extensions available for you to add.

What follows is a rundown on how to add extensions to your Safari app — while we’ve illustrated the process using an iPhone, you can follow the same basic directions with an iPad. We’ve also included a sampling of some extensions you can try.

How to add extensions

• Tap on the Settings app.
• Scroll down to and select Safari > Extensions.
• Any extensions that you’ve already installed will be listed here. Tap on “More Extensions” if you’d like to see what’s available in the App Store. (You can also simply go to the App Store and search on “Safari Extensions.”)

• Once you’ve installed your first extension, you’ll see a little “puzzle piece” icon on the left side of Safari’s address bar. Tap that, and the menu that pops up will include your current extensions plus a “Manage Extensions” selection, which lets you toggle your extensions on and off.

Some extensions to try

This is a small sampling of some of the extensions that you can now access via the App Store. While there are not many extensions yet available (compared to the number of extensions for, say, Chrome), it’s a pretty safe bet that there will be lots more to come over the next few months.

Amplosion ($2.99)

AMP, which is short for “Accelerated Mobile Pages,” is a web format created by Google to optimize search results for mobile browsers. However, if you’d rather not have Google tweaking the webpages you upload, you can use Amplosion to redirect the AMP links that show up in search results into normal mobile links.

Noir ($2.99)

When you’re browsing at night and you’ve set your iPhone or iPad to dark mode, you will often hit a website that is bright enough to make your eyes water. Noir allows you to set a dark mode for all the websites you visit.

1Password (subscription needed)

1Password is a well-known and respected password manager . If you’re a 1Password user, there’s no question that you’re going to want to add this one to your mobile Safari app.

Super Agent for Safari (free)

This handy extension automatically fills out a website’s cookie consent forms based on your preferences, which can save you a lot of time and irritation.

Web Inspector (free)

Something for developers: an app that lets you inspect the HTML coding of a website, modify it, debug it, and perform other essential tasks.

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Finally, You Can Install Safari Extensions on iPhone With iOS 15: Here's How

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Apple made some big changes to Safari with its new iOS 15 software update. The default iPhone browser not only received a much-needed visual overhaul, but it also got some significant new features. If you're a Mac user, you're probably familiar with Safari extensions already. Well, extensions are finally making their way to the iPhone and iPad.

You can now install third-party extensions to enhance your web browsing experience in Safari. Apple has made a dedicated store to help you find new extensions, too.

Here, we'll look at how you can install and use Safari extensions on your iPhone running iOS 15.

What Are Safari Extensions?

Safari extensions are like little apps that only work inside the web browser on your iPhone. Extensions can help you unlock new features that aren't natively available in Safari. For example, you can use extensions to block content, get rid of ads, enhance security, autofill passwords, and so on.

Related: Are Browser Extensions Really Safe?

How to Install Safari Extensions on an iPhone

As we mentioned earlier, extensions are a feature Apple introduced alongside iOS 15. So, you need to make sure your iPhone or iPad is updated to find and install extensions for Safari. Unlike Safari for Mac, you cannot access the extensions store directly from the browser. Instead, you need to follow these steps:

• Head over to Settings on your iPhone or iPad.
• In this menu, scroll down and select Safari , located along with the list of apps.
• Since you don't have any extensions installed just yet, you'll see an empty page. Simply tap on More Extensions .
• Doing this will launch the Safari Extensions Store on your iPhone.

Your extension will install just like any other standalone iOS app. But don't worry, we'll guide you on how to use it properly. As well as this method, you can also find and install Safari extensions using the search field in the App Store.

How to Use Safari Extensions on an iPhone

Any Safari extensions you just installed on your iPhone are disabled by default. You'll need to manually enable each extension from the Safari Extensions menu before you can use it within the browser. Also, depending on the extension you installed, you may need to launch the extension app to configure its settings.

Let's take a look at this process, step by step:

• Head back to Settings > Safari > Extensions .
• Here, you'll see the extension you just installed. Simply use the toggle to enable it.
• Next, open Safari on your device and visit the webpage where you want to use the extension.
• Tap the share icon to bring up the iOS share sheet.

At the moment, the Safari Extensions Store is full of content blockers, and some of these extensions don't display menu items in the iOS share sheet. In such cases, you can use the standalone app for each extension to configure it to your liking.

Related: How to Customize the Share Menu on Your iPhone

Safari Extensions Open a World of Possibilities

We've waited years for extension support in Safari on the iPhone. While you only have a limited selection of extensions on the App Store at the moment, this is the beginning of something big.

As more developers hop on board to expand the library, you'll have many more extensions to choose from. Just look at the Safari Extensions Store on the Mac, for example.

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How to use Safari extensions in iOS 15

Safari gains extensions in iOS 15

Last updated 3 years ago

You only notice web browser extensions when you haven't got them. Safari's always lagged behind Chrome, the king of unnecessary extensions, but it has been catching up on the Mac . And now it could do on iOS 15 , too.

Safari on iOS 15 has support for extensions that change how the browser works, or adds extra functionality to it. The browser has extension support, Apple has made it mostly easy to add in extensions you want, everything should be fine.

And everything probably will be fine when iOS 15 has officially been out for a time and developers have done their work. Right now, the process for installing extensions is clear, but all you can get are ad and content blockers. That's fine, but you could use those before.

It's confusing how Apple surfaces them as extensions when it then says they're not, too. But once we can do this for real, you're going to be diving in to set up extensions from third0party developers.

How to install Safari extensions in iOS 15

• Open Settings
• Scroll down to Safari and tap
• Under the General heading, tap Extensions
• Tap More Extensions
• Follow the App Store prompts to find and install apps with extensions
• When the apps are installed, return to this Settings page and turn on the extension

When you first go into this area of Settings , iOS says that you have No Extensions Installed . After you've been through this process and got some, it will still say No Extensions Installed — even as it lists the ones you've got.

That's down to this issue of there not really being any extensions available, even as the App Store says there are.

Whatever the nomenclature, and whether you add a content blocker now or a "proper" extension later, you've got a new tool that sits in Safari and does nothing until you want it to.

With Safari on the Mac, for instance, you can have price comparison extensions, or ones that spot when you're being asked to enter a discount code. They can then find discount codes for you and enter them.

That's doubtlessly going to come to iOS because it's to do with shopping, and no developer of a shopping app is going to ignore a market of a billion iPhone users.

How to stop or remove extensions

• Go back to Settings , Safari , Extensions
• Toggle the extension's setting to off, or
• From the home screen, delete the app that provides the extension

You're not likely to have to do this often. Even if iOS 15 somehow gains as many extensions as, say, Chrome, this is also something you just set up once.

What extensions may come

Apple is doing its best to encourage developers to provide extensions for Safari in iOS 15 and beyond. So far there hasn't been a tidal wave, but iOS 15 extensions have been made to work as much like macOS ones as possible.

In theory, then, it should be easy for developers to add extension functionality, to lend functionality from their app to Safari. There are signs that many key developers are going to do this, but we'll still have to see how it's taken up once iOS 15 is officially out.

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Safari 17 extensions are poof.... gone.

• Thread starter macintologist
• Start date Sep 30, 2023
• Sort by reaction score
• macOS Sonoma (14)

macintologist

Macrumors 6502a.

• Sep 30, 2023

I upgraded to Sonoma and all of my extensions in Safari disappeared. I cannot add any new extensions as well. When I open the Wipr app, it says to enable the extension in Safari but nothing is there. The left hand pane in the extensions window is completely empty.  

DinkThifferent

• Oct 1, 2023
• Extensions are turned off by default. Browser extensions can be turned on by going to Safari > Settings > Extensions and selecting the extension in the left column. Then in the main section, look for a setting checkbox for Allow in Private Browsing and check the box.

Like I said. Poof. Gone.  

Attachments

And this is Safari Technology Preview. All the extensions are there.  

• Oct 2, 2023

Hmm that’s weird indeed. Sorry I have no idea.  

macrumors regular

Bash: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -f -R /Applications/Safari.app Pasting that into terminal should re-register the extensions  

KibJ said: Bash: /System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -f -R /Applications/Safari.app Pasting that into terminal should re-register the extensions Click to expand...

default 20:29:17.314034-0400 lsregister lsregister (args: <private>) started with UID: 501, EUID: 501 default 20:29:17.314613-0400 lsregister [0x139a04e50] activating connection: mach=true listener=false peer=false name=com.apple.lsd.mapdb default 20:29:17.320092-0400 lsregister bundle 0xd9c being forced to re-register default 20:29:17.320753-0400 lsregister [0x6000024a40f0] activating connection: mach=true listener=false peer=false name=com.apple.cfprefsd.daemon default 20:29:17.322134-0400 lsregister [0x6000024bc000] activating connection: mach=true listener=false peer=false name=com.apple.cfprefsd.agent default 20:29:17.325495-0400 lsregister bundle 0xd9c being forced to re-register default 20:29:17.326822-0400 lsregister [0x139a07840] activating connection: mach=true listener=false peer=false name=com.apple.lsd.modifydb default 20:29:17.358942-0400 lsregister NotifyToken::RegisterDispatch(user.uid.501.com.apple.LaunchServices.database) fired for session key <private> error 20:29:17.600225-0400 lsregister Failed to get unit 3488 from store <private>  

• Oct 3, 2023

DinkThifferent said: Hmm that’s weird indeed. Sorry I have no idea. Click to expand...

Steve Ballmer

Macrumors 6502.

macintologist said: I upgraded to Sonoma and all of my extensions in Safari disappeared. I cannot add any new extensions as well. When I open the Wipr app, it says to enable the extension in Safari but nothing is there. The left hand pane in the extensions window is completely empty. Click to expand...

Steve Ballmer said: As an aside, how do you like Wipr? Right now I'm using a combination of AdBlock and AdGuard, but even combined they don't remove all ads. Click to expand...

If 1Blocker extensions appear greyed out in Settings > Safari > Extensions, it seems that you have some restrictions enabled on your iPhone.

No worries, you can manage them easily, and here's how to do it:

Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions (enter your passcode if required).

Scroll down to the Content Restrictions section.

In Content Restrictions, go to Web Content . You'll need to set it to Unrestricted Access in order to activate 1Blocker. Alternatively, you can just turn Content & Privacy Restrictions off.

You should now be able to turn on 1Blocker extensions in Settings > Safari > Content Blockers .

If you can’t turn on extensions in Safari for Mac

Learn what to do if you can't select the checkbox to turn on an extension in Safari settings on your Mac.

Starting with macOS Catalina, your Mac includes a security feature designed to prevent malicious software from tricking you into turning on a Safari extension. In some cases, this feature is affected by the use of legitimate software that has certain screen-recording or accessibility features. If that happens:

You might see a message that Safari detected an app or service interfering with clicking.

You might be unable to turn on Safari extensions in Safari settings. You can deselect the checkbox to turn off an extension, but you can't select the checkbox to turn it on.

To resolve, install the latest Apple software updates , then try again. After updating your software, if you still can't turn on extensions in Safari for Mac:

Start your Mac in safe mode .

Open Safari and turn on any Safari extensions that you want to use.

Restart your Mac.

General information about how to use Safari extensions is available for Mac and for iPhone and for iPad .

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Find what’s been asked and answered by Apple customers.

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Need more help? Save time by starting your support request online and we'll connect you to an expert.

How to Disable a Safari Extension on an iPhone in iOS 17

Disabling a Safari extension on an iPhone running iOS 17 is straightforward. Simply open your Settings app, tap on Safari, choose Extensions, and then toggle off the extension you wish to disable.

After you complete the action, the Safari extension will no longer function or have access to your browsing data on your iPhone until you choose to enable it again.

You can also check out this video about how to disable a Safari extension on an iPhone for more info.

Introduction

We’ve all been there, enjoying the slick Safari browser on our iPhones, and then a new iOS update rolls out. Boom! iOS 17 hits the ground, and with it, the lure of new Safari extensions. These nifty tools can enhance browsing efficiency, block ads, manage passwords, and more. But sometimes, an extension might not play nice. It could slow down your browsing, clash with other apps, or you just might not need it anymore. So, what’s the fix?

The ability to manage these extensions is crucial, not just for your iPhone’s performance but also for your online safety and privacy. If you’re a student, professional, or any iPhone user who browses the web, understanding how to disable an unwanted or troublesome Safari extension is vital. Let’s walk through the hows and whys of taming those Safari extensions, ensuring your browser is as agile and secure as it can be.

Related: Can I Get Rid of Frequently Visited in Safari on iPhone?

A Step by Step Tutorial

Before we dive in, it’s good to know that by following these steps, you’ll prevent the extension from running in the background of your Safari browser, which can help with performance issues and protect your privacy.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.

Open the Settings app from your iPhone’s home screen.

This is where the magic happens for tweaking most aspects of your iPhone’s behavior, including the management of Safari extensions.

Step 2: Scroll down and tap on Safari.

Locate the Safari settings to adjust your browser’s configurations.

Safari settings are your gateway to modifying anything related to your web browsing experience.

Step 3: Choose the ‘Extensions’ option.

Find and select the Extensions menu to see a list of all installed extensions.

Here you’ll see all the extensions you’ve added to Safari, whether for productivity, security, or other purposes.

Step 4: Toggle off the extension you wish to disable.

Use the toggle switch next to the extension’s name to turn it off.

The toggle switch is your control knob for each extension—flipping it will effectively power down the extension.

The benefits of managing your Safari extensions can impact everything from your iPhone’s performance to your online safety.

Benefit 1: Improved Browser Performance

Disabling unnecessary extensions can speed up your browsing experience.

Each extension runs processes in the background which can slow down your browser. Turning off those you don’t need can make Safari faster and more efficient.

Benefit 2: Enhanced Privacy and Security

With fewer extensions, there’s less risk of data breaches or privacy intrusions.

Extensions have varying levels of access to your browsing data. Disabling them reduces the risk of your information being misused.

Benefit 3: Decreased Battery Drain

Extensions can consume battery life, so turning them off can extend your iPhone’s battery duration.

Every little bit of processing power saved means your battery lasts that bit longer, which can be crucial when you’re on the go.

However, there are some drawbacks to consider when disabling Safari extensions.

Drawback 1: Loss of Functionality

You may miss out on useful features that extensions provide.

Extensions can offer powerful tools that enhance your browsing, and disabling them means you won’t have access to these features.

Drawback 2: Inconvenience of Re-enabling

If you want to use the extension again, you’ll have to go back and toggle it on manually.

It’s a minor hassle, but still something to keep in mind if you toggle extensions on and off frequently.

Drawback 3: Potential Dependency on Extensions

Some websites or tasks may rely on certain extensions, which can cause issues if they are disabled.

For those who have integrated extensions deeply into their browsing habits, disabling one might disrupt the workflow.

Video About Disabling an Extension

Additional Information

Managing extensions isn’t just about flipping a switch on and off. It’s about understanding the balance between functionality and performance. For instance, some extensions are designed to work in the background, silently protecting you from security threats or organizing your passwords. Weighing their importance against the resources they consume is a personal decision.

It’s also worth noting that not all extensions are created equal. Some are designed to be lightweight and have minimal impact on your browsing speed or battery life. Others, especially poorly coded ones, can be a drain. It’s always a good idea to periodically review the extensions you’ve installed and remove those that are no longer useful or relevant.

Moreover, it’s crucial to keep your extensions updated. Developers frequently release updates to patch security vulnerabilities and improve performance. Ensure that automatic updates are enabled for your Safari extensions, or regularly check for updates manually.

• Open Settings.
• Tap Safari.
• Select Extensions.
• Toggle off the desired extension.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do i know which extensions to disable.

Consider disabling extensions that you don’t frequently use, that slow down your browsing, or that request more data access than you’re comfortable with.

Can disabling extensions affect website functionality?

Yes, some websites may rely on certain extensions for full functionality, such as those that manage passwords or block content.

Will disabling an extension remove it from my iPhone?

No, disabling only turns off the extension. To remove it completely, you would need to uninstall it from the Extensions menu.

Can I disable all Safari extensions at once?

As of now, you must toggle each extension individually. There is no option to disable all at once.

If I disable an extension, will my settings for that extension be lost?

Typically, settings are preserved even when an extension is disabled, so you won’t have to reconfigure it if you enable it again later.

Understanding how to disable Safari extensions on your iPhone is more than a quick tech tip; it’s a necessary step towards curating a browser experience that’s tailored to your needs, secure, and efficient. It’s a simple process that can yield significant benefits, from better performance to improved battery life and enhanced privacy. Whether you’re troubleshooting, decluttering, or protecting your digital footprint, managing your Safari extensions is a fundamental aspect of modern iPhone ownership.

Make it a habit to review and manage your extensions regularly, and you’ll ensure that your browsing experience remains optimal. And remember, the power is quite literally at your fingertips—through a few taps in the Settings app, you have full control over the tools that shape your online world.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

Read his full bio here.

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Fix disabled Safari Extensions

Ios / ipados / macos.

If Safari extensions appear greyed out: 1. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions. 2. Either turn off these restrictions or continue to the next step. 3. Navigate to Content Restrictions > Web Content and select Unrestricted Access.

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Safari Extensions greyed out

iPad, iPadOS 17

Posted on Jul 26, 2023 5:59 AM

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