safari running slow on mac 2022

How to Speed up Safari on Your Mac

In this article you will find the following:

Safari is the fastest browser on the Mac, but it isn't immune from slowdowns and performance issues. If web pages take longer to load or site navigation doesn't feel responsive, read on to learn how to speed up Safari on Mac.

• How to speed up Safari on Mac

Is Safari running slow on your MacBook, iMac, or Mac mini? Connectivity issues, unoptimized extensions, cache corruption, and a host of other reasons often cause that. Try the suggestions in our guide to get Safari running smoothly on Mac again.

Before you start   If you want to speed up Safari on Mac quickly, download MacKeeper . It's an Apple-notarized maintenance utility that helps prevent browser slowdowns and other Mac-related issues.     MacKeeper lets you free up the RAM, delete unwanted Safari extensions, get rid of junk files, and more with considerably less hassle than manual maintenance. You get one fix for free, so don't hesitate to check if it works for you.

Check if your internet's slow

If webpages in Safari take too long to load or fail, it's a good idea to begin by figuring out if it's just a matter of your internet being slow. The best way to do that is to use an online speed checker like Fast.com or SpeedTest.net .

Restart your router if you find that your internet isn't uploading or downloading at a decent rate. If that doesn't speed it up, learn what else you can do to fix a slow internet connection on Mac .

Also, don't discount server-side issues. If the problem is limited to a specific site, use a website monitoring tool such as Downdetector to determine if you're dealing with a server outage.

• Close unnecessary tabs in Safari

Although Safari is adept at handling dozens of tabs, having too many open simultaneously will eventually take its toll on your Mac's memory. That creates delays while loading new pages, and the performance hit could also result in erratic browser behavior.

The quickest way to speed up Safari on Mac is to shut down unnecessary tabs as soon as you notice any slowdowns. Getting used to moving between and closing tabs using the Ctrl + Tab and Command + W keyboard shortcuts can make the process even faster.

• Shut down apps and resource-intensive processes

Tabs aside, Safari will run slowly on the Mac if you have too many applications open. Check your Mac's Dock and quit anything you aren't actively using. Try force-quitting troublesome programs if you can't close them normally.

On the other hand, various apps and related processes can spin out of control and consume too much processing power and memory. Use the Activity Monitor to locate and stop them.

• Open the Launchpad and select Other > Activity Monitor
• Sort your Mac's activity using the % CPU column and shut down any third-party processes that use a significant amount of CPU
• Switch to the Memory tab and stop third-party items that use lots of RAM.

If you always end up pushing the hardware on your Mac to its limits, consider using MacKeeper's Memory Cleaner feature to keep things under control.

• Disable unnecessary Safari extensions

Running Safari with multiple extensions increases the load on the CPU and RAM. That translates to slower browser performance, so review your list of browser add-ons and disable any items you don't regularly use.

• Open Safari and select Safari > Preferences on the menu bar
• Switch to the Extensions tab
• Clear the boxes next to any extensions you want to disable.

Our team highly recommends you update Safari extensions periodically via the Mac's App Store to ensure they run in top shape. If you notice anything suspicious, learn how to remove malicious browser extensions and toolbars from your Mac.

• Switch DNS servers for Wi-Fi and Ethernet

DNS (short for Domain Name System) is a cataloging system that matches domain names with IP addresses. Not all DNS providers are fast, so changing your Wi-Fi or Ethernet's DNS settings to a popular service like Google DNS can speed up Safari on Mac. For best results, clear the DNS cache on your Mac before you begin .

• Open the Apple menu and select System Preferences
• Select the Network category
• Select Wi-Fi/Ethernet > Advanced
• Switch to the DNS tab
• Select OK > Apply to save your changes.
• Clear the Safari cache and cookies

Like most web browsers, Safari caches various forms of site data — images, HTML files, and JavaScript code — to improve load times in subsequent visits. However, a bloated or corrupt cache can adversely impact performance and result in Safari running slow on the Mac. You can clear the Safari cache after activating its hidden Develop menu .

• Switch to the Advanced tab and check the box next to Show Develop menu in menu bar
• Select Develop on the menu bar and pick the Empty Caches option.

Corrupt, outdated, or privacy-invasive browser cookies can also slow down Safari. If deleting the Safari cache didn't make much difference, try deleting its cookies next.

• Select Safari > Clear History on the menu bar
• Set Clear to All history
• Select Clear .

Update the Safari browser

Safari receives occasional bug fixes and performance enhancements from Apple, and these arrive alongside regular macOS updates .  

To update your Mac:

• Select Software Update
• Wait until the Software Update tool checks for newer macOS updates and select Update Now to install any pending updates.

Even if a new macOS update doesn't include anything Safari-related, installing it will still improve general performance across native apps. Make it a point to install macOS updates as soon as possible.

• Reset Safari to factory defaults

Corrupt browser preferences and other underlying issues can also play a factor, so sometimes, the only way to fix a slow instance of Safari on Mac is to reset it to factory defaults.

A Safari reset deactivates all extensions and reverts each browser setting to its defaults, allowing you to start over with a clean slate. You will not lose your bookmarks or passwords during the process.

• Save your work and exit Safari
• Open Finder, select Go > Go to Folder on the menu bar, and visit the ~/Library/Preferences/ directory
• Search for com.apple.Safari.plist file and delete it
• Reopen the Go to Folder box and visit ~/Library/Safari/ . Then, delete each item within the folder except the Bookmarks.plist file
• Visit ~/Library/Containers/ , search for Safari, and delete all files and folders that appear among the search results
• Open Safari and visit its Preferences pane to reactivate any essential extensions. Also, move between tabs and modify your browser settings the way you want.
• Boot your Mac into Safe Mode

If none of the fixes above help speed up Safari, try booting your Mac into and out of Safe Mode. That helps flush out various forms of temporary data that can interfere with Apple's browser.

On an Intel Mac, you can get to Safe Mode while holding down the Shift key during the reboot phase. However, if you use an Apple Silicon Mac, you should:

• Shut down your Mac
• Turn it on but keep holding the Power button until you get to the Startup Options screen
• Hold the Shift key and select Macintosh HD > Safe Mode .

In Safe Mode, repeat the fixes above if you could not complete them earlier. Then, restart your Mac normally. To delete additional forms of temporary data that can slow down Safari, learn how to delete your Mac's application and system caches .

• Full steam ahead

Keeping Safari in top shape is crucial for a great web browsing experience. Avoiding too many open tabs, shutting down unwanted apps and processes, and cutting down on the number of active extensions can go a long way toward making that happen. Occasionally clearing the Safari cache and keeping your Mac up-to-date will significantly minimize browser slowdowns and other issues. If manual Mac maintenance feels like a drag, don't forget to download MacKeeper .

• How to Clear Cookies on Mac in Safari, Chrome & Firefox
• How to Easily Remove Bookmarks on Mac
• How to Clear Purgeable Space on Mac

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• Check if your internet's slow

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Why Is Safari Running Slow on Mac? 15 Ways to Fix

Hashir Ibrahim

Reviewed by

Last updated: September 25, 2023

Expert verified

Safari may run slowly on Mac due to opening too many tabs, using too many extensions, cache build-up, outdated Safari version, outdated macOS, slow internet connection, hardware limitations, and malware or adware.

Fixing these issues through updating software, managing tabs, clearing cache, and removing unnecessary extensions can improve Safari’s speed and performance on a Mac.

• Managing open tabs and removing unnecessary extensions can free up valuable resources and enhance Safari’s performance.
• Regularly updating Safari and macOS ensures optimal compatibility and access to performance improvements.
• Clearing accumulated cache, cookies, and browsing history can give Safari a fresh start and improve loading times.
• Advanced solutions like switching DNS providers and booting in Safe Mode can address more complex issues affecting Safari’s speed.

Ever found yourself drumming your fingers in frustration as Safari lags on your Mac? A slow browser can turn even the most basic online tasks into a tedious affair.

If Safari is running slow on your Mac, I’ve got your back. Dive into this guide to uncover the mysteries behind Safari running slow on Mac and explore practical solutions to get you back in the fast lane. Ready to turbocharge your browsing experience? Let’s get started!

Before We Begin

If you want to make Safari run faster on your Mac, download MacKeeper. This tool clears up RAM, removes unnecessary Safari extensions, deletes unneeded files, and more. All these features help speed up a slow-running Safari.

Why Is Safari Running Slow on Mac?

Safari running slow on Mac can be due to various reasons. Below, I’ve shared the most common reasons for Safari’s sluggishness on your Mac:

• 🖥️ Too Many Tabs or Windows Open : Having numerous tabs or windows open can consume a lot of memory and slow down Safari.
• 🧩 Heavy Use of Extensions : Some Safari extensions can use a lot of resources, causing the browser to slow down.
• 🍪 Cache and Browsing Data : Accumulated cache, cookies, and browsing history can impact Safari’s performance.
• ⌛ Outdated Safari Version : Running an outdated version of Safari can lead to performance issues.
• 🍎 Outdated macOS : An outdated operating system can cause compatibility issues and slow down Safari.
• 🌐 Internet Connection Issues : An unstable or slow internet connection on Mac can affect browsing speed.
• 💻 Hardware Limitations : Older Mac models with limited RAM and processing power may struggle to run Safari efficiently.
• 🦠 Malware or Adware : Malicious software can significantly degrade the performance of Safari.

Addressing these issues through updating software, managing tabs, clearing cache, and removing unnecessary extensions can improve Safari’s speed and performance on a Mac.

How to Fix Safari Running Slow on Mac

A sluggish Safari on your Mac can be quite a bottleneck, especially during important online tasks. The good news is, there’s no need to let a slow browser rain on your parade. In this section, I’ll walk you through various solutions to bring Safari back to its optimal speed.

Let’s dive into the nitty-gritty of boosting your Safari browser’s performance on your Mac.

1. Check Your Internet Speed

Before diving into more complex solutions, ensuring that your internet connection isn’t the culprit behind Safari’s sluggishness is essential. A slow or unstable internet connection can significantly impact your browsing experience.

To test your internet connection, follow these steps:

• Open Safari on your Mac.

• Navigate to an online speed test tool like Speedtest.net .
• Click the Go button to start the test.

• This will give you an idea of your current internet speed.
• Pay attention to the download and upload speeds. If they are significantly lower than what your Internet plan promises, there might be an issue with your connection.
• If your internet speed is slow, reset your router. Unplug it from the power source, wait 30 seconds, and plug it back in. Wait for it to restart and retest your internet speed.
• If resetting doesn’t help, try moving closer to the router or removing any obstacles interfering with the signal.
• If the above steps don’t improve your internet speed, it might be time to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for further assistance.

2. Force Close and Relaunch Safari

At times, Safari or any of its tabs might encounter errors or issues that consume excessive system resources, leading to slowdowns. Force closing and re-launching Safari can terminate these problematic processes and give the browser a fresh start.

Here’s how to force quit Safari and relaunch it on your Mac:

• Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select Force Quit from the drop-down menu.

• In the new window, select Safari and click the Force Quit button.

• Click Force Quit on the pop-up.

• After force-closing Safari, wait for a few moments to let the system properly terminate all processes related to the browser.
• Find the Safari icon in your Dock and click it to re-launch the browser.
• Check if the performance has improved.

3. Close Unwanted Tabs

Each open tab in Safari consumes your Mac’s memory and processing power. Having multiple tabs open, especially those with heavy content or active scripts, can significantly slow down the browser and even the entire system.

Closing unnecessary tabs can free up valuable resources and enhance Safari’s performance. Here’s how to go about it:

• Take a look at all the tabs you have open in Safari. Identify which ones are not currently needed or are consuming significant resources.
• Click the small x icon on the left of each tab you wish to close.

• Alternatively, you can close an active tab using a Mac keyboard shortcut : Command ⌘ + W .

• You can also right-click a tab and select Close Tab from the context menu.
• After closing unwanted tabs, check if Safari’s performance has improved.

4. Clear Safari History

Over time, Safari accumulates a history of the websites you’ve visited, cached files, and cookies. While these elements are designed to speed up page loading times, they can also clutter your browser and consume system resources, leading to slowdowns.

Clearing your browsing history can give Safari a fresh start and potentially improve its performance. Here’s how to delete Safari’s history on Mac :

• If not already open, launch the Safari browser on your Mac.
• Click the Safari menu item at the top left of your screen. From the drop-down menu, select Settings .

• Select the Advanced tab and check the box next to the Show Develop menu in menu bar if it is unchecked.

• Return to the menu bar, click Develop , and select Empty Caches from this drop-down list.

• After clearing the history, navigate through various websites to check if there is an improvement in Safari’s speed and responsiveness.

5. Clear Safari Cache and Cookies

The cache stores temporary files from websites to help pages load faster in future visits, while cookies save small pieces of information like login details. Over time, these stored files can accumulate and cause Safari to slow down.

Clearing the browser cache on your Mac can free up storage and improve browser speed. Here’s how to clear Safari cache on your Mac :

• Launch Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar, then select Settings from the drop-down menu.
• In the Settings window, select the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data .

• A new window will open, showing a list of websites storing data.
• Click Remove All to clear all cookies and cached data. Confirm the action when prompted.

• After completing these steps, browse through different websites and assess whether Safari’s performance has improved.

6. Delete Unwanted Extensions

Extensions are additional features or functionalities added to Safari to enhance user experience. However, some extensions can be resource-intensive, causing the browser to slow down. Removing unnecessary or problematic extensions can help in optimizing Safari’s speed.

Here’s how you can delete unwanted extensions on Mac :

• Open Safari on your Mac, click the Safari menu in the menu bar and select Settings .
• Click the Extensions tab to view all the installed extensions.

• Find the extension you want to remove and click it.

• Click the Uninstall button to confirm that you want to remove the extension.

Alternatively, you can use MacKeeper to remove unwanted extensions from Safari. Here are the steps to follow:

• Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
• Open MacKeeper and click the Smart Uninstaller option in the left sidebar.

• Click the Start Scan button to scan your computer for installed browser extensions.

• Once the scan is complete, click Browser Extensions in the left sidebar and locate the extension you want to remove from the list.

• Click the checkbox next to the extension you want to remove and tap Remove Selected .

• Confirm the action by clicking the Remove button in the confirmation dialog box.

• Wait for the uninstallation process to complete.
• Restart your browser to ensure the extension has been completely removed.

7. Disable Search Engine Suggestions

Search engine suggestions are generated in real-time as you type into the search bar, which can sometimes slow down Safari, especially on slower internet connections or older Mac models. Disabling this feature can reduce the load on Safari and potentially improve its speed.

Here’s how you can disable search engine suggestions on Safari:

• Launch Safari, click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings from the drop-down menu.
• In the Settings window, click the Search tab.
• Uncheck the box next to Include search engine suggestions to disable the feature.

• Close the Settings window and test Safari by typing into the search bar to see if there is an improvement in responsiveness.

8. Disable Autofill

Autofill automatically completes forms using stored information, which, while convenient, can sometimes cause Safari to lag, especially if there’s a lot of data stored. Disabling this feature can help Safari run more smoothly.

Here’s how you can disable Autofill on Safari:

• In the Settings window, click the Autofill tab.
• You will see several options for different types of information that Safari can autofill. Uncheck the boxes next to the types of information you don’t want Safari to autofill.

• After making the changes, close the window and restart Safari to apply the adjustments.
• With Autofill disabled, navigate to various websites with forms and assess whether there’s an improvement in Safari’s speed and responsiveness.

9. Update Safari

Running an outdated version of Safari can lead to performance issues, as updates often include optimizations and fixes for known bugs. Ensuring Safari is up-to-date can help resolve slowdowns and enhance browser stability.

Here’s how you can update Safari on Mac:

• Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen and select App Store from the drop-down menu.

• In the App Store, click the Updates tab to view available app updates.

• Scroll through the list of updates and look for Safari. If an update is available, it will be listed here.
• Click the Update button next to Safari to download and install the latest version.

• Once the update is complete, close and restart Safari to apply the changes.
• After updating Safari, navigate different websites and assess whether the browser’s performance has improved.

10. Disable DNS Prefetching

DNS prefetching is a feature that pre-resolves domain names before you click a link, aiming to improve page load times. However, this feature can cause Safari to slow down or become unresponsive on some networks. Disabling it can help alleviate these issues.

Here’s how you can disable DNS prefetching:

• Navigate to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Terminal to open the Terminal application on your Mac.

• In the Terminal window, type the following command and press Enter :

• Close open Safari windows and relaunch the browser to apply the changes.
• Navigate through various websites and evaluate whether disabling DNS prefetching has improved Safari’s speed and responsiveness.

11. Switch DNS Provider

The Domain Name System (DNS) translates website names to IP addresses. Sometimes, the default DNS servers provided by your ISP may be slow or overloaded, affecting your browsing speed. Switching to a faster, more reliable DNS provider can enhance your internet speed and Safari’s performance.

Here’s how you can switch your DNS provider:

• Click the Apple logo and select System Settings from the drop-down menu.

• In the System Settings window, click Network to access your network settings.

• In the Network settings window, click Wi-Fi and tap the Details button next to your active Internet connection.

• Click the DNS tab in the Advanced Settings window.

• Click the + button below the DNS Servers box.

• IPv4 addresses: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4
• IPv6 addresses (if your network supports it): 2001:4860:4860::8888 and 2001:4860:4860::8844
• If there are existing DNS servers listed, make sure the Google DNS addresses are at the top of the list. You can click and drag the entries to reorder them.
• Click the OK button in the DNS Servers window to save the changes.

• After switching the DNS provider, open Safari and browse through different websites to check if there’s an improvement in speed and responsiveness.

12. Kill Resource-intensive Processes

Some processes running on your Mac can consume a significant amount of system resources, affecting the overall performance of your computer and, consequently, Safari. Identifying and terminating these resource-intensive processes can free up system resources and improve Safari’s responsiveness.

Here’s how you can kill resource-intensive processes on your Mac :

• Open Activity Monitor by going to Finder > Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor .

• In Activity Monitor, you’ll see a list of active processes sorted by their usage of system resources such as CPU, Memory, Energy, Disk, Network, or Cache .
• Identify the background process you want to terminate by browsing the list or using the search box at the top-right corner.

• Select the process you want to terminate to highlight it, and click the X button in the top toolbar.

• Click the Quit button in the confirmation window to terminate the selected process.

Alternatively, you can use MacKeeper’s Memory Cleaner to free up RAM on your Mac and kill background processes. Here’s how:

• Open MacKeeper and click Memory Cleaner under the Performance tab.

• Click Open .

• Click Clean Memory .

• It will clean your Mac and free up available memory. You can see how much memory it freed under Last Cleanup .

13. Reset Safari to Factory Defaults

Resetting Safari to factory defaults will remove all your settings, history, bookmarks, and other data. It’s like starting fresh with Safari, which can be helpful if the browser’s performance is severely affected by configurations or corrupted data.

Here’s how you can reset Safari to factory defaults:

• Before resetting, backup your bookmarks, saved passwords, and any other important data from Safari.
• Navigate to the Extensions tab and uninstall all extensions.
• Then, go to the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data to remove all website data.
• Close Safari.
• Open Finder, click Go , and select Go to Folder .

• Type the following path and press Enter :

• Locate the file named com.apple.Safari.plist and move it to the Bin.

• Open Safari again. It should now be reset to its factory defaults.

14. Scan Your Mac for Virus

Malware and viruses can significantly degrade the performance of your Mac and affect Safari’s functionality. Running a thorough virus scan can identify and remove malicious software, potentially resolving any slowdowns in Safari.

Here’s how to run a virus scan on your Mac using MacKeeper:

• Download and install MacKeeper.
• Launch MacKeeper and navigate to the Antivirus tab in the left sidebar.

• Initiate an instant virus scan by clicking the Start Scan button.

• If any viruses are detected during the scan, click the Fix Items button to resolve the issues.
• If your system is threat-free, you’ll see a No threats found message. You can tap the Restart button to run the scan again.

• Enable real-time antivirus protection to safeguard your Mac from future threats by clicking the Enable button.

Once you have configured your security settings, MacKeeper will continue to operate in the background, diligently scanning for threats and actively blocking any malicious activity.

What Else Can MacKeeper Do?  

Besides removing browser extensions from Mac and scanning it for viruses, MacKeeper can remove junk files , uninstall applications , and optimize Mac storage . Check out my in-depth MacKeeper review to learn about all its features.

15. Boot Your Mac Into Safe Mode

Safe Mode starts your Mac in a basic state with only the essential system software. It checks for issues and deletes certain system caches, potentially resolving Safari’s performance problems.

Here’s how to boot your Mac in Safe Mode :

Apple Silicon Macs

• Click the Apple icon and choose Shut Down from the drop-down menu.

• Wait for your Mac to shut down completely, and press the Power button to turn it on.

• Keep holding the Power button until you see the Loading startup options screen.

• Select a volume from the options.

• Press and hold the Shift ⇧ key and click Continue in Safe Mode .

• Your Mac will restart automatically, and you will see Safe Boot in the menu bar when the login screen appears.

Intel-Based Macs

• Restart or turn on your Mac and press and hold the Shift ⇧ key immediately.
• Keep holding the Shift ⇧ key until you see the login screen.
• Release the Shift ⇧ key and log in to your Mac.
• You may be asked to log in again.
• You’ll see Safe Boot in the menu bar on your first or second login window.

Open Safari and navigate through various websites to assess whether the browser’s performance has improved in Safe Mode. After checking Safari’s performance, restart your Mac normally without holding any keys. This will exit Safe Mode.

Speed Up Safari on Your Mac

Navigating through a sluggish Safari can be a test of patience, but armed with the solutions outlined in this guide, you’re well-equipped to tackle any slowdowns head-on. To improve your Safai experience further, here are some more tips for you:

• If your Safari bookmarks disappeared on Mac , many ways exist to restore them without panicking.
• If you don’t want Safari to keep your browsing history, go incognito on a Mac in Safari browser .
• Some pop-ups can be a nuisance and slow down your browser. So, disable unnecessary pop-ups on Safari and improve its speed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will i lose important data by resetting safari to factory defaults.

Yes, you will lose data by resetting Safari to factory defaults. It erases all your settings, history, bookmarks, and saved passwords, so back up important data like bookmarks and passwords before resetting to avoid losing valuable information. After the reset, you can restore the backed-up data as needed.

Is it safe to switch to a different DNS provider?

Yes, it is safe to switch to a different DNS provider like Google DNS or OpenDNS. It can even improve your internet speed and security. However, it’s crucial to ensure the DNS addresses are correct and from a trustworthy source to avoid any connectivity or security issues.

How often should I scan my Mac for viruses to maintain Safari’s performance?

You should regularly scan your Mac for viruses to maintain Safari’s performance. Ideally, once a week or monthly is advisable, but the frequency can vary based on your internet habits, the websites you frequent, and the types of files you download. Regular scans detect and remove malicious software promptly.

I'm Hashir, a tech journalist with a decade of experience. My work has been featured in some of the top tech publications like MakeUseOf and MakeTechEasier. I have a bachelor's degree in IT, a master's in cybersecurity, and extensive knowledge of Apple hardware, specifically MacBooks. As the senior writer at MacBook Journal, I write in depth guides that help you solve any issues you have with your mac and unbiased reviews that help you make the right buying decisions.

Hi there! I'm Ojash, a tech journalist with over a decade of experience in the industry. I've had the privilege of contributing to some of the world's largest tech publications, making my mark as a respected Mac expert. My passion lies in exploring, using, and writing about MacBooks, and I enjoy sharing my expertise to help others make informed decisions and get the most out of their MacBook experience. Join me as we delve into the fascinating world of MacBooks together!

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10 Fixes When Safari Running Slow on Your Mac

Apple touts Safari as the fastest browser out there, which may be true on iOS, but I regularly use Chrome on my Mac because Safari is just too slow. Sometimes a webpage won’t load or I won’t be able to navigate back and forth between pages or I can’t scroll without lagging.

It’s extremely frustrating considering Safari comes included with OS X and you expect it to just work. When it does, it’s a great browser, but when it doesn’t, you literally have to switch to a new browser.

In this article, I’ll mention all possible ways you can go about trying to speed up Safari on your Mac. If you have your own suggestions, feel free to let us know in the comments.

Also, be sure to check out our YouTube video where we cover a couple of other possible reasons for slow Internet that may have nothing to do with Safari:

Method 1 – Cache, History, Extensions

If you’re a heavy web user and you don’t have a lot of space left on your Mac, it might be worth emptying the cache, disabling extensions, and clearing up the history to ease the load on Safari. In order to do this, you first have to go to Safari and then Preferences .

Click on the Advanced tab and then check the Show Develop menu in menu bar box at the bottom of the dialog.

Exit the Preferences dialog and click on Develop in the Safari menu. Go ahead and click on Empty Caches . Once the cache is empty, click again on Develop and choose Disable Extensions .

Finally, click on Safari and instead of Preferences like we chose above, click on Clear History .

In the drop-down box, make sure to choose all history and then click the Clear History button.

Method 2 – Manually Clear Cache.DB File

The above steps should clear the cache in Safari, but if something is not working properly, it may not do so properly. In this case, you can manually do it. Open Finder, then click on Go and Go To Folder at the bottom.

Now copy and paste the following path into the text box and click Go .

Finally, right-click on the Cache.db  file and choose Move to Trash . Make sure Safari is closed when you are doing this step.

Method 3 – Install Latest OS X Version

I’ve noticed that quite a few people who purchase Macs simply do not update their systems to the latest version of OS X. Even though we are on El Capitan right now, I have friends running on Mountain Lion, Mavericks, Yosemite, and even Snow Leopard!

If you don’t update OS X, you won’t get the latest version of Safari either. This means you could be stuck several versions behind and will be missing out on all the improvements and optimizations of the newest version.

The simplest way to upgrade is to go to the App Store and click on the link for the latest version of OS X, which is usually on the right-hand side.

Method 4 – Turn Dashboard Off

If you’re still using an older Mac (2010 or earlier), you might have a graphics card issue. You can try something simple to see if it helps in Safari. I’m talking about disabling the Dashboard feature in Mission Control.

To do this, open System Preferences and then click on Mission Control. In the drop-down next to Dashboard , select Off .

This is not some surefire fix, but it has worked for some people, including myself. I have a Mid-2009 MacBook Pro and the dashboard was definitely slowing things down.

Method 5 – Change Search Settings

Another thing you can try is to change the search settings in Safari. Open Preferences  in Safari and then click on the Search tab.

Try changing the search engine to Bing, restarting Safari, and see if there is any difference in the speed. Change it back to Google and then check again. You can also try unchecking all the options like search engine suggestions, Safari suggestions, a quick website search, preload top hit, etc. to see if that makes a difference.

Sometimes on a very slow Internet connection, all of these extra features may cause Safari to be even slower.

Method 6 – Change Network Service Order

If you have a machine that is connected to both WiFi and Ethernet, your issue could be caused by being connected to the network in two different ways. To see your connections, go to System Preferences and then click on Network .

You could try disconnecting one network source and seeing if that makes a difference or not. Switch to only the other one and test too. If you want to keep both connected, read on.

By default, one connection will get priority over the other. As you can see above, my WiFi connection was getting higher priority than the Ethernet connection. You can change this by clicking on the little settings icon (gear) at the bottom of the list box.

Click on Set Service Order and another popup will appear where you can reorder the connections by dragging and dropping.

I moved Ethernet to the top and then clicked OK. After that, make sure you click Apply to on the System Preferences dialog.

Method 7 – Delete Preferences File

This probably won’t make much of a difference, but it’s worth a shot. Go to Finder , click on Go and then Go to Folder .  Type in the following path:

Scroll down the list till you see com.apple.Safari.plist and delete that file.

Method 8 – Use Different DNS Settings

Sometimes it may not be Safari causing the issue, but your DNS settings. By default, you’ll be using the DNS provided by your ISP, which is fine most of the time. However, using a public DNS might result in faster browsing.

My favorite is Google Public DNS, which I use on all my computers. Check out my article on the best public DNS servers you can use for free.  To change the DNS server for your connection on OS X, you need to open System Preferences , click on Network , select the connection and then click on Advanced .

Go ahead and click on the little + icon and then type in the IP addresses of the new DNS servers. Using Google has sped up my browsing not only in Safari, but also in other browsers.

Method 9 – Log Into Another Account

Sometimes the problem is with the user account you are currently using. It’s worth creating another user account (takes 1 min), logging into that account, and then running Safari. If it’s suddenly faster, then there is a problem with your user account. You can try to fix the problem by using Disk Utility. You can go to Spotlight and type in Disk Utility to open the dialog quickly.

Click on your hard drive in the left-hand pane and then click on the First Aid tab. You’ll be asked if you want to run First Aid on your hard drive, so click Run .

Method 10 – Reinstall OS X

This may sound a little extreme, but it’s kind of similar to how you have to reinstall Windows every year or so because it becomes so bloated. Unfortunately, OS X suffers from some of the same issues, especially if you have always kept upgrading to the latest version of OS X without doing a clean install.

I upgraded from Mountain Lion to Mavericks to Yosemite to El Capitan before doing a fresh install of El Capitan, which made things significantly faster. It’s definitely worth a shot because it also made every other app load a lot faster too.

Those are about all the possible solutions I could find to fix a slow Safari problem. If you have any other suggestions, feel free to let us know in the comments. Enjoy!

Founder of Switching to Mac and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications. Read Aseem's Full Bio

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Why is Safari so Slow? 8 Possible Causes & Fixes

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Experiencing Safari slowdowns on your Mac? Whether it’s loading issues or post-Monterey update sluggishness, these common glitches can be frustrating. In this guide, we’ll explore why Safari is lagging and provide solutions for a smoother browsing experience.

Note: if Safari is not just slow, but keeps freezing and crashing, read this post instead for more troubleshooting tips.

Key Takeaways:

• Clear Cache: Overloaded cache can slow Safari. Clear history and cache through Safari settings for a speed boost.
• Extensions Check: Outdated or excessive extensions can drag Safari down. Remove unnecessary ones via Safari settings.
• Update Safari: An outdated Safari version might cause slowness. Update it through the App Store.
• Network Check: Slow Safari might be due to network issues. Test internet speed to rule this out.
• User Account Check: A corrupted user account or macOS issues can affect Safari. Test on a new user account and run disk utility checks.
• Tab Management: Too many open tabs strain Safari. Close unnecessary tabs for better performance.

Why is Safari so Slow?

Safari could be slow because you’re using an outdated version of Safari. The cache might be overworked, or you might be facing network issues. Additionally, you might have too many tabs open that are causing the app to slow down.

Important Tips

It’s normal for safari to run slow on certain websites.

By certain websites, we mean “heavy” sites that are loaded with flash or video ads on the pages you browse. Worse yet, some even auto-play without you clicking on. They tend to have your MacBook heat up quick.

The best option is to close those pages immediately when you finish reading the content on it, or you could install AdBlock Plus (Safari compatible) to block the ads from displaying.

Stop excessively multitasking

You’d be surprised how much better 90% of programs work when you don’t try and use them at the same time as a dozen other apps. It seems like a simple solution, but it is often the best one.

Take care of Safari

Some methods are a matter of habit, such as regularly clearing your cache or making sure the app is up to date. Imagine your computer as a car that needs regular maintenance to run well.

Don’t neglect the computer

Macs are not immune to viruses, despite the common perception. They also aren’t immune to file corruption or errors. Make sure you haven’t picked up anything unwanted while browsing that could be affecting Safari’s performance.

Slow Safari : 8 Possible Causes & Fixes

1. overworked cache.

The cache is a location on your Mac’s hard drive where Safari temporarily stores data that you use frequently. The cache allows Safari to reference this information quickly and therefore execute actions such as loading a specific page more quickly.

However, if the cache becomes full then Safari cannot add newer, more relevant material and is forced to use slower methods to respond to your demands.

Here’s how to erase the data in the cache so that Safari can work smarter rather than harder:

Start by erasing your history from Safari by navigating the menu bar along the top and choosing History > Clear History and Website Data .

Once you click this, you’ll be shown a small pop-up window. Choose “All History” from the bottom of the drop-down, and then Clear History .

The next thing you can do is clear the cache using a more advanced method. First, go to the Safari menu and open Preferences.

On the preferences panel, choose “Advanced” and then look for the checkbox at the bottom of the page that says “Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar”. Make sure this box is checked, then close Preferences.

You’ll notice a new tab has been added to your menu bar, called “Develop”. Click on this, and then choose “Empty Caches” from the list. You won’t be given any confirmation, but it will clear the cache and you can restart Safari and see if this has solved your problem.

2. Bad Extensions

Most people are aware that Apple doesn’t play well with Flash, but this isn’t the only plugin that could be causing Safari to lag. Any extension or plugin that is outdated or not correctly optimized could be the “culprit”, and you should disable or remove as many as possible.

The easiest way to do this is to use CleanMyMac X , go to Extensions > Safari Extensions (the screenshot below), here you just select these unwanted plugins, and click the “Remove” button at the bottom to clean them all at once.

Of course, you can also get this done manually, though the process will be a bit time-consuming if you have a list of extensions to disable or remove.

First, start by opening Safari, and then navigate to Safari > Preferences.

In the preferences menu, choose the Extensions icon. You’ll be shown a list of all your extensions.

If you don’t use an extension, you should uninstall it with the button on the right side. If you use it but infrequently, simply uncheck the “enable” box. This should significantly speed up Safari, especially if you have been running a lot of extensions in the background.

Check out this article by MacBook Pro Slow on how to take scrolling screenshots.

3: Outdated Version of Safari

Because Apple makes Safari, it usually receives updates when macOS has a new version released or when there is a necessary patch. If you’re running an old version of Safari, this could be part (or even all) of your problem.

If you aren’t on macOS Big Sur or higher, your Safari is definitely in need of an update. To check what you’re running, go to the Apple Menu in the top left corner and choose “About this Mac”.

If you’re on an older version, your window will look something like this, displaying the version of macOS you’re running:

If you’re already on macOS BigSur, it will look like this instead:

If you aren’t on the latest macOS yet, open the App Store from Finder, and navigate to updates. There will be at least one software update available, which you can expand. This will show you the update for Safari, which you can update separately or with any other updates you may have available.

4: Your Network

You might argue that the problems inside Safari are simpler to deal with, but sometimes it’s surprising that Safari isn’t necessarily the “culprit”. Your network can have a significant impact on Safari’s performance.

To find out whether your Mac has network issues, check out our other post to learn more.

To test the Internet speed, you can also use Google Fiber .

• First, open the link on your Safari browser, then press the blue “play” button, and watch as your internet speed is tested.
• The site will first test your upload and then your download speed.
• Once you have your results, you can compare them with this link , which contains charts detailing what you should expect based on the connection type.
• If your results are below expected, it might be time to contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP), especially if speeds fall far below what you’re paying for.

Note: if speed seems normal and falls in the expected ranges, then this probably isn’t your problem, and you should try some of our other solutions.

5: Your User Account or Mac Drive

Sometimes the issue runs a bit deeper than just a full cache. You could have a corrupted user account or your macOS version isn’t operating correctly. To determine if this is your problem, start by creating a second user account on your MacBook.

On the new user account, open Safari and try using it as you normally would. If Safari suddenly runs faster, it’s time to repair your normal user account.

Use spotlight (top right corner of the screen) to search “Disk Utility” and open it.

Inside Disk Utility, select your account’s disk and make sure you’re on the “First Aid” tab. Then select “Repair Disk” from the bottom right corner (if this is unavailable, choose “Verify Disk” first).

Note: If your MacBook Pro is with macOS 10.10 Yosemite or earlier, you have two buttons to click on like below.

However, if your MacBook Pro is with 10.11 El Capitan or later (you probably are), just click “First Aid” and run it to check and fix any issues it may find.

The Disk Utility will repair any problems with your account. If it isn’t capable of fixing the problem, resetting your MacBook Pro is always an alternative if a bit tedious to do.

6: Close all extra tabs

The more tabs you have open on Safari, the slower your computer can run. If you don’t know what a tab is – it’s an open window. Even if you are only looking at a single tab at a time, the other open ones are using up the CPU, which puts a demand on your computer.

Newer MacBooks are capable of keeping multiple tabs open with relative ease. But if you have 10 or 20 or even more open simultaneously, you can run into performance issues that can slow down Safari significantly.

If you are experiencing slow performance, close any tabs you aren’t currently using, and you can see an increase in operating speed. 

7: Disable search suggestions

This is another quick fix that can often speed up Safari. Not many people know this one, so write it down or take a screenshot for future use.

To turn off search suggestions, complete the following steps: 

• Click on Safari from the top of the window
• Select Preferences
• Select Search
• In the Search settings window that appears, uncheck the box that says Include search engine suggestions

This can increase Safari speeds ever so slightly and help you see improved performance. 

8: Disable DNS prefetching

If you are running Safari version 5.0.1 or later, DNS prefetching might be slowing down your MacBook. This feature allows you to load a link on a page before you click on them, leading to faster browsing. But it can also slow down your computer with multiple pages trying to load and some website-related issues.

To disable DNS prefetching, follow these steps: 

• Open the Terminal 
• Enter this text: defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabled -boolean false
• Quit Safari
• Reopen Safari

DNS prefetching will now be disabled for another small boost to the speed of your MacBook

Curious about testing your MacBook’s Disk Speed in a flash? Dive into this article to find out how.

Final Words

No one enjoys staring at the colorful loading pinwheel when they just want to browse the web or access an important page for work. Hopefully, you won’t be experiencing the Safari slow issue anytime soon with our solution guide.

Still not able to solve your problems even after using the methods we’ve outlined? A good resource is the Apple Community forum, where you can get advice from fellow Mac fans. You may also find bug reports and similar questions from other users.

Alternatively, if you’ve already fixed the Safari problem, write a comment and tell us about it below.

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‘All of these behaviors are typical symptoms related to Apple’s signature Internet browser. While Safari is a light-weighted browser optimized for use on all Mac machines, issues like above might force you to resort to third-party browsers (perhaps Chrome, stay away from Firefox) that tend to be faster.”

Chrome is developed by Google. When you use Chrome, not just your searches but EVERYTHING YOU TYPE and EVERYWHERE YOU GO is sent to and tracked by Google.

Don’t be a sheep. Don’t use Chrome.

BrendaJordan

Why do I have the message that Safari is updating on my MacBook Pro?

Realize your situation up for grabs, that is noticed by discovering the obtain when the cards are being dealt.

thanks very helpful

Tips and guides for MacBook Pro users. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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How to Troubleshoot Safari if It’s Running Slow on Mac

This article shows how you can fix the Safari browser if it is slow on your Mac. The purpose is to help speed up Apple’s Safari or determine why it is running slow. If you are experiencing one of the following issues, you can use this article to address your problem:

• Safari is so slow and seems frozen.
• Websites are taking a lot of time to load or videos are lagging.
• A spinning beach ball frequently keeps appearing when attempting to browse the Web.
• Clicking the Safari options (history, bookmarks, etc) temporarily causes Safari to freeze or become sluggish.

There could be many reasons why you experience this issue. Follow the steps below:

1. Is the Mac up to date?

Ensure that your Mac is running the latest versions of the macOS version . Safari is a built-in app and the macOS software includes Safari. This means that updating macOS will also update Safari. You can go to System Preferences > Software Update to check for updates. And if there is an update, click the Update Now button to update your Mac.

2. Is it your Internet connection?

You may feel that Safari is sluggish because you may have a poor or unstable connection to the Internet. Use another browser (Chrome, Firefox, etc) to visit a website. Or try using multiple devices in your home. Do you still experience that your browsing experience is slow? If your answer is yes, then the problem may be your connection. Is the slowness just with one website or with all of the websites you try to visit? If the problem is with just one website, then the problem is that website. However, if all of the websites appear to be slow on all devices and/or using different browsers, the problem may be, again, your connection. If this is the case, try:

• Ensure that your Mac has the latest version of macOS (System Preferences > Software Update).
• Turn off your Mac (Apple menu > Shut Down), do not turn it on yet.
• Restart your modem/router. Simply unplug it from power, wait 30 seconds and then plug it back in.
• Wait for your modem/router to fully function (ensure that all of the indicator lights are on).
• Turn on your Mac by pressing the power button.
• Mac Wi-Fi Connected But No Internet Access
• My Mac Stopped Seeing My Wi-Fi Network, Fix
• How To Forget Wi-Fi Networks On Mac
• How To Fix Slow Wi-Fi Problems On Your Macbook
• How To Reset Network Settings On Mac

3. Too much cache? Clear your cache on Safari on your Mac

As you use Safari to visit websites, cache data will accumulate and this can possibly slow the browser down. Clearing the cache on your Safari browser will ensure that it’s working smoothly and efficiently. The Safari cache is a pile of temporary website data. Here is how you can clear cache in Safari on your Mac:

• Open Safari.
• Click Safari > Preferences.
• Click the Advanced tab.
• Check the box next to the “Show Develop menu in menu bar” option. Now a new menu item called Develop will appear.
• Now exit Preferences.
• Click Develop and Empty Caches.

4. Are your extensions causing this?

An extension or add-on may cause this problem. Do you have these installed? If your answer is yes, try the following:

We can turn off Safari Extensions temporarily to see if they are causing this:

• In Safari, click Safari > Preferences.
• Click Extensions.
• You will see your installed extensions.
• Turn all them off by deselecting the checkboxes.

Now check Safari. Is it faster now? If turning off extensions resolves the issue, now determine the problematic extension that is causing this issue. Turn them back on, one by one, until you find the problematic extension. After each extension, you turn it on, test to see if the problem has recurred before turning on the next extension.

5. Safe Mode

Restart your Mac in Safe Mode . Safe Mode will clear some system caches. This can improve Safari’s performance. The steps will differ depending on the Mac type you have: Apple silicon or Intel. If you do not know, go to the Apple menu > About this Mac.

Apple silicon:

• Turn off your Mac.
• Press and hold the power button until the startup options window appears.
• Click your startup disk.
• Press and hold the Shift key and click “Continue in Safe Mode.”
• Turn on your Mac and quickly press and hold the Shift key.
• Release the Shift key when you see the login window.

Your Mac is in Safe Mode . Test Safari. Then exit Safari (just restart your Mac). Then test Safari again.

• Passwords on Safari: The Spinning Wheel – How to Fix the Lag
• How to Use Split View in Safari on iPad
• How to Create, View, Edit, and Restore Bookmarks in Safari on Mac
• Safari Can’t Open The Page Because Safari Can’t Establish A Secure Connection To The Server, Fix
• Quit Safari Is Grayed Out On Mac, Fix
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• Safari Isn’t Responding, Keeps Crashing or Freezing, Fix
• Safari Won’t Open On Mac, Fix

Dr. Serhat Kurt worked as a Senior Technology Director specializing in Apple solutions for small and medium-sized educational institutions. He holds a doctoral degree (or doctorate) from the University of Illinois at Urbana / Champaign and a master’s degree from Purdue University. He is a former faculty member. Here is his LinkedIn profile and Google Scholar profile . Email Serhat Kurt .

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Apple Safari has emerged as one of the most advanced web browsers designed to be used on iOS and OS X platforms. Apart from being more secure and fast, it has plenty of features like, Private mode to immensely enhance user-experience. No wonder Apple device owners really enjoy using it; even though there are some equally competent web browsers are available.

There are times when Safari begins to run rather slowly on Mac. Even when there is a good network on the device, Apple’s web browser becomes very lethargic. And, in case you are not much aware of how it fix this annoying issue, you are bound to feel disappointed with it.

Having already posted an article as to how you can accelerate Safari on your iPhone and iPad, we are going to walk you through the handy tips through which you can speed-up Safari on your Mac as well. Let’s dive ahead!

Why is Safari slow on Mac?

There’s a host of reasons why Safari might be lagging or running slower than usual on your Mac. It could be anything from overloading your system with multitasking to simply not maintaining your computer or the Safari app.

Regular upkeep and a few tweaks can make a world of difference in performance. But it’s also important to note that it’s also normal for Safari to run slow during certain situations, such as browsing sites loaded with ads and videos—especially those on auto-play.

How to fix Safari running slow on Mac

Let’s explore how to make Safari run faster on Mac with some strategies.

1. Check internet speed on your Mac

It’s essential to first rule out connectivity issues when Safari is running very slow on your Mac. Since internet speed is vital in how quickly pages load, why not check your connection before you start troubleshooting?

Head to online speed test sites like SpeedTest.net to gauge your internet speed.

2. Close unwanted tabs and windows

While Safari can handle dozens of tabs opened at a time, each open tab and window does tap into your Mac’s power and memory.

Excessive tabs can gradually impede your Mac’s performance, leading to longer page load times and unpredictable browser behavior.

3. Force Quit Safari on Mac

Occasionally, a page or app may overtax your system’s resources, leading Safari to freeze or run slow. A quick fix is to quit Safari and start it up again. This terminates any demanding processes and gives the browser a clean slate to work from.

• To do this, go to the Dock and control-click Safari .
• Press the  Option key  → Select  Force Quit .

4. Quit other apps

If a dozen apps run simultaneously in the background along with Safari, it’s not unusual for it to become sluggish.

• Head to your Dock and quit apps you’re no longer using.
• Just look at every app with a dot below it.
• Control-click it and select  Quit .

5. Kill resource-intensive apps and processes

Aside from apps, having too many apps running can also affect Safari’s performance. Some of these apps tend to hog more resources than others. If Safari is acting up and you’re using several apps at a time, head to the Activity Monitor to see which ones consume too much power and memory. 

• To do this,  open Launchpad  → click the  Other folder → Activity Monitor. 

• Additionally, if an app is too resource-intensive, consider  creating a web app for it  instead, which generally requires less power and memory.

6. Remove unwanted Safari extensions from your Mac

Extensions allow Safari to do more, but it does come with a cost—some tend to be resource-intensive and overload your CPU and RAM.

7. Update Safari

Updating Safari on your Mac  helps ensure the app has the necessary improvements and features to run faster and smoother. For newer Macs, Safari updates are bundled with macOS updates. However, you can apply just the updates related to Safari.

• Go to System Settings , if there’s a software update available, you’ll see a Software Update Available under your Apple ID.
• Otherwise, you can head to General  →  Software Update.

8. Restart your Mac

This may sound cliché already, but sometimes, all your Mac needs is a quick reboot to fix any performance issues affecting it or any of your apps.

9. Clear Safari’s cache and cookies on Mac

Web browsers such as Safari enhance browsing by storing data like cookies and cache, which can speed up load times. Additionally, Safari keeps a record of your recently visited web pages.

Though helpful, these can accumulate over time, causing your Safari to run slower than usual. A quick tip to determine if the accumulated history, cookies, and caches are to blame is to try browsing in a private window. Since Private Browsing mode doesn’t retain browsing data, it can serve as a good benchmark for comparison.

Regularly  deleting Safari’s browsing history, cache, and cookies  is an important habit to keep Safari in tip-top shape.

• If the method above doesn’t work, you can manually delete the cache by going to  Finder .
• Go to the menu bar and click Go  →  Go to Folder .
• Enter the command below, open the folder, and drag the . db file  to the Trash.

10. Use Safari from a new user account on Mac

It’s possible that the issue runs deeper and has seeped into your user account. To check, you can create another user account on your Mac and try using Safari on that account as you would typically do. If Safari runs faster on that account, you’ll need to repair your original account using Disk Utility.

• Search for Disk Utility on Spotlight → Select your account’s disk .

• If you can’t see this option, choose Verify Disk first.

This process will repair any problems within your account.

11. Disable Search Suggestions in Safari on Mac

Safari’s Smart Search Field simplifies browsing by allowing you to enter URLs or search terms directly into the address bar. The Safari Search Suggestions feature further enhances it.

It works like Google’s recommended search results, offering recommendations such as apps to refine and intuitively guide your search experience. To turn off Search Suggestions in Safari:

• Open  Safari  → Click Safari in the menu bar → Pick Settings .

12. Switch DNS provider

The Domain Name System (DSN) is a cataloging system that translates website names into IP addresses. By default, your DSN settings are provided by an ISP. Sometimes, this may be overloaded or slow, so changing to a faster DNS provider may boost your internet speed and, consequently, Safari’s performance.

• To do this, go to  System Settings  →  Network .
• Click  Details  beside the WiFi/Ethernet you’re currently connected to.
• Select the  DNS tab.

13. Disable Autofill on Mac

To provide a more intuitive experience, Safari has an Autofill function, which completes forms detected online using stored information on your Mac. The downside is that this may sometimes cause Safari to tag.

Deselect all the types of information you don’t want Safari to autofill. Deselect all to turn off the function entirely.

14. Scan your Mac for malware

While rare, your Mac can get infected with a virus, which can inadvertently affect your Mac’s performance. Check our guide on the  most common viruses affecting Mac and what you can do to remove them .

15. Update your Mac with latest macOS

If your Mac isn’t running on the latest macOS, it’s best to update it to the latest version available. This is because Apple sends bug fixes and other enhancements in every update so your Mac runs smoothly. To update your Mac:

• Head to the  Apple menu  →  System Settings .
• Go to General  →  Software Update .
• If there’s an update available, click  Update Now .

16. Disable DNS Prefetching

Safari enhances your browsing experience by using DNS Prefetching to speed up webpage loading times. This process reduces the delay between when you click and when the webpage display appears because your browser already knows the address it needs to retrieve the page.

Ironically, this can slow down Safari or become unresponsive.

• To turn this off, go to  Finder  →  Applications  →  Utilities →  Terminal .

• Hit Enter and relaunch Safari .

17. Reset Safari to its factory default on Mac

If nothing seems else to work, underlying issues or corrupt browser preferences may be the culprit behind your Safari running very slow on your Mac. Resetting your Safari to its default state may fix the problem, as this reverts its browser settings to default and deactivates all the extensions. To do this:

• Open  Finder .
• Select  Go  →  Go to Folder . Then do the following, one after the other:
• Type  ~/Library/Preferences/directory  in the text field → Search for the  com.apple.Safari.plist  file → Delete .
• Type  ~/Library/Safari/  → Delete all the files in the folder except for the  Bookmarks/plist
• Type  ~/Library/Containers/ , look for Safari → Delete all the files and folders.
• Once done, open Safari. On the menu bar, click  Preferences  →  Privacy . Select  Remove All Website Data  and Reset Safari.
• Head to the Extensions tab and reactivate only the essential extensions you need. Move between the other tabs and modify other browser settings to your preference.

18. Boot your Mac into Safe Mode

Another way to troubleshoot for errors is to  boot your Mac into Safe Mode . Safe Mode starts up your Mac without launching certain software and extensions, which can conflict with Safari. It also runs a check of your startup disk, so it can help resolve underlying issues that may be affecting Safari’s speed.

While booting your Mac in Safe Mode doesn’t really make Safari run faster during regular use, it’s a helpful tool that can help you find out why your Mac is so slow and give you an idea of how to make Safari run faster on Mac.

Wrapping up…

Experiencing a sluggish Safari can be frustrating, but many potential culprits can cause this. The suggestions listed above are designed to help you understand how to speed up Safari on Mac. Did you find these solutions effective? If so, feel free to share your experience in the comments below!

• Safari vs. Chrome: Which browser is better for iPhone and Mac?
• Safari not working on Mac after update? 10 Ways to fix it!
• 14 Ways to fix YouTube videos not playing on Mac’s Safari

Rachel, an experienced Apple technology writer since 2021 and a long-time user since 2003, began her journey with a silver iPod Classic. Currently, she owns an array of modern Apple gadgets. At iGeeksBlog, her expertise shines through in the crafting of comprehensive how-to articles, informative guides, and well-curated roundups.

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Why is My Safari So Slow on Mac and How to Fix It

Whether you use the Safari internet browser for your everyday work, school work, online shopping, or simple internet browsing, having it work slowly can be extremely frustrating. This is completely understandable, but don’t worry we are here to help!

As someone who frequently helps people fix up their slow Macs, I can say from experience that Safari can often be the cause of a lot of problems. But the good news is that you don’t have to put up with Safari running slowly—there are a few quick troubleshooting tips you can use to get back in business.

Let’s explore why Safari is running so slow on your Mac and how you can fix it.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Solution #1: verify your internet connection, solution #2: force quit safari, solution #3: update macos, solution #4: close excessive tabs, solution #5: disable extensions, solution #6: turn off icloud private relay – icloud+ only, solution #7: disable search engine suggestions, solution #8: disable autofill, solution #9: update dns server, solution #10: run first aid on ssd , safe mode – intel mac, safe mode – apple silicon mac, solution #12: use a 3rd-party web browser cleaner, final thoughts.

• Safari has many features that attempt to either help you as the user or make the experience faster. Unfortunately, Safari can sometimes get bogged down.
• Your internet connection should be one of the first things you check. Make sure everything is functioning properly here.
• You can get Safari out of a jam by Force Quitting , and reopening.
• If that doesn’t work, you can check your extensions , your iCloud Private Relay , and Autofill to ensure that your Safari is running as fast as possible. 
• The DNS server can sometimes cause issues with Safari running slowly, so make sure that it is updated. 
• If none of that works, you can also check to make sure your boot drive and your startup options are working properly. Run First Aid on your SSD and boot into Safe Mode to finish troubleshooting.

While Safari is preinstalled on your Mac and is updated using macOS, this doesn’t mean that it will always work perfectly. When Safari runs slow on your Mac, it can put a damper on your whole experience. You end up waiting on your computer and getting frustrated. So, what is causing this? And how can you fix it?

Here are some ways that we can hopefully get your Safari speed up.

This may sound obvious, but you may be surprised how easy it is to overlook losing your internet connection or other connection problems. Safari may not be working or may be running extremely slowly because of a faulty internet connection. 

There are multiple items that could affect your internet connection. Be sure to verify all of the following: 

• You have full internet connectivity from your internet provider (if you are able to reach it, speedtest.net is a good way to determine if your internet is working to its fullest capacity).
• Your modem and/or router are in working condition (the lights on the device will help you determine this. Look at or find the owner’s manual for your device if you have questions)
• There are not too many devices on your network (I would recommend taking off some that you may not think of and are not currently using, such as phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and smart home devices).

By force quitting the Safari application , we are forcing any processes that may be stuck to stop. This can help Safari fully restart and stop trying to load something that may not be properly loading. To force quit Safari, take the following steps:

Press the Command-Option-Esc keys simultaneously on your keyboard.

Choose Safari from the menu and choose Force Quit .

Click on Force Quit to confirm.

As we have briefly discussed earlier, Safari is an application that is fully managed by Apple and updated along with macOS. So, if there is a problem with the Safari application itself, it is likely that Apple already knows and has released a patch to address it. 

To ensure your Mac is up to date with the latest version, take the following steps:

Using the Apple Menu, choose System Settings from the drop-down.

Navigate to General on the left, then Software Update on the right.

If there is a software update available, choose Update Now and follow the onscreen prompts to update macOS.

If you are someone who never closes your browser tabs and has dozens of pages open at once (like I am guilty of doing most of the time), then I would suggest closing a good amount of them to get Safari working at a better speed. 

Having a large amount of tabs open, even ones that are not currently in use, uses not only a lot of processing power but also a lot of Random Access Memory (RAM) . 

Both of these items have a large impact on how the applications on your Mac run and can cause the Safari application to slow down significantly. So, close all possible tabs.

Extensions, also known on some internet browsers as plug-ins can be very helpful features. The most popular of these are ad blockers, coupon finders, and grammar checkers. If you use any of these or others, it is possible that they could be slowing down your Safari. 

It is also possible that extensions could have been inadvertently downloaded from the internet and enabled themselves. Check to make sure that there are no unrecognized extensions or an excessive amount of extensions enabled. 

With Safari Open, click the Safari menu and Settings from the drop-down.

On the top, choose Extensions .

On the left, the blue check marks indicate that the extension is enabled. Click these to show the gray checkbox and disable the chosen extensions. 

If you find any extensions that you do not recognize, select them on the left (it will be shown in blue) and click uninstall on the right. Follow any onscreen instructions to finish uninstalling. 

While iCloud Private Relay is a convenient and easy safety feature, however, it requires that your internet browsing passes through Apple servers prior to reaching your computer. This means that it could slow down your internet speed. 

Click the Apple Menu and System Settings .

On the left, click your name, and on the right click iCloud .

Scroll down to the iCloud+ features and ensure that Private Relay is turned off. If it is not, click on it and click the slider to turn it off. You may be asked to confirm by clicking “ Turn off iCloud Relay .”

Search engine suggestions are a predictive feature when you are using Safari. They are designed to predict what you may be searching for and help you to find it easier. However, it is possible that they can be slowing down your Safari. Take the following steps to check:

With Safari open, choose the Safari menu and Settings.

In the Search tab at the top, deselect the “Include Search Engine Suggestions” check box. It will show as a gray box when it is deselected.

Another Safari feature, while helpful when it works properly, can also slow down the application is the Autofill feature. Autofill sometimes has a hard time accessing the information and may cause Safari to freeze. 

In Safari Settings (described how to reach above), Choose the Autofill tab at the top. Deselect all the Autofill features below. The items are deselected when they show a gray box instead of a blue checkmark.

A Domain Name System Server (DNS Server) is a program that tells your computer and the internet what IP Address your computer or a website is using. By updating your DNS server you can not only improve your internet speed (and therefore your Safari speed), you can also improve your security. 

Some of the most popular DNS Server IP Addresses are those for Google, 8.8.8.8, and 8.8.4.4. The DNS Server 1.1.1.1 is allegedly considered to be the fastest in the world (though I am not confident in how or when that was recently confirmed). 

To update your DNS server, take the following steps:

Choose the Apple Menu and System Settings .

On the left, select Network , and on the right, select Details under the Wi-Fi section.

On the left, choose DNS . On the right, use the + button to add any of the DNS Servers that we have discussed (or others you may have found in your search). 

Note : it is OK to have more than one DNS Server—if one is down, your computer will use another one in your list.

Your Solid State Drive or SSD is a critical piece for the speed of your Mac. If all the other fixes up to this point did not work, it is possible that there may be an error on your SSD. First Aid will automatically check and fix most errors related to the formatting of your SSD. 

Open Disk Utility in Launchpad.

Choose First Aid and follow the onscreen instructions.

Solution #11: Boot in Safe Mode

Lastly, Safe Mode is a great way to determine if you are having further issues that are causing Safari to be extremely slow. Safe Mode disables your startup settings and features and any third-party items. If your Safari is running slowly for either of these reasons, you will be able to see using Safe Mode. 

Take the following steps to boot into safe mode, depending on which type of Mac you have:

• Restart or turn on your Mac and press and hold the Shift key.
• When the login window appears, you can release the key and login.
• You may be asked to log in again, do so. You will see Safe Mode in the menu bar if this was successful.
• Turn on your Mac and press and hold the power button until you see the Loading Startup Options screen.
• If asked, select a volume.
• Press and hold the shift key and click Continue in Safe Mode. Your Mac will automatically restart.
• If successful, you will see Safe Mode in the menu bar.

Sometimes Safari doesn’t work properly when you have too much junk on your computer. A good 3rd-party application like CCleaner or CleanMyMac X can work wonders to optimize your system by getting rid of junk, including things like browser data and temp files.

CCleaner for Mac , for example, has a Browser clean-up tool that automatically scans and removes browsing data, caches, temporary files, cookies, and other tracking data.

This can go a long way in speeding up Safari, and even helping out the rest of your computer too. While there is a paid version of the software, you can get quite far with the free version. So, it is worth a shot if you want an easy solution to Safari running slowly.

We have covered a lot of ground and talked about a lot of different options that could be causing your Safari Application to be slow. We first explored the more simple options, such as your internet connection being down, your Safari application needing to be updated, having a lot of tabs open, and clearing history. 

Your extensions possibly cause loading problems, your iCloud Private Relay, Search Engine Suggestions, and Autofill are also things you should check. If all else fails, you should look at two pieces of your Mac that could be affecting Safari as well, your SSD and the startup options.

If the rest of your Mac seems to be running fine enough to download another application, you could try a 3rd-party tool like CCleaner to clean up browsing data and other junk that could slow down Safari. 

What did you learn from this article? What worked for you? Let us know in the comments!

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10 Safari Mac Browser Tips to Boost Speed and Performance

If Safari is running slow, try these top tips to get your Mac browser blazing fast again.

Safari generally provides the fastest and most efficient browsing experience for Mac users. Apple puts a lot of work into optimizing the browser's performance and energy consumption specifically for Apple hardware.

Unfortunately, this doesn't always hold up over time. Safari can become slow, bloated, and unresponsive like any other browser. Let's take a look at how to speed up Safari on your Mac in case this happens to you.

1. Update and Restart Your Mac

Restarting your computer fixes many of life's problems, including a slow browser. It should always be your first troubleshooting step for such issues. Open the Apple menu and select Restart to do so.

Once your Mac boots up, it's also worth installing any outstanding app updates , which you can find by going to App Store > Updates .

2. Close Unneeded Tabs

How many tabs do you have open right now? And how many of those tabs do you really need? Safari keeps many of your tabs active in the background, even if you're not using them. One of the easiest ways to speed up Safari on your Mac is by simply closing tabs.

If you're particularly protective of your browser session, try an extension like Tab Suspender . This allows you to suspend your open tabs to save processing power.

3. Clear the Cache and Temporary Files

Like almost all browsers, Safari keeps a cache of data from all the websites you visit. This takes up disk space, which can contribute to performance problems. It's always a good idea to blow away Safari's cobwebs once in a while by emptying the cache, particularly if you need to improve the browser's performance.

To clear your Safari cache:

• Launch Safari and click Safari > Preferences in the menu bar at the top of the screen.
• Click on the Advanced tab, then check Show Develop menu in menu bar at the bottom of the window.
• Close the Preferences window and click Develop > Empty Caches in the menu bar at the top of the screen.

4. Disable Thirsty Extensions

Safari has some excellent extensions available to install, but sometimes they do more harm than good by slowing everything down. This is particularly true for extensions that directly affect the browsing experience. A good example is TamperMonkey ($1.99), which changes how websites appear and behave with user scripts.

To isolate extension-related slowdown, try disabling all your extensions under Safari > Preferences > Extensions . To disable an extension, uncheck the box next to its name.

You can then try re-enabling extensions one by one to find the culprit.

Disabling extensions in this manner doesn't remove them. You'll need to click the Uninstall button in each entry on the Extensions tab to completely remove Safari extensions .

5. Restrict Plug-Ins and Website Access

Apple has been working to eliminate plug-ins from Safari, but they might still cause your browser to slow down on rare occasions. This is most likely if you're running an older version of Safari.

It's best to ensure plug-ins ask you before Safari starts running them. The same goes for allowing access to your Mac's camera, microphone, screen sharing, and other security settings.

Go to Safari > Preferences > Websites to see which websites have requested access to your Mac. Work through each item in the sidebar and disable access for any websites that don't need it. We particularly recommend disabling auto-play.

In older versions of Safari, you should also go to Safari > Preferences > Security > Plug-In Settings . Make sure plug-ins are set to Ask before they start running. Disable any you don't need by unchecking them. These settings aren't available in newer versions of Safari.

6. Upgrade macOS

Yearly macOS upgrades include new versions of Safari. If you don't install the latest version of macOS, you won't have the latest version of Safari. New versions of Safari mean better compatibility with the latest web technologies.

Apple's tweaking under the hood often results in faster rendering times and a speedier browser experience overall.

There's also something to be said for upgrading your operating system since many underlying issues with your Mac get patched up along the way.

To update macOS, open the Apple menu and go to System Preferences > Software Update .

7. Identify Dodgy Websites and Crashed Tabs

Safari can slow to a crawl as a result of a single problematic website. Websites can crash for all sorts of reasons, including too many scripts, auto-playing advertisements, rogue extensions, and malfunctioning embeds. Occasionally, this can bring your whole Mac to a grinding halt.

Sometimes these pages consume more than their fair share of resources; other times they crash entirely and leave you with the spinning pinwheel of death. To rectify the situation:

• Launch Activity Monitor under Applications > Utilities .
• On the CPU tab, click on the Process Name column to arrange processes by name and find Safari .
• Now look at the % CPU column and systematically close your Safari tabs to see which ones have the biggest impact on your CPU usage.

8. Make Sure You Have Enough Free Space

A lack of free space on your disk can have devastating consequences for your Mac's overall performance. A Mac with limited free space is more likely to freeze, stutter, and crash. This can cause your whole system to run slowly, but Safari is often one of the first apps to buckle as individual resource-intensive tabs become unresponsive.

For best results, maintain a healthy buffer of 10GB or more of free space. Follow our tips for freeing up space on your Mac if you run out of options.

9. Fix Other macOS Performance Problems

Boosting overall system performance also speeds up Safari on your Mac. This is because there are fewer resources tied up in non-critical tasks, so more of them are available for Safari.

Take a look at these common mistakes that might slow down your Mac . They include having too many apps running in the background or starting up at login, which you can change by going to System Preferences > Users > Login Items .

10. Check for Network Connection Problems

If your internet connection is slow, Safari will also feel slow. To isolate connection problems, find out how to test your internet connection speed to see if that's to blame.

You might need to change your DNS settings to fix it, which you can do by going to System Preferences > Network > Advanced > DNS . Use Google's Namebench to find the fastest DNS settings for your network.

Keep a Backup Browser Installed Just in Case

Although you can follow all the tips above to speed up Safari on your Mac, it's also worth keeping a backup browser installed as well. These are useful to have for stubborn websites that aren't optimized for Safari or in case you need to use a browser extension that's only available on one browser.

• Optimization

How to Fix Safari Running Slow on Mac? 4 Useful Tips to Try

Safari as the Mac default browser, is developed by Apple based on the WebKit engine. Apple touts Safari as the fastest browser out there, which may be true on iOS, but it doesn't work the same way on Mac because Safari is just too slow. Sometimes a webpage loading seems like taking forever, which is so frustrating. And you won't be able to navigate back and forth between pages. Why is Safari running so slow on Mac?  Here we listed some possible reasons and shared some tips to make your Safari faster.

1: Overworked Cache and History

Like all other browsers, Safari stores information about every website you visit as browsing history automatically. Elements of those websites like images and html files are saved to cache so that pages load faster next time, which puts an additional burden on the browser. Overworked Cache and History may be the biggest 'culprit'of slowing Safari. So, try getting rid of the dead weight and see if Safari is still slow afterwards. Here's how to erase the data in the cache so that Safari can work faster.

Clean Up History in  Safari

1. Open Safari

2. Find History in the menu bar (or click Safari then choose Clear History)

3. Click Clear History at the bottom

4. Select the time span and hit the Clear History button.

Clean Up Cache in Safari

1.    Open Safari

2.    Find Preferences in the menu bar

3.    Go to Advanced tab

4.    Check mark Show Develop menu in menu bar

5.    Click on Develop in the menu bar

6.    Select Empty Cache

You can also manually clear clear the Cache.db files

1. Open Finder

2. Click Go and Go to Folder at the bottom

3. Past “~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db” and click Go

4. Right-click on the Cache.db file and choose Move to Trash

  2: Buggy and Bad Extensions

Extensions enable users to tailor Safari functionality and behavior for individual needs or preferences, and let you do a ton of convenient extras in a browser, like storing passwords or translating words with a click. But being third-party add-ons, they can impact Safari's performance in unexpected ways, especially if they aren't regularly updated.

Tips to fix:

Disable  the Extensions from  Safari

2. Find Preference in the menu bar

3. Go to Advanced tad

4. Check mark Show Develop menu in the menu bar

5. Click on Develop in the menu bar

6. Select Disable Extensions

You also can uninstall extensions this way

3. Go to Extensions

4. Choose Extensions and Uninstall useless extensions

3: Corrupted Preferences files or User Account

Corrupted Preferences files or User Account may make Safari can't load certain websites, causing lags or freezes. To fix it, you can do as follows.

Delete the Preference files

1. Close Safari

2. Open Finder and use the Command+Shift+G shortcut

3. Enter “~/Library/Preferences/ “ into the popup and hit Enter

4. Find the file named "com.apple.Safari.plist" and delete it

Login a new User Account

1. Open Apple menu

2. Find System Preferences

3. Go to User and Groups

4. Create a New Account and put it in use

 4: Outdated Version of Safari or Low-speed Network

Safari is constantly updated. Outdated version of Safari may act slower than the latest version. So please keep your Safari up to the latest version. A low-speed network surely will drag down your browsing speed. And there are many causes to a low-speed network such as the internet itself, too much running programs at one time or Mac overloaded, etc. All you can do is update Safari to the latest version and clean up your Mac to make a lighter browsing.

Update Safari to the Latest Version

2. Go to Apple Store

3. Navigate to updates

4. Update Safari to the latest version

5. Reopen Safari

Speed Up Network

1. Check for Network issue

2. Close useless running programs

3. Clean up Mac

There are many ways to clean up Mac and make Safari faster, but the most convenient and efficient way is to use a professional Mac cleaner. Published by  IObit , world's top system utility and security software provider since 2004,  MacBooster provides a one-click solution and seven tools to boost your Mac to its top performance, cleaning up 20 types of junk files to regain valuable storage space and removing a variety of malware to ensure your Mac's security. You don't need to do all manually things above. Macbooster 7 will clean all Caches and History of your browsing, detect bad Extensions and remove them all, delete all old and corrupted files, clean up your Mac and boost it to peak performance. Let you enjoy a safer and faster browsing with Safari.  Here is how you can do it with MacBooster easily:

                 1:  Download MacBooster 7  and open it

                 2: Start a scan of your Mac system

                 3: Check out the details and fix the issues

Those are about all the possible reasons and solutions  we could find to fix a slow Safari problem. Just be sure to do regular cleanups and maintenance with Macbooster 7 , so that Safari keeps running like the wind.

Check out more useful tips:

How to Clean Up Junk Files on Mac

How to Free Up Mac Memory

How to Uninstall Apps from Mac Completely

Download MacBooster 8 to Keep Your Mac Clean, Fast, and Secure

Requires OS X 10.9 or later

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19 Fixes Safari Running Slow on Mac (Ventura, Sonoma)

In the article, Get Fixes on  Why Does Safari Take So Long to Open on Mac  after macOS Update? Apple user has one of the best web browsers, Safari. However, more users of Google Chrome are available in the market compared to Apple’s Safari. So, without losing privacy, let’s fix your Browser problem using the unique solutions below and Quickly load all types of web pages (Such as Facebook, Udemy, Linkedin, Twitter, ESPN, and Outlook..) on Safari Browser.

Instead, they should fix Safari complications like Safari running super slow compared to Chrome . Safari  won’t open, so Safari won’t load a page , browsers not working after updating safari not loading on MacBook,  and more. There is a way to get solutions to all these problems. So let’s start with them to Speed up a slow internet connection on Mac after resetting Safari to Default .

IN THIS ARTICLE

Hopefully, these all feasible solutions will help you to make Safari faster on Mac.

How Do I Fix Slow Safari on My Mac? The Complete Solutions

Get more: Fix Safari Error “Your Connection is Not Private”

is Safari Slow on MacOS? Follow this

several macOS Ventura users reported the issue with the Internet slow on Mac after the latest macOS update. The app adds because of too many privacy features. The main reason is that might be. Follow them one by one and check internet speed on speed test tools like fast.com

Turn off iCloud Private Relay from a network; You will get a huge change in speed based on my experience because Apple’s Proxy server might be slow or down sometimes.

Step 1: Click on Apple Logo on your Mac > Select System Settings.

Step 2: Select Networks > Click on Wi-Fi.

Step 3: Tap on Details next to Connect Wi-Fi.

Step 4: Disable Limit IP Address Tracking.

Turn off Hiding IP Address from Trackers and Website in Safari Privacy Preferences.

Step 1: Launch Safari on your Mac.

Step 2: Click on Safari from the Top of the Mac Menu > Select Settings.

Step 3: Select Privacy Tab > Uncheck Hide IP Address. And That’s it. Get more details on Enable/Disable Hide IP Address on Mac, iPhone, and iPad .

Solution #1. Make Sure the Automatic Proxy Detection is Unchecked

This setting is handy for privacy reasons, but the Proxy server and some configurations might create slow internet problems. Unchecking the Automatic Poxy dictation can help bypass the proxy server, or Mac users can get straight internet connectivity if the Proxy server is unavailable.

On macOS, Ventura, Sonoma,

Step 1: Open the Apple Logo from the top menu > Select System Settings .

Step 2: Select WiFi from the left sidebar > Click on Details next to Connect WiFi.

Step 3: Choose Proxies > Disable the toggle Auto Proxy Discovery > Tap OK to Apply the changes.

On MacOS Monterey and earlier,

Step 1: Go to Apple Logo (appears on top Menubar) > Choose System Preferences > Select Network > Click on Wi-Fi > Tap Advanced.

Step 2: Select Proxies Tab > Now uncheck automatic proxy detection [Auto Proxy Discovery] > In the last Click on OK .

That’s it. Hopefully, now, your Mac Safari in macOS runs at rocket speed.

Solution #2. Disable Search Suggestions Safari Mac

Search Suggestions improve the user’s experience as you connect with your Apple device. Search Suggestions Use Siri search running across all your Apple devices like iPhone, iPad, Homepod, or Apple Watch . According to your Favorite search, you can also quickly get the exact find on your Mac.

Sometimes this feature is useless; by turning off “Search Suggestions Safari,” as a result, you can get more benefits on a slow Safari or Mac system.

Step 1 : Launch Safari on your Mac > From the Top Mac Menu, Click on Safari > Select Settings/Preferences .

Step 2: Click on Search Tab > Uncheck “Include safari suggestions “.

Step 3: Here’s the below screen , that you miss after disabling this option.

If you like this feature and don’t want to turn it off, then you should check the other Safari settings and get the exact solution Why is Safari on my Mac so slow?

Solution #3. Disable DNS Prefetching in Safari Mac

Is your Mac sending DNS Queries to the network via Router , and Your Router can’t handle such requests on time? As a result, you will get a slow response from the internet. If the DNS Prefetching is enabled, then your Safari browser on Mac sends a DNS Request to load the website the very first time. So, turning off DNS Prefetching on your Mac Safari is a Great solution if this happens with your System. Below I recommend trying Alternate methods for disabling DNS Prefetching on Mac or Macbook running on any macOS.

Change DNS Service Provider for Slow Safari

By default, our DNS settings are provided by the ISP. Instead, this time we will try to use public DNS, which might boost up Safari. The best DNS server is Google DNS; probably everyone, including me, is using Google DNS. This action does not only help Safari but also gets the solution for “How do I fix slow Internet on Mac?

Step 1: Go to the Apple Logo from the top Menu > Select System Settings .

Step 2: Select Wi-Fi from the left side > Click on Details next to the connected WiFi Name.

Step 3: Select DNS > Click on ‘ + ‘ to add a new Public DNS Address on Mac . For Example, Google Public DNS, 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 > Click on OK to Apply the changes .

On MacOS Monterey & Earlier

• Step #1: Click to open the “ Apple Logo ” from the Top Mac menu and then open “ System Preferences ”.
• Step #2: Open “ Network ”.
• Step #3: Select the network on which your MacBook is connected.
• Step #4: Click on “ Advanced ”.
• Step #5: Now tap (+) and add a DNS server.

To Use Google DNS , Enter the Below Public DNS Address, Enter 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 are the Google DNS servers for you.

Or You Should Use OpenDNS

Enter 208.67. 222.222 and 208.67. 220.220 in the list. Click on OK to apply changes and test internet speed on Safari.

Alternate Method to Disable Prefetching in Safari Using Terminal

This method is also helpful to disable DNS Prefatcinhg on Mac Using Terminal, Open Terminal under the utility folder.

Step 1: Launch Finder on your Mac > Click on Go From the top Menu > Choose Applications.

Step 2: Choose Utility Under the Applications folder.

Step 3: Select Terminal under the Utilities.

Type the below command, and Hit the Return to run command,

defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabl

Force Quit Safari and Re-open Safari browser to test it. If sometimes time is not working fine after disabling DNS Prefetcinhg, then turn it on again; using this command,

defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSP

Also, you check internet speed using an online free Speed testing tool. www.fast.com by Netflix. Also,

Don’t miss out on other essential settings; these will improve your Safari Browsing speed without losing Privacy and switching to a third-party browser.

Solution #4. Open Empty Page on Safari: No More Load every time

Had issues with slow new tabs as well. We fixed it by opening an empty page instead of the starting screen. Safari Browser has too many hidden customizations that most Safari users don’t know.

Open Emply blank space is a great tip to start quick browsing and open on your Mac. Follow the below steps,

Step 1 : Launch Safari on your Mac.

Step 2: Click on Safari From the top Mac Menu > Select Settings/Preferences .

Step 3: Tap on General Tab > Select New Window opens with Empty Page and New Tab Open With Empty Page . Select these options from the dropdown.

That’s it. Now, your Safari page will not load any data on the New Tab or Window, but you should check What’s loading with the webpage when you open it. Along with page files, Installed Third-Party Plugins and Add-ons also check and gather details from the page. Sometimes that’s unnecessary, So disable or remove Unused Plugins or Add-Ons. Also, Keep all up-to-date.

Solution #5. Force Close and Re-Launch With the “Shift” Key

Your Safari Browser is slow because the affected website is opened in the background; some laggy websites consume more Memory than your Mac, and that’s the cause of slow down Safari performance. TO quickly get it out, Mac users must Force close Safari and Relauchc with Refresh Safari memory.

• To Force close the Safari browser, Press Command + Q to force close the safari browser.
• Press the Shift key from the keyboard. Click on Safari from the launchpad to relaunch it. So your Safari browser loads just like opening it the first time.
• That’s it.

If Safari is not loading the image, Data [ Why are images not showing up in Safari on my Mac? ] for a specific website, then you should check with the Safari Private window.

Solution #6. Test With Private Window

Safari Saved lots of data from the internet in cache and cookies to load faster on the following visit to the same website. Private Browing mode, Doesn’t interest old data saved on Mac or Naver keep new data. So that’s a great way to test the Actual Speed of your Safari browser.

Step 1: Launch Safari on your Mac > From the Top Mac Menu, Click on File > Tap to New Private Window .

Step 2: In the Next Screen, Open the Private Browsing Window on Safari.

Start Doing a Safe search without loading extra Plugins or Safari Extensions installed on your Mac.

Solution #7. Test Other Safari Plugins and Add-ons

An outdated or unsupported Safari extension installed on your Mac gives a slow browsing experience. So, I recommend disabling Safari Extension or Update Pending update from the Mac App Store. Based on experience, some extensions cannot load websites like youtube on a standard browser, but Private browsing allows to open websites. Because the installed Extension will not load on Private browsing, that’s proven you have a problem with Extensions.

Step 2: Now, From the top Menu, Click on Safari > Choose Settings/Preference .

Step 3: Go to the Extensions tab and Select the Extension in front of the name from the first left panel, So the Extension will be disabled. Next, we can uninstall from there as well.

Update Safari Extension on Mac : Open App Store on Mac > Search Extension, then Click on the Update button to download and install New updates with the latest macOS.

is YouTube slow on Safari Mac?

It could have happened due to an unhealthy add-on run on your Mac for Safari. Some extension makes Safari YouTube fullscreen lag and Safari Weird behavior. Scroll through comments on YouTube on Safari, and it does animation is slow. for that, you will have to disable an extension that harmful to Safari,

let’s what to do about that,

• On the Safari menu bar, click Safari > choose Preferences, then select the Extensions tab. Turn that OFF ,
• Next, quit and relaunch Safari to test.

hopefully, this worked; after this,

• Turn one extension on, then quit and re-open Safari to test until you navigate the incompatible extension for your Mac then click uninstall.

Your work is done.

Read more: Tips to Speed up Slow Mac after macOS update

Solution # 8. Clear Cache, Extension, History

Problems with Safari after an update ? Let’s see a solution- If your day begins and ends with Mac and Safari, you should probably clear cache, extensions, and history periodically. They eat your Mac’s storage and slow down the Safari. It is worth deleting all this and making some space.

Step 2: From the top of the Mac Menu, Click on Safari > Select Settings .

Step 3: Open Advanced Tab > At the bottom, Enable the Show Features For Web Developers.

Step 4: Head over and click on Develop > Select Empty Caches .

Step 5: Again, Select Extensions > Disable Extension from the Left Sidebar > Click on Safari From the Top Menubar > Tap on Clear History.

Solution #9. NVRAM Restart (cmd+opt+P+R) – And it Solved

NVRAM Store Mac startup data for a quick jump into work. We can clear up those corrupted or Outdated Mac system Data by Resetting it. Here are a few Keyboard shortcuts that we have to try on Restart your Mac. This process doesn’t wipe any files or Data from the Mac drive; this Process only Refreshes the startup date by Cleaning and Rebuilding the process.

• From the Apple logo, click on Shut Down .
• Immediately Press the [cmd+opt+P+R] Keys from a keyboard after pressing the power key,
• Your Mac will only play startup sound but won’t turn on. Which means you have to perform NVRAM Restart. Leave all the keys and allow it to turn on your Mac itself.

M1 Macbook Mac Safari Slow:

To Boost Laggy Safari browsing, There are no more changes in settings. To perform each of the steps in the same way. But Resetting RAM is quite Different on your M1 MBA[Air] or M1 Macbook Pro & M1 MacMini.

• M1 Silicon Mac stores data on RAM, and users don’t need to reset it. Because Mac reset it automatically while restarting your Mac. If you have to reset that, then simply restart the Mac .

Important : Mostly M1 Mac Users affected by Browser Extension installed on Mac, So I highly recommend Disable one by one and test the experiments. 

Solution # 10: Manually Clear Cache.DB file

The above solution must work properly, but if anything goes wrong or the cache isn’t deleted, try this one.

Step 1: Launch the Finder on your Mac > From the top Menu, Click Go and then Choose Go to Folder .

Step 2: Enter the below command and click on the Go button ,

~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db

/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/Cache.db

• Now, as soon as the folder opens, click on the .db file and move to trash.

Note: Before performing this action, close the Safari app.

Solution # 11: Remove Safari Preferences File

Auto-generated list files in the Mac file system save massive browsing data; some of the data is useful and needed in the future. So I recommend deleting those files after backup in a separate folder. Follow the below steps to find the safari plist file under the Mac preferences folder.

We can take our chances to fix Safari running slow on macOS Ventura with this solution.

Step 1: Launch the Finder and Tap on Go From the top Menubar > Next, Click on Go to Folder .

Step 3: Enter the Below Command.

~/Library/Preferences

Step 4: Now Locate and Select the com. apple. Safari……plist > Right -Click to Tap Move to Trash . Then restart your Mac so that after powering on, the file comes back automatically, and the browser will load fast.

Solution #12. Change Network Service also works to Speed up the internet on Mac

If you have connected your Mac to Wi-Fi and Ethernet, then it can be a reason behind the slow performance of Safari . Remove one network connection and observe if it has any effect on it.

By default, Mac will give priority to only one network. But if you want, then you can change the order of the priority and switch connections.

Here’s how you can change the priority of the network service

Step 1: Open the Apple logo and click on System Settings.

Step 2: Next, Choose Network and then open the Action pop-up menu > Tap to Set Service Order.

Step 3: Drag Service to Change Order > Click on OK.

• Step 3: Select “ Set Service Order ” and arrange the network service by dragging them.
• Step 4: Click “ OK ” and “ Apply ” changes by clicking on it too.

Solution #13. Solution Use Safari Alternatives For Mac (Chrome or Firefox)

There are plenty of free Browsers for MacOS. Those are even faster than the Safari browser. Sometimes, the user has to switch to another browser because Safari is not working correctly with the Extension, Crashing, and other Serious problems; according to my Experience, Google Chrome for Mac works superfast even when the Extension is enabled.

Mac users can go with Trusted Desktop Browsers like Google Chrome, Firefox, Opera, Brave, Tor Browser, Vivaldi , and many more. In addition, you can get more ideas from shortlisted top Best Browsers for Mac .

• Are you looking for how to set Google as the default browser on Mac? Get here How to change the default web browser on Mac?

Solution #14. Reverting back to Big Sur or Mojave as a Reliable solution

Are you interested only in Safari Browser on your Mac? Recent macOS updates or After macOS updates, you feel uncomfortable and not using it preciously, so I recommend switching back to earlier macOS. Here’s my video tutorial on how to move back to Earlier MacOS for Big Sur installed Mac.

Solution # 15: Reinstall macOS Big Sur/Catalina

Unfortunately, if none of the above works for you, you have to follow this extreme path. Other than Safari, if you face any problems with Mac or MacBook, it will be fixed with this troubleshooting. Get here how to Reinstall macOS 12 .

Solution # 16: Change the Login Account on Mac and repair the Disk

Another weird solution for this issue is to change the user account. Create a new account and try to use Safari to see if anything changes.

Besides, we will use Disk Utility to fix this issue.

Step 1: Search Disk Utility from the Spotlight.

Step 2: Once Disk Utility is on-screen, Tap on the Hard Drive of Mac > Click on the First Aid Tab .

Step 3: Tap to Run for First Aid on Hard Drive.

Solution # 17: Update macOS to Speed up the internet on Mac

If you haven’t updated macOS, then you might face several issues. First, the new update probably contains all the bug fixes and will also include Safari. So update the MacBook to the latest version, if available.

Step 1: Go to Apple Logo on the top menu bar > Select System Settings.

Step 2: Choose General > Tap on Software update .

Step 3: Tap on Update Now. If any update is available – please download and install macOS.

After doing it, Check for a Safari web browser . I hope now safari will give you an accelerated experience than ever before. Or go with the following solution.

Solution # 18: Optimize Search Settings in Safari on Mac

We always accuse Safari of being slow, but it isn’t possible every time. So there is a possibility that the search browser you are using is facing situations, so Safari is running slow on macOS . If this is the problem, then we can fix it by changing the search settings.

Step 1: Launch the Safari app on your Mac > Select Safari From the Top Menu > click on Settings .

Step 2: Click on the Search Tab > Try to change the search engine to Bing.

Solution #19. Upgrade Your Mac: RAM, SSD Hard Drive

Any action is not helpful from the above solutions to fix burning questions: How can I speed up Safari on Mac? I recommend upgrading the internal hard drive. Have you any technicality and experience with upgrading computers? You can do it yourself. Get strict with the Apple store or Third-Party Service center or concern with your Friends. If none of the options helped you, then, share your comment for upgrade tips. Here are the top best SSD drives to upgrade your Mac machine

Bottom Line:

None of the above workarounds is helpful, so you should submit a feedback request to Apple . So, Apple catches your Problem correctly and Gets a chance to fix it with the new macOS update.

Is there any other trick to fix Safari running very slow on Mac after an update? Let me know in the comments!

5 thoughts on “19 Fixes Safari Running Slow on Mac (Ventura, Sonoma)”

“However, the reason behind this is, the person who have Mac or iPhone they face any problem in Safari, they move to Google Chrome.

Instead, they should try to fix Safari complications”

looool. No, they should use whatever works. Safari has no excuse, I’m sorry.

PS: Yes I miss the handover and shared ios macos tabs too… but, a non-functional browser is a non-functional browser…

PS2: I am still wasting time with relogins from your fist solution… So you say I should reinstall Mojave… when there are other browsers that work just fine… again: looool

With Windows 7, Google was fast downloading. I have recently switched to an iMac and have been driven mad by the slowness downloading web pages – sometimes it sticks part way through and I get nothing. I switched to Bing – that was as slow. In desperation I tried DuckDuckGo. Pages are downloaded instantly. I have no idea why, but it work, so I’ll stick with it.

Solution 10: how do you reinstall Mojave? Thanks

For your information, I have restored Safari normal speed on Catalina by deactivating my Intego Netbarrier suite

I upgraded my MacBook Pro to Catalina a couple of weeks ago and all was good. Today I upgraded my MacAir and I basically can’t connect to the internet using the wifi that I used before to download Catalina and the same wifi that I am using on the Pro to find your website and to send this message. I tried deleting the cache and reopening Safari and restarting but still nada.

What’s up with that?

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

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Safari Running Slow After macOS Catalina Update? Here’s the Fix

8 Tips to Speed Up Safari in macOS Catalina on Mac

So, how are we going to speed up safari for macos, 1. disable safari extensions.

• Simply launch Safari on your Mac -> Safari menu -> Preferences.

2. Disable Plug-ins

1. Launch Safari on your Mac -> Safari menu -> Preferences.

3. Remove All Website Data

Whenever I find Safari unable to deliver the desired performance or seem to be rather sluggish, website data remains one of my targets. It’s because they do become problematic after a while if not removed on a frequent basis. So, I’m not going to let it escape either.

4. Empty Safari Cache

It’s always advisable to remove cache frequently so that it doesn’t become problematic. If you hadn’t removed it for a while, chances are it might be the hidden culprit behind this whole mess. So, remove it sooner than later.

5. Clear Safari History

Removing Safari history is one of the oldest ways to get rid of all the existing clutters. So, in a situation where a speedy Safari is more important than the piled-up history, you shouldn’t hesitate to wipe out all the data. Keep in mind, it will remove Safari history on all the devices synced with the same Apple ID . To do it, open the Safari -> Safari  menu. Then, click on Clear History. After that, click on the drop-down menu and choose All History . Then after, click on Clear History to finish.

6. Update DNS Setting on Your Mac

• Click on the Apple menu -> System Preferences -> Network.

7. Flush Out DNS Cache

Simply launch Terminal on your Mac and then enter the below-given command and hit the return key.

8. Update Software on Your Mac

Tips to Speed Up Slow Safari on macOS Catalina

Rajesh Mishra

An old school bibliophile who turned a tech nerd out of obsession. When he is not digging into hacks and tracking down stories that are breaking the internet, you may find him reciting poems.

mag jade – Well, that’s better than, “contact your local dealer”, right?

I read dozens of tips about this problem, and none of them helped. I went thru the websites I use the most and reset the page zoom to 85%. I am no longer frustrated, everything is acting normal again. Hope this helps.

This shouldn’t work like that. Users should not have to do all that stuff to be able to run their app normally! I feels like buying a car and the salesman tells you that the fourth wheel is in the back and you will have to install it yourself and that the manual is in the glove box and that you will find the instruction on page 172 after opening the hood and pressing on the green button to your right… Come on!

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Safari Running Slow? – Here are Some Quick Fixes!

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Apple’s Safari is known to be amongst the best browsers due to its fast performance and simple interface. However, it can still run into performance issues that can be frustrating. There could be a multitude of reasons for Safari running slower than usual. So, we tried a few simple methods that might be able to fix the issue and get back on track.

Some possible reasons for this issue are the build-up of cache or cookies, outdated browsers, extensions, or plug-ins that are not being used. Once you are able to identify the issue, you can simply follow the steps to remove cache and extensions or even update the browser.

Well, let us look at everything we need to know in detail and figure out all the methods that might work best for you.

Why Is Safari So Slow?

1. build-up cache and cookies, 2. software update, 3. extensions and plug-ins issue, 4. large number of open tabs, 5. network issues, 6. limited storage space, 7. contact apple support, frequently asked questions.

Your Safari browser is running slow because of the build-up of cache and cookies. Or it could even be because you are using an outdated version of the browser, and it needs an immediate update. Furthermore, this could be simply because too many tabs are open on the system, and thus it is eventually slowing down the entire software.

As we said, this could be because of any underlying cause. You can fix all of it by simply restarting the system or the browser itself. Or you might need to try other methods that can take a few more steps. Here are some fixes you can try that worked for us too.

7 Reasons Why Safari is Running Slow + Fixes

We all know the basic idea behind using cache and cookies. They are used by websites or the system to speed up your browsing experience. However, the more you are active on the internet, the more these files are piled up over time.

Hence, there isn’t enough space for the browser or the system to store any more of these small files. So, we need to eliminate these to fix your Safari issues. Here is how you can do it.

• Open Safari Browser.
• Now, click on History on the top taskbar and choose Clear History in the drop-down menu.

• Select the time duration besides the Clear option, then click on Clear History.

The above steps will clear the history and the cookies from the site. Now close Safari and start again to check if the issue is fixed.

Here is another way you can empty caches on the Safari browser.

• Open the Safari browser and click on Develop on the top taskbar.

• Now, from the drop-down menu option, select Empty Caches or press Option + Command + E.

Another method you can try is updating the Safari browser by updating your macOS . Since Safari is an in-built software developed by the tech giant itself, they often release updates to fix such errors.

Here is how you can check for updates and update your Safari app when needed.

• Go to the Apple menu and then choose System Settings .
• Then click on Software Update.
• Wait a few seconds for the system to check for an available update. Install the update if available.

Once you update your macOS, your Safari app will also be updated. You can then wait for the system to restart and check if the app works fine.

Some extensions or plug-ins might be outdated and cause your Safari to slow down and cause performance issues. Hence, you can update or uninstall these extensions from your system.

You can follow the steps below to check which extensions you are currently using and then uninstall the ones you are not using anymore.

• Open Safari browser.
• Go to the Safari option on the taskbar and choose Settings.

• Now, click on the Extensions option on the menu bar.
• Next, choose the Extension you want to remove and select Uninstall.

You can keep doing this for all the extensions you do not want to keep and uninstall them from your browser. This will eventually speed up the performance of Safari.

Have you been currently using too many tabs on your Safari browser? Well, this could be one of the biggest reasons your Safari browser has slowed down or even glitched overall. The best way to go from here is simply close some tabs and give your browser a breather.

If that does not work, you might have to close the browser and restart the system. For this, simply right-click the Safari icon in the dock below. Press Quit and the browser will close with all its tabs.

Before trying out any other solution, it is best to check your internet connection and ensure it works properly. Your network issues might be causing the website and other downloads to slow down. 

Ensure your router is properly connected or your MacBook receives a proper internet connection. For this, you can check your internet speed through multiple sites on the web. If everything looks fine, you can try the other methods listed below.

You might need to clear some storage space on your Mac . Some apps fail to function because your system does not have enough space to run the in-built apps such as Safari.

For this, you can check the current status of your storage on Mac and determine how you can make space for the system apps to run smoothly.

• Go to the Apple menu and choose System Settings .
• Scroll down to open General and then choose Storage.

Here, you can check all the sections that have taken up the maximum space and then delete some of the files.

The last resort here is to contact Apple support for some guidance. Although you can also check for some hardware issues, it is best to speak to an executive from Apple support.

Simply visit the official Apple website and connect to an online executive where you can present your issues and try their suggested fixes.

Check our article on How to Add More Storage to MacBook’s?

You can start by updating the macOS, which will, in turn, update the Safari app as well. Moreever, you can also clear caches and cookies to help bring the safari to speed.

Safari is known to be faster on Apple devices such as your MacBook. At the same time, Google Chrome performs the best on all devices, including your smartphones. However, it depends largely on the operating system and the device’s hardware.

The fastest browser for Apple is indeed Safari. It is built for macOS and iOS devices, providing an optimized browsing experience.

The fixes to a slow-running Safari are simple. Clearing your cache, updating the app or your macOS, closing unwanted tabs, and clearing storage space are all excellent ways of ensuring your Apple search engine runs perfectly. 

If these do not work, you can check your internet connection and close the tabs you are working on. The more tabs you have opened, the slower it will work. Similarly, there are other methods too that are tried and tested to fix Safari issues, and you can try them as well before contacting Apple Support.

Kanika Modi

Kanika is a Tech Enthusiast who is looking to add meaning to what people read. She has been writing on Apple devices and products for 7 years now and continues to share the solution to your everyday issues with everything technology.

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[Proven] 9 Ways to Speed Up Safari on Mac in 2024

Updated on Wednesday, April 24, 2024

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How to Speed Up Safari on Mac: A Detailed Guide

Summary:  This article will tell you how to speed up Safari on Mac , and help you make Safari back to normal in no time. Also, you can use  iBoysoft  DiskGeeker to clean junk files on your Mac, thus speeding up Safari.

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iBoysoft DiskGeeker

As the default and built-in web browser, Safari was highly praised by Mac users over the years because of its high performance and reliability. But as with any other web browser, like Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox, Safari is not immune from slowdowns and other issues.

For those who stick to using Safari, and don't know what to do when finding Safari is running much slower than before, you come to the right place. This article tells you how to speed up Safari on Mac with nine feasible ways. Without further ado, let's get started!

Possible causes lead to Safari running slow on Mac

To speed up Safari on Mac, it's beneficial to start with the possible reasons that may lead to Safari running slow on Mac issue. Let's check some of the possible reasons out.

• Bad network connection 
• Too many open apps and resource-intensive programs 
• Overmuch tabs in Safari 
• Bad extensions 
• Overworked Cache 
• Outdated Version of Safari
• Too many junk files on your Mac

It is worth mentioning that there are various causes that may result in this problem, and the above list is just part of them. Now you learn some possible reasons that may cause the slowdown of Safari, to speed up Safari on Mac is next on the agenda. Read on for more details.

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How to speed up Safari on Mac?

Here, we provide you with 9 feasible solutions to help you speed up Safari on Mac, thus fixing the Safari running slow on Mac problem. You can perform the following solutions one by one to check if any of them will work.

Check for network connection problems

If you find the website you open in Safari takes too long to load, or even fails to load, it's a good idea to check the network connection, and see if the culprit is not inside Safari itself. Sometimes, a bad network connection will lead to the unstable performance of Safari. So, whenever you feel Safari is slower than usual, check your network first.

Shut down unneeded apps and resource-intensive programs

Safari will run much slower than normal when you have countless applications or resource-intensive programs opened on your Mac. In this situation, those apps and programs take up the most CPU usage, and thus there's not much left for Safari. So, to speed up Safari on Mac, you can quit or force-quit those apps not actively used on the  Mac Dock .

Also, if you want to sort apps and find those consume too much processing power and memory, use the  Activity Monitor  to help you, here's how:

• Go to  Mac Launchpad  > Others, find Activity Monitor, and launch it.
• In the Activity Monitor window, click on the CPU tab or Memory tab in the top menu.

Close unnecessary tabs in Safari

When you are searching for information or just browsing interesting websites in Safari, you may open a lot of tabs without realizing it. Too many tabs open in Safari will get Safari running slow on Mac. Because this Apple's default browser keeps many of those tabs active in the background, even when you are not using them.

So, you can speed up Safari on Mac by simply closing those unnecessary tabs. Remember to bookmark those websites you actively used in case of accidentally closing.

Optimize your Mac

Too many junk files on your Mac disk can have devastating consequences for your Mac's overall performance. A Mac with limited free space on the startup disk is likely to freeze, clutter, and crash, thus making Safari run slow. In this case, you can  free up space on Mac  to speed up Safari with  iBoysoft DiskGeeker .

iBoysoft DiskGeeker is one of the leading macOS optimizers in the market. It is able to remove useless clutters from hard drives on your Mac. The Clean Junk feature of it can help users to find and remove junk files from the startup disk, thus boosting your Mac's performance. And the Clean Drive feature can scan all files on a volume, so that you can sort out those unneeded files and remove them easily.

Also, it can clear up junk files in Macs, external hard drives, solid-state drives,  USB flash drive s,  SD card s, memory cards, etc.

Here's how to clean junk files on our Mac and speed up Safari:

• Download, install, and launch iBoysoft DiskGeeker on your Mac.

• Click Ok to confirm the deletion.
• Check if the Safari running slow on Mac issue still exists.

Disable or remove unnecessary Safari extensions

Though some of the Safari extensions are quite useful, they can do more harm than good by affecting the browsing experience and the loading speed. Besides, extensions eat up resources. So, in this situation, you can either turn off or directly remove those unused or not frequently used extensions in Safari.

Here's how to speed up Safari on Mac by disabling and removing Safari extensions:

• Launch Safari on your Mac.
• Click Safari in the  Apple Menu , choose Preferences, then click on the Extensions tab.
• To disable an extension, simply untick the checkbox next to it.

How to delete extensions on Mac?

If you want to remove the unwanted and useless extensions on your Mac to speed up your browser and Mac performance, follow this guide to uninstall them quickly.  Read more >>

Think these solutions are quite inspiring? Why not share?

Clear up Safari cache and cookies

Like Google Chrome or any other browser, Safari will keep a cache of data from websites you visit. This takes up disk space and leads to some performance problems. So, it's always to clear up the Safari cache once in a while if you need to improve the browser's speed, here's how:

• Launch Safari on your Mac, and click Safari in the Apple Menu.
• Go to Preferences > Advanced.

Corrupted and outdated cookies may slow down Safari, and thus affect its performance. So, removing cookies in Safari can also help you speed up Safari on Mac, here's how:

• In the Apple Menu, go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy.

• Click Remove Now to clear up Safari cookies.

Clear Cookies on Mac in Safari, Chrome, & Firefox (2022)

How to clear cookies on Mac? This guide helps you delete cookies and cache in Safari, Chrome, and Firefox on Mac/MacBook Air/ MacBook Pro.  Read more >>

Disable autofill

Autofill can help you enter passwords automatically in Safari. But the more data you store in autofill, the more resources Safari needs. Disable autofill is another way to fix the Safari running slow on Mac issue.

• Launch Safari, click Safari in the Apple Menu, then choose Preferences.

• Remove your autofill data.

Reset Safari to factory defaults

If any of the above solutions fail to fix your problem, you can reset Safari to factory defaults. Do note that resetting Safari will clear up all extensions and browser settings. So, consider it twice before doing it. Here's how:

• Quit Safari on your Mac.

• Search for com.apple.Safari.plist file, and move it to  Mac Trash .
• Press Command + Shift + G together again, type " ~/Library/Safari/ " in the pop-up window, and delete all items in the folder except the Bookmarks.plist file.
• Visit " ~/Library/Containers/ ", search for Safari, then delete all files and folders appear in the found results.

Update macOS to the latest version

Apple releases a new version of macOS every year. Each new macOS version fixes some bugs and improves the performance of Safari. So, if your Mac is not running the latest macOS, you can try to  update Mac , and see if this Safari running slow on Mac problem still exists.

Safari Not Working on Mac/MacBook, How to Fix? (2022)

Safari not working on Mac/MacBook, how to fix it? This guide helps fix Safari that's not working properly, not responding, or not opening on Mac.  Read more >>

Fix Safari running slow on Mac issue successfully? Share this post with more people!

In this article, we tell you the possible causes that may lead to the Safari running slow problem. Also, explain to you how to speed up Safari on Mac with nine feasible solutions. Hope you can solve your problem after reading this post!

FAQ about speed up Safari on Mac

To improve the loading speed of Safari, here are the things you can do: 1. Update your Mac to the latest macOS version. 2. Disable all unused extensions of Safari. 3. Clear up caches, cookies, and autofill data from Safari. 4. Close the not actively used tab in Safari. 5. Restart your Mac.

Yes, clean cache does make Safari faster. But cleaning up the Safari cache can only speed up Safari temporarily. Because Safari will keep a cache of data from all websites you visit, deleting it once does make some difference. But soon, Safari will become slow again. So you should clear cache regularly.

The Safari takes too long to load pages issue happens frequently. It may be caused by too many tabs opened, Mac running out of CPU usage, or overmuch Safari extensions. Besides, if your Safari version is out of date, it will lead to this problem as well.

Rivers Wong is a technical content creator and optimizer at iBoysoft. After comprehensive and systematic learning of macOS, Windows OS, data security, and storage devices, he is capable of providing informative and helpful articles.

Jessica Shee is a senior tech editor at iBoysoft. Throughout her 4 years of experience, Jessica has written many informative and instructional articles in data recovery, data security, and disk management to help a lot of readers secure their important documents and take the best advantage of their devices.

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Why Is Safari So Slow? Top Fixes to Speed up Browsing!

Written By Jordan Baldo

Last updated: January 6, 2024

Almighty writing expert who is proficient in analyzing Mac issues and providing efficient solutions.

Just like any other browsers, Safari also has a DNS prefetching which makes your browsing experience faster. Once that it is working well when you click on a website and your browser already knows the IP address then it is ready to load the web page. This actually means a fast response.

However, you may encounter the issue that Safari slow to load . There are instances that once that Safari loads a website, the page might appear ready. But then, when you try to move it up and down, you will just see a spinning cursor. It may be caused by your system running out of application memory , or other various reasons.

Also, you will be able to notice that the refresh button is also just spinning as well. If you are experiencing this on your Safari browser, then this only means that the page was rendered successfully but there is something that is preventing it to respond.

People Also Read: Top Solutions to Firefox Keeps Crashing on Mac

Contents: Part 1. Why Is Safari So Slow on Mac and How to Fix It? Part 2. What Can You Do If Safari Slow to Load? Part 3. In Conclusion

Part 1. Why Is Safari So Slow on Mac and How to Fix It?

It is not only MacBook would run slow as time goes by, but Safari would also be slower. As we also know, Safari is actually not the fastest browser and it can get sluggish.

This is because of several reasons as to why is safari so slow or sometimes it is freezing:

• There are too much data and cache on Safari.
• Corrupted preferences.
• Extensions that have bugs.
• Autofill data.
• You have outdated plugins like Java and Flash.
• Safari slow after Catalina update.

For you to know some of the reasons why you are experiencing this, we have listed below some of the main causes and as well as the fix for each of the causes listed below.

Reason 1. There Are Too Much Data and Cache on Safari

Your safari browser actually stores information of all the website that you have visited so if you are an average type of user then there might be a lot of data stored in your Safari browser.

Aside from the stored website that you visited, there are also other aspects like HTML files, and images that are all saved in your cache which is actually another burden for the browser resulting in a slow response whenever you try to use it. Here is the fix for this.

How to Clear Your Browser’s History and Cache：

PowerMyMac's Privacy is one of the best browser cleaners today. This is the perfect tool that you can use for you to improve your online experience when using your Safari browser. It can clean up your junk files, cookies, and your history on your browser . It can also remove any deceleration reasons and can clear up privacy traces for you to help protect your confidential data.

Here is how to use the iMyMac PowerMyMac 's Privacy:

• Download PowerMyMac then have it installed on your Mac.
• Launch the program to choose Privacy and scan your browsing data.
• Once that the scanning process is complete, you will see a list of browsers that you have on your Mac.
• Choose Safari and select the browser cache, histories, browser cookies that you want to clean up .
• Click on the CLEAN button and PowerMyMac will begin to clean up your Safari browser.

If you need the manual methods to fix Safari slow to load, we also provide:

Clear your Safari’s history:

• Launch your Safari browser on your Mac.
• Then click on History in the menu bar.
• Choose the Clear History option
• Choose the time span and then click on the Clear History button again.

Doing the steps above can help you clear out your history in your Safari browser. However, if in case you do not want to lose your browser’s history and you only want to get rid of your cache, then here is what you should do.

• Launch your Safari browser on your Mac
• Click on Safari in the menu bar.
• Then, click on Preferences
• Choose the Advanced tab.
• Then put a checkmark on the Show Development menu in your menu bar.
• Click on Develop from the menu bar.
• After that, choose Empty Cache.

Tip: In case the Safari is quite slow and you want to uninstall it and then reinstall it again, you can also use this app uninstaller to completely remove it .

Reason 2. Corrupted Preferences

Once that you have assigned a homepage or search engine or if you choose where you would want to save all your downloads from your Safari browser, it is all stored in a preference file.

Because of this, once that this file becomes corrupted, then this will start an issue on your browser. If you are experiencing any issues in using your Safari browsers such as lags or freezing, then there is a tendency that the problem is with preference. Here is how you can fix this.

How to Remove Your Preference File?

Here, once that you have deleted those corrupted preference file, then your browser can easily generate a new one. Here is how you can do this.

• Close your Safari browser.
• Launch Finder on your Mac and use these keys: Command + Shift + G .
• Then enter the following in the pop-up and press Enter: ~/Library/Preference/
• Then, go ahead and look for the file name “ com.apple.Safari.SafeBrowsing.plist ” and then click Delete.

Reason 3. Extensions That HaveBugs

Your extension has a lot of extras in your Safari browser such as it stored passwords or it can translate words with just a single click. However, since it is a third-party add-on, then this could have an effect on the performance of your Safari browser.

How to Delete your extensions?

For you to be able to determine which is causing a problem to your Safari browser, go ahead and run a test. Here is how.

• Choose Safari in your menu bar.
• Choose Preferences.
• And then, choose the Extension tab.
• Uncheck all the extensions one by one and find out if the problem will be gone.
• Once that you have determined the problem, just go ahead and click on the Uninstall button beside the extension in the Preference tab.

Reason 4. Autofill Data

Autofill is one of the handiest features especially when it comes to your passwords and phone number. But, if you have tons of data in your autofill, then there is a chance that your Safari might freeze up. For this, you can just simply turn it off or you can disable those that you do not need.

How to Remove Autofill History？

Here is how you can manage your autofill.

• Launch the Safari browser on your Mac.
• Then click on Preferences in the menu bar.
• Then choose the Autofill tab.

From the autofill tab, you will be able to disable any user for your Autofill. Just go ahead and click on the Edit button and you will be able to see all the data that is stored in your autofill. From there, just go ahead and delete the autofill that you no longer want and need.

Reason 5. You have Outdated Plugins like Java and Flash

As what we all know, several websites actually require you to have a Flash or Java on your Safari browser for you to be able to play videos or any animated content on the website that you are visiting.

However, once you have an outdated plugin on our Safari, then this could affect the performance of your browser.

How to Update Your Java and Flash Player？

Now, this is a very simple solution. Since you have an outdated Flash or Java, then all you need to do is to have it updated. For you update your Flash player to the most recent version, then the best way to do this is by going to the Adobe’s website.

This is because once you visited their site, it will immediately identify if you have an updated or an outdated version of your Flash player.

For you to be able to update your Java, just go ahead and go to the Oracle’s website. From there, you will be able to see if you have the updated version. If you do not have the updated version, then the website will give you instructions on what you should do.

Part 2. What Can You Do If Safari Slow to Load?

You may be so confused about the slow loading problem of Safari. Don't worry, you can check how to quickly and securely solve Safari slow to load below:

• Change your search setting.
• Change your network service order.
• Turn off your dashboard.

Change Your Search Setting

This is one of the things that you can try once that you are experiencing that Safari Slow to load. Here is how you can change your search settings.

• Launch Safari on your Mac and then go to the Preference tab.
• After that, click on the Search tab.
• Then, change your search engine into Bing.
• After changing your search engine, close Safari and launch it again.
• Check if there is any difference between its performance.
• After that, do the same steps and change your search engine into Google.
• Then, try to check it again.

Here, you can also uncheck all the options such as your search engine suggestions, Safari suggestions, quick website search and more. This is for you to be able to see any difference that will happen.

Change Your Network Service Order

If in case that you have a machine that is connected to your Wi-Fi and your Ethernet, then there is a possibility that the cause if you are connected to two different ways.

All you have to do here for you to check is go to your System Preference and then choose Networks. From there, go ahead and try to disconnect one of your network sources and try to run your Safari browser for you to see any difference.

Turn off Your Dashboard

If you are still using a 2010 Mac or earlier, then this could mean that you have a graphics card issue. Because of this, you can go ahead and try to use other things and see if it will help improve the performance of your Safari browser.

This is by disabling your Dashboard feature in your Mission Control Settings. For you to do this, just go ahead and launch your System Preferences. After that, go ahead and click on Mission Control. From the drop-down box located beside Dashboard, go ahead and toggle it off.

Part 3. In Conclusion

As you can see, there are many reasons as to why your safari running slow. Keep in mind that the Safari browser is just like those other browsers that you have installed in your Mac. It can also get stuffed. Besides that, you may also encounter Safari loading slow on your iPhone.

Once that a browser is full of all the activities that you made using your browser, then they are actually stored there and those will greatly affect the performance of your browser. Because of this, it is advisable for any Mac users to have a browser cleaner installed on their Mac to maintain the speed and high performance of the Safari browser so that you won't suffer Safari Slow to load.

PowerMyMac is clearly the most recommended software that you must have to maintain everything on your browser. This software does not just work on your Safari browser but it can also work with any browsers that you have or help remove Apps on Mac.

In other words, once that you have removed everything that is not needed in your browser, then this could be a great help with its performance.

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (based on 88 ratings)

Clean up and speed up your Mac with ease

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Comment( 10 )

Clemilton 2023-02-15 04:06:29

Excelentes dicas. Melhorou o desempenho. Obrigado

JohnIL 2022-06-03 00:23:47

Safari in my experience has intermittent issues affecting loading of web sites. Is it a compatibility issue or something on the web sites that doesn’t play nice with Safari? That is possible since many say other browsers are not affected. This would rule out the OS or hardware or network. But would place the focus on Safari as the issue. Since Safari is purely a Apple OS boy browser. It could be a case that Apple is not following certain standards or adopting them as other browsers have.

Ro Gal 2020-11-05 22:04:40

Tried all the 5 steps and more to no avail. This is a new Macbook Air w/plenty of juice and the latest updates. Safari is just too slow on many sites, so back to Chrome and Brave.

Carl 2019-11-21 10:12:58

There are lots of data stored in my Safari browser, luckily, I have tried Mac Cleaner to clean up cookies and history on my browser, and it runs fast now. Thanks!

iMyMac 2019-11-21 10:55:08

Thanks for your support!

Larissa 2019-11-21 10:06:12

I suffered Safari running slow on my Mac for a long time, thanks for the tips, will try.

iMyMac 2019-11-21 11:02:06

Hope these tips do really help you.

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after last update, Safari is very slow

After updating the system, latest Safari (version 15) is very slow and freezes all the time. How can I get back to previous one?

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 11.6

Posted on Oct 4, 2021 12:01 AM

Posted on Oct 4, 2021 12:31 AM

hi, try this go to settings menu then delete your cookies, by clear history and website data.

open safari browser. go to menu then history tab then clear history

i hope this will work for you i am using the same version but it is fresh installed not the update of previous version and it is working fine. Check the activity manager may be there is a third party program is causing problem in safari operations, remove that. as you can not uninstall it and then reinstall because its apple default browser so the second option is refresh the OS.

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Oct 4, 2021 12:31 AM in response to PopescuBuzeu

Oct 29, 2021 9:47 AM in response to PopescuBuzeu

I have the same issue, but have traced it to my SurfEasy VPN. So long as it is not running, Safari loads and renders websites just fine. Contacted their Helpdesk, and they (of course) referred me to here. I've performed the history clearing and cookie deleting, but no luck. And I'm doubtful reinstalling Safari will be of much good.

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2017)

macOS Monterey v12.0.1 (21A559)

Safari Version 15.1 (17612.2.9.1.20)

SurfEasy VPN v3.14.67

Nov 15, 2021 7:59 AM in response to mehvish-

I have tried to follow your guidance but I am confused I think. I was using Safari as I began this reply but typing was so slow I switched to a different browser and typing is no longer painful. With respect to the guidance you offer though, I am not sure to which settings menu you are referring that will allow one to delete cookies and clear history and website data? If I already have Safari open I note the option to clear my history at the bottom of the History drop down. I cleared "all history" via this method but I see no improvement in the snail's pace at which the letters typed appear on my screen. Could you please elaborate on whichever parts I have neglected to perform so that I might complete your suggested steps and hopefully return typing in Safari back to some sense of normalcy?

Dec 21, 2021 7:02 AM in response to PopescuBuzeu

Today, replaced my test old iPad with a new one, Safari 15.x on it I believe. I can cry so bad. Totally useless for anything more than the average joe youtube page viewing.

On the same device, Chrome outperforms Safari big time with the same content (3D/js) and allows me to work.

Same cancer on macOS. Shame really. Things started to go bad after release 14.x.

Mar 21, 2022 7:43 AM in response to PopescuBuzeu

I had a similar issue.

I deleted cookies, cache, history and all Network settings and the issue continue.

Then I deactivated the new feature in iOS 15 with iCloud+ (Private Relay (Beta)). And since I deactivated this feature, safari start to work normal again.

Hope this could be helpful.

Feb 3, 2022 9:18 AM in response to PopescuBuzeu

Dec 13, 2021 3:20 PM in response to smartishhome240

I have the same issue. It’s been a couple days safari is very slow. Used google chrome and pages are opening fast. I have iPhone 12 max on the latest software update.

Apr 23, 2022 7:46 AM in response to PopescuBuzeu

I’m finding everything has slowed, even opening apps, phone, messages etc, since I did the last update. It’s a nightmare can’t use my iPhone 12 to its full capacity

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How to Fix: Safari Running Slow on Mac

Safari is a great browser, but like all browsers, it’s not immune to problems. One issue Mac users, in particular, face is Safari running slow.

You may see the beachball running forever! Or pages take too long to load, often with just text showing in all the wrong places. And sometimes, web pages are displaying fine, but you still see the loading symbol on the tab.

All these symptoms are signs of a slow-performing Safari. However, you can diagnose the issue and quickly resolve it to speed up Safari.

There could be several underlying causes behind this issue, so you must examine each possibility one by one to get to the bottom of it.

Table of Contents

Why is Safari Running So Slow On My Mac?

Before we talk about the possible reasons behind Safari running slow, it’s essential to understand that it’s normal for this to happen. Many times, it’s not entirely the browser’s fault, as the website itself is slow to load. This is true for those heavier websites with lots of graphical designs and video ads.

So it could very well be that the website you’re trying to reach is loading slowly in the first place. Secondly, it could be a slow WiFi connection with low internet speed. To pin that, you can try running other websites or, better yet, run a speed test online.

Once you’ve ensured that it’s not the website or your internet connection, perhaps it’s one of the following issues:

Safari also uses the cache on your Mac. This cache is a temporary memory that stores information you frequently need to make things a little faster. This could be the web addresses you frequent, files you access over the network, or passwords you use to sign in to accounts on different websites.

There’s only so much this cache can hold. Therefore, when it’s complete, Safari is forced to adopt another method, making it slow. This can happen from time to time, incredibly if you search and use many websites on Safari.

The quick solution to resolving an entire cache issue is to clear history. This will include all your browsing history, including cache. However, you can also make the cache exclusively clear.

Here’s how you clear history on Safari on Mac:

• In the Navigation menu on top of the Window, click on History.
• Select the last option: Clear History and Website Data.
• A pop-up will appear asking for the duration of history to delete, so select ‘all history’ from the dropdown menu.

Here’s how you clear cache:

• Click on Safari > Preferences
• In the Preferences panel, select Advanced in the top menu
• Check ‘Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar’ and close Preferences
• A new ‘Develop’ Option will appear on the Menu Bar, so click on it, then select Empty Caches.

Now, close Safari and relaunch it to see if it’s working faster.

Bad Extensions

It could very well be a bad extension causing Safari to run slow. You probably have noticed that Safari isn’t great with the Flash plugin either.

Extensions can be helpful, as they help us get things done faster without needing to switch between windows or applications. However, sometimes you don’t update the extension, or perhaps the developers leave some bugs.

This problem can be solved simply by disabling or removing the extensions. If you use several extensions, you can remove them one by one to see which one does the trick. Also, you can remove all of them with a much easier process (discussed later).

Here’s how you manually disable or remove Safari extensions:

• Go to Safari > Preferences
• Click on Extensions from the top menu
• You’ll see a list of your extension with an Uninstall button against each
• Click on Uninstall to permanently remove the extension
• Alternatively, uncheck the Enable box to disable the extension

Disabling or eliminating Safari extensions frees up space and may improve Safari’s performance.

User Account Issue

If clearing Safari history and removing third-party add-ons didn’t do the trick, perhaps the problem could lie with your user account. To check if this is the underlying issue, create a new account. Once created, open Safari and use it to check if it usually works.

If it does work usually and isn’t running slow, you need to Repair Disk.

• Use Spotlight to search for Disk Utility.
• Select the account’s disk and make sure to stay on the First Aid tab.
• On the bottom right corner, click on Repair Disk.
• For those using Macbook Pro with El Capitan or later version, click on First Aid from the top, and it will automatically scan for issues and resolve them.

After closing Disk Utility, check if Safari is faster.

Outdated macOS

If you’re running something older than macOS Sierra, the Safari is slow because of the old macOS. When the new version of Safari is released, Apple updates it with a new version of macOS or sometimes through a patch. Either way, it means it’s time to upgrade your macOS.

It’s always a good idea to be on the latest version of the macOS, so make sure to run your Mac on the latest operating system version.

If you want to find out which version you’re running, go to Apple Menu, then click on About this Mac. A window will open with system information, including the OS version.

It would help if you ideally were on the latest macOS Big Sur or, at the very least, macOS Sierra.

How to Make Safari Run Faster?

Besides the possible issues and solutions above, there are other relatively more straightforward solutions to this problem.

Close All Extra Tabs

This is the easiest solution that can give Safari an instant boost. The more tabs you have on, the more memory and processing power Safari uses, which, in turn, slows it down.

Some people have dozens of tabs open while they are just using two or three at the time. You need to stop multitasking and perhaps stick with one or two tabs only, at least when Safari is running super slow.

Newer Macs have more processing power and more significant memory so that you may get away with even 20 or 30 tabs open simultaneously. Nevertheless, there’s a limit to their capabilities too. So don’t open more tabs than you need.

Besides, having so many tabs open at the same time is just clumsy!

Close Other Applications

You may also be able to speed up Safari by simply shutting other applications. If you’re using Safari simultaneously as you’re using other heavy applications, you may notice a drop in Safari performance. It may not necessarily be loading pages slowly, but acting slow overall, like switching between tabs or scrolling down pages.

Therefore, try closing any other applications you have running and see if that affects the Safari speed.

Disable DNS Prefetching

DNS Prefetching is a feature on Safar version 5.0.1 or later. It loads a link before you even click on it. That could be slowing down the browser. It can also cause the problem in conjunction with website-related issues.

Launch Terminal and type the text: defaults write com.apple.safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabled -boolean false. After this, restart Safari.

Disable Search Suggestions

Simply turning off search suggestions may do the trick. Here’s how you do it:

• In Safari menu > Preferences
• Select Search from the top menu bar
• Uncheck the box ‘Include search engine suggestions.’

Delete Preference File

This solution probably might not make a big difference but is harmless enough to be worth trying. Go to Finder. Type in the path ~/Library/Preferences and scroll down to com.apple.safari.plist and delete the file.

Restart Mac

Yes, sometimes, a simple restart operation can get things back to normal. So try that as well!

Reinstall macOS

Consider this as the absolute last resort, but if everything else fails to resolve this issue, you may want to reinstall macOS. You won’t lose any data, but only the settings will be reset. The process isn’t that hard, but it is time-consuming. You can find the reinstall macOS option in the utilities.

Click on reinstall macOS and follow the steps.

Safari running slow on Mac can be incredibly annoying. As you can see, anything from an overworked cache to an older macOS version can cause the problem. However, to resolve it, you need to apply each solution one by one.

Make it a habit to clear cache and Safari history periodically so this problem doesn’t occur. Also, make sure you’re on the latest versions of both Safari and macOS.

More often than not, the culprit could be your very own internet connection, so double-check that by running different applications and perhaps by connecting to another network. If Safari runs fine after connecting to another network, you have a slow internet speed.

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Marid is a lifelong tech enthusiast and is the lead editor of Macdentro.com. An expert on all things Apple and a lifelong Mac user. Marid has over 10 years of experience using Apple products including the Apple watch, Ipad and etc

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If your Mac runs slowly

If you find your Mac is running slowly, there are a number of potential causes that you can check.

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Safari 15 is very slow

• Thread starter radogado
• Start date Sep 23, 2021
• Sort by reaction score
• macOS Monterey (12)

macrumors newbie

• Sep 23, 2021

par1hsharma

• Sep 25, 2021

yes Safari 15 is quite slow as compared to previous version , being a full time safari user it is very disappointing .I dont want to shift to chrome but I'll have to if the performance remains the same .  

ponzicoinbro

• Sep 26, 2021

radogado said: After years of top performance, Safari 15 is much slower to render than either Safari 14 or Chrome. Anyone else noticed it? Shocking to a full time Safari user. Here are two examples (watch in 60 fps) Click to expand...

macrumors 68000

• Sep 27, 2021

I don't experience the problem either at rado.bg with Safari 15. 2017 MacBook Pro here.  

macrumors 6502

It's been incredibly slow for me I think since Beta 5. I keep thinking it must be relay turned on but it's not. Hoping it gets better. Even typing in this field there is LOTS of lag.  

macrumors 6502a

I don’t need YouTube to notice, this POS starts out being jerky on regular pages and eventually becomes almost unusable unless periodically restarted. The performance is the worst I’ve seen in years - Safari 14 was never this bad.  

macrumors member

• Sep 28, 2021

Very slow on m1 mac for me too. Before, Safari 14 was a dream!  

macrumors 65816

• Oct 2, 2021

Safari 15 is SLOWWWWWWW in Big Sur 11.6 on a 19,1 iMac. I go to different web sites at different speeds. Sometimes it takes a couple minutes to get there. Anyone hear of a correction for this?  

Not seeing any real difference in speed. Maybe half a second. Heh. There are some bugs but that’s what I expect from a new release of any software.  

AussieMick2323

• Oct 8, 2021
• Oct 9, 2021

I’m finding that there is hesitation when going to some websites. iOS15 Safari seems to periodically freeze.  

• Oct 10, 2021

Safari and Prview are an absolute dogs dinner at the mo. Slow, stalling, etc. Report sent. Firefox is OK.  

Safari on Beta 9 is faster than Firefox for me.  

• Oct 11, 2021

This ended up being adguard for me. Removed and it's working fine. I'd paused it.  

• Oct 12, 2021

Safari 15.1 very slow on sites where you have to login. All other sites fine.  

• Oct 13, 2021

Yep! Safari 15.0 (16612.1.29 41.4, 16612) is horrible. I’m running macOS Big Sur 11.6 on an eight-month-old MacBook Pro 16,1 with a 2.6-GHz 6-core i7 and 32GB RAM. It starts out fine, but the longer it’s open, the slower it gets, to the point where the cursor stops and jumps and stops and jumps in every open application. Quitting Safari resolves the problem, at which point I restart it and use it until it decides to slow everything down again. Since I’m still well within my warranty, I’ve called  about this multiple times. While I generally love their support, on this particular issue, it’s been just as bad as Safari 15 itself: they just tell me to reset the NVRAM, reset the SMC, reinstall macOS Big Sur. I’ve done all of this, after which everything ran beautifully—and then I noticed that the default install included Safari 14. When Safari 15 came up in Software Update, I ignored it; but a few nights later, Big Sur decided to install it while I slept, and now I’m right back where I started. Now they want me to try it with a new user and/or in Safe Mode, which is all well and good, but I do have a full-time job that kind of needs the stuff in my account ( e.g. contacts, email, chat accounts, bookmarks/browsing history, etc.). Bad show, Apple. Please give us a decent Safari 15.1 ASAP!  

• Oct 14, 2021

Safari is sooo slow I just had to switch to Firefox…. To bad, I always liked it… hope they fix it soon  

macrumors regular

I agree. Using MS Edge  

brsilb said: I agree. Using MS Edge Click to expand...

• Oct 16, 2021

The latest update may have resolved some stuff, safari acting better today  

• Oct 17, 2021

It is a bit better but after a short while all the bugs creep back in. And I have deleted all the blockers and disable snitch, disabled the privacy setting. What with the issues setting up the new M1 and this beta, sorely tempted elsewhere if it were not for the other OS. (I understand you take a punt on beta, user beware, awaits general release to see what is what and won't be doing it again for the first time in a ages).  

Could it be slow because of Private Relay? It seems that it is slow in resolving sites.  

• Oct 18, 2021

same here, currently using MS Edge which turns out being pretty decent  

Guessing the things that slowed down safari are the features that I want…. So just hoping they refine it…. Probably will keep it as default for now, however when it has issues I do have edge downloaded now…. Options are good  

03294ujwperok

• Oct 19, 2021

james948 said: This ended up being adguard for me. Removed and it's working fine. I'd paused it. Click to expand...

Tips & Tricks

Troubleshooting, is macos ventura slow 13+ tips to speed up performance.

Some Mac users feel that macOS Ventura is much slower than macOS Monterey or Big Sur, offering worse performance in general, and when performing the same tasks on their Mac.

It’s not unusual for users to feel that their computer is slower after a major MacOS update, and Ventura is no exception. If you feel like your Mac is notably slower or more sluggish, perhaps with slow app performance, more beach balling, or other unusually slow behavior when trying to use your computer, read on.

1: Mac is Very Slow After Updating to MacOS Ventura

If the update to macOS Ventura was recent, within the last day or few, it’s likely that the Mac is slow because background tasks and indexing are occurring. This happens with every major system software update.

The best way to resolve slow performance after a major system software update like macOS Ventura is to leave the Mac plugged in (if it’s a laptop) and powered on, and let it sit idle while you go on with life away from the computer. This allows the Mac to perform routine maintenance, indexing, and other tasks, and performance will return to normal when this completes.

Usually simply leaving a Mac on and plugged in overnight is enough to resolve these type of issues after updating system software.

2: Is the Mac Older? Limited RAM?

MacOS Ventura has stricter system requirements than prior macOS releases, and some users have noticed that MacOS Ventura appears to run slower on older Macs, or Macs with more limited resources like insufficient RAM or disk space.

Generally speaking, any newer model Mac with 16GB RAM or more, and a nice speedy SSD, will perform quite well with MacOS Ventura. Macs with 8GB RAM or less and slower spinning hard drives may feel more sluggish, particularly when using a lot of apps at once.

3: Mind Messages

The Messages app on Mac is a lot of fun, but if you frequently exchange stickers and GIFs with people, having those Messages windows open can really slow down performance on the Mac by allowing the Messages app to run amuck with resources to loop the animated GIF or render other Messages media content.

Simply quitting out of Messages when not in use, or even selecting a different message window that doesn’t have a lot of active media content, will help performance here.

4: Find Resource Heavy Apps with Activity Monitor

Sometimes apps or processes you aren’t expecting to be eating up CPU or RAM are doing so, causing the computer to feel slow.

Open Activity Monitor on the Mac by hitting Command+Spacebar to bring up Spotlight, type “Activity Monitor” and hit return.

Sort by CPU use first, to see what, if anything, is using a lot of your processor. If something is open that is not in use and using tons of processor, that app or process may be why the Mac feels slow.

If you see kernel_task grinding away constantly, it’s likely because you have tons of apps or browser tabs open, and the kernel is swapping things in and out of virtual memory.

WindowServer is also often because there is a lot of active apps or media on the screen, we’ll touch on that more in a moment.

Google Chrome is a great web browser but it’s notorious for using a lot of system resources like RAM and CPU, so if that’s open with dozens of tabs or windows, it may be dragging down performance on the Mac. Using a more resource conservative browser like Safari may be a solution to this issue, or simply having less windows and tabs open in Chrome whenever possible.

More advanced users can also try force quitting apps and processes that are using a lot of CPU or RAM, but keep in mind that force quitting apps may cause data in those apps to be lost, like browser sessions, or anything that is not saved.

You also may see processes that you don’t recognize but taking up a lot of system resources, like ApplicationsStorageExtension , which uses heavy resources to draw the ‘storage’ usage data screen on a Mac, and simply closing that window will allow that process to ease off.

5: WindowServer Heavy CPU Usage & RAM Consumption

You may see ‘WindowServer’ process that is using a lot of CPU and system memory. This is usually because you have a lot of windows or apps open on the Mac.

Closing windows, media windows, apps, browser tabs, and browser windows, will allow WindowServer to settle down.

You can help WindowServer use less resources by disabling transparency and visual effects on the Mac, but if you have dozens and dozens of apps and browser tabs open, it will still likely be using a lot of system resources to draw those windows on the screen.

6: Turn Off Visual Effects and Eye Candy like Transparency and Motion

Turning off visual eye candy on the Mac can help to free up system resources so they aren’t used for visual effects.

• Open the  Apple menu and go to “System Settings”
• Choose “Accessibility” preferences
• Select “Display” settings
• Toggle the switches for “Reduce motion” and “Reduce transparency” to be enabled

This will change the visual appearance of the Mac a bit as well, usually making windows and titlebars appear brighter and white compared to more subdued grays and hues. But, it should use less system resources as well, potentially increasing performance.

Turning off transparency has been a trick to speed up Macs for quite a while, and it works particularly well on older machines with less system resources in general.

7: Tidy up the Mac Desktop

If your Mac desktop looks like a disaster of hundreds of files, that can slow performance on the Mac.

This is because each thumbnail and file on the desktop uses resources to draw on screen, and so simply throwing everything from the desktop into another folder and preventing them from being visible can instantly speed up a Mac by using less resources.

Another option is to hide all Mac desktop icons which basically disables the desktop (but not the Finder), preventing anything from being visible on the desktop. But for most users, simply throwing everything from the desktop into a folder is good enough.

8: Install macOS Ventura Updates When Available

Apple will continue to refine macOS Ventura and release software updates for the operating system, and you should install them when they become available, as they may resolve bugs that could result in performance issues.

• From the  Apple menu, go to “System Settings” then choose “General” and go to “Software Update”
• Install any available software updates to Ventura

9: Update Your Mac Apps

Don’t forget to update your Mac apps regularly, as they may be optimized for performance, or resolve bugs impacting performance.

The App Store is where you’ll update many apps on the Mac by going to the App Store > Updates

Some apps like Chrome can update automatically, or manually through the About Chrome menu item.

Install any and all available app updates for macOS Ventura, this is good system maintenance anyway.

10: Is the Mac Slow, or is Wi-Fi / Internet Slow?

Some users may have slower wi-fi or internet connection issues, which means when trying to browse the web or use internet based apps, everything feels slower. But if that’s the case, the Mac itself may not be slow, it may just be the internet connection.

You can follow this guide for resolving wi-fi and internet connection problems in macOS Ventura which may help.

11: Why is My Mac Frequently Beach-balling in Apps, Slow App Performance

This is likely a resource issue unrelated to macOS Ventura, so if you’ve got another app open that is consuming a lot of system resources, like Google Chrome with tons of open windows and tabs, that may be dragging down performance in other apps

The easiest way to boost performance in app situations like this is to quit out other apps that are using a lot of system resources, freeing them up

12: Slow Performance in Preview?

Performing simple tasks like rotating or resizing images in Preview on the Mac used to be instantaneous, but some users are reporting that Preview with macOS Ventura suffers from crashes, freezes, or takes minutes to complete what used to take seconds, like resizing a large image.

Similar to the beachballing tips for general apps, this is likely a result of resource usage by other apps, so try quitting out of an app or two that are using heavy resources and then using Preview, it should speed up.

13: Google Chrome feels slower in macOS Ventura?

Some users have reported that Google Chrome feels slower in MacOS Ventura.

If this applies to you, be sure to install any updates available to Google Chrome since you updated to macOS Ventura. It’s unlikely anything specific to Ventura, but keeping your software up to date is good practice.

Also, the easiest way to speed up Chrome performance is to close windows and tabs, which frees up a lot of memory and system resources.

Do you feel performance in macOS Ventura is faster or slower than before? Did the tips above help you resolve your performance issues in macOS Ventura? Let us know your own experiences with performance, speed, and sluggish system performance in the comments.

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14 Comments

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Have been a long-time Mac user, so already knew and tried all these tips. I have 48 GB RAM in my 3.4 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i5 and Ventura has added a lead weight to everything.

You folks are funny. I have a Mac 1 16 gig of ram. Monterey ran like a wild fire. Ventura runs like a glowing ember with out a breeze. None of the comments have done a thing. But thanks anyway.

Exactly. All these comments put the problem on the user, not the OS. My Mac, with 40GB RAM, was blazing on the previous version. Ventura has all put ruined the machine. Slow all the time and horribly so at times. Same Mac, new OS. Blame the crappy OS.

MacOS Ventura took my very speedy M1 MacBook Pro and made it feel quite slow. I think it is very inefficient at managing resources, and I can see the huge difference in Ventura when looking at Activity Monitor. Everything takes up way more RAM. I have an older Mac running Monterey, and everything takes up less RAM. I have a much older 2015 Mac running Mojave still, and it performs like a dream, it is the fastest Mac I own still, and things like Finder, kernel_task, and WindowServer only take up 300mb each in Mojave, whereas in Ventura WindowServer is taking up 4GB RAM alone, and Finder is 1GB RAM alone too, and kernel_task is 2GB+ RAM – so 16GB RAM is not sufficient to run Ventura with performance (I can not believe they sell Macs with 8GB RAM still, horrible!). Memory management is terrible in the newest MacOS Ventura version.

The best thing to do to speed up Ventura performance is to not install it, or to run an earlier MacOS version. I wish I had never installed Ventura on my M1 MBP, it feels as slow as an overheating 1.5GHZ Core i5 now, and is constantly struggling with CPU and memory issues.

I use Brave and not Chrome. The down side is such sites as this don’t like Brave since I have Block Trackers and Ad’s, Block Cross Site Cookies, Aggressively Block FingerPrinting.

Try EtreCheck.com to get a glimpse of everything running. It provides great insight.

I have been fighting with this very problem for over 2 weeks (pretty much all day every day). I’m thrilled to have this article and am going to try everything until a get some sort of positive resolution. I have a late 2018 MacBookAir w/16GB and yet it is so slow that the websites I’m trying to reach usually time out and I get the message that google.com (as an example) is not responding. Yesterday, as I was trying to participate in a very important zoom call, it just quit in the middle!! Not good for me or my client. My network is working fine (& yes I’ve had the internet guys out here), my virus protection is up to date, I’m running Ventura 15.0.1, as is my iphone & the phone works fine – thank goodness. I usually use Chrome as Safari is running slow as well (not quite as slow . . . ??) I have talked with Apple support, Avast support, and my internet provider and so far I remain beyond frustrated!!

If you’re running anti-virus software on the Mac, try uninstalling it or disabling it completely, many of them are known to interfere with internet connectivity and connection speeds in Ventura

https://osxdaily.com/2022/11/07/fix-wi-fi-internet-connection-problems-in-macos-ventura/

Have not noticed significant slowdowns on my 2018 Mac Mini. But I do think it’s a tad slower than Monterey. Not surprised given Apple probably focuses more on M CPU’s not Intel.

I also noticed a slowdown on my macmini 2018 i7 1TB, 32GB. Even after a fresh install, it doesn’t work as before. How did this caproeconomics get and artificial obsolescence. I’m seriously considering installing Ubuntu and quitting the game

Great article. Chorme is super slow when trying to show profiles. Will try the tips. M

8GB Ram on $1k laptops it’s a criminal in 2022. Apple is a joke for doing that. Creating e-waste. Hopefully EU will ban that :)

Great advice! next time someone needs a faster MacBook, im going to paste and send this link to them!

BTW the new M1 only meed 8GB to run Monterey-Ventura at top speed, or still keep a sharp responsiveness, the MacBook Air M1 I use is still very fast with the 8GB ram.

thanks OSXDaily!

Thanks vor The „Energie“ Timer Solution (Switch off at hh.mm)

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