Safari Won’t Open on Mac? Here’s How to Fix It

Safari is the go-to browser for plenty of Mac users. Its simple UI and effective security features make it a pretty good browser overall. However, there are times when Safari fails to open on a Mac computer, and that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about here. 

Corrupted extensions, browser files, and unsuitable configurations are the most likely culprit when it comes to safari not being able to load. Nevertheless, there are a few different fixes you can follow to fix your malfunctioning browser. 

Here, we are going to look at all the verified methods that will no doubt solve your browser issue. 

Why is Safari Not Working on My Mac?

Safari Won’t Open on Mac? Here’s How to Fix It

Usually, when Safari fails to load, a simple computer restart should fix the issue. So, we recommend you to first close your browser, restart the computer, and re-open the browser.

However, if this doesn’t help in any way, follow the steps listed below. Be sure you try each and every step until one of them solves the problem. 

Force Quit and Restart

Whenever your browser is unresponsive and misbehaving, you can always force quit the application and restart it. Doing this will discard any glitches that could have been preventing your browser from working at full capacity. So, for this, 

1. Click on the Apple menu. 
2. Go to Force Quit. 
   
3. Select Safari from the list. 
4. Choose to Force Quit. 
5. If you get any prompts, accept to Force Quit. 

Clear Browser Cache

Safari creates cache files and stores them on your computer. Whenever you open Safari, it quickly accesses the data within these files to load up the browser faster. However, these files tend to pile up and can also get corrupted over time. 

So, whenever Safari’s not opening up, it’s recommended that you clear all the browser cache files. You have the option to either clear the cache files from the application menu bar or directly through the Library folder as well. 

First, let’s go through the steps to do so via the menu bar, and here’s how you do it:

1. Click on Safari. 
2. Hover towards the menu bar and go to the Safari. 
3. Select Preferences.
4. Click on Privacy.
5. Now select Manage Website Data.
6. Click Remove All to remove all of Safari’s cache files. 
   

However, if the application menu bar doesn’t pop up, you have to clear the cache files from the Library folder.

For this, 

1. From the desktop menu bar, click on Go.
2. Then, Go to Folder. 
3. Type ~/Library/Caches and hit Enter.
4. Delete the com.apple.Safari folder.
   
5. Relaunch Safari.

Delete the .plist Files

The .plist files, commonly called the Properties files, store configuration settings. Safari’s .plist file files contain certain specific settings and preferences that are used when you launch the browser. 

However, these files are sometimes known to cause conflict within the application, which ultimately influences the application to misbehave. So, whenever there is an issue with your application, you can clear its Properties files to fix the problem.

For this, 

1. From the desktop menu bar, click on Go.
2. Then, Go to Folder. 
3. Type ~/Library/Preferences and hit Enter.
4. Delete the following files:
   • com.apple.Safari.PasswordBreachAgent.plist
   • com.apple.Safari.SafeBrowsing.plist
   • com.apple.Safari.SandboxBroker.plist
   • com.apple.SafariServices.plist
   • com.apple.SafariBookmarksSyncAgent.plist
     
5. Relaunch Safari. 

Disable VPN and Proxy Server

Although VPNs and Proxies are pretty useful for maintaining your online privacy, they could interfere with your internet connection. So, if you have either a VPN or a Proxy enabled, we recommend you to disable it and check to see how Safari responds. 

Hence, open your VPN application and disconnect it. Then, to disable the proxy, follow the steps shown below:

1. Click on Safari. 
2. From the menu bar, choose Safari. 
3. Go to its Preferences. 
4. Navigate to the Advanced tab. 
5. Right beside the Proxy option, choose to Change Settings. 
   
6. Under Select a protocol to configure menu, uncheck all the proxies. 
   
7. Click OK to save your changes. 

Modify Browser Settings

 Misconfigured browser settings are another reason why Safari fails to open up on your computer. So, to tackle this issue, we’ll make sure Safari’s security and privacy settings are set to preferable options.

Follow these steps:

1. Click on Safari. 
2. Hover towards the menu bar and go to the Safari. 
3. Select Preferences.
4. Navigate to the Security tab. 
5. Here, make sure that you Enable JavaScript. 
   
6. Then, on the Privacy tab, do not choose to Block all cookies.
   
7. Relaunch Safari. 

Disable Browser Extensions

Although browser extensions could be helpful in many ways, they are also known to cause compatibility issues and errors within a browser. So, if you have installed any extensions that are not too useful, we recommend you disable them immediately.

For this,

1. Click on Safari. 
2. From the menu bar, choose Safari. 
3. Go to its Preferences. 
4. Navigate to the Extensions tab. 
5. Uncheck the extensions on the left sidebar to disable them. 
   
6. You can also delete unwanted extensions by clicking Uninstall. 

Install All Mac Updates

If safari still doesn’t seem to work, check if any updates are available. New software updates are meant to overcome the current build’s shortcomings, in this case, an unreliable browser. So, it’s preferable for you to update your Mac.

For this, 

1. Go to the Apple menu. 
2. Click on About This Mac. 
3. Select Software Update.
4. Wait until the system scans for new updates. 
5. If any Safari-related or OS-related updates are available, click on Upgrade Now.