How to Factory Reset Your Browser on Mac: Safari, Chrome, and Firefox

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: September 25, 2024

Expert verified

Ever felt your browser acting like it’s dragging a ton of bricks? Clogged with data, or just misbehaving? Just as you occasionally need a fresh start, so does your browser.

Whether you’re a Safari surfer, a Chrome cruiser, or a Firefox flyer, this concise guide is your quick fix to factory reset your browser on Mac. Let’s get started and get your Mac browsers to perform better.

How to Factory Reset Your Browser on Mac

In this section, I’ll walk you through the steps to factory reset different browsers on your Mac. The specifics vary slightly between browsers like Safari, Chrome, and Firefox. So, I’ve shared the steps for these three popular browsers. Let’s dive in!

a. Factory Reset Safari on Mac

Previously, factory resetting Safari on Mac was a one-click affair. However, the Reset Safari button is no longer available to Mac users. Due to this, it now takes several steps to factory reset Safari on Mac.

Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Clear Safari History

Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac:

1. Launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock.

2. Once Safari is open, click History in the menu bar, and select Clear History…. It’s at the bottom of the menu, and you may have to scroll down.

3. A dialog box will appear, asking you to specify the time range for which you want to delete history. You can select last hour, today, today, and yesterday, or all history.

4. Select all history from the menu and click the Clear History button. This will also clear your browser cache and cookies for the specified time range.

5. For the changes to take effect, close all Safari windows and relaunch the application.

Step 2: Clear Safari Cache and Cookies

Here’s how to clear cookies on Mac in Safari:

1. Launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock.

2. Click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings.

3. Select the Privacy tab and click the Manage Website Data button.

4. Click Remove All to clear all website cookies completely.

5. You’ll be prompted to confirm if you choose to remove all cookies. Click Remove Now to proceed.
6. Alternatively, you can select individual websites and tap Remove.

7. Click Done when you have deleted all cache files.

To clear Safari cache on your Mac, follow these steps:

1. Go to Safari in the menu bar and select Settings.

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

3. Once the Develop menu is enabled, you’ll find it in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
4. Click Develop in the menu bar and select Empty Caches from the dropdown menu.

This will clear all your Safari cache on Mac.

Step 3: Remove Safari Extensions

Here’s how to remove browser extensions on Mac from Safari:

1. Open Safari on your Mac.
2. Click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings.

3. Click the Extensions tab to view all the installed extensions.

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

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

Step 4: Delete Safari Bookmarks

There are two methods to delete bookmarks on Mac in Safari:

Method 1:

1. Launch Safari from your Dock.

2. Click Bookmarks in the menu bar and select Edit Bookmarks.

3. A new window will appear, showing all your bookmarks. Right-click a bookmark you want to remove and select Delete.

To remove several bookmarks at once on your Mac, hold down the Command ⌘ key while clicking the bookmarks you wish to delete, and press the Delete key.

Method 2:

1. Click the sidebar icon in the Safari toolbar (next to the green expand icon).

2. A sidebar will appear on the left of your Safari window. At the bottom of the sidebar, select Bookmarks.

3. Right-click the bookmarks you aim to remove and click Delete.

Step 5: Delete Safari Plug-ins

Follow these steps to delete Safari plug-ins on Mac:

1. Ensure Safari is completely closed.
2. Click the Finder icon in your Dock.

3. In the Finder menu, click Go and select Go to Folder.

4. Type the following path:

/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/

5. In this folder, you’ll find various plug-ins. Drag the ones you wish to remove to the Bin.

6. As a final step, right-click the Bin icon and select Empty Bin to remove those plug-ins permanently.

For Advanced Users: Reset Safari Using Terminal

If you’re comfortable with Terminal, you can employ various commands to factory reset Safari on your Mac. Follow these instructions carefully to reset Safari using Terminal:

1. Ensure that Safari is not running.
2. Navigate to Finder > Applications > Utilities and launch Terminal. You can also search for it in Spotlight search.

3. Enter each of the commands below individually. After pasting each command, press Enter and follow any on-screen prompts:

mv ~/Library/Safari ~/Desktop/Safari-`date +%Y%m%d%H%M%S`

rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/Apple\ -\ Safari\ -\ Safari\ Extensions\ Gallery

rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/Metadata/Safari

rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari

rm -Rf ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.WebKit.PluginProcess

rm -Rf ~/Library/Cookies/Cookies.binarycookies

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/Apple\ -\ Safari\ -\ Safari\ Extensions\ Gallery

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.LSSharedFileList.plist

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.RSS.plist

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.WebFoundation.plist

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.WebKit.PluginHost.plist

rm -Rf ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.WebKit.PluginProcess.plist

rm -Rf ~/Library/PubSub/Database

rm -Rf ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.apple.Safari.savedState

b. Factory Reset Chrome on Mac

Over time, Chrome can slow down with all the added extensions and stored data. If you’re facing issues or just want a fresh browser experience, a factory reset is a good idea.

Below, I’ll walk you through the steps to reset Chrome on your Mac:

1. In Chrome, click the three vertical dots and go to Settings.

2. In the next window, click Reset settings in the left sidebar and select Restore settings to their original defaults.

3. A pop-up window will appear. Click Reset settings, and it will restore your Chrome settings to default.

c. Factory Reset Firefox on Mac

Just like any browser, Firefox can accumulate clutter over time. If you’re noticing lags or unwanted extensions or simply want to start from scratch, resetting is the way to go. In this section, I’ll guide you through the process of resetting Firefox to its original state on your Mac:

1. In Firefox, click the three horizontal lines and go to Help.

2. Select More troubleshooting information.

3. On the right, you’ll see Refresh Firefox. Click it.

4. When you click Refresh Firefox, a pop-up will appear at the top of the page. Click Refresh Firefox again.

Start With a Clean Slate on Your Mac Browser

Resetting your browser can achieve a smoother, faster, and more secure online experience. Whether using Safari, Chrome, or Firefox on your Mac, knowing how to return to a fresh state ensures you’re always in control of your digital environment.

Here are some more tips to enhance your browsing experience on Mac:

• Pop-ups and ads are a nuisance. Learn how to block ads on Mac.
• Some websites may be malicious and slow down your browser. You can block websites on Safari on Mac, along with other browsers.
• If your Safari bookmarks disappeared on Mac, you can restore them from Bookmarks Library, backup, or iCloud.

Frequently Asked Questions