TL;DR
To factory reset your browser on Mac:
- Factory Reset Safari: Clear Safari history, cache, cookies, remove extensions, and delete bookmarks through Safari’s settings.
- Factory Reset Chrome on Mac: Open Chrome Settings, click Reset settings, choose Restore settings, and confirm Reset settings.
- Factory Reset Firefox on Mac: Go to Help > More troubleshooting information, then click Refresh Firefox and confirm in the pop-up.
Tried and Tested ✅: The methods and steps mentioned in this article have been tried and tested firsthand by Ojash Yadav on his MacBook Pro M3 and rechecked for errors on Hashir’s MacBook Air M2.
Is your browser slowing down or acting up? Just like you need a reset, so does your browser. Here’s a quick guide to factory reset your browser on Mac for better performance. Let’s dive in!
Remember, while a factory reset offers numerous advantages, backing up vital data is essential, as the process will erase your personalized settings and saved information.
How to Factory Reset Your Browser on Mac
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In this section, I’ll walk you through the steps to factory reset different browsers on your Mac.
a. Factory Reset Safari on Mac
Here are the steps to follow to reset Safari on Mac:
Step 1: Clear Safari History
Here’s how to delete Safari history on your Mac:
- Launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Launch Safari by clicking its icon in the Dock.
- Click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings.
- Select the Privacy tab and click the Manage Website Data button.
- Click Remove All to clear all website cookies completely.
- You’ll be prompted to confirm if you choose to remove all cookies. Click Remove Now to proceed.
- Alternatively, you can select individual websites and tap Remove.
- Click Done when you have deleted all cache files.
To clear Safari cache on your Mac, follow these steps:
- Go to Safari in the menu bar and select Settings.
- Select the Advanced tab and check the box next to the Show Develop menu in menu bar if it is unchecked.
- Once the Develop menu is enabled, you’ll find it in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
- 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:
- Open Safari on your Mac.
- Click Safari 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.
Step 4: Delete Safari Bookmarks
There are two methods to delete bookmarks on Mac in Safari:
Method 1:
- Launch Safari from your Dock.
- Click Bookmarks in the menu bar and select Edit Bookmarks.
- 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:
- Click the sidebar icon in the Safari toolbar (next to the green expand icon).
- A sidebar will appear on the left of your Safari window. At the bottom of the sidebar, select Bookmarks.
- Right-click the bookmarks you aim to remove and click Delete.
b. Factory Reset Chrome on Mac
Below, I’ll walk you through the steps to reset Chrome on your Mac:
- In Chrome, click the three vertical dots and go to Settings.
- In the next window, click Reset settings in the left sidebar and select Restore settings to their original defaults.
- A pop-up window will appear. Click Reset settings, and it will restore your Chrome settings to default.
c. Factory Reset Firefox on Mac
In this section, I’ll guide you through the process of resetting Firefox to its original state on your Mac:
- In Firefox, click the three horizontal lines and go to Help.
- Select More troubleshooting information.
- On the right, you’ll see Refresh Firefox. Click it.
- 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 improves speed, security, and control. Whether it’s Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, a fresh start enhances your Mac browsing experience. Here are more tips to help:
- 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.
