Why Is Safari Running Slow on Mac? 12 Ways to Fix

Written by

Ojash

Reviewed by

Hashir Ibrahim

Last updated: February 7, 2025

Expert verified

Is Safari running slow on your Mac? Don’t worry! Here are quick and simple fixes to boost its speed and improve your browsing experience.

How to Fix Safari Running Slow on Mac

Here are some fixes to boost your Safari browser’s performance on your Mac.

1. Delete Unwanted Extensions

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

1. Open Safari on your Mac, click the Safari menu in the menu bar and select Settings.

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

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

4. 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:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2. 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.
3. Identify the background process you want to terminate by browsing the list or using the search box at the top-right corner.

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

5. 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:

1. Download and install MacKeeper on your Mac.
2. Open MacKeeper and click Memory Cleaner under the Performance tab.

3. Click Open.

4. Click Clean Memory.

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

3. Check Your Internet Speed

To test your internet connection, follow these steps:

1. Open Safari on your Mac.

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

4. This will give you an idea of your current internet speed. If it is lower than expected, reset your router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, then plugging it back in. Move closer to the router or clear obstacles if needed. If the issue persists, contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

4. Close Unwanted Tabs

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

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

3. After closing unwanted tabs, check if Safari’s performance has improved.

5. Force Close and Relaunch Safari

Refresh Safari by force quitting and reopening it to fix minor glitches. Here’s how to force quit Safari and relaunch it on your Mac:

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

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

3. Click Force Quit on the pop-up.

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

6. Check if the performance has improved.

6. Clear Safari History

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:

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

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

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

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

7. Clear Safari Cache and Cookies

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:

1. Launch Safari and click Safari in the top menu bar, then select Settings from the drop-down menu.

2. In the Settings window, select the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data.

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

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

8. Update Safari

Here’s how you can update Safari on Mac:

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

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

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

5. Once the update is complete, close and restart Safari to apply the changes.

9. Disable Search Engine Suggestions

Reduce Safari’s load by turning off real-time search suggestions. Here’s how you can disable search engine suggestions on Safari:

1. Launch Safari, click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings from the drop-down menu.

2. In the Settings window, click the Search tab.
3. Uncheck the box next to Include search engine suggestions to disable the feature.

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

10. Disable Autofill

Here’s how you can disable Autofill on Safari:

1. Launch Safari, click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings from the drop-down menu.

2. In the Settings window, click the Autofill tab.
3. 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.

4. After making the changes, close the window and restart Safari to apply the adjustments.

11. 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:

1. Before resetting, backup your bookmarks, saved passwords, and any other important data from Safari.
2. Launch Safari, click Safari in the menu bar and select Settings from the drop-down menu.

3. Navigate to the Extensions tab and uninstall all extensions.

4. Then, go to the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data to remove all website data.

5. Close Safari.
6. Open Finder, click Go, and select Go to Folder.

7. Type the following path and press Enter:

~/Library/Preferences/

8. 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.

12. Scan Your Mac for Virus

Protect Safari’s performance by scanning for and removing malware. Here’s how to run a virus scan on your Mac using MacKeeper:

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

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

4. If any viruses are detected during the scan, click the Fix Items button to resolve the issues.
5. 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.

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

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