Safari is Apple’s default web browser, which comes in-built with Macs. The browser is uncluttered, user-friendly, has an intuitive UI, and is optimized for consuming fewer resources. No matter what you throw at it, the browser can handle it. But sometimes, it may run into unexpected problems. For example, you may encounter a not supported Safari error on your Mac.
This error is the result of incompatibility and outdated software. Check and install macOS and Safari updates to solve the problem. Besides this, most other Safari-related issues can be solved with a quick reboot of your system and closing the extra tabs.
The Safari browser works smoothly most of the time, and there are tons of things you can do with this browser. Some are listed below.
Purge Browsing History Without Losing Website Data
Clear your browsing history to boost Safari’s performance and prevent the accumulation of redundant data. If you do this regularly, you can eliminate the visited web pages, recent searches, the list of downloaded items, etc.
This will make your browser appear as good as new. But the drawback is you might lose website-specific preferences and data in the process. So, when you visit the site the next time, you will receive prompts asking permission to send alerts or track your location. This can be pretty annoying if you need to visit certain websites regularly.
There’s no need to worry because the workaround is easy-peasy.
You can remove the browsing history without losing website data by opening the History menu and pressing the Option key. Instead of choosing the Clear History option, select Clear History and Keep Website Data. This will clear Safari history and keep site-specific settings intact.
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Generate Secure Passwords
Delegate the job of generating secure passwords for online accounts and websites to Safari. Relieve yourself for this responsibility, and also Safari can create unique passwords that nobody can guess.
Navigate to Safari > Preferences > Passwords > check the box next to Autofill usernames and passwords. Then, whenever you visit a website asking you to create a password, you will see a tiny key icon in the password field. Clicking on this icon and selecting Suggest New Password will make Safari come up with a password.
Thanks to the Autofill feature turned on, the passwords and usernames will be stored in the Passwords section. They can be retrieved and filled automatically when you visit certain websites.
Organize Tabs into Groups
Are you working with too many tabs simultaneously? This may quickly become confusing if you have to go back and forth between the different tabs to complete your task. Also, this will clutter your browser and make it overwhelming for you to continue your task.
The solution is to organize the tabs into groups quickly, and then you can switch between related websites.
Create a Tab Group from the tabs in the current window by clicking the down arrow in the Safari app > clicking the Add Tab Group button > choosing New Tab Group with the number of Tabs > entering the name of the group. Press Enter, and the tabs will be neatly organized in the group.
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Customize Reader View
The Reader View is considered one of the best Safari features. It offers you a distraction-free version of the online content you are trying to read by stripping all the secondary elements from the page.
The appearance of the Reader mode can be personalized. You can make the font smaller or bigger, customize the font type and even change the background color. Although the alterations aren’t fancy, they do the job.
You can access the customization options when in Reader View by clicking on the Show Reader appearance options icon.
Make Safari Read to You
You can get your daily dose of news without straining your eyes by making Safari read the articles out loud. Switch to Reader mode by clicking the Review View icon or clicking View > Show Reader. This will ensure that the browser reads the primary website content and doesn’t focus on redundant elements, such as navigation text.
With the Review View active, choose Edit > Speech > Start Speaking. Then, click Stop Speaking when you want to stop the audio. Additionally, you can choose a system voice and speaking rate of your choice by going to System Preferences > Dictation & Speech > Text to Speech. The choices will be applied system-wide.
It is also possible to create keyboard shortcuts so you can instruct Safari to read out aloud whenever you want without having to go through the menu and click icons or buttons.
Conclusion
You are underusing the web browser if you’re not doing these things in Safari. Also, remember to take your time to explore the lesser-known features of the browser so you can change how you browse.
