Safari can do much more than you think
Safari is the default browser on your Apple device. It's logical that you use it. But most people only utilize about 10% of what Safari can do. They open a website, scroll around a bit, and that's it. Yet, this browser contains an arsenal of smart features hidden away that can transform your daily browsing habits.
The strange thing is: Apple doesn't make it easy for you. The best features are tucked away in submenus, vague settings, and obscure shortcuts. While with a few simple adjustments, you can suddenly use your refurbished Apple device twice as effectively. From smart privacy tools to time-saving navigation tricks – Safari can do much more than you think. And with the right accessories like an external keyboard, it truly becomes a productivity machine. Time to finally discover those hidden possibilities.
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Discovering Safari's Hidden Treasures
Most Safari users only know the basics: typing in a web address, scrolling, and clicking through. But beneath that simple interface lies a complete toolkit that can fundamentally change your browsing experience. The problem? Apple hides the best features behind obscure menus and vague settings.
Take, for example, Reader View. This function filters out all distracting elements from a web page. No ads, no sidebars, just the text that matters. Activate it with Shift + Command + R or click the small text icon in the address bar. You can even customize the font, background color, and text size to your preference.
Getting Tabs Under Control
Tabs quickly become a mess. Before you know it, you have thirty tabs open and you can't remember what you were looking for. Safari offers smart solutions for this.
Creating Tab Groups
Hold down the Command key and select multiple tabs at once. Right-click and choose "Move to New Tab Group". Now you can keep work projects, research, and entertainment neatly separated. Switch between groups using the sidebar or the menu at the top.
Automatically Close Tabs
Go to Safari > Preferences > General. Set tabs to close automatically after a day, week, or month. This prevents old tabs from lingering and consuming memory.
Using Tab Overview
Press Shift + Command + \ for a bird's-eye view of all open tabs. You'll see thumbnails of each page, which makes finding specific content much easier.
Taking Privacy Seriously
Safari has impressive privacy tools, but you need to enable them. The privacy report shows exactly which trackers have been blocked. Find it via the shield icon in the address bar.
Intelligent Tracking Prevention
This feature is on by default, but double-check it in Preferences > Privacy. It blocks cookies that track you across different websites. Facebook can then no longer see which other sites you visit.
Hide Your IP Address
Enable "Hide IP Address" for Safari under Privacy settings. Trackers will then only see a general location, not your exact address. For iCloud+ subscribers, this even works for all known trackers.
Activate Private Relay
iCloud+ users can enable Private Relay. This encrypts all your Safari traffic and routes it through two separate servers. Even Apple won't know which sites you visit.
Boosting Productivity with Shortcuts
Constantly using your trackpad or mouse slows down your workflow. These shortcuts will make your life easier:
- Command + L: Jump directly to the address bar
- Command + [ or ]: Navigate back or forward
- Command + D: Add current page to bookmarks
- Command + Shift + D: Add all open tabs as a bookmark folder
- Spacebar: Scroll a page down
- Shift + Spacebar: Scroll a page up
- Command + F: Search on the current page
- Command + number: Jump to specific tab (1-9)
Customizing Web Pages to Your Preferences
Zooming In Without Fuss
Double-tap with two fingers on your trackpad to smartly zoom in on text columns. Safari zooms precisely to the width of the text. Double-tap again to zoom out.
Setting Website Preferences
Right-click on a website in the address bar and choose "Settings for This Website". Here you can determine per site whether camera, microphone, or location are allowed. You can also block auto-playing videos for annoying news sites.
Adding Your Own Stylesheet
For advanced users: create a CSS file with your own style rules. Go to Preferences > Advanced > Stylesheet and select your file. Now you can customize the fonts, colors, and layout of any website.
Using Developer Tools Without Being a Programmer
Enable the Develop menu via Preferences > Advanced. This opens surprisingly useful features:
- Responsive Design Mode: See how websites look on different devices
- Disable JavaScript: Resolves issues with slow or crashing sites
- Web Inspector: Remove distracting elements from a page with one click
Perfecting Synchronization
Your Safari data usually syncs automatically between devices, but sometimes it goes awry. Check these points:
Checking iCloud Synchronization
On each device, go to System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud. Make sure Safari is checked. Force a synchronization by unchecking and rechecking Safari.
Activating Handoff
With Handoff, you can open a page on your iPhone and continue reading it directly on your Mac. Activate it in System Preferences > General > "Allow Handoff between this Mac and your iCloud devices".
Smartly Using Extensions
The Mac App Store has hundreds of Safari extensions. These are worth installing:
- 1Password or Bitwarden: Securely manage passwords
- Amplosion: Replaces AMP links with original URLs
- Noir: Gives every website a dark mode
- StopTheMadness: Restores right-clicking and copying on sites that block it
Install extensions via the App Store and manage them in Safari > Preferences > Extensions. Only grant necessary permissions and disable extensions for sensitive sites like online banking.
Finally Make Safari Your Productivity Tool
So, Safari can do much more than most users realize. From smart tab groups to advanced privacy tools – the features are already there, you just need to find and set them up. The beauty is that all these tips work on any Apple device, whether you're using a refurbished MacBook or iPad.
Start with two or three features that appeal to you immediately, such as Reader View or a few handy shortcuts. Once you get the hang of those, try the next ones. Within a few weeks, you'll be browsing the web more efficiently, more privacy-consciously, and with far less frustration.
