Safari is the default browser of a Macbook, and a number of people stick to it without ever looking for an alternative. The sense of familiarity is more important than anything.
Over time, however, the computer itself starts to become a bit sluggish and underperforms. Safari itself becomes slow and unresponsive at times. These problems should not be a reason to look for a new browser or even a new Macbook. You can do a lot to improve the performance of Safari.
Tip #1 – Restart the Computer
Restarting the computer is usually the first thing you are going to read when looking for methods to solve performance issues. Frequent restarts will give the browser a way to start fresh as well. And remember that if you are not happy to wait for applications to load every time the Mac has to load, there is always an option of trimming the list of startup items.
Tip #2 – Clear Cache and Cookies
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Safari is no exception when it comes to keeping temporary data. Caches are great because they store memory about your browsing history and load pages faster. Though if you spend a lot of time surfing the internet, the amount of cache accumulates and slows down the overall performance of the browser.
Cookies also become a nuisance, and if you were to read more articles about them, you would see that online stores take full advantage and exploit information about their users.
To empty caches in Safari, go to Preferences and enable the Develop tab on the menu. Click on the Develop, and you will see the option to empty the cache. As for the cookies, they disappear when you clear the history of the browser.
Tip #3 – Close Idle Tabs
Even when idle, tabs consume resources, and unless you need to have multiple tabs open at the same time, keep the number to just one. And if the whole browser is idle, you should shut it off and relaunch it when you are really using it.
Tip #4 – Disable Unnecessary Extensions
Some users take things too far with the number of extensions they use. While there are a lot of neat upgrades to the browser, you should be more conservative at times and not go overboard.
For instance, being sick of annoying pop-up and other ads on the internet can be solved with help from an ad blocker. But having three or four extensions that basically offer the same thing is not good in terms of resource usage.
Tip #5 – Scan for Malware
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Avoiding shady websites and never clicking on unknown files is not enough these days. If you want to avoid any potential cybersecurity threats like ransomware, malware, or viruses, you need a reliable anti-malware tool.
In case you notice that Safari has started to feel sluggish recently and you did not make any significant changes, chances are that there is a virus or malware putting a strain on the browser and slowing it down. Do not let the situation get out of hand and scan the computer to detect and delete any potential threats.
Tip #6 – Block Greedy Plugins
Plugins can also get out of hand if you are not careful. Adobe Flash and Unity Player are good examples. Instead of letting these plugins have free rein, adjust the settings so that they need to ask for permission before running.
Plugin settings can be found in the browser Security section. And if you want to disable any plugins that are causing you problems, simply uncheck the box next to them.
Tip #7 – Update the OS
New updates to the OS improve the overall performance. And if there is a boost to the Macbook itself, you will experience that with the browser as well.
Safari also has updates, and while the browser usually has no issues upgrading itself automatically, you should still check now and then whether the current version is up to date.
Tip #8 – Free up Disk Space
A Macbook with limited free disk space tends to stutter and crash more frequently. It is no surprise that the problem directly affects Safari or any other browser. Look at your hard drive and see what you can do to create more free space. Delete old applications, remove junk files like caches and backups, or transfer some data to Dropbox and iCloud.
Tip #9 – Check for Network Connection Issues
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ISP providers might also be behind the issues now and then. Connection problems can become a bother since it is not always possible to solve them yourself.
To find out whether your internet is acting up, try using a browser other than Safari. If the surfing experience is the same, something is wrong with the computer or the internet. At the same time, if other browsers are working without any hiccups, you need to continue looking for what is wrong with Safari.