safari not working but chrome is

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only safari works but not other browsers.

I have a 2012 MacBook Pro. I am able to access internet through safari browser only. previously I was using chrome. I tried using Mozilla Firefox also. but no webpages are loading.

but all the web pages are loading in safari only.

please help me fix this issue.

MacBook Pro 13", 10.12

Posted on Feb 14, 2019 1:33 AM

Posted on Feb 14, 2019 4:44 AM

Backup your Mac.

    1. Try reset and repair.

       Reset Chrome and test.  https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/3296214?hl=en

       Reset Firefox and test.  https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/reset-preferences-fix-problems

       Repair Disk and test. macOS Mojave https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/repair-a-disk-dskutl1040/mac

                                        macOS High Sierra https://support.apple.com/guide/disk-utility/dskutl1040/16.0/mac/10.13

  2. If this  doesn’t help, download EtreCheck: https://etrecheck.com/maspro   and post the report here.

      Click, “Free Download” button and then  “Click to download” button,

      open Downloads folder, click on it to open, and then select ”Open”.

      Click on the bouncing  EtreCheck icon in the Dock.

      “Choose a problem” from the popup menu box, and then “Start EtreCheck” in the dialog.

      Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar and select “Copy report” .

      Paste the report when you reply.

      Note: This is a diagnostic test. Reading the report will help us not make unnecessary suggestions.

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Feb 14, 2019 4:44 AM in response to pratikfromkoppal

Feb 14, 2019 10:46 AM in response to pratikfromkoppal

Also try setting up another admin user account to see if the same problem continues. Please post back on whether or not this worked. Also try the Safe Mode. Please post back on whether or not this worked.

Isolating an issue by using another user account  

Safe Mode - About

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How to Fix Safari Not Working on Mac

When you are browsing the web, either for work or for play, it can be very frustrating when Safari starts running slow or quits working altogether. So what causes Safari to malfunction? And how can you fix it?

We use our web browsers every day, so it can be pretty alarming when they don’t work right. Safari, just like every other browser, has its fair share of problems. Fortunately, there are a few solutions you can try to get back on track.

Let’s get started!

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Solution 1: verify your network, solution 2: turn off vpn (virtual private network), solution 3: close unused tabs, solution 4: force quit safari, solution 5: clear website data and cache, solution 6: disable safari extensions, solution 7: clear safari history, solution 8: view safari processes in activity monitor, solution 9: restart mac, solution 10: update safari by updating macos, solution 11: use safe mode, solution 12: scan your mac for malware, final thoughts.

• Safari could malfunction due to a poor internet connection or a VPN, so verify that your network hardware is working properly and that your VPN is not causing any problems.
• You might need to force quit Safari , especially if it is frozen or if you have too many tabs open at once.
• Clearing website data and disabling unused extensions will go a long way in getting Safari back up and running.
• You should keep Safari updated to take advantage of any security fixes and patches.
• Booting up into Safe Mode is a good option if some of the simpler fixes do not work.
• If malware gets onto your computer, this could cause issues with Safari. Clearing out suspicious programs and running a malware scan on your Mac is a great solution to get things working again.

What to Do When Safari Is Not Working?

Safari might not be working for a number of reasons. The issue could be anything from a faulty internet connection to malware on your computer. Let’s start with some of the easier fixes first and rule out any possible causes.

The first reason that Safari may not be responding is that you may not have the proper internet connection. Verify if you are able to see any other websites or applications that require internet, if you cannot, then check your internet hardware to ensure everything is running correctly and the internet provider’s website for information on any potential outages in your area. 

If you use a VPN, try turning it off to see if Safari begins to work again. VPNs are known to slow down internet connection due to the additional steps it takes in order for data to be transferred from your network to the internet provider and back. 

There are also instances when VPNs can become “blocked” and no longer allow data to flow through, causing you to lose your internet connection. If you have no internet, Safari will not work. Unfortunately, all VPNs are configured differently on how to turn them off, so I suggest looking into your specific VPN on how to disconnect it.

Another item that could be slowing down your internet or the processing power for Safari is if you have a large number of tabs open. Having many tabs open, all loading different content and transferring different data, can become overwhelming for your Mac. 

Close all unused tabs (preferably all but the one you are currently trying to load) and see if this improves Safari.

If Safari is still unresponsive, it may need to be reset by force quitting . By quitting immediately, we stop all processes in their tracks. 

This means you may lose any unsaved data. There are several ways to Force Quit an application on Mac, let’s look at the three easiest ways.

Option 1 to Force Quit – Using the Dock

Right-click (click with two fingers) on the Safari icon. Click Quit in the menu that comes up.

Option 2 to Force Quit – Using the Apple Menu

With Safari Open, click the Safari Menu along the top, and select Quit Safari .

Option 3 to Force Quit – Using the Keyboard Shortcut

Press the three keys: Command + Option + Escape . The following will appear:

Click Safari and Force Quit . Click Force Quit again to confirm.

Another option that could be helpful for you to get Safari working again is to clear the Website Data and Cache that Safari is holding. 

Not only can deleting this information help to speed up Safari by removing tracking from different websites and clearing unnecessary data from Cache, but it is also a good practice to follow for your own security and privacy as well. 

To clear website data and cache in Safari, first, go to the Safari menu located at the top of your screen and click Settings .

Under the Privacy tab at the top, click Manage Website Data .

You can either remove data per website by choosing a website and clicking Remove or remove all website data by clicking Remove All . I suggest removing all. 

Note : This will clear all Cache data, Cookies, and local storage information. 

Click Remove Now to confirm.

While Safari Extensions are a great option, they also increase the load on your Mac. This means that you may experience the computer slowing down or even Safari not responding properly.

To disable Safari Extensions, enter the Safari menu at the top of your screen and click Settings .

In the Extensions tab at the top, you will see the extensions that are turned on indicated by a blue checkmark on the left. 

To turn that particular extension off, click the blue check mark so a gray box appears in its place (or light blue for the selected extension).

The last step to removing unnecessary data from Safari is to clear your history. This will remove the previous pages that you have visited on Safari. 

Open the History tab and click Clear history .

Change the drop-down menu to your desired time frame (for best results, I suggest choosing all history), and click Clear History to confirm.

Another option to see what could potentially be wrong with your Safari is to view the processes in Activity Monitor. 

This way, we can see what pieces of Safari are taking up a higher amount of processing power. We can also quit or restart these processes to see if allowing them to stop can help Safari begin to work as expected again. 

To View the CPU Activity of Safari, open Activity Monitor .

Under the CPU tab at the top, we can search Safari, and all the Safari-related processes will pop up. Using the X at the top of the screen, we can stop any processes that seem to be taking up a large amount of the CPU load. 

Note : My Safari application is working as expected, so my CPU usage percentages are very low. If there are any of yours that appear to be much higher than others or if they relate to items that are not responding, try to quit them using the X. 

If none of the above options work, you could try to restart your Mac. This will stop all the processes that are running, not just Safari related. If the problem was not truly Safari, this would be a good way to figure this out. 

In the Apple Menu, click Restart .

It is also possible that Safari needs an update to work properly. Apple releases their Safari updates with their macOS. This means, we will need to update the operating system for your Mac to see if it improves the performance of Safari. 

To check if you have a macOS update, go to the Apple Menu and click System Settings .

In the System Settings , navigate to General on the left and choose Software Update .

This screen will tell you if there are any updates available for your Mac at this time. Follow the prompts to update if needed. 

Note : I suggest keeping on automatic updates. While automatic updates are not always able to be installed on their own, they will remind you when they are unable to be installed. This is the easiest way to be on top of your software updates. Be sure to periodically check back to ensure you didn’t miss any!

At this point, there is a possibility that the problem could be more than just Safari. To rule this out, you can boot your Mac in Safe Mode in order to determine where the issue lies. Safe Mode helps to identify if the problem is in the software or the startup procedure.

To Open Safe Mode in Apple Silicon Macs

• Go to the Apple Menu and click Shut Down . Ensure your Mac is entirely shut down.
• Press and hold the power button until the Loading Startup Options screen appears.
• Choose a volume, if asked.
• Press and hold the Shift key and click continue in Safe Mode.

To Open Safe Mode on Intel Macs

• Turn on or restart the Mac, press and hold the Shift key immediately.
• Log in to your Mac. You may be asked to log in twice.

Note: for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, you will see Safe Boot in the menu bar to confirm that you are in Safe Mode.

If you are experiencing issues with the overall performance of your Mac – Safari included – I would suggest looking for possible malware on your machine. To start, use Activity Monitor as discussed above, looking out for suspicious activity that you don’t recognize.

Another way to identify Malware is by looking at your Applications. There may be applications that you do not recall installing. There may also be applications that look similar to your legitimate applications, but are slightly different and contain malware. 

Additionally, check your login items. 

To Access your Login Items, Go to Apple Menu and System Settings .

Look for General on the Left sidebar . Then select Login Items on the Right.

Look at the items that are under the Open at Login section. Anything here that you do not recognize could potentially be malware. 

Note : Parallels Toolbox is not Malware. I recognize this as an application as something that I installed and use personally, so I do not have a reason to be concerned.  

If you don’t want to go through all of these steps manually, you can always use a third-party application to clean up your Mac and remove malware. CleanMyMac X is one such app that I’ve had a good experience with in the past.

While not entirely free, it will go a long way in removing malware on your Mac, and ultimately making your system perform better. If malware or system junk is causing Safari to malfunction, running a scan using CleanMyMac X is a great solution.

After downloading and installing the app, launch it and look for Malware Removal from the options in the left sidebar. Then, hit Scan, and CleanMyMac X will handle the rest.

This article walked you through 12 different ways to identify why your Safari is not working on Mac and how to fix it. We also included other tips and tricks to ensure that you keep your Mac safe from potential Malware. 

Did this article help you solve your problem with Safari? What method did you use? Let us know in the comments!

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Fix: Safari Not Working On Mac

Updated: September 19, 2022

9 Revisions

Check the solutions we’ve put together to help you when your Safari browser is not opening or not working properly on your Mac computer.

Many Mac users have recently reported issues with their Safari Browser. What usually happen are they can’t open their Safari or the browser is not working properly.

If you’re also experiencing this issue, you’re no doubt very frustrated. But don’t worry. The following are a few fixes that have helped many Mac users.

Try these fixes

You may not have to try them all; just work your way down the list until you find the one that works for you.

• Update your Safari
• Temporarily disable your antivirus
• Clean your browser cache
• Restore your Mac computer with Time Machine
• Reinstall your macOS

Fix 1: Update your Safari

You may be having your issue with your Safari because you are using an old version . You should try updating your browser and see if this fixes the issues for you. To do so:

• Click the UPDATE button next to Safari if there’s any update available.
• Wait for the update process to complete.

Now check to see if this fixes your Safari issue. If it does, great! But if not, there are still other fixes you can try…

Fix 2: Temporarily disable your antivirus

Your firewall or antivirus software can sometimes cause interference to your Safari browser. To see if that’s the case for you, temporarily disable your firewall and see if your problem remains. (You may need to consult your firewall documentation for instructions on disabling it.)

If this resolves your problem, you can add your game to the whitelist of your firewall. You can contact the vendor of your firewall and ask them for advice. Or you can install a different antivirus solution.

IMPORTANT: Be extra careful about what sites you visit, what emails you open and what files you download when you have disabled your firewall.

Fix 3: Clean your browser cache

Corrupted cache can cause issues to your Safari browser. In this case, you should try cleaning it. Here’s how you can do it:

• Close your Safari browser if it is running.
• On your keyboard, press the Shift key, the Command key and G at the same time to invoke the Go to Folder dialog.

You’ve now removed your Safari cache. Try launching your browser and see if this fix works for you.

Fix 4: Restore your Mac computer with Time Machine

You can fix your Safari browser by restoring your Mac system to a previous state. If you’ve previously set up Time Machine to create backups for your Mac computer, you can use these backups to restore your computer.

To open Time Machine:

• Follow its instructions to restore your Mac computer from a backup.

Hopefully, this fixes your browser issue. But if not, you may need to…

Fix 5: Reinstall your macOS

If none of the fixes above works for you, you should try reinstalling your Safari to see if this fixes your browser issues. As it is included with your operating system, you should reinstall your macOS to reinstall the browser (this won’t erase your personal data and settings). To reinstall your macOS:

• Back up your important data on your Mac computer. ( Reinstalling macOS won’t erase your data in most cases, but it’s better safe than sorry. )
• Make sure your Mac computer is connected to the Internet.

• Immediately as your Mac computer restarts, press and hold the Command key and R on your keyboard at the same time. Then release the keys when you see the Apple logo appears.

• Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reinstallation.

Hopefully one of the fixes above works for you. If you have any questions, feel free to leave us a comment below!

By Jonny Lin

Jonny, a Microsoft Certified Professional, is a technical writer and technology enthusiast. He believes technology should bring users satisfaction, not annoyance, so he writes to help people overcome their tech troubles.

Contributor(s):

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How to fix websites not loading in Safari on Mac, iPhone, and iPad

Learn what to do if you can’t open all or any specific website in Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. These tips will also help if you can’t visit a site in other browsers like Chrome or Firefox.

1. Turn off Safari’s advanced tracking

Hiding your IP address and preventing tracking in Safari may not play well with all sites. For instance, Twitter’s login page recently kept refusing to load in Safari on my Mac. Similarly, some web pages might refuse to load in Safari on iPhone, and you would see a Reduce Protections button on top.

If you’ve enabled all Safari protections, it may be time to disable them temporarily. To do that, open Safari and click Safari > Settings from the top menu bar. Next, go to the Privacy heading and stop hiding your IP address from websites by unchecking the “ Hide IP address ” box or setting it to “ from Trackers only .”

After that, go to the Advanced tab and set “Use advanced tracking and fingerprinting protection” to “ in Private Browsing ” (instead of “in all browsing”) or uncheck Privacy altogether.

You will also find these options in iPhone/iPad Settings > Safari > Hide IP Address . After that, tap Advanced at the bottom of the Safari settings screen and set Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection to “ Private Browsing ” or “ Off .”

2. Switch off iCloud Private Relay

Private Relay is offered with an iCloud+ or Apple One paid subscription, and it’s there to secure your browsing. However, it can sometimes cause issues. For instance, certain websites or specific pages of a site may not load.

If find yourself in such a situation, head over to Settings / System Settings > your name or Apple ID from the top > iCloud > Private Relay and turn off Private Relay  temporarily.

3. Check the URL

If you are trying to go to a website and you type the URL completely wrong, then your web browser will probably fail to load the site. For example, make sure you use three Ws ( www ) in the URL where relevant, and also make sure you only use https:// where relevant, as some sites only use the basic http:// instead. Also, make sure the meat and potatoes of the URL are correct, as a wrong URL can direct you to an incorrect website or to no website at all.

Tip: Take proper caution if you’re visiting a site that has an address like 192.168.1.7:88 . Usually, these sites have http:// in the beginning. For example: http://192.168.1.7:8888/

4. Refresh the page

Sometimes, a hiccup in the loading process occurs. If the page doesn’t load the first time, try refreshing it one, two, or maybe three more times. Website host servers aren’t always as stable as you’d like them to be, and you can sometimes get through after the second or third try.

5. Revisit the page

I have noticed this several times on my iPhone. When you tap a web link in some app, it will open Safari but won’t load the website. To fix this annoying issue, simply go back to the other application and tap the link again. This time, it will load in Safari.

6. Use Safari instead of the in-app browser

When you tap a link inside apps like Twitter, it doesn’t open Safari but loads the site inside its integrated Safari browser. Sometimes, a website may not load here properly. To fix this, tap the tiny Safari button to open this link in the actual Safari browser.

7. Try loading another website

Check if you can load a different website other than the one you’re having issues with. If the second website loads, it could mean the first is experiencing maintenance, heavy traffic, or some other fluke. This would mean the problem is the website itself, and there’s nothing you can really do to fix the problem besides wait a little longer before trying again.

8. Try another web browser

It’s also possible that the web browser you’re using is incompatible with the website you’re using. In some cases, some web browsers will render HTML or CSS in different ways than others, and such can actually break websites in some browsers. Try another web browser, such as Chrome or Firefox , and see if the page loads properly this time.

9. Check that you’re connected to Wi-Fi

You should always check to see whether or not your internet connection is working because a website will never load if your computer can’t establish a line of communication. You can go to the Wi-Fi icon in your Mac’s Menu Bar to see if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network. Obviously, if you aren’t, you’ll have to connect to one before the page loads.

Also, remember that moving too far away from the network you were just on will drop the connection. This is common around school campuses where you’re walking around or moving from room to room quite often.

• Internet not working on your Mac? Here’s how to fix it
• How to fix cellular data not working on iPhone or iPad
• What to do when your iPhone or iPad can’t connect to Wi-Fi

10. Make sure your internet is active

By clicking on the Wi-Fi Settings… or Open Network Preferences… button in Mac’s Wi-Fi menu, you can see whether or not your computer has an IP address on the network you’re on, as well as whether or not it has established a successful connection with the internet.

If you see a yellow or red dot instead of a green dot, you have a problem that needs to be fixed before you can access the internet. This could be with the network itself or your computer. Continue through the steps below if the dot next to Wi-Fi isn’t green.

11. Enable and disable Airplane mode

On Mac, if you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network and are still unable to load a page, try turning your Wi-Fi off and on again from the Wi-Fi settings in your menu bar.

On iPhone or iPad, open Control Center and tap the Airplane mode button to enable it. After 10 seconds, tap the same button to turn it off.

Once done, try visiting the website, and it should work.

12. Check the Ethernet cable

On Macs that have a wired connection via Ethernet, make sure the cable is plugged in and that it didn’t get knocked loose. Try another Ethernet cable, if you have one, to see if your current cable has gone bad. If you’re using a USB-C hub, make sure it isn’t too hot. And if it is, stop using it until it cools down.

13. Restart your device

It’s possible that a piece of software on your computer or iPhone is bugging out, so you might want to try rebooting your computer if none of the above steps worked. After it restarts, attempt to connect once again.

14. Restart the wireless router

If possible, reset the wireless router and modem. By doing so, any problem that might have been related to the source of the internet should be fixed.

15. Renew your DHCP lease

Sometimes, your IP address could get messed up and conflict with another device on your network. When this happens, you will be unable to load web pages. We have a detailed tutorial for how to renew your DHCP lease to fix this problem.

16. Remove all website data

If you have corrupted website data stored in your web browser, then Safari might be trying to load information that will lead it into a loop of failures time and time again.

Here’s how you can remove all Safari data:

• Open Safari and then click the word Safari from the top menu bar and choose Settings or Preferences .
• Go to Privacy and click Manage Website Data .
• Finally, click Remove All .

• Open the Settings app and go to Safari .
• Tap Clear History and Website Data .

This will delete all saved website data you have and let you re-load fresh data.

17. Turn off ad blockers or browser extensions

I’ve seen many cases where a website refuses to load until you disable your ad blockers. Try disabling any ad blockers or other browser extensions that might be hindering the web page from loading, then attempt to load the page again.

18. Disable security software

Some security software and firewalls have been known to block access to certain websites because they think they’re malicious. In some cases, this is true, but in others, false positives make the software block access to these websites even when you don’t want them to. If you trust the website you’re trying to visit, you can attempt to disable your security software and load the page again.

19. Disable VPN software

A few VPN s, just like security software, block access to some websites. If you have a VPN running, try disabling the VPN and try again.

20. Sometimes, you’ll have to use a VPN

If a website is blocked in your country by the authorities, you’ll have to use a VPN to access it.

21. Use a different ISP

I have also noticed this situation a few times where a particular website won’t load on my specific cellular network. But if I switch to a different cellular network (I use dual SIM on my iPhone), then it loads.

In most cases, you can also access that website using a VPN (without changing to a different internet provider).

22. Change your DNS server settings

If you haven’t already changed your stock DNS server settings to a better one, we have an excellent tutorial on how to do that .

Google’s DNS server always works quickly and has nearly no downtime, so switching to it could fix your problem or help the website load more quickly on your machine.

23. Still not working? Contact the website admin

If after everything above, and after waiting a little while to rule out that it was a website-based problem, try contacting the website administrator to see if there are any underlying problems that could be fixed.

Check out next:

• How to fix “Cannot Connect to App Store” on iPhone and iPad
• Images not loading on iPhone? Here’s how to fix it
• How to fix a VPN not working on your iPhone or iPad

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9 Ways to Fix Certain Websites Not Loading on Mac

After bothering the iPhones and iPads , the issue of certain websites not loading has also taken over the MacBook. Be it your good old Safari or Google Chrome, Mac users have borne the brunt of websites being blocked from access. Don’t worry, though; there are simple fixes when your Mac won’t load these websites.

From important work-related needs to entertainment requirements, both are met by numerous websites on your Mac. For instance, at GuidingTech, we swear by WordPress. Of course, we need an excellent scroll of X for some tea in between work. Imagine if these websites stopped loading on your Mac. Nightmare, no? Just read on to learn how you can resolve these.

1. Restart Your Mac

Any issue with your Mac? Start the solution hunt with a simple restart. If Google Chrome or Safari isn’t loading pages on your Mac, restart the device and see if the situation changes. Restarting helps better the performance and stability of your Mac. To restart, press the Apple logo on the top-left corner and select Restart.

2. Update macOS

An updated Mac is a bug-free Mac. Updates help achieve a two-fold objective. One is to remove software bugs. Two, to update the security. If your Mac is not loading certain websites, see if your Mac is updated. For many users , updating helped load the websites on their Macs. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Open System Settings on your Mac. Then, head to General > Software Update.

Step 2: If an update is pending, click on Update Now.

3. Try Different Network

Is there an issue with your internet? When your Mac won’t load websites, it could be due to an unstable or weak internet connection. If a particular network is causing issues, we advise trying a different network. Alternatively, check your internet speed . If it’s not good enough, contact your service provider.

4. Forget Network and Reconnect

Forgetting a network prevents your device from reconnecting with that particular network automatically. When there is any turbulence concerning a network, try to forget that network. Once done, reconnect to your preferred network. This could potentially stop your Mac from blocking websites. Here’s how to forget a network on your Mac.

Step 1: Open System Settings on your Mac. Head to Wi-Fi > select Details of the Wi-Fi you’re connected to.

Step 2: Tap on Forget This Network to forget the network.

Step 3: Now, go to the Wi-Fi tab, search for the particular network, and enter the password to reconnect.

Note that this has helped netizens rid themselves of Google Chrome and Safari not loading certain websites on their Mac.

5. Delete Plist File for Safari

Plist or property list files on a Mac allow you to save preferences. These files give a faster user experience. However, if they accumulate, it could be a setback. How? Well, the accumulation of these plist files can slow an application down. So, if your Safari is not loading certain pages, we advise clearing plist files for the Safari app.

You can follow the steps below to clear plist files for Safari on your Mac.

Step 1: Open Finder and Tap on Go in the menu bar.

Step 2: Now, press and hold the Option key on your keyboard. You will see Library in the drop-down menu. Click on it.

Step 3: In the list of apps, scroll and tap on Safari.

Step 3: Identify if your Mac has a file named ‘com.apple.Safari.plist’. If yes, delete the file.

6. Clear Cache for Chrome

If your Chrome isn’t loading particular pages or websites, it is time to clear the cache for the application. Cache stores some information, allowing pages to load faster. However, an excess build-up of cache slows the loading of web pages.

So, if you’re having trouble loading websites on your Mac, clearing the Chrome cache might help. Here’s how to go about it.

Step 1: Open a tab on Google Chrome. Tap on the three dots in the top-right corner > Settings.

Step 2: Select Privacy and security on the left > Clear browsing data on the right.

Step 3: In the pop-up that appears, select All time under Time range. Further, check the box for ‘Cached images and files’ and select Clear data.

The above-mentioned steps should clear out any data or images cached by Google Chrome.

7. Reinstall Google Chrome

This fix is for users whose Mac loads pages on Safari or other web pages but fails to load those websites on Google Chrome. We suggest uninstalling and reinstalling the Google Chrome app on your Mac. Follow the steps below to do so.

Step 1: Open Finder on your Mac and go to Applications. Scroll down and right-click on Google Chrome.

Step 2: In the pop-up, select Move to Bin.

Step 3: Now, reinstall Google Chrome using the button below.

Download Google Chrome

8. Turn Off Limit IP Address Tracking

While the concept sounds Latin and Greek, limiting IP address tracking conceals your IP address. In simple words, this feature protects you from being tracked online. While it is beneficial from a privacy perspective, this feature limits browsing speeds.

So, if your Mac won’t load websites, turn off the limit IP address tracking feature. Here’s how you can do so.

Step 1: Open System Settings. Head to Network > Wi-Fi.

Step 2: Under the Wi-Fi, select Details.

Step 3: In the pop-up, disable the toggle for ‘Limit IP address tracking’.

Note: While this fix could help you load web pages faster, we wouldn’t recommend this as a permanent measure. It could act as an interim solution to the problem at hand. However, in the long run, you could expose your IP address to tracking. So, use this only if you are in dire need of the pages to load. Else, try other fixes.

9. Change DNS Server

Changing the DNS server is an excellent solution to the websites not loading issue on Mac, per several users . Here’s how you can change DNS on your Mac.

Step 3: In the pop-up, select DNS on the left pane. Then, tap on the plus sign. Make 1.1.1.1 as your DNS.

Note: 1.1.1.1 is CloudFlare DNS. It is publically available, safe, and fast.

Fast Not Furious

Are you furious because your Mac won’t load certain websites? Follow our fixes to have a smooth web experience. Whether you’re team Safari or Chrome, we all need X for tea or YouTube to beat those work-hour yawns. So, we hope this article helped you stop Mac from blocking your favorite web pages.

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Last updated on 27 December, 2023

The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.

The article above may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. The content remains unbiased and authentic and will never affect our editorial integrity.

DID YOU KNOW

Shachi Gambhir

Shachi is a law student with curiosity for consumer technology. Being a fanatic of the Apple ecosystem, you can often find her hustling for solutions for Apple-related issues.

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Fix Chrome if it crashes or won't open

If Google Chrome crashes, freezes, or won’t start at all, you might see one of these messages:

err_connection_reset_chrome

• err_connection_closed
• err_connection_failed

Tip: If a specific page won't work, you can try to fix page loading problems .

First: Try these common Chrome crash fixes

Your iPhone or iPad may have run out of memory, and can't load the site while also running your apps and programs.

To free up memory:

• Close every tab except for the one that’s showing the error message.
• Quit other apps or programs that are running.
• Pause any app or file downloads.

Tip: Try to reload the tab that shows the error.

• On your iPhone or iPad, open the App Switcher .
• Swipe on the Chrome window to close.

Programs or apps sometimes get in the way of a page loading correctly.

• Restart your iPhone or iPad.
• Try loading the page again.

Next: Troubleshoot Chrome crash problems

To know whether this is a problem with the webpage or Chrome, try to open the page in another browser, like Firefox or Safari.

If it works in another browser, try to uninstall and reinstall Chrome. There could be something wrong with your Chrome profile that's causing problems.

• Uninstall Chrome and make sure to check the box to delete browsing data.
• Then, reinstall Chrome .

If it doesn't work in another browser, it could be a problem with your network or the website itself. Learn more below.

If the page didn't load in another browser, it could be a problem with your network or the website itself.

Restart your modem and router.

If this doesn't work, contact the website owner and let them know that you have a problem loading the webpage.

Still not working? Turn on crash reports to provide more information. Then search for other related issues or post a question in the  Chrome Help Forum .

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Safari User Guide

• Change your homepage
• Import bookmarks, history, and passwords
• Make Safari your default web browser
• Go to websites
• Find what you’re looking for
• Bookmark webpages that you want to revisit
• See your favorite websites
• Use tabs for webpages
• Pin frequently visited websites
• Play web videos
• Mute audio in tabs
• Pay with Apple Pay
• Autofill credit card info
• Autofill contact info
• Keep a Reading List
• Hide ads when reading articles
• Translate a webpage
• Download items from the web
• Share or post webpages
• Add passes to Wallet
• Save part or all of a webpage
• Print or create a PDF of a webpage
• Customize a start page
• Customize the Safari window
• Customize settings per website
• Zoom in on webpages
• Get extensions
• Manage cookies and website data
• Block pop-ups
• Clear your browsing history
• Browse privately
• Autofill user name and password info
• Prevent cross-site tracking
• View a Privacy Report
• Change Safari preferences
• Keyboard and other shortcuts
• Troubleshooting

Safari troubleshooting on Mac

If you have trouble browsing the web, try the suggestions listed below.

Open Safari for me

Webpages won’t appear

Make sure cables are connected, and that your network devices (such as a router) are turned on.

Check your internet connection.

Try working in another app that uses the internet, such as Mail, to see if your Mac is connected to the internet.

Problems opening webpages

If your computer is connected to the internet but you still have problems, wait a few minutes, then try again to view the webpage.

For more help, see:

If you can’t open a website in Safari

If you can’t open a Safari window

Webpages are garbled or hard to read

If webpages appear garbled or incomplete, or the text on them is too small, you may need to change Safari preferences. For more help, see:

If webpage text has odd or unusual characters in Safari

If features on a webpage don’t work in Safari

If you don’t see images on a webpage in Safari

Zoom in on webpages in Safari

Searches aren’t effective

If your web searches aren’t finding what you want, you can improve your search results with the right search terms.

AutoFill doesn’t work

The Safari AutoFill feature remembers information you use to fill in forms on webpages. If AutoFill doesn’t work in Safari , you may need to change AutoFill options in Safari preferences.

Problems downloading files

For solutions to other downloading problems, see If you can’t download an item from the web using Safari .

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Chrome can't connect to internet (but other browsers can) [duplicate]

All of a sudden a couple days ago, my Chrome browser (v. 37, on Win7 desktop) stopped working. It just displays the "Google Dinosaur" with the message "Unable to connect to the Internet" (Error code: DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NO_INTERNET). However, IE and Firefox have no problems. Also, another computer on my home network has no problems with Chrome, which rules out any router issues. I have tried:

• rebooting the computer
• resetting Chrome (deleting all Content & Cookies; restoring all default browser settings)
• launching Chrome with no extensions , as well as in incognito mode
• disabling all extensions manually
• uninstalling and re-installing Chrome
• temporarily disabling my virus protector (Microsoft Security Essentials)
• typing in IP addresses directly
• Command Prompt (Run as Admin): netsh winsock reset (+ Restart)
• Clear the host cache (in chrome://net-internals/#dns)
• growling fiercely at the computer

Nothing helped. (Except the last one, which made me feel slightly better, but didn't resolve the issue). Any other suggestions?

UPDATE: I just realized that I can't even access my router using Chrome (typing the direct IP address), although, again, IE and FF have no problems there either.

UPDATE #2: After following the suggestion to Clear the Host Cache , the cache list began populating with several entries (all **.google.com sites) with this note in the Address field: error: -137 (ERR_NAME_RESOLUTION_FAILED) (a problem which was discussed, though not solved, recently ). I assume it is all part of the same underlying problem.

UPDATE #3: As @FredsBend's link pointed out, this is a known (and apparently widespread) issue that is being tracked and investigated by the fine folks at Chromium. Star the bug at crbug.com/399968 to get notified of a fix.

• google-chrome

• Win+R -> netsh winsock reset -> Restart –  crazypotato Sep 1, 2014 at 7:46
• @crazypotato: Good idea, but it didn't help. –  kmote Sep 1, 2014 at 17:55
• 1 Try check portable chrome for make sure its only issue with your current installed Chrome. People says help if reinstall or update wi-fi router(have you it?) driver. –  crazypotato Sep 3, 2014 at 8:15
• 1 @crazypotato: your link had a good suggestion ("Clear host cache"), but unfortunately it still didn't resolve the issue. –  kmote Sep 5, 2014 at 4:28
• 1 This is apparently common: productforums.google.com/forum/#!msg/chrome/ryQ4d-ai3zg/… I'm tending toward a windows update sending chrome down a fubar path. I recall allowing an update just before mine stopped working. –  user287352 Sep 5, 2014 at 21:56

4 Answers 4

The problem is related to Chrome and a black list service that is new and apparently not ready. The blacklist service (wrongly) blocks some dll's, most common being one that is used by an internet filtering software called Covenant Eyes. According to Covenant Eyes customer support , the problem only exists on versions 4.5.3 and earlier. Upgrading to version 5, which requires a full uninstall of the previous version, will fix the issue.

There is a workaround that involves a simple registry edit. This is useful if you cannot upgrade Covenant Eyes for some reason or your issue is related to the Chrome blacklist service, but not Covenant Eyes.

Change registry value HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\BLBeacon\state from 1 to 0.

The registry edit workaround has mixed reviews on this page. Some say it works, but reverts back after closing Chrome. Others report that it works perfectly and they can close Chrome and it will not revert. The reason is not clear, but most with the Covenant Eyes issue are reporting that it is working perfectly for them. A few users without the Covenant Eyes issue have reported that the registry edit worked for them as well.

• I have personally tried the Regedit option and it worked and has not reverted after two opens and closes of Chrome. I have not tried upgrading Covenant Eyes. I will try that on a different computer without making the registry edit and report back.
• How to use the registry editor. Be cautious when using the registry editor. If you don't know what you are doing you can really mess up your computer.

• On Sep. 24th, I had to redo the regedit option for the first time, but on all my computers. Chrome must have had a minor background update that switched the registry value back to 1. I still have not upgraded Covenant Eyes. –  user287352 Sep 26, 2014 at 17:46
• 1 The powershell version of this Set-ItemProperty HKCU:\Software\Google\Chrome\BLBeacon\ -Name state -Value "0" –  Eric Herlitz Nov 27, 2014 at 19:21
• It is now January, I have still not upgraded Covenant Eyes. I've not had any problems since. –  user287352 Jan 9, 2015 at 23:49
• Almost a year later and I've switched to FireFox for other reasons. Chrome does still seem to work, when I do use it, however. Covenant Eyes is not updated still. –  user287352 Jul 28, 2015 at 3:27
• I've now switched back to Chrome and Covenant Eyes version 4.5.3 has not given me any problems. Chrome: Version 48.0.2564.97 m (64-bit) Windows 7 –  user287352 Feb 2, 2016 at 18:50

The following link provides a workaround. Basically you run RegEdit from cmd and change HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Google\Chrome\BLBeacon\status from 1 to 0 .

After this you can close / open Chrome and it will keep working.

• 8+ years on and that solution doesn't work any more. –  Peter Jennings Aug 10, 2023 at 15:45

You could try launching chrome in safe/no extensions/unsafe or some other mode (I know there are some options but dont remember which). Try connecting to a site typing ip address directly http://n.n.n.n ... maybe an issue with chrome using different dns path thanother browsers.

• Not sure how to launch in any non-standard mode (except incognito, which didn't work either). I typed the IP address of Google (173.194.33.167); no joy. –  kmote Aug 31, 2014 at 22:35
• I figured out how to launch Chrome with no extensions . Still dead. –  kmote Aug 31, 2014 at 22:42

I found a solution in my case. My issue seems to be related Bitdefender anti-virus. When Bitdefender was in "Game mode" I could not connect to any site using Chrome. I turned "Game mode" off and restarted Chrome. This worked for me, even after turning "Game mode" back on. Let's see how long this solution lasts.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged google-chrome browser .

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Google Chrome vs. Apple Safari: Which browser is better on Mac

• Cross-platform availability can make the switch from Chrome to Safari seamless, with data and preferences intact across devices.
• Safari's user interface impresses with a clean layout, while Google Chrome offers more customization options in its Material You makeover.
• Safari's memory usage advantage over Chrome on Mac with 8GB of RAM is a key factor to consider if performance is a concern.

As the default web browser on Mac, Safari has received a steady stream of updates over the last few years. Apple releases new builds for all its apps and services with yearly OS updates. While we applaud Safari improvements on Mac, the burning question remains the same: is it good enough to prevent users from switching to Chrome? How does it compare to everyone’s favorite web browser out there? Read our comparison post before you change the default browser on your Mac , iPhone, or iPad.

Google Chrome vs Microsoft Edge: Which browser is better?

Cross-platform availability.

Before we pit Safari against Chrome, let’s check their cross-platform availability first. After all, you won’t want to leave your web bookmarks, history, quick links, and other preferences behind when you switch to another platform.

As expected, alternating is a breeze with Chrome, since the browser is available on most smart platforms you can think of. Whether you use Mac, Windows, iPhone, Android, or ChromeOS, you are ready to surf the web with all of your personal data and a familiar interface. In contrast, Apple’s walled garden approach has limited Safari’s availability to the company’s devices only.

User interface and theme

Being the first-party app on macOS, Apple has nailed the esthetics of Safari. Let’s start with the homepage. It carries all the essential elements you need when you fire up the browser. You can check your favorites, recently closed tabs, reading list, privacy report, Siri suggestions, and even apply minimal wallpaper to the background. If it’s too busy for you, customize the entire homepage from the bottom menu. Overall, it’s not as busy as Microsoft Edge and doesn’t look as bland as Chrome’s homepage. Safari also offers a cool translucent effect at the top when you scroll through webpages. Unlike Chrome, there is no theme store to change the look and feel with a single click.

Google Chrome recently received a neat Material You makeover on the web. While Material You on Chrome matches the rest of Google services, it does look slightly out of place with other Mac apps.

Tab management

Do you often have dozens of tabs open during long research sessions? Managing and switching between them can be cumbersome after a while. Here’s where Chrome and Safari’s tab groups come into play, where you can organize relevant tabs under different groups. Safari does have a couple of additional tricks up its sleeve though.

When you create several tab groups on Safari, you can check the entire list from the vertical sidebar. Safari also lets you create different profiles to keep your browsing data separate, such as tabs, history, cookies and website data.

You can assign a different symbol, color, and separate extension list for Work, School, or Personal profiles. There is also an option to share a tab group with your iMessage contacts.

Chrome vs. Safari: Features

Let’s compare Safari and Chrome based on extension support, reading mode, and other novelty features.

Reading mode

Apple offers a seamless reading mode on Safari that you can customize with different backgrounds, fonts, and sizes. In comparison, Chrome’s reader mode leaves a lot to be desired. It opens the article in a sidebar and doesn’t necessarily hide all the distracting elements. Safari wins hands down here.

While Safari covers the essential extensions from top VPNs, password managers, and other third-party developers like Grammarly, Pocket, Raindrop, and Notion, the overall collection is still slim compared to Google Chrome.

If your workflow depends on dozens of extensions, think twice before switching from Chrome to Safari.

Seamless sharing

Shared with You is a niche Safari feature that is tightly backed in iMessage. Links shared with you in the Messages app automatically appear in the Share with You section in Safari. It is only useful for those who frequently exchange weblinks in iMessage conversations.

Instant conversion and translation

Both Safari and Chrome support instant currency conversion and basic math equations. For example, you can quickly get a final number when you type $1000 to INR or 45*3 in the address bar. Chrome goes a step further with Google Translate integration - you can simply type Hello in French and get results instantly.

Chrome vs. Safari: Password management

Both browsers offer basic password management to save your login credentials. Safari uses iCloud Passwords that can sync with all your devices. It supports autofill, Passkeys, verification codes, notes, and more.

Google Password Manager also supports notes and checkup. Like security recommendations on Safari, Chrome Password Manager’s checkup tool shows your leaked, reused, and weak passwords.

Privacy and security

The built-in standard protection on Chrome warns you of harmful files, extensions, and corrupt sites. Safari is a step ahead with iCloud Private Relay. It’s a privacy add-on for Apple One and iCloud+ subscribers to hide your IP address from websites you visit. The option is enabled by default and works silently in the background. When you visit a website in Safari, no one, including Apple, can see who you are or which sites you are visiting. It’s not as extreme as a VPN connection and doesn’t break your browsing setup. You can check out our dedicated guide if you'd like to learn more about iCloud Private Relay .

Safari also offers a privacy report that shows the number of trackers it has blocked from profiling you in the last 30 days.

Performance

When it comes to performance, you won’t find any major differences between Chrome and Safari on a high-speed internet connection. However, if your Mac has a slow network connection, you may notice that Safari can load webpages faster than Chrome, something that Avast confirmed in their dedicated speed comparison for major browsers.

While we are on the topic of performance, we should also factor in compatibility. Since Google Chrome (built on Chromium) is the most popular web browser out there, developers test and optimize their offerings for it. You may run into performance issues with specific websites (like Photopea, a web-based Photoshop alternative) on Safari.

Memory usage

Safari is a relatively lightweight web browser compared to Chrome. This is expected, since Chrome has been infamous for high RAM usage. We opened a couple of identical tabs on Chrome and Safari and checked their memory usage from the Activity Monitor. We will let the screenshot below do the talking.

Mac users with 8GB of RAM will surely appreciate Safari’s approach to memory usage.

Chrome vs. Safari: Mobile experience

Both Apple and Google have done a solid job with their iOS apps. They use a bottom bar with all the essential options. You can also use Chrome password manager as the default method to autofill login info. Chrome’s default Discover menu with news articles may irritate some users. Interestingly, Google has done a better job than Apple when it comes to widgets, as Chrome offers more widget options than Safari. Most notably, Chrome offers lock screen widgets which are missing from Safari.

Browse the web in style

Are you still unsure about the pros and cons of Chrome and Safari? Allow us to simplify the situation. Safari shines with better UI, low memory usage, and integration with other Apple apps. Chrome strikes back with cross-platform availability, rich extension support, and Google Translate integration. If you notice performance glitches while browsing the web, check CPU usage on Mac .

More From Forbes

Google issues new chrome security update for desktop users.

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If you’re one of Chrome’s billion-plus users on Windows PCs, then another update warning has just been issued to update your browser as soon as you can...

Chrome update now warning issued for Windows users

While Microsoft tries to push its Edge browser, it’s Google’s Chrome that continues to dominate the desktop market, as the default for a billion-plus Windows users. And those users need to ensure Chrome is updated, after the latest warning this week.

Stable channel 123.0.6312.122/.123 includes three fixes for high-risk memory safety vulnerabilities; you might have seen an acknowledgment earlier in the week that all serious Chrome vulnerabilities seen in the wild “started out with a memory corruption vulnerability.” And so no surprises here.

The three vulnerabilities were all found by external researchers, with each receiving a modest $10,000 to $20,000 payout. This is business as usual, not the highly sophisticated zero days that generate bigger headlines and rewards. One of the vulnerabilities is a use after free vulnerability—where freed up memory can still be addressed, the others relate to graphics rendering, one via the GPU.

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These are interesting times for Chrome on the security front. In warning of those expansive memory threats, Google has introduced a beta V8 (JavaScript engine) Sandbox which, it says, should “prevent memory corruption in V8 from spreading within the host process... a necessary step towards memory safety.”

Very welcome. And equally welcome was the news earlier in the month, that Google has found a way to address cookie theft, an increasingly well used means to bypass 2FA by hijacking authorized sessions. My colleague Davey Winder reported on some of the attacks emanating from this vulnerability earlier today.

This is also mainly a Chrome on Windows issue, and the proposed solution is so-called Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC), which means linking those session cookies to a device ID. Stealing the cookies will be pointless, unless you’re lifting the PC at the same time. “DBSC aims to disrupt the cookie theft industry since exfiltrating these cookies will no longer have any value,” Google explains.

It’s only two weeks since Google issued its last critical security fix for Chrome, along with a serious warning that users could be vulnerable to maliciously constructed webpages exploiting (another) memory vulnerability on their PCs

Google has not provided any indication that the latest vulnerabilities have been exploited in the wild, but users should still update their browser as soon as it’s available to them—if not already. I always take the view that once such issues are made public, even in a limited fashion, the risks increase. Threat actors know how long some users will take to update their platforms. Don’t be one of them...

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