Why Is Safari So Slow on iPhone & iPad
What to know.
- Why is Safari so slow lately? You may have a weak cellular or Wi-Fi signal or too many tabs open.
- If Safari is slow still, open the Safari app, touch and hold the tabs icon, and tap Close All (#) Tabs.
- You can also open Settings, tap General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, Reset Network Settings.
Why is Safari so slow on my iPhone? If Safari is slow to load, you may have too many tabs open or not enough iPad or iPhone storage available. There are a few other ways to fix Safari acting slow, too. Read on to find out!
Check Your Internet Speed
Close all safari tabs, clear browsing history and data, check iphone or ipad storage, reset network settings.
You need a strong Wi-Fi or cellular connection on your iPhone or iPad, or Safari will run slowly. To check your Wi-Fi or cellular connection, look at the symbols at the top-right of your screen.
The four vertical bars represent your iPhone's cellular connection. The more bars are white, the stronger the connection. If only one or no bars are white, Safari will run extremely slowly or not at all. You may also see 5G, 4G, or 3G, depending on your iPhone model, and whether or not your cellular carrier offers those speeds. If you're relying on your cellular connection alone for your internet connection, Safari may still be slow if the network is congested or you've used or almost used up your data for the month.
The pie slice-shaped icon to the right of the cellular connection bars represents your iPhone's Wi-Fi signal. The more white bars you see, the stronger your connection. If you aren't connected to a Wi-Fi network or are out of range of the network you are connected to, you'll see LTE instead. This means that your iPhone is relying on its cellular connection to browse the web.
If you think there's a problem with your cellular connection, we have a troubleshooting article on what to do if your data is not working on your iPhone or iPad. We also have an article about how to fix it if your Wi-Fi is slow .
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If Safari is running slowly, it may be because you have too many tabs open. Close all Safari tabs and see if Safari speeds up! If you regularly leave multiple tabs open, you can set Safari tabs to close automatically on a regular schedule.
Safari slow to load still? Try the next step.
Safari acting slow still? It's time to clear the browsing history and data on your iPhone or iPad. We can also offer guidance if you can't clear your Safari browsing data .
Safari browser slow still? Read on!
If Safari is slow after the previous steps, check your iPad or iPhone storage and optimize storage if needed. There's no hard and fast rule for how much storage should be free, but I've found that keeping roughly 25% of my storage free keeps things running quickly and smoothly.
Safari loading slowly still? There's one more thing to try!
There's one more thing to try if you want to make Safari run faster: reset your network settings.
I hope these tips helped Safari run faster on your iPhone or iPad. If not, please contact Apple Support . Also, be sure to check out our free Tip of the Day for more great Safari tutorials!
- What if Safari is not working on my iPhone at all? If Safari isn't working on your iPhone or iPad, make sure you have a strong cellular or Wi-Fi connection. You can also check to see if you've set Screen Time limits for Safari, and clear your Safari history and browsing data.
- Can you tell me what to do when Safari says Safari cannot open the page? Yes, we can help you fix that! We have a troubleshooting article on how to fix the "Safari cannot open the page" error message. Solutions include removing extensions, clearing your Safari cache, and more.
- Why is my Google search not working? If you're having trouble with Google not showing search results , close and reopen the app, and make sure you have a strong Wi-Fi or cellular connection. You can also make sure the app is updated, reboot your iPhone, and more.
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Leanne Hays
Leanne Hays has over a dozen years of experience writing for online publications. As a Feature Writer for iPhone Life, she has authored hundreds of how-to, Apple news, and gear review articles, as well as a comprehensive Photos App guide. Leanne holds degrees in education and science and loves troubleshooting and repair. This combination makes her a perfect fit as manager of our Ask an Expert service, which helps iPhone Life Insiders with Apple hardware and software issues. In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.
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How to speed up Safari
Safari is one of the fastest browsers around, both on the desktop and mobile, but over time it can become a little clogged up. Keeping things ship-shape involves a touch of maintenance now and then, so here are a few tips to ensure that Safari stays as quick as it can be.
If you’re experiencing problems with your Mac being sluggish overall, then you might also want to take a look at How to speed up a slow Mac guide. And there’s also How to speed up a slow iPhone for those on iOS.
Safari on iOS
Reboot the app.
The easiest solution for an underperforming app is often to shut it down and load it back up again. To do this, double-click on the Home button to bring up the recently used apps menu.
iPhone X users have a different method, which involves swiping the little bar at the bottom of the screen upwards then holding onto it until the recently used apps appear.
Now swipe up on Safari to close it. Tap the Home button once more to get back to the Home screen, or swipe up from the bottom on the iPhone X, then launch Safari. If things go well, it should now be back to its former glory.
Clear the History
One quick thing to try if you find your iPhone or iPad are struggling with Safari is to clear the history. As you use the browser it stores information about sites it visits, and this can build up over time. A good clean now again can improve performance and speed things up.
To clear the history, open the Settings app then scroll down until you find Safari. Tap on this, scroll down again, and you should see Clear History and Website Data written in blue.
Tap this, and when you see the popup menu appear select Clear History and Data.
With this done, launch Safari again and hopefully the sluggishness will have disappeared.
Close all the open tabs
In theory, the open tabs shouldn’t affect things too much, as they are all kept in a suspended state when not selected. But, as is the way with electronic devices, sometimes closing them can return a happy surprise in terms of performance.
To shut down the old tabs, open Safari then tap and hold on the two squares in the bottom-right corner. A menu will appear, from which you should select Close All [X] Tabs.
Update to the latest version
Updating iOS is also another good idea, as Apple patches various problems that crop up in its apps, which could include anything that’s wrong with Safari.
Go to Settings > General > Software Update, and see if there is a download available for iOS. If there is, tap the Download and Install option at the bottom of the screen.
It’s worth remembering that Apples aren’t the only fruit, so if you want to try out a different browser then it would worth reading our Best iPhone browsers guide.
Safari on macOS
There are also ways to speed up Safari on a Mac. If you’d like to see more tips about using Safari on a Mac read our guide to using Safari on a Mac here.
Clear the cache
Just like on iOS, Safari stores information about sites you’ve visited. While this can make things speedy to begin with, after a while the bulk of information can become a drag factor.
Clearing the cache is a quick and easy way to remove some of the clutter that could be causing the snail-like performance.
Open Safari on your Mac, go up to the menu bar at the top of the screen and click on Safari. From the drop-down menu select Preferences.
Make sure the Advanced tab is selected on the window that appears, then click on the Show Develop menu in menu bar tick-box.
At the top of the screen you should now see an option for Develop. Click this and then from the drop-down menu select Empty Caches.
Reboot Safari and see if this has had the desired effect.
Update your extensions
Safari allows a number of plug-in programs that can add functionality to the browser. These can be ad-blockers, privacy protection, password managers, or a number of other things. Of course, the more parts there are in a system, the more things to go wrong.
Checking that your Extensions are up to date is a good way to avoid any pace-sapping problems.
Open Safari, click on Safari in the menu bar at the top of the page, then click on Preferences.
In the window that appears, select the Extensions tab.
In the lefthand column, you’ll see a list of the Extensions you have installed, beneath which there will be a notification if you have any that require updating.
Click on the Updates notification and you’ll see all of the ones now available displayed in the main pane. Click the Update button beneath each one’s name and Safari will take care of the rest.
If this doesn’t solve the problem then you can try disabling each Extension one by one to see if there’s a rogue element hiding in your browser. To do this simply click the blue tick-box to the left of the Extension name in the lefthand column.
Update macOS
Just like the apps themselves, macOS needs to be kept up to date if things are to run smoothly. Open the App Store on your Mac and then click on the Updates tab in the menu along the top of the window.
If you see a listing for macOS (it’s usually down as Software Update) then click on the grey Update button on the right side of the screen. You may need to restart your Mac afterwards, but then hopefully Safari will be a free-flowing beast once more.
Of course, if you fancy a complete change, then you should check out our Best Mac browser 2017 guide for a few alternatives.
Author: Martyn Casserly , Contributor
Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews.
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Why Is My Safari Browser So Slow or Crashing On iPad or iPhone?
By Sudz Kar 8 comments Last updated February 1, 2024
Safari is the go-to browser for most iPad users. Its tight integration with Apple’s ecosystem through iCloud syncing makes it a seamless way to move browsing sessions between devices.
But that convenience disappears when Safari keeps crashing unexpectedly on your iPad. Losing open tabs and having to constantly relaunch Safari grows extremely tiresome.
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In this detailed troubleshooting guide, we’ll cover all major reasons for Safari crashes on iPhone and iPad. You’ll also learn effective step-by-step fixes to solve annoying frequent crashes for good.
Whether it’s a buggy website Safari can’t handle or underlying iPad issues, this guide helps get your browsing back on track. Let’s dive in!
Why Does Safari Crash on iPads?
Clear your website data, turn off javascript, if needed, how to close tabs in safari, force close an app, step – 1 try private browsing instead, step – 2 disable safari suggestions, step – 4 restart or force restart your device, force restart, safari slow, unresponsive, or crashing after ios update, preventing future safari crashes on iphone and ipad.
Before fixing Safari, it helps to know what causes it to crash in the first place. Common culprits include:
- Buggy websites – Certain JavaScript or CSS features overwhelm Safari and cause crashes, especially on underpowered older iPads. It’s typically site-specific.
- Outdated Safari – Each major iPadOS update brings Safari optimizations and bug fixes. Using outdated Safari versions leaves you vulnerable to crashes Apple already patched.
- Too many open tabs – Safari strains with 10+ tabs open simultaneously. It eventually crashes if you further stress system resources by multitasking other apps too.
- Full storage – A storage-full iPad lacks the free space Safari needs for caches and temporary site data. This forces unexpected crashes due to space limits.
- System file corruption – Various OS file errors like permissions issues or cache corruption make Safari unstable until you fix them.
As you can see, a mix of hardware flaws, software bugs, and usage habits typically combine to crash Safari. Now let’s get your browser running stable again!
How Can I Speed Up My iPad’s Safari Browser?
Deleting all Safari caches and histories forces it to rebuild that data. If any old data was corrupted, this wipes it.
- Make sure that the Safari app is closed.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll down and tap Safari .
- Tap the Clear History and Website Data button.
- Under the Clear Timeframe section, tap All History .
- Under Additional Options , tap the toggle next to Close All Tabs .
- Swipe all the way to the bottom and tap Advanced .
- At the top of the page, tap Website Data .
- Tap the Show All Sites button under the Website Data section.
- In the top right corner, tap Edit .
- Alternatively, you can swipe from right to left, and then tap the Delete button that appears.
- Restart your iPhone or iPad.
- Open Safari to see if it’s back to normal.
Some readers found that the performance problem was solved by turning JavaScript off, at least temporarily.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the screen.
- Tap Advanced .
- Tap the toggle next to JavaScript to the Off position.
How Do I Stop Safari From Reloading Web Pages?
Some folks find that Safari is constantly reloading pages and when they open new pages, all the other open pages turn blank and need to reload, again and again.
This issue occurs when you have too many open tabs in Safari, so closing some tabs often fixes the problem.
- Press and hold the tabs icon (overlapping squares)
We currently recommend you have no more than 12 open tabs at any one time–the less, the better performance!
What Do I Do When Safari Is Not Responding At All?
If Safari is open on your device, but no matter what you do you cannot get it to respond, then it’s best to force close the app and relaunch it.
- From the Home screen, double-press the Home Button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen and pause slightly in the middle of the screen
- Swipe right or left to find Safari’s app preview
- Tap Safari to re-launch
How Do I Prevent Safari From Crashing?
This problem was first noticed when the Safari App would suddenly freeze or exit out.
- Switch on to the private browsing mode on your iPhone or iPad
- Open Safari,
- Search Engine Suggestions
- Safari Suggestions
Step – 3 Clear Your Website Data
Follow the steps listed above to clean out all that website clutter in Safari.
If Safari does not work after a restart, crashes repeatedly, or is unresponsive, try a forced restart.
If your Safari experience proves to be slower than what you were used to, try the following tips to make it more responsive.
This fix is particularly helpful if you are using an older iPhone or iPad with the latest iOS!
- Tip – 1 Clear the website data for Safari as explained above
- This process resets to default everything in Settings, including notifications, alerts, brightness, and clock settings like wake-up alarms
- Resetting all settings also reverts all your personalized and customized features like wallpapers and accessibility settings back to factory defaults.
- Performing this action does not impact any of your personal device data, including photos, texts, documents, and other files
While occasional crashes will likely remain unavoidable, avoiding these habits minimizes instability risks:
- Don’t overload Safari with 30+ open tabs
- Quit Safari fully when not browsing to limit background resource strain
- Disable unnecessary Safari features like tab previews and suggestions
- Keep iPadOS and Safari updated to the latest versions
- Maintain 15%+ free iPad and iPhone storage
Stability comes down to balancing Safari’s memory and disk usage via prudent settings adjustments and usage habits.
Troubleshooting iPad Safari crashes begin with simple fixes before progressing to advanced resets. The most common culprits are outdated software, overloaded browser instances, extensions, and iPad storage limits.
Carefully managing tabs open, disabling unneeded features that consume resources, installing the latest iOS and Safari versions, and resetting app data/settings cures most instability issues. Hardware flaws are rare unless crashes persist after all software remedies.
With these tips, you can get Safari reliability back on track and avoid frustrating crashes interrupting your iPad browsing!
Related Posts:
Obsessed with tech since the early arrival of A/UX on Apple, Sudz (SK) is responsible for the original editorial direction of AppleToolBox. He is based out of Los Angeles, CA.
Sudz specializes in covering all things macOS, having reviewed dozens of OS X and macOS developments over the years.
In a former life, Sudz worked helping Fortune 100 companies with their technology and business transformation aspirations.
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Show 8 Comments
February 20, 2019 at 11:39 PM
& add disable experimental web features…
February 4, 2019 at 5:57 PM
Safari has always worked fine – but now- it just stopped. The program won’t open at all.
November 5, 2017 at 7:58 AM
I can no longer find the Safari history. Can’t close safari as sometimes instructed as it opens as soon as I touch icon.The button under the bookmarks is no longer there. Private browsing is off. Recently installed updates but not sure how to know which iOS I am using on my iPad. Am not very savvy but all instructions so far have sent me to where history used to be which is no help.
November 5, 2017 at 3:17 PM
Sorry you’re having issues with Safari. Let’s first close the app by double pressing the Home Button—that opens your app switcher. In the app switcher, swipe left or right to find Safari’s app preview and once found, tap and hold it then swipe up, all the way off screen. This action closes the app.
After closing the app, restart your iPad by pressing the power button and sliding it off. Then power up your iPad. When fully restarted open the Safari App.
To find your history, tap the icon in the upper left that looks like an open book, then tap the icon that looks like a clock—this is your history button.
If you don’t see these options you may not be on the latest iOS. to check, open your Settings App, select General, and choose About. Look for Version—this is your current iOS.
To check if there is an update available, stay in the Settings App, General, and choose Software Update. if an update is available, perform a backup first of your iPad preferably using iTunes or if that’s not an option with iCloud. And only then update your software.
I hope this helps you!
December 15, 2016 at 8:45 PM
I’ve tried all your recommendations and my iPad keeps crashing since the latest update. Please fix this problem.
October 17, 2016 at 7:40 PM
Previously I could tap on a link from email and it would open in safari. Now on my new iPhone 7 plus and my older iPad with iOS 10 it doesn’t open. If I go back to the email it opens the second time but that is very frustrating. Do you have a fix for that?
October 9, 2016 at 2:58 PM
This is a shame for Apple quality, my iPad Air Safari Crash a lot and other Apps like Pinterest, Facebook, Google Chrome also crash.
October 8, 2016 at 9:00 AM
Safari is locking up every time I open a site from a search. I have to close safari and reopen it to get it to reset, then it just locks up again. This happens on my iPhone 6Splus and my iPad Air2. My friend is also having this exact problem on an iPhone 6S and we use different networks. None of the above suggestions fixed the problem, I have tried them all. All software is up to date at iOS 10.0.1. Very frustrated as this started in the past 72 hours…
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