How to Fix Safari Running Slow on Mac

What Causes This?

Safari usually slows down when its cache, website data, history, and open tabs build up over time. Heavy extensions, outdated macOS versions, low free disk space, or background apps using too much memory can also make pages load slowly or cause Safari to freeze. In some cases, a single bad website, corrupted Safari data, or an overloaded startup environment is the real cause.

Common Symptoms

• Web pages take a long time to load in Safari
• Safari freezes, stutters, or shows the spinning beach ball
• Typing in the address bar feels delayed
• Tabs crash or reload often
• Safari uses a lot of memory or battery compared to normal

How to Fix It Manually

1. Force close Safari and reopen it

   • Press Option + Command + Esc to open Force Quit Applications.
   • Select Safari and click Force Quit.
   • Open Safari again and test a few websites.

2. Clear Safari history and website data

   • Open Safari.
   • Click History in the top menu, then choose Clear History.
   • Select all history and click Clear History.
   • Next, click Safari > Settings (or Preferences on older macOS versions).
   • Open the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data.
   • Click Remove All, then confirm.
   • This removes stored site data that can slow browsing.

3. Disable extensions

   • In Safari, click Safari > Settings > Extensions.
   • Turn off each extension one by one.
   • Restart Safari and check whether performance improves.
   • If Safari gets faster, remove any extension you do not need.

4. Close extra tabs and check Mac memory usage

   • Close tabs you are not actively using, especially video, shopping, or social media pages.
   • Open Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
   • Click the Memory tab.
   • Look for apps using large amounts of memory and close anything unnecessary.
   • If memory pressure is high, restart your Mac.

5. Update macOS

   • Click the Apple menu > System Settings.
   • Open General > Software Update.
   • Install any available macOS updates.
   • Safari updates are usually included with macOS updates, so this can fix bugs and performance issues.

6. Check available storage

   • Go to Apple menu > About This Mac > More Info > Storage Settings.
   • Make sure you have enough free space available.
   • If your Mac is nearly full, delete large files, empty the Trash, or move files to external or cloud storage.
   • Low storage can make Safari and the whole Mac feel sluggish.

7. Test Safari without problematic startup items

   • Restart your Mac.
   • After logging in, avoid opening your usual apps right away.
   • Launch Safari first and test it.
   • If Safari runs normally, a background app or login item may be interfering.
   • Check Apple menu > System Settings > General > Login Items and remove unnecessary items.

Fix It Automatically with Kudu

If Safari is slow because of cached data, browsing clutter, or unnecessary background load, Kudu can help clean it up automatically. It scans for junk files and performance issues so you do not have to dig through settings manually, making it easier to get your Mac browsing smoothly again.

Download Kudu Free →