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How to request desktop versions of websites in Safari in iOS 15 and iPadOS 15

While this isn't quite as prevalent as it used to be, it's still a handy trick to keep in your back pocket. This is especially true for websites that require you to fill out forms, which sometimes do not work well with mobile versions.

Requesting the desktop version of a website on mobile can also cause some problems of its own — sometimes, certain elements do not work on mobile. However, it is easy to revert to the mobile version if you encounter problems.

How to request a desktop version of a site on iOS 15 and iPadOS 15

• Open Safari
• Go to the website you want to load
• Tap the aA icon
• Tap Request Desktop Site

To revert the changes, follow the steps above, but tap Request Mobile Site .

Of course, if you know that a site you frequent has issues when loading the mobile version, you can permanently request the desktop site, too.

How to permanently Request Desktop Website on mobile Safari

• Tap Website Settings
• Toggle on Request Desktop Website

Important: Not every website will have an apparent difference between mobile and desktop sites. This is especially true of websites that utilize responsive layouts — layouts that automatically adjust to the screen's resolution rather than the device you're on.

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How to Access Desktop Websites in Safari

Parth Shah is an evergreen freelance writer covering how-tos, app guides, comparisons, listicles, and troubleshooting guides on Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, and smart TV platforms. He has over five years of experience and has covered 1,500+ articles on GuidingTech and Android Police. In his free time, you will see him binge-watching Netflix shows, reading books, and traveling.

Paurush dabbles around iOS and Mac while his close encounters are with Android and Windows. Before becoming a writer, he produced videos for brands like Mr. Phone and Digit. On weekends, he is a full-time cinephile trying to reduce his never-ending watchlist, often making it longer.

• You can choose Request Desktop Website in Safari on your iPhone or iPad.
• You can also open all websites in desktop mode on your iPhone or iPad.

Method 1: On iPhone

Note : Modern websites have responsive designs that adapt to different screen sizes, making it challenging to force a desktop view. This can lead to websites displaying their mobile/tablet view even when the feature to access a desktop website is enabled in Safari.

Step 1: Launch the Safari browser and visit a webpage.

Step 2: Once you load the webpage, find the extension icon in the address bar and tap on it.

Step 3: Select Request Desktop Website , and Safari will reload the webpage in desktop mode.

Method 2: On iPad

While we don’t recommend using a desktop mode in Safari for iPhone, we argue against the same on the Safari iPad app. Most iPad users use the device in horizontal mode and with iPad screen size reaching almost 13-inch, it makes sense to use the Safari browser in desktop mode only.

That’s the reason Apple has set the desktop mode as the default view on Safari for iPad.

Enable All Websites to Open in Desktop Mode

You can return to the same extensions menu and request a mobile website to browse on your iPhone. If you wish to open all the tabs in the future in desktop mode only, you must tweak the Safari settings menu.

Step 1: Open the Settings app on iPhone and tap on Safari .

Step 2: Find the Settings for the websites menu and select Request Desktop Website . Enable the toggle for all websites from the following menu.

From now on, every web query will load in desktop mode in Safari for iPhone. However, the desktop mode experience can be below-average on a small screen.

If you don’t see the websites loading in desktop mode, you must make a similar setting tweak on your iPad.

Step 1: Open iPad Settings > go to Safari .

Step 2: Select the Request Desktop Website option and enable the toggle for the same.

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Last updated on 02 May, 2024

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How to Switch to Desktop Mode on iPhone

3 ways to request a desktop site on your phone

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In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Request a Desktop Site
• Always Open the Desktop Version of Site
• Always Open a Desktop Version for All Sites
• Request Desktop Sites in Other Browsers
• Frequently Asked Questions

What to Know

• For a single website, open the page, and then go to Options (aA) > Request Desktop Website .
• To always use the desktop version: Options (aA) > Website Settings and turn Request Desktop Website on.
• To use desktop version for every site: Settings app > Safari > Request Desktop Website > turn All Websites on.

This article shows how to request a desktop version of a website in Safari and other browsers on an iPhone, including how to automatically open desktop sites for every site you go to. Instructions apply to devices running iOS 13 and later.

How Do I Request a Desktop Site on My iPhone?

The mobile versions of websites are generally streamlined to make them easier to use on the smaller screen, but you may lose some functionality. Here's how to open the full version in Safari for iPhone.

With the site open, select the Options menu in the address bar. It looks like two capital letter A's.

You may need to scroll up or down to reveal the address bar.

Tap Request Desktop Website .

The page will reload with the desktop version.

How Do I Always Open the Desktop Version of a Website?

You can use the same menu to automatically open a desktop version every time you go to a certain site.

With the site open, tap the Options menu next to the address bar.

Choose Website Options .

Tap the switch next to Request Desktop Website to on/green .

Now, even if you navigate away, your iPhone will automatically open the desktop version every time you open a page in this domain.

How Do I Always Open a Desktop Version of Every Website?

You can use the Settings app to tell Safari to always request a desktop version for every site you visit. Here's what to do.

Open Settings .

Select Safari .

Scroll down and tap Request Desktop Website .

Set the switch next to All Websites to on/green .

How to Request Desktop Websites in Other Browsers

If you don't use Safari, you can still request desktop websites in other browsers, although you may have to do it for each site you visit.

In Chrome, navigate to the site, and then go to More (three horizontal dots) > Request Desktop Site .

In Firefox, open a page and then go to More (three horizontal lines) > Request Desktop Site .

In Microsoft Edge, tap More (three horizontal dots), and then select View desktop site .

In Opera, go to More (three horizontal lines), and then turn the switch next to Desktop Site on.

Yes. The steps for iPadOS are the same as using desktop mode on an iPhone.

To switch back to the mobile version of a website in Safari, tap Options (aA) > Request Mobile Website .

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How to use Safari on a Mac

Safari is the web browser app bundled with all Macs as part of macOS. You don’t have to use it – if you prefer to use Chrome or Firefox, for example, you can install those apps for your web surfing needs. But in our experience, Safari is a good option – and as you can see from our round-up of best web browser apps for the Mac , it’s pretty much the best you can get.

If you are new to Safari this article will help you find your way around the app. And if you are a seasoned Safari user we will reveal a few Safari tips and tricks that you might not know, including some of the fab new features in Safari 11, the latest version of Safari for Mac.

If you’d like to read about using Safari on the iPad or iPhone, read this .

How to get the latest version of Safari for Mac

First things first. You will want to make sure you have the latest version of Safari. At the time of writing the most up-to-date version is Safari 11.1.

Here’s how to find out which version of Safari you are running:

• Open Safari.
• Click on Safari > About Safari in the menu.
• The resulting window will reveal the version number.

As long as your copy of MacOS – the Mac operating system – is up to date your copy of Safari should be because Safari is bundled as part of an operating system update.

However, you don’t have to be using the latest version of macOS to have the latest version of Safari. Apple is bundling Safari 11 with High Sierra, Sierra and El Capitan versions of the Mac OS. If you need to update your version of MacOS read this: how to update your Mac operating system software .

Now that you have the latest version of Safari you can start enjoying some of the new features that we will discuss below.

Safari basics

If you are a surfing novice you might want to familiarise yourself with these tips.

We’ll start off with the basics, such as how to get into Safari, how to search, and other useful pointers. You can skip this bit if you aren’t a Safari beginner, there are plenty of tips below that you might find useful.

You can find Safari in the Dock at the bottom of your Mac’s screen. Its icon looks like a compass.

How to use Safari

The big bar at the top of the Safari window is where you can enter a website URL or a search term to either take you directly to a website, or to a list of pages that match your query.

It will automatically search in Google (but you can change it so it defaults to another search engine).

You rarely have to enter a complete URL for a website. Once you have visited a site once you only need to type a few letters of its name and it will autofill the rest of the URL.

For example, type: ‘Face’ and it will autofill the rest of the URL and when you press enter it will take you straight to Facebook.

How to make it easy to find your favourite sites in Safari

There are lots of ways of making it easy to get to websites you frequently visit.

When you open a new tab (see below for details of how to do that) you will see your Favourites view including Frequently Visited Sites. You could also choose to see a Top Sites view, set a Homepage, just see an empty page, or have the Same Page show up. These are all options you can access in Safari > Preferences > General. Just click on the menu beside New tabs open with.

If you choose the Top Sites view you can adjust it to show 6, 12 or 24 sites. To add and remove Top Sites hover over the preview until you see an x and a pin icon. Pin those sites you wish to keep and click x on those you don’t image you will want to find again. The sites that appear in Top Sites tend to be those you visit most frequently.

You can choose one of these views for every time you open a new Safari window.

How to Pin a site in Safari

In Safari you can also ‘Pin’ favourite sites to the menu bar – a simple way of adding a shortcut to Facebook, YouTube or any site you visit frequently.

When you Pin a site you will see a small icon representing that site on the left of your tabs.

To Pin a particular web page right- or control-click on the tab and choose Pin Tab. Then it’s very easy to go straight to that site.

Using tabs in Safari

Back to tabs. You can open multiple tabs in a Safari window, this means that rather than having a different Safari window open for every website you are on, you can just have one Safari window open and multiple pages accessible through that.

To open a new tab press Command + T.

There are two ways that you can see a preview of the different tabs you have open:

• You can see a short summary of the name of the web page on the tabs themselves. This might be sufficient if you only have one or two tabs open, but once you have more than eight you’ll probably find the summary is too short to be useful.
• Or, you can click on the icon that looks like two boxes on the right of the search/URL box. This will show a thumbnail view of all the web pages you have open.

While we’re on the subject of Tabs, you can close a single tab just by hovering over the tab and clicking on the x that shows up in the corner of that tab.

It’s also possible to close all but one tab. Just hold down the Option/Alt key when you click on the x to get rid of all the other tabs that are open, except for the page on that tab.

How to tell which Safari tabs are playing audio

Not everyone wants to surf the web in silence though. There is lots of very worthy audio and video content available on the web and no doubt many surfers wouldn’t want to miss out on that.

The problem is when you have multiple web pages open and more than one of them is blaring out audio.

Luckily there is another Safari tip to fix that.

You can identify which of your open tabs is playing audio by the speaker symbol that appears in the far right of the Safari tab associated with that web page.

It’s possible to mute the audio with a single click on the speaker symbol without even opening the tab.

And if more than one Safari webpage is playing audio you can choose to mute them all at once. Just click on the speaker symbol in the URL bar and choose Mute all Tabs.

Alternatively, you can Option/Alt-click on the speaker icon of the tab you do wish to listen to and mute the audio on all the other tabs.

How to reopen all windows from the last session

Here’s another useful tip. You can easily reopen all the tabs you had open last time you were using Safari.

Click History > Reopen All Windows from Last Session to quickly recover all the windows you were recently looking at. You might also find this helpful: How to export bookmarks from Chrome to Safari

How to show the full URL in Safari

Another handy Safari tip. In Yosemite Safari stopped showing the whole URL – a feature designed to help avoid users being taken in by phishing scams, wherein the URL is obfuscated. In other words, if you’re visiting https://macworld.co.uk/this/page/that/page then all you’ll see in the address bar is macworld.co.uk.

If this isn’t what you want, perhaps you want to see the full URL of the article you are reading, you can change things so that the whole URL is shown.

Open Safari’s preferences dialog box (Cmd+,) then click the Advanced icon and put a check alongside Show Full Website Address.

How to change how you view websites in Safari

One of our favourite features in Safari 11 is the extra control we have over the web. You can tweak the settings of specific websites so that they suit you for example.

How to change the font size on a website

You can tweak your settings so that when you visit a specific site the images and text are bigger – perfect if you are frustrated to find that the text on a favourite website is a bit too small for your eyes.

Here’s how to enlarge (or reduce) the font size on a particular website so that it stays that size whether you visit:

• Go to Safari > Preferences.
• Click on the Websites tab.
• Click on Page Zoom.
• Find the site you want to customise (any site you have open or have recently visited will be listed here).
• Choose a number bigger or smaller than 100% depending on how large you want the text and images to be.

You can do this on a per website basis, or if you frequently find that the text on websites is too small for you, you can choose to default to the percentage that suits you wherever you go on the web. Note that not all websites are created the same so some will naturally have larger type than others.

To choose the zoom percentage for all websites, click in the drop down box beside “When visiting other websites”.

Another benefit of having access to these controls that allow you to change the way you view the web is that it enables you to stop seeing ads and auto-playing videos. We’ll look at that below.

How to stop ads and auto-playing videos in Safari

Another enticing feature of Safari is the way you can choose to adjust the settings so that you never see another ad or auto-playing video again. We’ll look at how to do that next.

How to stop autoplay audio and video in Safari

Perhaps you are frustrated by auto-playing video blaring out every time you visit a website.

With Safari 11 you can disable autoplay video, so you will never again have to hear voices while you are browsing the web. Here’s what to do:

• Open the offending website.
• Click on Safari > Settings for This Website (or right-click the URL box and select Settings for This Website).
• Allow All Auto-Play
• Stop Media with Sound
• Never Auto-Play

Stop Media with Sounds is the default option, and it will essentially stop any video from starting if the sound is set to be on. If the video is set to play silently it will still run but you won’t hear it, unless you choose to.

If you would rather not let auto-playing video play, you can choose Never Auto-Play.

Remember that if you adjust the settings this way it will only apply to autoplay videos on that website. If you’d like to never see an autoplaying video again follow these steps:

• Go to Safari > Preferences and click on Websites.

And there is an option below to choose the same settings “When visiting other websites”.

We have a complete tutorial that explains how to use this feature here: How to stop autoplay video in Safari & Chrome on Mac .

We also cover how to stop Safari asking to use your location data here .

How to stop seeing ads on websites in Safari

While ads pay a part of our wage, we realise that some ads can really reduce the enjoyment of web browsing. Usually these are ads that have something wrong with the way they have been coded and aren’t behaving as intended, or even worse they are spam ads that have crept onto the ad networks. We are honestly as frustrated as you are!

One of the big changes Apple bought to Safari 11 was the ability to really manage the ads that you see – this was part of Apple’s effort to make the web work better. Effectively, if Apple can remove ads that aren’t behaving as intended and are jamming up page loading times and the like, then Safari will perform quicker, which means that the surfer has a better time surfing.

There are a few ways you can take advantage of these anti-ad related features in Safari 11.

One way is to choose to surf the web – or certain pages – in Reader mode.

Reader mode is a way of viewing webpages that Apple introduced back in 2010 in Safari 5. Reader displays just the text and images from a webpage, without any of the other page furniture. We think it is a bit like reading a Word document or a PDF. The feature hasn’t changed much over the years, but in Safari 11 it’s became possible to choose for a site to always be viewed in Reader Mode.

First, here’s how to view a site in Reader mode:

• Click on the stack of lines to the left of the URL bar.
• This will automatically change the webpage to Reader view.
• Click on the stack of lines to turn Reader view off.

It’s worth checking how a site appears in this mode before switching over to it because not all sites implement it particularly well (sometimes you will find that an article stops abruptly because only one page has been carried into Reader view). Some sites don’t have a Reader view at all (such as Apple, for example).

And here is how to customise your settings so that whenever you visit that site the pages are viewed in Reader mode:

• Click on Reader.
• Find the site you want to customise (any site you have open, or have recently visited will be listed here).
• Toggle the drop-down menu beside that site to On.

A quicker way to do this is to right-click or control-click on the stack of lines beside the URL and choose Use Reader Automatically.

Or, as long as you are on the website you wish to change the setting for, you can click on Safari > Settings for this Website, and choose Use Reader When Available.

How to surf in private using Safari

Another useful feature in Safari is the option to use a private browsing window. This doesn’t just keep your browsing habits private from someone else who has access to your Mac, it also means that you are incognito – in other words even the websites you are visiting don’t have any information about you.

Go to Safari > File > New Private Window (or shift-cmd-n). You can tell if a window is private because the search bar will be grey. Any new tabs you open in this window will be private.

Alternatively, to open a Private Browsing window you can click shift, command and N.

You can tell it’s a private window because the URL field will be greyed out.

Hold down Option/Alt while picking Private Browsing to quickly switch it on and bypass the ‘Do you want to switch on Private Browsing?’ alert window if you happen to see it frequently. We have a complete guide to private browsing on Safari here .

For even more privacy, you can choose to always search with privacy-obsessed DuckDuckGo as your default search engine. Go to Safari > Preferences > Search, and click on the Search Engine. Then select Duck Duck Go from the Search Engine dropdown list. You can choose from Google, Bing, Yahoo or DuckDuckGo.

How to delete your histroy in Safari

If you didn’t search using a private browsing window you can still delete your history and evidence of what you were up to.

• Click on History.
• Scroll down and click on Clear History.
• You can choose to clear history for Today, the last hour, today and yesterday, or all history.
• You’ll see a warning that Clearing history will remove related cookies and other website data. Basically this is warning you that if you go ahead and Clear History you may find that you have to log onto websites, or shopping cart information may disappear.
• If you are happy with that then click on Clear history.

We have a complete tutorial all about how to delete your browser history on a Mac here .

How to delete cookies in Safari

Another new feature that came in Safari 11 was the introduction of privacy protection, a feature that’ll stop those annoying Amazon adverts showing you products after you’ve bought them.

Safari actively tries to block the cross-site tracking data that powers targeted adverts. While it won’t completely stop it, it should have a noticeable effect when using the browser.

According to Apple this isn’t an attempt to block ads, but rather to protect your privacy.

This means that you should no longer need to delete cookies if you want to stop seeing targeted ads (cookies have also been known to affect the price for goods if you have previously shown an interest in a product so deleting cookies could avoid such practices).

If you want to go a step further regarding cookies in Safari 11 there are some preferences changes you can make.

• Beside Website tracking click on Ask websites not to track me.
• Beside Cookies and website data click on Block all cookies.

If you aren’t using Safari 11 you can still delete cookies.

• Click on the Privacy tab.
• Click on Remove All Website Data…

Here’s how to add your own background image to Safari.

Author: Karen Haslam , Managing Editor

Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well product recommendations and buying advice on Macworld.com.

Recent stories by Karen Haslam:

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iOS 17: How to Use Desktop View on iPhone – A Step-by-Step Guide

Switching to desktop view on your iPhone is easy with iOS 17. Simply open Safari, navigate to your desired website, tap the “AA” icon in the address bar, and choose “Request Desktop Site.” This will reload the page in its desktop version, giving you access to features and content sometimes limited on mobile sites.

When you complete the action, the website you’re browsing will reload and display the desktop version of the site, which often provides a more comprehensive view and additional features compared to the mobile version.

You can also watch this video about how to use desktop view on iPhone for more on this topic.

Introduction

Ever found yourself squinting at your iPhone’s screen trying to tap that tiny link or button on a website? Yeah, it’s not fun. But here’s the good news: With the release of iOS 17, you now have the power to turn that cramped mobile view into a full-fledged desktop experience. That’s right, the same layout you’d see on your computer, right on your iPhone. Why is this important, you ask?

Well, some websites hide features or content from their mobile versions, or maybe the desktop version is just easier to navigate. Plus, with more of us using our phones as our primary internet devices, having access to desktop sites is a must. This isn’t just for tech geeks, either; it’s for anyone who wants the full internet experience on the go. So, let’s dive in and learn how to unleash the desktop power within your iPhone.

Step by Step Tutorial on How to Use Desktop View on iPhone

The following steps will guide you through how to request the desktop version of a website on your iPhone using Safari.

Step 1: Open Safari on your iPhone

Open the Safari app on your iPhone. This is Apple’s default web browser, where you’ll be able to access the desktop view feature.

When you open Safari, ensure that you’re on the latest version of iOS to access this feature. If it’s not working, check for any available updates.

Step 2: Navigate to a website

Type in the website’s address in the address bar or access it from your bookmarks.

Remember to visit a site that has distinct desktop and mobile versions. Some sites automatically adjust to screen size and may not have a separate desktop version.

Step 3: Tap the “AA” icon in the address bar

Once the website loads, look for the “AA” icon on the left side of the address bar at the top of your screen.

The “AA” icon is a quick access button to several Safari settings, including the option to switch to desktop view.

Step 4: Choose “Request Desktop Site”

After tapping the “AA” icon, a menu will appear. From this menu, select “Request Desktop Site.”

The website should immediately reload and display the desktop version. If it doesn’t change, try refreshing the page or making sure that the site you’re visiting offers a desktop version.

Additional Information

While the desktop view on your iPhone is a great feature, there are a few extra things you should know. First, once you’ve requested the desktop site, Safari will remember your preference for that website and automatically load the desktop version in future visits—pretty handy, right? But if you ever want to go back to the mobile site, just follow the same steps and choose “Request Mobile Site” instead.

Also, keep in mind that not all websites will look perfect in desktop view on your iPhone. Sometimes elements might overlap or be off-screen, but you can usually pinch to zoom and navigate around those issues. And remember, if you’re using desktop view on cellular data, keep an eye on your usage to avoid unexpected charges if your plan has limits. Happy browsing!

• Open Safari on your iPhone.
• Navigate to a website.
• Tap the “AA” icon in the address bar.
• Choose “Request Desktop Site.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Will desktop view work for all websites.

Most websites with distinct desktop versions will load in desktop view when you request it, but some sites are designed to automatically adjust to your screen size and may not have a separate desktop version.

Can I set Safari to always open sites in desktop view?

Safari will remember your preference for individual websites, but there is no global setting to open all sites in desktop view by default.

What if a website doesn’t look right in desktop view?

You can always switch back to the mobile version or try zooming and scrolling to navigate around any display issues.

Does using desktop view consume more data than mobile view?

Yes, desktop sites often have more content and larger files, which can result in higher data usage compared to mobile-optimized sites.

Will my browsing history be different when using desktop view?

No, your browsing history will remain the same regardless of whether you use desktop or mobile view.

There you have it—the convenience of a desktop right in your pocket. With iOS 17’s desktop view feature on your iPhone, you’re no longer confined to pared-down mobile sites. You now have the power to explore the web in all its full-sized glory, with all the features and content you’d typically enjoy on a larger screen.

Whether you’re researching, shopping, or just browsing, desktop view can make your online experience that much better. So next time you find yourself on a mobile site that’s just not cutting it, remember these simple steps and make the switch to desktop view. Your eyes (and fingers) will thank you. Keep exploring, stay curious, and enjoy the vast world of the internet, just as it was intended.

Matthew Burleigh has been writing tech tutorials since 2008. His writing has appeared on dozens of different websites and been read over 50 million times.

After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Computer Science he spent several years working in IT management for small businesses. However, he now works full time writing content online and creating websites.

His main writing topics include iPhones, Microsoft Office, Google Apps, Android, and Photoshop, but he has also written about many other tech topics as well.

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How To Enable Desktop Mode On Safari

• Software & Applications
• Browsers & Extensions

Introduction

Safari, Apple's widely used web browser, is known for its sleek interface and seamless user experience across Apple devices. However, there are instances when you may prefer to view websites in a desktop layout rather than the mobile version. This is where the "Desktop Mode" feature comes into play. Enabling Desktop Mode on Safari allows you to experience websites as you would on a desktop computer, providing a more comprehensive and feature-rich browsing experience.

Whether you're working on a project that requires the full functionality of a desktop browser or simply prefer the layout of a website in its desktop form, enabling Desktop Mode on Safari can significantly enhance your browsing experience. In this article, we will delve into the process of enabling Desktop Mode on Safari, explore its benefits, and provide insights into how this feature can elevate your browsing experience on Apple devices.

By understanding the significance of Desktop Mode and learning how to enable it on Safari, you can unlock a whole new dimension of web browsing, ensuring that you have access to all the features and functionalities that a desktop browser offers. Let's embark on this journey to discover the power and versatility of Safari's Desktop Mode.

Understanding Desktop Mode on Safari

Desktop Mode on Safari is a feature that allows users to view websites in a layout and functionality similar to that of a desktop browser, even when accessing them from a mobile device. This feature is particularly useful when a website's mobile version lacks certain functionalities or when you simply prefer the layout and user interface of the desktop version.

When Desktop Mode is enabled, Safari presents websites in a format optimized for larger screens, providing a more comprehensive browsing experience. This means that you can access all the features and functionalities of a website as you would on a desktop computer, without any limitations imposed by the mobile layout.

By default, Safari renders web pages in a mobile-friendly format to ensure a seamless browsing experience on smaller screens. However, there are instances when this mobile layout may not fully represent the content and features available on the desktop version of a website. This is where Desktop Mode comes in handy, allowing users to override the default mobile view and access the full desktop experience.

Enabling Desktop Mode on Safari is particularly beneficial when interacting with web applications, conducting research, or engaging in tasks that require the comprehensive functionality of a desktop browser. It ensures that you have access to all the tools and features available on the desktop version of a website, empowering you to accomplish tasks more efficiently and effectively.

Moreover, Desktop Mode on Safari enhances the overall user experience by providing a familiar browsing environment for those accustomed to desktop web browsers. This seamless transition to a desktop-like layout ensures that users can navigate websites with ease and take advantage of the full range of features available on the desktop version.

In essence, understanding Desktop Mode on Safari entails recognizing its role in bridging the gap between mobile and desktop browsing experiences. By enabling this feature, users can transcend the limitations of mobile layouts and immerse themselves in the complete functionality and visual richness of desktop web browsing, all within the familiar Safari ecosystem.

In the next section, we will delve into the step-by-step process of enabling Desktop Mode on Safari, empowering you to harness the full potential of this feature and elevate your browsing experience on Apple devices.

Steps to Enable Desktop Mode on Safari

Enabling Desktop Mode on Safari is a straightforward process that empowers users to access websites in their full desktop layout, enhancing the browsing experience on Apple devices. Follow these simple steps to enable Desktop Mode on Safari:

Open Safari : Launch the Safari browser on your iPhone or iPad. Ensure that you are running the latest version of Safari to access the most advanced features and optimizations.

Access Website : Navigate to the website for which you wish to enable Desktop Mode. Once you have the website open, proceed to the next step.

Request Desktop Site : Tap and hold the "Refresh" button located in the address bar at the top of the Safari interface. This action will prompt a menu to appear, offering the option to "Request Desktop Site."

Enable Desktop Mode : Select the "Request Desktop Site" option from the menu. Safari will then reload the website, presenting it in its full desktop layout, complete with all the features and functionalities typically available on a desktop browser.

Verify Desktop Mode : Once the website reloads, verify that it is now displayed in the desktop layout. You can confirm this by observing the website's interface, which should resemble the layout and functionality of its desktop version.

Enjoy Desktop Browsing : With Desktop Mode enabled, you can now explore the website in its full desktop glory. Take advantage of the comprehensive features and seamless navigation offered by the desktop layout, ensuring a rich and immersive browsing experience.

By following these steps, you can seamlessly enable Desktop Mode on Safari, unlocking the full potential of websites and experiencing them in their complete desktop form. This feature empowers users to transcend the constraints of mobile layouts and access the full range of features and functionalities available on the desktop version of websites, ensuring a seamless and comprehensive browsing experience on Apple devices.

Next, let's explore the myriad benefits of using Desktop Mode on Safari , shedding light on how this feature can elevate your browsing experience and empower you to make the most of your web interactions.

Benefits of Using Desktop Mode on Safari

Enabling Desktop Mode on Safari unlocks a multitude of benefits that significantly enhance the browsing experience on Apple devices. By experiencing websites in their full desktop layout, users can leverage the following advantages:

Comprehensive Functionality : Desktop Mode ensures that users have access to the complete range of features and functionalities available on the desktop version of websites. This includes advanced navigation options, comprehensive toolsets, and enhanced interactivity, empowering users to engage with web content in a more comprehensive manner.

Optimized User Interface : Websites often feature optimized user interfaces in their desktop versions, providing a more intuitive and feature-rich browsing experience. By enabling Desktop Mode, users can benefit from the familiar layout and navigation elements typically associated with desktop browsers, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly interaction with web content.

Enhanced Productivity : When conducting research, accessing web applications, or engaging in tasks that demand the full functionality of a desktop browser, Desktop Mode on Safari becomes instrumental in enhancing productivity. Users can leverage the comprehensive tools and features available in the desktop layout, streamlining their workflow and accomplishing tasks more efficiently.

Improved Content Presentation : Many websites present content in a more visually appealing and organized manner in their desktop versions. Enabling Desktop Mode allows users to experience web content in its intended format, ensuring that they can fully appreciate the visual richness and layout intricacies that may be compromised in the mobile view.

Seamless Multimedia Experience : Desktop Mode facilitates a seamless multimedia experience by ensuring that websites display multimedia content, such as videos and interactive elements, in their optimal format. This enhances the overall viewing experience and allows users to engage with multimedia content in a more immersive and feature-rich environment.

Consistent Browsing Environment : By enabling Desktop Mode, users can maintain a consistent browsing environment across their Apple devices, ensuring that they can seamlessly transition between desktop and mobile browsing experiences without compromising functionality or visual richness.

Accessibility to Advanced Features : Many websites offer advanced features and tools that are exclusively available in their desktop versions. Enabling Desktop Mode on Safari grants users access to these advanced features, empowering them to leverage the full potential of web applications and services.

In essence, the benefits of using Desktop Mode on Safari extend beyond accessing websites in their full desktop layout. This feature enriches the browsing experience by providing comprehensive functionality, optimized user interfaces, and enhanced productivity, ensuring that users can fully immerse themselves in the complete web browsing experience on Apple devices.

In conclusion, enabling Desktop Mode on Safari opens up a world of possibilities for users seeking a comprehensive and feature-rich browsing experience on their Apple devices. By understanding the significance of Desktop Mode and learning how to enable it, users can transcend the limitations of mobile layouts and immerse themselves in the complete functionality and visual richness of desktop web browsing, all within the familiar Safari ecosystem.

The step-by-step process of enabling Desktop Mode on Safari empowers users to seamlessly access websites in their full desktop layout, ensuring that they can leverage the complete range of features and functionalities available on the desktop version of websites. This feature is particularly beneficial when engaging in tasks that demand the full functionality of a desktop browser, conducting research, or accessing web applications, as it enhances productivity and streamlines workflow.

Furthermore, the benefits of using Desktop Mode on Safari extend beyond accessing websites in their full desktop layout. Users can enjoy optimized user interfaces, improved content presentation, and a seamless multimedia experience, ensuring a more intuitive and feature-rich interaction with web content. Additionally, Desktop Mode facilitates a consistent browsing environment across Apple devices, allowing users to maintain a seamless transition between desktop and mobile browsing experiences.

By embracing Desktop Mode on Safari, users can unlock the full potential of websites, access advanced features, and immerse themselves in a browsing experience that transcends the constraints of mobile layouts. This feature empowers users to engage with web content in a more comprehensive and immersive manner, ensuring that they can make the most of their web interactions and accomplish tasks more efficiently.

In essence, enabling Desktop Mode on Safari is not just about viewing websites in their desktop layout; it's about embracing a browsing experience that seamlessly integrates the familiarity of desktop web browsing with the convenience of Apple devices. By harnessing the power of Desktop Mode, users can elevate their browsing experience, access the full functionality of websites, and immerse themselves in a comprehensive and feature-rich web interaction, all within the sleek and intuitive Safari ecosystem.

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How To : Force Safari to Use Desktop View by Default for Specific Sites in iOS 13

In Safari for iPhone, as far back as iOS 7 , you can request the full desktop version of websites. The process was streamlined starting in iOS 9 , but the process remains relatively hidden and easily missed. Now, iOS 13 shines a light on it, as well as adds functionality to set the desktop view for individual websites indefinitely.

As convenient as mobile sites are in Safari, they are inherently more limited when it comes to content and often lack necessary features when compared to their desktop counterparts. Banking sites, for example, usually require you to switch to their desktop version to make important changes to your account. Many websites do provide a desktop option enabled from the site directly, though the setting is often hard to find, displayed in small, hard-to-read text.

• Don't Miss: 200+ Exciting New iOS 13 Features for iPhone

That's where Safari's built-in option for requesting desktop versions of websites comes in handy. In iOS 9 through iOS 12, just long-press the refresh button in the search field or open up the Share sheet, then select "Request Desktop Site." In iOS 13, tap the "AA" icon, then choose "Request Desktop Site." But to set desktop view on a per-site basis in Safari, there's a little bit more involved.

Set Specific Websites to Use Desktop View by Default

On a website that you always want to view the desktop version for, tap the "AA" button in the search field up top to access the new menu of options. Now, instead of selecting "Request Desktop Website" to temporarily open desktop view , tap on "Website Settings," hit the toggle for "Request Desktop Website" under While Viewing , and tap "Done" right after. The site in question will now always be displayed in its desktop appearance — even when viewed in Private mode.

Temporarily View Mobile Sites When Needed

When you want to use the mobile website temporarily, you can always tap "AA" then "Request Mobile Website." Subsequent visits to the domain will still default to desktop view.

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Change Sites Back to Use Mobile View by Default

If you ever want to revert the site to use its mobile layout by default, follow the steps highlighted above for setting desktop view as the default, but toggle "Request Desktop Website" off instead. Beyond that, you also can view and manage all of the sites you've personalized settings for as well as turn desktop mode on for all webpages in the Settings app, as discussed below.

Manage All Sites with Custom 'While Viewing' Preferences

To manage Safari's website preferences, open the "Safari" page from within the Settings app, and select "Request Desktop Website" under Settings for Websites . From here, a list of all the websites you've requested desktop view by default will appear, where you can toggle each off or on as needed.

Keep in mind that any sites that you set to always show up in desktop format will automatically add themselves to the "Request Desktop Website" menu in Safari's settings — even when browsing in Private mode. That said, these sites will remain saved in the page even if you've cleared your history and website data.

Set Desktop View to Be the Default for All Sites

Still in the "Request Desktop Website" menu in Safari's settings, you can toggle on "On other websites" to make desktop view the default for all supported webpages. By doing this, you can then use the toggles for each website above to disable desktop view for just those sites.

Remove Sites from Safari's Desktop Settings

To remove saved websites within the "Request Desktop Website" page in Safari's settings, tap on "Edit" in the top right to go into edit mode. From there, select the sites you want to remove and hit "Delete" to erase them. To get rid of all your stored websites in one fell swoop, tap on "Clear All Settings" while in edit mode, and confirm your selection from the prompt that appears.

Just updated your iPhone? You'll find new emoji, enhanced security, podcast transcripts, Apple Cash virtual numbers, and other useful features. There are even new additions hidden within Safari. Find out what's new and changed on your iPhone with the iOS 17.4 update.

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Safari for Windows 10: How To Get and Install It

Plus, why you shouldn't do this

If you use a Mac or an iPhone, it’s hard to pick a different browser over Safari. It’s incredibly fast, uses minimal resources, and respects user privacy. But if you also use a PC, you won’t have the luxury of installing Apple’s flagship browser on Windows since the Cupertino-based tech giant does not develop Safari for the Windows PC. That’s a major issue when your gear consists of cross-platform products.

What you can do is install an older version of Safari on Windows 10 or 11, although we highly advise against that due to compatibility and security-related issues. The best and safest option is to sync your browsing data from Safari to Chrome or Edge on your PC via iCloud for Windows. Setting up macOS on your PC and using Safari that way is another feasible option.

Download and Install Safari on Your Windows PC

Apple halted the development of Safari for Windows in 2012. However, the final version of the browser (Safari v.5.1.7) is freely available on the internet, so you can quickly download and install it on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. The problem? It’s terribly slow and dated, lacks compatibility with most web apps, and poses security risks. You also can’t sync your browsing data, so it’s not a solution if you want to access bookmarks and passwords.

Regardless, the steps below will walk you through downloading and installing Safari on your Windows 10/11 PC. But unless you just want to have a feel of how Safari looked almost a decade earlier, we recommend you stay away from it.

1. Download the Safari installer from a software download portal such as Uptodown , Filehippo , or TechSpot . It weighs in at 36.7MB. Unfortunately, Apple no longer supports Safari for Windows, so you can’t get it from an official source.

2. Double-click the downloaded SafariSetup executable file.

3. Select Next on the Safari Setup’s Welcome screen.

4. Accept the license agreement and select Next .

5. Specify if you want to add Safari as a desktop shortcut or not. Also, decide if you prefer it as the default browser on your computer (we recommend you don’t select this option). Select Next to continue.

6. Pick an install directory (or leave the default folder path) and select Install .

7. Wait for the Safari installer to finish installing Safari on your computer. Then, select Finish .

After installing Safari, you can choose to open it by double-clicking the Safari icon on the desktop. Or, you can open it by selecting Safari on the Start menu’s programs list.

Despite being almost ten years old, Safari for Windows doesn’t look too out of place. To the top, you have the familiar URL bar (you can’t use it to perform searches, however), a Bookmarks strip underneath, and a dedicated Search bar on the left corner. By default, new tabs display frequently visiting sites in thumbnail format—you can use the Top Sites and History tabs to switch them and your browsing history.

Selecting the cog-shaped icon at the right corner of the screen reveals the Safari menu, where you can choose to customize the toolbar, access your browsing history, launch a private browsing window, and so on.

Selecting Preferences opens the Preferences pane, which provides options to modify the homepage, pick a default search engine, adjust privacy settings, manage extensions (although extensions support is non-existent), etc.

What the browser does not allow is to sign in with an Apple ID. That makes it impossible to sync your browsing data from an iPhone or Mac. Even if the functionality were present previously, Apple probably would’ve stopped you from signing in to it by now.

During our Safari tests on Windows, the browser started showing its age. Most websites took a long time to load, while web apps (such as YouTube and Google Maps) simply failed or prompted us to switch to a compatible browser. Other than for basic web browsing, it was practically useless.

Safari for Windows also hasn’t received security updates in almost a decade, so we recommend that you don’t attempt to use it for any sensitive activities such as banking or shopping.

Sync Safari Browsing Data via iCloud for Windows

If your gear consists of a PC and iPhone or Mac, you can sync your passwords and bookmarks from Safari with Google Chrome and vice-versa by installing iCloud for Windows. That’s the most convenient method for accessing your browsing data on each platform.

iCloud for Windows also offers password syncing for Microsoft Edge and bookmarks syncing for Mozilla Firefox. However, only Chrome receives support for both.

If you don’t have iCloud for Windows on your PC, you can get it via the Microsoft Store or the Apple website . If you already have it, make sure to upgrade it to at least version 12.5 or later (you can do that via the Microsoft Store’s Downloads and updates screen or by running the Apple Software Update applet).

With iCloud for Windows up and running, open the iCloud app and check the boxes next to Passwords and Bookmarks . You can also activate additional iCloud services such as Photos and Drive if you want.

Follow that by installing the iCloud Passwords on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. The former lets you insert and save passwords to the iCloud Keychain. You can also use the iCloud Passwords app (which installs automatically alongside iCloud for Windows) to manage your passwords in Windows. On the other hand, the iCloud Bookmarks extension syncs passwords between Chrome/Firefox and Safari.

Download: iCloud Passwords (Chrome)

Download: iCloud Bookmarks (Chrome)

Download: iCloud Passwords (Edge)

Download: iCloud Bookmarks (Firefox)

Run Safari via a macOS Virtual Machine

If you want to use the most recent version of Safari on your PC (perhaps to test a feature or extension), the only way you can do that is by running macOS via virtualization software. However, the procedure is not convenient. For starters, Mac’s operating system is not natively supported by most VM software, so installation generally relies on workarounds relying on additional software. Also, it requires lots of free disk space and uses up system resources, not to mention that virtual machine guests generally run sluggishly compared to the host operating system.

If you still want to go ahead and install macOS, the easiest way to do that is by following the instructions within this macOS Virtualbox project on GitHub. It lets you install macOS Catalina as a virtual machine via a Bash script. We’ve condensed it into the following steps:

1. Download and install Oracle VM VirtualBox on your PC (it’s free).

2. Download and install Cygwin with the following dependencies (you can select them during installation).

3. Download the macos-guest-virtualbox.sh bash script from GitHub.

4. Open the Cygwin Terminal. Then, drag and drop the bash script and press Enter .

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up macOS as a virtual machine on your PC.

After the setup procedure, you can open and use Safari by selecting the Safari icon on the Mac’s Dock. Before you do that, however, it’s a good idea to update macOS and Safari. To do that, open the Apple menu and select System Preferences > Software Update > Update Now .

iCloud for Windows Is the Most Convenient

Although it’s possible to download and install Safari on your Windows 10/11 computer, we recommend you stray away from it. The security risks alone make it impractical, and it’s not like you can use it for any serious web browsing anyway due to compatibility issues.

Since the most likely reason you would want to install Safari involves syncing your passwords and bookmarks, using iCloud for Windows is the only viable alternative. But if you do have the time and just want to try out the latest version of Safari, your best option is to set up macOS as a virtual machine on your PC.

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn't hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube. Read Dilum's Full Bio

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How to Change Safari Settings on iPhone or iPad

Last Updated: November 4, 2019 Tested

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Nicole Levine, MFA . Nicole Levine is a Technology Writer and Editor for wikiHow. She has more than 20 years of experience creating technical documentation and leading support teams at major web hosting and software companies. Nicole also holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Portland State University and teaches composition, fiction-writing, and zine-making at various institutions. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 35,973 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to customize the behavior of the Safari web browser on your iPhone or iPad. If you're using iOS 13 or later, you now have the option to choose display options for individual websites in addition to making global changes.

Changing Web Preferences by Website

• Changes you make with this method will only affect the currently-open website. If you want your preferences to affect all websites rather than just for those you customize, see the Changing Web Preferences for All Websites section instead.

• Select Ask on a feature if you'd like to be asked each time the site tries to access the feature (default).
• Select Deny if you never want the site to access the feature.
• Select Allow to always allow the site to access the feature.

Changing Web Preferences for All Websites

• It is also possible to customize these settings on a per-website basis. See this method to learn how.
• Changing your web preferences using this method will not affect sites you've customized individually.

• Select Ask on a feature if you'd like to be asked each time any site tries to access the feature (default).
• Select Deny if you never want websites to access the feature.
• Select Allow to always allow websites to access the feature.

Changing General Safari Settings

• Use the sliders in the "IN SAFARI" section at the top to choose whether Siri has access to Safari.
• Use the sliders in the "IN SEARCH" section to customize whether Safari options show when searching your iPhone/iPad or using the Shortcuts app.
• Tap the back button when you're finished.

• Tap AutoFill to adjust which information appears automatically in form fields, such as your name, address, phone number, email, and credit card info.
• Pop-up ads are blocked in Safari by default. If you'd like to see pop-up ads on websites, slide the "Block Pop-ups" switch to the Off (gray) position.
• Tap Downloads to choose where to save files and media you download from websites. You'll have the option to choose a cloud storage service or your iPhone/iPad.

• To allow sites and services to track your browsing anywhere on the web, slide the "Prevent Cross-Site Tracking" switch to the Off (gray) position. To retain your privacy, you can leave this switch in the On (green) position.
• Cookies are used by websites to keep track of your visits, preferences, and login information (for sites that require username/password access). [2] X Research source The "Block All Cookies" switch is Off (gray) by default, but you can enable it by toggling it to the On (green) position.
• Safari will display a warning message if a website you visit is deemed fraudulent in some way. If you don't want to see these messages, you can toggle the "Fraudulent Website Warning" switch to the Off (gray) position.
• Adjust the "Check for Apple Pay" switch to reflect your desired Apple Pay behavior on all websites.

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://www.cultofmac.com/636450/how-to-use-safaris-amazing-new-settings-in-ios-13/
• ↑ https://us.norton.com/internetsecurity-privacy-what-are-cookies.html

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1. Go to a website in Safari. 2. Tap the Aa button. 3. Tap Website Settings . 4. Make your changes. 5. Tap Done . Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How-To Geek

How to view a desktop site on mobile safari.

Your iPhone or iPad running mobile Safari can access desktop versions of websites as well. Next time you're stuck with a stubborn mobile site, remember this feature.

Quick Links

How to view desktop site in safari.

Safari is fast and optimized for mobile devices. That's usually a good thing. But there are still a few websites that refuse to adapt to mobile Safari or provide an inferior experience on their mobile site. In times like these, you can switch to the desktop version of the website.

Like many iOS features, especially ones for Safari, the Request Desktop Site feature is hidden. With iOS 13, Apple has changed the placement of this option, which makes it a bit easier to find. As iPadOS 13 automatically loads desktop websites, iPad users won't need to look for this feature after updating.

Here's how this feature works on devices running iOS 12 and iOS 13.

Related: iPadOS Will Almost Make Your iPad a Real Computer

iOS 12 and Below

Open the Safari app on your iPhone or iPad and load a website. Now, tap and hold on the "Refresh" button next to the URL bar.

You'll see a popup at the bottom of the screen. From here, select "Request Desktop Site."

The website will reload, and you'll now see the desktop version of the site . To go back to the mobile version, tap and hold on the "Refresh" button again and select "Request Mobile Site."

iOS 13 and Above

With the iOS 13 update, Apple has improved the Safari browser in a couple of important ways. While most improvements are seen on the iPad version, iPhone users get access to the new Safari Download Manager as well as a new customization menu for websites.

Tap on the "Aa" icon to see a couple of new menu options. From here, select the "Request Desktop Website" button to open the desktop version of the website.

Come back to the same menu to switch back to the mobile version.

And that's it. You now know how to access desktop websites on your iPhone and iPad using mobile Safari.

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

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David Nield

The Safari Settings You Should Tweak Right Now

Your browser is your window onto the world, the app you rely on most during the day. You want to wring every last drop of usefulness out of it. It definitely pays to know all of the features and tricks your daily browser is capable of. For iOS users, that means mastering Safari: how to stay safe online, how to get stuff done faster, and more.

For a smoother online experience, take a few minutes to run through these Safari tweaks to make your life online a little smoother.

Safari is very concerned about the strength of your passwords—perhaps even more so than you are. To see whether you're using any weak passwords, or duplicating passwords across accounts, open the Safari menu and choose Preferences then Passwords . A yellow exclamation mark indicates a potential problem with one of your listed passwords.

You'll often want to carry on watching a video while doing something else, and Safari can help—with a video playing, click and hold the audio icon in the address bar, then choose Enter Picture in Picture . The pop-out video player can be repositioned and resized as needed, but keep the original tab open in the background while you work on other tasks.

Websites want a lot these days: access to your webcam, your mic, your location , and more. To check what a site does and does not have access to, click Safari then Settings for This Website . You can revoke any permissions you've previously given, stop content from auto-playing, and limit the number of pop-up windows that the website can show.

It's taken a long time for Safari to support favicons (the little icons that represent websites), so you might as well take advantage; they also help you identify open tabs more easily as well. From the Safari menu, choose Preferences then Tabs , and then tick the checkbox labeled Show website icons in tabs to apply the change to the browser.

Having access to your recent browsing history can be useful for retracing your online steps, but you don't need it to follow you around for years. Open Safari then Preferences , switch to the General tab, then open Remove history items —you can delete browsing logs automatically after a day, week, fortnight, month, or year.

By default Safari just shows the domain name of the site you're visiting in the address bar, but this can make it tricky to work out exactly where you are on the web. To see the full URL instead, you need to open up the Safari menu, then the Preferences dialog, then switch to the Advanced tab—make sure the Show full website address box is ticked.

No productivity hack is ever going to beat an intuitive keyboard shortcut or two. You'll find a full list for Safari here and here , but some of our favorites include Space (and Shift+Space ) to scroll, Cmd+W to close a tab, Ctrl+Tab (and Shift+Ctrl+Tab ) to scroll through open tabs, and Cmd+L to jump straight to the Safari address bar at the top.

Safari, like every other Apple app, can be fully controlled with your voice in macOS Catalina. To enable the feature, open the Apple menu then choose System Preferences , Accessibility , Voice Control , and Enable Voice Control . It lets you speak out numbers for menus and links, zoom in and out, and much more—there's a full list of commands here .

Safari has an entire Develop menu that's not displayed by default but which is very handy for power users. To show it, open the Safari menu then choose Preferences , then Advanced , then tick the box marked Show Develop menu in menu bar. The new menu then appears, enabling you to access options such as disabling images or extensions.

Clearing out a browser's cache can often improve performance in the long term, even if it takes a short-term hit while local files are refreshed and reset. To do this in Safari, you first need to enable the Develop menu (see the step above), then you can open it and choose Empty Caches . This wipes all of Safari's temporary files and data off the local disk.

Safari has borrowed a very useful feature from Windows: the ability to "snap" open tabs to the left or right of the screen, so you can compare two side-by-side. Open up the Window menu, then choose Tile Window to Left of Screen or Tile Window to Right of Screen to do just that—your other windows are then automatically docked on the opposite side.

Apple devices all play wonderfully well together, as long as you're signed in on the same Apple ID, and jumping between open tabs on different devices is a breeze. To do this on Safari on macOS, you need to click on the Show tab overview button in the top right corner; you'll then see Safari tabs from your other devices listed lower down.

Who has time to read everything during the working day? No one! So make use of Safari's built-in Reading List tool. Use the Plus button on the left side of the address bar to add articles to the Reading List, then click the Show sidebar button (or View and Show Reading List Sidebar ) to bring up the list of all the posts you've saved during the day.

Safari gives you more control than you might have realized over the buttons and options that appear on the toolbar—having the tools you use most often in easy reach can make a big difference to your online productivity. To make changes, select View then Customize Toolbar , then just drag and drop the icons you need most often into the toolbar.

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Separate Your iPhone Browsing Habits With Safari Profiles

With iOS 17 , Safari gained a feature called Profiles that's designed to help you separate your browsing sessions into categories like Work, School, Personal, or custom categories that you find useful to have siloed. This article explains how to use it on iPhone .

Each profile gets its own icon and silos all of your history, Tab Groups, Favorites, Private Browsing tabs, and cookies. You can even assign specific third-party extensions to different profiles to optimize your browsing experience based on the task at hand. Here's how to create your own profile in Safari.

How to Create a Safari Profile

• Open the Settings app on you ‌iPhone‌ or iPad .
• Scroll down to Safari .
• Under the "Profiles" section, tap New Profile .
• Under "Settings," choose a Favorites folder (or a new folder) and select which tabs (if any) that you want to be open when you're using the profile with the Open New Tabs option.

When you create a new profile, your device will automatically generate a "Personal" profile to differentiate other browsing sessions conducted outside of the profile you created.

Both profiles and additional ones you create can be edited in the same section of the Settings app. When editing an existing profile, you can also enable any Safari extensions you have installed on your device with the Manage Extensions option, as well as get rid of the profile using the Delete Profile option.

How to Switch Between Profiles in Safari

• In Safari, tap the Tabs icon with two overlapping squares.
• Tap the middle icon to bring up the active profile's menu.
• Tap the Profile option to change which profile is active.

The Safari Profiles feature is available in ‌iOS 17‌, iPadOS 17 and macOS Sonoma , as well as being part of Safari 17 for macOS Monterey and macOS Ventura . Any profiles you create will be synced across devices logged into the same Apple ID .

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Update macOS on Mac

Use Software Update to install updates and upgrades for macOS and its built-in apps, including Safari.

Before you begin

Before installing new software, it's a good idea to back up your Mac .

Make sure that your Mac is connected to the internet . You should be able to access websites or receive email, for example.

Use Software Update

Open Software Update:

From the Apple menu  in the corner of your screen, choose System Settings. Click General in the sidebar of the window that opens, then click Software Update on the right.

If you don't have System Settings in the Apple menu , choose System Preferences instead. Then click Software Update in the window that opens.

Don't see Software Update settings?

When you open Software Update, it automatically begins checking for new software.

If new software is available for your Mac, click the button to Update or Upgrade. What's the difference between an update and upgrade?

If new software is not available for your Mac, Software Update says that your Mac is up to date. Software Update shows only software that is compatible with your Mac model. For example, if your Mac is not compatible with a later version of macOS or Safari, Software Update does not offer it to you. Which Mac models are compatible?

Before installation begins, you will be asked to enter your administrator password. It's the password you use to log in to your Mac. Forgot your password?

During installation, your Mac might restart and show a progress bar or blank screen several times. If installation is not successful, learn what to do .

This example shows Software Update in macOS Sonoma. Software Update in your version of macOS might look different.

If you don't see Software Update

If your older Mac doesn't include Software Update, use the App Store instead. It's in your Applications folder. Click the Updates tab in the App Store to check for updates, or search for the software by name.

Learn about other ways to download and install macOS .

What are updates and upgrades?

An update is a newer version of the currently installed macOS, such as an update from macOS Ventura 13.5 to macOS Ventura 13.6.

An upgrade is a major new version of macOS with new name, such as an upgrade from macOS Ventura to macOS Sonoma.

Which Mac models are compatible?

These are the most recent macOS upgrades and the computers that can use them. You can also find out which macOS your Mac is using now .

macOS Sonoma 14 is compatible with these computers

macOS Ventura 13 is compatible with these computers

macOS Monterey 12 is compatible with these computers

macOS Big Sur 11 is compatible with these computers

macOS Catalina 10.15 is compatible with these computers

If your Mac doesn't have enough storage space to install

If an error occurs while downloading or installing

If your Mac doesn't start up all the way

Learn more about updating Safari

Update your iPhone or iPad

Related topics

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Find what’s been asked and answered by Apple customers.