Apple developed a graphical web browser, Safari in 2003. This web browser gives a high user experience while exploring the internet on your iPhone. It gets you more privacy browsing and also follows user guidelines to avoid security breaching. After so many updates, it has become the must-have browser app for most iPhone users worldwide. But, Safari has its own flaws and many issues revolve around this famous web browser. Do you find it difficult to solve the problem of Safari not working on iPhone ? You can definitely find solutions in this write- up for fixing the issue.
Why Is Safari Not Working On My iPhone?
Out of various reasons, no internet connection might be the common reason for Safari not working on iPhone. Sometimes, your device might be connected to a poor Wi-Fi network, which affects the web browser on the iPhone. Additionally, the faulty settings of the Safari browser & even your device utilities could cause Safari on iPhone not working. Get along with this article to make the Safari web browser work on your iPhone.
Safari Not Working On iPhone: Troubleshooting Steps
You can find effective tricks & hacks to solve Safari not working on iPhone in this guide. With this article you can fix the Safari browser and mend it more quickly. Let’s go through the easy steps on each method that provides the knowledge on repairing the Safari error.
Restart iPhone
A simple restart would resolve the Safari not working on iPhone effectively. The button configurations to restart the iPhone may vary for each model. Make sure to follow the steps below to restarting your iPhone
- Turn off your iPhone
- For iPhone SE 2nd & 3rd Gen, iPhone 7 & 8 Series: Tap and hold “Side” button
- For iPhone X & later: Click and hold “Volume Down” + “Side” buttons simultaneously
- For iPhone SE 1st Gen and iPhone 5s,5c & 5: Hold down “Power” button until the screen disappears
- Switch off the iPhone by swiping the pointer from left to right
- Wait a minute to press & hold the power button until the Apple logo appears
Once you’ve restarted the iPhone, head to Safari & search for any info on the web browser. By this way, you can check the status of Safari not working on iPhone.
Disable Safari Suggestions
Search suggestions on Safari web browser enclose the bookmarks, current tabs & even recently visited websites. Doing this technique might resolve Safari not working on iPhone. Get into the iPhone settings & turn off the Safari Suggestions, in addition, you can follow the steps below
- Go to the iPhone Settings app
- Scroll down to click “Safari”
- Then, click the toggle bar next to the “Search Engine Suggestions” option
Check whether the toggle is grey, which denotes that the “Search Engine Suggestions” feature on the Safari web browser is inactive. Open the Safari app to check whether it works. Before leaving the iPhone settings, modify the device time, and you can do it by following the steps below.
Modify Screen-Time Settings
Apple iPhone lets you set the time limit for each app usage, open the settings app to set it manually. Safari on iPhone not working is due to the reason that you’ve reached the maximum time set for an app usage. To avoid this, clear any time limit set for the Safari app on your iPhone Settings.
- Go to iPhone “Settings”
- Find & click “Screen Time” tab
- Click on “App Limits” option
- This navigates to “App Limits” tab
- Click “Safari” in the App Limits tab
- Then tap on “Delete Limit” to remove any time limit set for Safari
If the Safari web browser is unresponsive on your iPhone, head to the App limits to examine the time limit set for Safari.
Change Cellular Settings – Safari
It’s essential to grant cellular data usage permission for the Safari browser while using it on your iPhone. Modifying the cellular settings could fix Safari not working on iPhone when you’re on a mobile network. To make changes to the device settings, open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Select “Cellular” in the Settings menu
- Navigate “Safari” app & click it
- Toggle on the app to access “Cellular” network
Ensure that your iPhone Cellular data is turned on & launch the Safari web browser. However, clear the cache & browsing data on your Safari to get rid of the app issue.
Clear History And Website Data – Safari Web Browser
When browsing data or bookmarks are loaded on your mobile storage, Safari shows off not working status on your iPhone. Clear the unwanted data frequently to prevent Safari not working on iPhone. To get better results, use the step-by-step guide to clear Safari web browsing data
- Launch the iPhone Settings App
- Click on “Safari” app
- Press “Clear History and Website Data” option
- Click “Clear History and Data” again on the reconfirmation tab
Now, open Safari on your iPhone and head to the browsing history. When the history shows no recent data, it clearly indicates that you have cleared the Safari browsing data.
Troubleshoot Network Connectivity
As said earlier in this article, an iPhone internet connection is the must-have criterion for the Safari browser to work. This topic involves troubleshooting Safari not working on iPhone with poor internet connection.
- Go to Settings on your iPhone
- Click “Wi-Fi” tab
- Checkout the Wi-Fi network configurations whether it might have poor signal strength
If you find a weak signal, try to fix the Wi-Fi router or establish a fresh connection to your iPhone. For cellular network users, ensure to enable the mobile data on your device. You can also run the internet speed test to check the internet connection status on your iPhone.
Disable: “Hide IP Address” From Trackers
In the iPhone settings, disable the “Hide IP Address From Trackers” feature to mend Safari not working on iPhone. When you turn on this option, your iPhone IP address hides from all website trackers. It also prevents the Safari app from working on your iPhone, follow the effective steps below to turn it off
- Go to iPhone Settings App
- Click on “Safari”
- Tap “Hide IP Address” option under “PRIVACY & SECURITY” tab
- Press “Off” to put “Check” on it
Now, you have successfully disabled the “Hide IP Address From Trackers” feature. Launch Safari on your iPhone & search anything on the browser to know if Safari not working on your iPhone is fixed. Another possible reason for the browser issue is extensions in Safari apps, and you can have a clear idea about them in the following method.
Toggle Off Safari Extensions
It’s the right time to look if the problem with Safari not working on iPhone is due to the extensions. Hence, those extensions that create an issue need immediate action on your web browser. Here is how you can disable Safari Extensions
- Head to Settings on your iPhone
- Scroll down to click on “Safari” app
- Tap “Extensions” option
- Click the extensions that you want to toggle off
Ensure that your Safari web browser is working normally after removing some extensions. This method clearly shows that some web extensions are causing Safari browser not to work on iPhone. Enabling JavaScript on your web browser is another possible way to perform, which you can see below.
Turn Off Experimental Features
In any rare case, experimental features enabled for your Safari may affect its function on your iPhone. You can toggle off one or a few of the experimental features to see if Safari not working on iPhone is mended. It’s inevitable to check whether each experimental feature is good or not. Follow the below instructions to toggle off the experimental features
- Click “Settings” app on your iPhone
- Select the “Safari” app
- Tap on “Advanced” option
- Then, open “Experimental Features”
First, turn off any of the experimental features, then head to Safari & look at its functionality. To make this method more effective, toggle off each feature one after another to get the Safari app to work. Even after toggling off the last experimental feature & still finding the app is unresponsive, move on to the following method.
Switch JavaScript
To get interactive content on your web browser, enable JavaScript programming language. Otherwise, you couldn’t access videos, images & media on the web browser. In case Safari not working on iPhone, check and enable JavaScript.
- Launch iPhone Settings
- Navigate the Safari app & open it
- On the Safari settings, click “Advanced” option
- Toggle on “JavaScript”
Make sure to follow these steps while enabling JavaScript on Safari settings. On the other hand, open Safari & check if you can see the web content. Sometimes, VPN mode on your iPhone might prevent the Safari app from working; here’s the method to fix it.
Turn Off VPN
When you’ve activated the VPN on your iPhone, no one can track your IP address unless you disable it. Using any third-party VPN app for private browsing might cause the Safari app not to work on your iPhone. So, disabling the VPN network while using Safari gets you the best results
- Go to iPhone Settings
- Click on “General” tab
- Press “VPN & Device Management” option
If you find the VPN is on, turn it off before leaving the VPN settings. Disabling the VPN network alone is not helpful in fixing Safari not working on iPhone. Hence, it’s time for you to update your device software.
Update iOS
iPhone software update is crucial to access more features and clear current bugs & errors on your device. Also, the iOS update can fix Safari not working on iPhone. Make use of the actions below to get your iPhone updated to the latest iOS
- Head to Settings
- Find & tap “General”
- Navigate to “Software Update” by clicking it
- Tap “Download & Install” button
When the update is not resolving the Safari web browser issue, checkout the following method in this article.
iPhone: “Reset Network Settings” & “Reset All Settings”
You can restore Safari not working on iPhone by resetting the iPhone settings. First, try to reset network settings & check if the issue is fixed. If not, reset all settings to make this method more effective in fixing the Safari app. Here is the step-by-step guide on how to reset network & all settings on your iPhone
- Launch iPhone Settings App
- Click on “General” tab
- Select “Transfer or Reset” option
- Then, click “Reset”
- Press “Reset Network Settings” option
Now, open the Safari app & check whether the browser is working fine. But, if it has the same issue, get into the “Reset All Settings” option. These settings will set your iPhone back to its default without erasing any data from your device. If both the reset options couldn’t fix Safari not working on iPhone, a factory reset might be the last hope. Before leaving the “Transfer or Reset iPhone” tab, click “Erase All Content and Settings” to factory reset your iPhone.
Note: Get a backup of the important data on your iPhone before initiating the factory reset. This reset wipes out all data on your device and sets it back to its basic version.
Take Advantage Of An Alternative Browser
Luckily, you can use this method to get rid of Safari not working on iPhone. Use another web browser as an alternative to Safari to use the internet on your iPhone. Sometimes, the Safari app itself creates an issue, so wait until you get the latest update for this application. In particular, Apple encloses the patch along with an update to fix Safari not working on iPhone. So, it is worth waiting for an update release from Apple.
Safari not working on iphone: Get Apple Support
At last, contact Apple to repair your Safari not working on iPhone. You can visit various platforms like an online support page, customer care, mail service, & direct Apple store to fix it. Go to https://support.apple.com/en-in & get an appointment from the Apple Authorised service centre. Then, they receive your iPhone through a courier service. Wait until your product gets fixed by Apple & they will dispatch it to your shipping address. Also, Apple charges you for their Repair & Service support.
End Thoughts
You can easily figure out any visible damages on your iPhone, but it is different in the case of Safari not working on iPhone. Ensure that your iPhone is connected to a good Wi-Fi network to access the device’s best features. Firstly, restart your iPhone to fix any technical glitches driving Safari not working on iPhone. Then, you need to disable the Safari suggestions along with the web browser Extensions & VPN network. If you can’t access the contents like images & videos on your Safari, enable JavaScript on your browser settings. Now you can see the media again on your web browser. Often check for any iOS update available right now on your iPhone. Lastly, you must factory reset your iPhone, which will fix most device issues.