How to fix iMac, iPhone, iPad from crashing Safari
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How to fix iMac, iPhone, iPad from crashing Safari

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How to fix iMac, iPhone, iPad from crashing Safari

A recently discovered bug is causing iMac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch to crash when searching using Safari, and fortunately it can be easily fixed. Safari is the default web browser for Mac computers and iPads, it is developed by Apple. Only users of the Safari web browser are encountering this problem of their browser crashing when they conduct a search. It is not a problem for all Mac users, and does not impact users working with Google’s Chrome or Safari.

The crashing in Safari on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad occurs when typing a search term or web address into the web browser. Safari typically sends the entered text back to Apple’s servers, which in-turn provide suggestions based upon the partially entered text. This is designed to minimize the need to enter a complete search term or web address. Apple’s web servers appear to be responding in such a way that it causes the Safari web browser to crash on these devices.

Fixing Apple Safari crashing on iPhone, iPad, and iMac

On iPhone and iPad devices to stop Safari from Crashing:

  1. Choose Settings, then select Safari.
  2. In the Safari settings, click to disable Safari Suggestions. If the toggle icon is on the left side, the suggestions are disabled.

On a Mac computer to stop Safari from Crashing:

  1. From the File Menu choose New Private Window
  2. Browse the web using the private window. Using this option disables search suggestions, and avoids the crashing problem.

Once Apple fixes this problem with search suggestions, you can use regular browsing on the Mac OS and turn-on search suggestion in the iOS devices (iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch). These problems are only related to search problems with Safari. Other Apple applications such as Keynote and Final Cut are not impacted. On a Mac, using another web browser also avoids the problem, although this isn’t an option for iOS users.

About the author

Christopher Smith is president of American Graphics Institute. He is the co-author of Adobe Creative Cloud for Dummies and more than 10 other books on design and digital publishing. He served as publisher and editor of the Digital Classroom book series, which has sold more than one million books on topics relating to InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro and other Creative Cloud apps. At American Graphics Institute, he provides strategic technology consulting to marketing professionals, publishers designers, and large technology companies including Google, Apple, Microsoft, and HP. An expert on web analytics and digital marketing, he also delivers Google Analytics classes along with workshops on digital marketing topics. Christopher did his undergraduate studies the at the University of Minnesota, and then worked for Quark, Inc. prior to joining American Graphics Institute where he has worked for more than 20 years.