Most of us use Safari daily, but very few truly explore the powerful features Apple has tucked inside this browser. Whether you rely on Chrome, Firefox, or Safari itself, this guide will help you unlock Safari’s most impactful customizations—making your browsing experience faster, smarter, and more secure.
Read: 7 Mac Security Settings Every MacBook User Should Know
11 Safari Hidden Features
1. Create Multiple Safari Profiles to Separate Work & Personal Life
Safari now lets you create multiple profiles, just like Chrome—perfect for keeping your personal, business, and work activities fully separated.
How to Create a Profile:
- Open Safari → click Safari (top-left) → Settings.
- Go to the Profiles tab.
- Click Start Using Profiles, name it “Personal,” choose a symbol and color → click Create Profile.
- To create more profiles, click the + icon and repeat.
Once done, you’ll see profile options whenever Safari starts. A dedicated button in the toolbar also lets you switch profiles instantly.
2. Personalize Your Safari Start Page
Safari’s start page is loaded with sections—and sometimes it looks cluttered. Customizing it can give you a cleaner, distraction-free look.
To Customize the Start Page:
- Click the sidebar button at the top-left to access bookmarks and tabs.
- Right-click anywhere on the start page to enable or disable items like:
- Frequently visited
- Siri suggestions
- Shared with you
- Privacy report
- Click Edit in the bottom-right corner to add/change the background image.
You can even upload your own wallpaper to make Safari feel more personal.
3. Customize Your Safari Toolbar Smartly
Safari’s toolbar can be enhanced with shortcuts you frequently use.
Steps:
- Right-click on the toolbar → Customize Toolbar.
- Drag and drop tools like:
- Zoom controls
- iCloud Tabs
- Click Done to save changes.
These small additions save time—especially when printing pages, zooming in/out, or switching across Apple devices.
4. Use Tab Groups to Organize Your Workflows
Tab Groups are one of Safari’s most productive features. They let you club related tabs under a named group, such as Work, Research, Shopping, or Personal.
How to Create Tab Groups:
- Open several tabs.
- Right-click on a tab → Move to Tab Group → New Tab Group.
- Give it a name (e.g., “Business”).
- Move tabs to the group the same way.
Next time, just open the sidebar and click the group—Safari instantly loads all tabs.
Perfect for recurring workflows.
5. Sync Everything with iCloud for Seamless Browsing
Safari settings—including profiles, bookmarks, tab groups, and start page customizations—can sync across your Apple devices.
Enable Safari Sync:
- Apple menu → System Settings.
- Go to iCloud → Apps Using iCloud → Safari → enable it.
Now all your Safari preferences follow you everywhere—Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
(Note: Toolbar customizations don’t sync.)
6. Boost Privacy With Safari’s Built-In Trackers Blockers
Apple focuses heavily on privacy, and Safari packs some strong defenses.
Enable Important Privacy Settings:
- Safari → Settings → Privacy
- Enable:
- Prevent cross-site tracking
- Hide IP address From Trackers and Websites
These block cookies, mask your identity, and stop sites from following your activities.
If You Have iCloud+
Turn on Private Relay for even stronger anonymity.
Go to: System Settings → iCloud → Private Relay → Enable
Private Relay hides your IP and browsing behavior from websites and trackers.
7. Control Site Permissions Easily
During toolbar customization, you added the Website Settings button—now it’s time to use it.
From here, you can control:
- Camera and microphone access
- Location permissions
- Auto-play
- Content blockers
- Reader mode
- And more
Each website gets its own custom rules!
8. Use Reader Mode Automatically on Specific Websites
Reader Mode removes all ads, popups, sidebars, and clutter—leaving you with a clean, book-like reading experience.
To Enable Auto Reader:
- Open a website.
- Click the Website Settings button in the toolbar.
- Enable Use Reader When Available.
Now articles automatically open in Reader Mode—perfect for research, reading blogs, and distraction-free browsing.
9. Use Zoom & Print Tools in One Click
With the custom toolbar buttons:
- Zoom In/Out helps users who prefer larger or smaller text.
- Print gives you a clean, clutter-free print layout—especially great for articles or recipes.
10. Create App-Like Shortcuts for Websites
You can pin a website directly to your Mac’s Dock—like a mini app.
How:
- Open the website in Safari.
- File → Add to Dock.
- Rename if needed → click Add.
Now clicking that icon opens the exact website instantly.
11. Fix a Slow Safari With Quick Cleanup Tools
If Safari becomes sluggish, here’s what you should do:
Clear Website Data:
- Safari → Settings → Privacy
- Click Manage Website Data
- Click Remove All
Remove Unwanted Extensions:
Safari → Settings → Extensions
Remove suspicious or unused ones.
Clear Cache (Advanced Menu):
- Safari → Settings → Advanced
- Check Show features for web developers
- In the menu bar → click Develop → Empty Caches
Test Websites in Different Screen Sizes:
Develop → Enter Responsive Design Mode
You can preview how websites look on iPhone, iPad, or desktop—a great feature for designers and testers.
Conclusion
Safari is far more powerful than most Mac users realize. With features like profiles, tab groups, privacy controls, toolbar customization, iCloud sync, and Reader Mode, you can completely transform your browsing experience—making it faster, cleaner, and far more private.
If you apply even half the tips from this guide, Safari will feel like a whole new browser.
Try them out, fine-tune your setup, and enjoy seamless browsing across your Apple devices.
If you love exploring Mac features, make sure to check out more advanced Mac guides and troubleshooting tips!
