Safari Freezes on MacBook Intermittently: How to Fix It

If you’ve noticed Safari freezing intermittently on your MacBook, you’re not alone. I’ve encountered situations where a page suddenly freezes—links stop working, and it feels as though the page has transformed into a static PDF. In other cases, while scrolling down a page, the content loads as expected, but navigating back to the top leaves the page completely blank, forcing a reload. These issues can disrupt your workflow and browsing experience.

First, I’ll share a workaround you can use to quickly get back to your work. Then, I’ll outline fixes to ensure this problem doesn’t occur again.

If Safari is not working at all, I recommend checking out this article.

Quick Workaround: Get Back to Your Work

When Safari freezes on a page, there’s a simple workaround that can save you time and let you continue where you left off:

1. Close the frozen tab: You can do this manually or use the shortcut Command-W. Again, only close the tabs. We’ve previously provided more detailed information about Safari’s tab management, which you can read here.
2. Reopen the tab: Go to the Edit menu and click on Undo Close Tab, or use the shortcut Command-Shift-T.

This method closes the frozen tab and immediately reopens it, often resolving the issue temporarily without needing to reload everything from scratch.

Fix 1: Update macOS to the Latest Version

Since Safari is built into macOS, keeping your system up to date ensures that you’re running the latest version of Safari. Apple regularly releases updates that include bug fixes and performance improvements, which can help resolve issues like intermittent freezing.

Here’s how to check for updates:

1. Open the Apple menu () in the top-left corner of your screen.
2. Select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
3. Click General > Software Update.
4. If an update is available, follow the prompts to download and install it.

Updating macOS not only gives you the latest version of Safari but also ensures your MacBook is running smoothly with the latest security patches and enhancements.

Fix 2: Restart Your MacBook in Safe Mode

Restarting your MacBook in Safe Mode can help identify and resolve issues causing Safari to freeze. Safe Mode performs several key tasks:

• Runs a Disk Repair to fix any potential file system issues.
• Clears cache files that might be causing conflicts.
• Loads only Apple software, extensions, and fonts, while preventing third-party software, extensions, and drivers from starting.

How to start in Safe Mode:

1. For Apple Silicon Macs:
   • Shut down your Mac completely.
   • Press and hold the power button until the startup options window appears.
   • Select your startup disk, then press and hold Shift while clicking Continue in Safe Mode.
2. For Intel Macs:
   • Restart your Mac and immediately press and hold the Shift key.
   • Release the key when the login screen appears, and log in.

You may notice that the boot-up process takes longer than usual—this is normal. Once in Safe Mode, check if Safari continues to freeze.

What next?

• If the issue doesn’t occur in Safe Mode, it’s likely caused by third-party software, extensions, or drivers.
• Sometimes, simply performing a Safe Boot followed by a normal restart can resolve the problem without further action.

To exit Safe Mode, restart your Mac normally.

Fix 3: Reset Safari Settings

Resetting Safari to its default settings can help resolve issues caused by misconfigurations, corrupted preferences, or other customizations that may be contributing to freezing problems. While Safari doesn’t have a single “reset” button, you can manually reset key elements:

1. Clear website data:
   • Open Safari and go to Safari > Settings (or Preferences).
   • Navigate to the Privacy tab and click Manage Website Data.
   • Click Remove All to delete cached data and cookies.
2. Turn off extensions:
   • In the same Settings (or Preferences) window, go to the Extensions tab.
   • Disable all extensions by unchecking the boxes next to them.
   • Restart Safari and test if the issue persists.
3. Restore default preferences:
   • Open Safari > Settings (or Preferences) and review each tab (General, Tabs, Privacy, etc.).
   • Revert any customizations you’ve made back to their default values.

Resetting these settings ensures that Safari is running with a clean slate, eliminating potential conflicts caused by custom configurations or outdated data.

Fix 4: Adjust Energy Saver Settings

Sometimes, Safari freezes can be linked to hardware-related performance issues, especially if your MacBook is managing resources aggressively to save energy. Adjusting the Energy Saver settings can help alleviate these problems.

Let me explain more. Some web pages are resource-intensive due to their complex technical background, including heavy use of JavaScript and other dynamic elements. These pages require more processing power and memory to render properly. If your MacBook is limiting resources to conserve battery—such as in Low Power Mode or with aggressive energy-saving settings—it can cause Safari to freeze while trying to load or navigate these demanding pages.

1. Open the Apple menu () and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older macOS versions).
2. Navigate to Battery (or Energy Saver).
3. Adjust the following settings:
   • Disable Low Power Mode if it’s enabled. Set to Never.
   • Ensure Prevent computer from sleeping automatically when the display is off is checked.
   • Set Turn display off after to a longer interval.
4. If using an Intel Mac, consider disabling Automatic graphics switching under the Energy tab.

I also recommend reading this article about Mac’s battery management for additional insights.

These adjustments ensure that your MacBook prioritizes performance over energy efficiency, which can help prevent freezes in Safari when scrolling or loading content.

By following these steps, you can address Safari freezing issues on your MacBook and improve your overall browsing experience.