Safari Not Working On iPhone & iPad: Fixed

Safari is an essential software included with the iPhones. It is a fast and reliable internet browser that is light on your device’s memory.

Since its inception in 2003, it has been a popular application amongst Apple users. It has also been a fundamental application in the iPhones, from the first iPhone launched in 2007.

Like any other application and process on the iPhone, some people face the iPhone Safari not working issue.

Almost all such cases are because of some technical glitch in the program of the software or preferences issue and have no relation with the hardware of the device. 

These can be fixed straightforwardly by following the steps listed down but before this, let us have a look at the potential reasons for the iPhone Safari not working problem.

Potential causes of the problem.

Before we begin our repairing tutorial, we must first determine why Safari is not functioning on your iPhone. This can be because of a few reasons as listed below:

  • There is a problem with the Safari application.
  • There is a problem with the Wi-Fi connectivity.
  • Due to a lack of mobile service, Safari is unable to load from mobile data.

Methods to fix the iPhone Safari not working issue.

Here are a few methods to fix the iPhone Safari not working complication.

1. Check whether your internet connection is working.

Sometimes, your Wi-Fi may be down, and you might not realize it due to any issue. Try launching any other application that utilizes Wi-Fi to update fresh material, such as Instagram or Twitter, if the iPhone is hooked to Wi-Fi. Check whether these applications are able to retrieve new data or not.

There is probably a problem with Safari if fresh material loads and not the Wi-Fi connection. If the information does not load in Safari, Instagram, Twitter, or any software that needs an internet connection, your Wi-Fi connection is likely down.

Launch Control Center to ensure you have turned the connection on if you are attempting to utilize Safari with mobile data. Speed limits of 3G, 4G, and 5G are often fast enough to browse websites.

Yet, if the iPhone displays No Service or Searching and websites fail to load, you may have a mobile internet problem.

2. Check whether the internet is enabled for Safari.

Suppose you have been experimenting with the iPhone’s data-saving capabilities, which allow you to decide which applications have accessibility to your iPhone’s mobile service.

In that case, you may have shut down the mobile internet for the Safari application. That is, Safari will operate while you are linked to Wi-Fi but not when you are hooked to mobile data. You can test this by running Safari over Wi-Fi to check whether it works.

If this is the situation, then navigate to Settings and open Cellular. Then in the “Use Cellular Data For” section, ensure the toggle in front of Safari is switched on.

3. Clean Browsing History and Data.

Though it might not make much sense, clearing your browsing history and stored data on Safari has also been a potential solution to the iPhone Safari not working issue. Here is how you can remove the browsing history and data of Safari on your iPhone.

To begin, use the Settings application on the iPhone. Scroll to the bottom and select Safari. Read through and pick Clear History and Website Data. Next, hit Clear History and Data to validate your selection.

If you want to erase only the Safari webpages information and not the Safari history on your iPhone, you may do so as well. Launch the Settings application, navigate to Safari Browser and look for Advanced.

Under this, you will find Website Data. When the verification pop-up opens, hit Remove All Website Data, and thus, your webpages data will be deleted.

Launch Safari again after you have cleared its cookies and webpage information to check if it is operating correctly again.

4. Toggle Safari Suggestions off.

Safari Suggestions is an analysis-based feature that recommends news, articles, mobile apps, movies, weather forecasts, local attractions, and much more.

Such suggestions can be valuable occasionally, but they can also slow down your iPhone’s underlying operation or render the data obsolete. Here is how you can disable the Safari Suggestions.

To do so, navigate to Settings and find Safari. Here, you need to choose the Safari tab and then toggle the Safari Suggestions off.

5. Relaunch Safari.

Stopping and restarting an application may occasionally resolve a minor malfunction or software fault. When you reopen the application, it starts from scratch.

Double-press the Home key on the iPhone to access the application switcher. If the iPhone lacks a Home key, slide up from the lower half of the display to the middle.

Continue holding your fingertip in the middle of the display till the application selector appears.

Next, slide Safari up and over the upper half of the display to exit. Once Safari no longer displays in the application selector, you realize it is closed.

Relaunch Safari to see whether it’s functioning now.

6. Reboot your iPhone.

If you have not rebooted your Apple device for a long time, you might attempt a complete shutdown on your smartphone.

Although fundamental, this is a highly effective procedure since it will renew the data and programs and free additional utilized memory, which may sometimes create a lag in the operation of an application or OS. 

All operations on your iPhone will be stopped, and the iOS RAM will be released completely, allowing your iPhone Safari to function normally.

7. Turn off Experimental Features.

You may not be aware, but Safari has a slew of trial capabilities that one might activate and delete as you see fit.

As the title indicates, the issue with them is that all of them are genuinely prototypes and, as a result, do not all perform well.

Switching them off one at a time can fix the iPhone Safari not working problem and be helpful for you in figuring out which function was creating the issue.

Navigate to Settings and open Safari. Look for Advanced here, under which you will find Experimental Features on your iPhone.

Whether you have many features activated here, deactivate one at a time and check if Safari functions correctly again.

If nothing happens, turn on that function if needed and deactivate the following one. Continue this process until Safari begins operating again. If the problem is not solved, move on to the next method.

8. Apply any pending Software Upgrade.

Apple’s developer pushes regular updates for iOS to keep it bug-free and smooth for the users. Because Safari is a native Apple program, the only method to upgrade the application is to upgrade the iPhone.

Navigate to Settings and then to General. Move across the menu and look for Software Update. If there is a pending iOS upgrade available, select Download and Install.

If you wish to apply the software upgrade overnight, select Install Tonight. Check that your device is turned on and has an active internet connection before sleeping. 

After the download is finished, restart Safari to test whether it operates correctly.

iphone safari not working

9. Check if the Safari application is restricted.

The limitation is really the parental control function, which allows you to regulate and monitor your iPhone’s applications or media. There is a potential that this restriction option is allowed for the Safari software. As a result, you can disable it by:

Launch the Settings software and pick the General selection. Navigate to the Restrictions page. Type the passcode (if applicable), then toggle the Safari slider off till it becomes white.

10. Contact Apple Support.

If you have attempted every one of the remedies mentioned above and Safari is still not working, it is best to confront Apple. Apple provides help digitally, via telephone, post, and in person. To discover the right solution for you, go to their help page.  

You might even take your iPhone to an Apple Store near you. Though you can also take your iPhone to a local repairer, it is not advised. It would be best to try an Apple-authorized service center to handle all your repairs. 


Conclusion

Here concludes our article on the list of solutions to the iPhone Safari not working complication. After reading this article, I hope that you get to surf the internet again on your iPhone via Safari. 

Safari is a fast and lightweight browser compared to Google Chrome and is, thus, pretty popular among iPhone users. There is a negligible chance that your Safari stops working because of a hardware issue. If you are facing the iPhone Safari not working issue, it is undoubtedly because of a software problem. 

I hope you find this helpful as I have included many different solutions to resolve this issue.

Related Guides

Leave a Reply