update safari to 16.3

About the security content of Safari 16.3

This document describes the security content of Safari 16.3.

About Apple security updates

For our customers' protection, Apple doesn't disclose, discuss, or confirm security issues until an investigation has occurred and patches or releases are available. Recent releases are listed on the  Apple security updates  page.

Apple security documents reference vulnerabilities by  CVE-ID  when possible.

For more information about security, see the  Apple Product Security  page.

Safari 16.3

Released January 23, 2023

Available for: macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey

Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

Description: The issue was addressed with improved checks.

WebKit Bugzilla: 245464 CVE-2023-23496: ChengGang Wu, Yan Kang, YuHao Hu, Yue Sun, Jiming Wang, JiKai Ren and Hang Shu of Institute of Computing Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.

WebKit Bugzilla: 248268 CVE-2023-23518: YeongHyeon Choi (@hyeon101010), Hyeon Park (@tree_segment), SeOk JEON (@_seokjeon), YoungSung Ahn (@_ZeroSung), JunSeo Bae (@snakebjs0107), Dohyun Lee (@l33d0hyun) of Team ApplePIE

WebKit Bugzilla: 248268 CVE-2023-23517: YeongHyeon Choi (@hyeon101010), Hyeon Park (@tree_segment), SeOk JEON (@_seokjeon), YoungSung Ahn (@_ZeroSung), JunSeo Bae (@snakebjs0107), Dohyun Lee (@l33d0hyun) of Team ApplePIE

Additional recognition

We would like to acknowledge Eliya Stein of Confiant for their assistance.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

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Apple releases iOS 16.3

After about a month of development—with a holiday break in between—Apple has released iOS 16.3. It contains several new features and fixes for all iPhones running iOS 16

Update 01/23/23: iOS 16.3 has released to all users.

iOS 16.3: New features

Advanced Data Protection goes worldwide: Originally released only for U.S. users, Advanced Data Protection is said to be available for all users worldwide in iOS 16.3, even though the release notes do not mention it.

Physical security keys for Apple ID: You can now secure your Apple ID with FIDO-certified physical key. Read more about Apple’s recent security improvements .

Support for HomePod (2nd gen): This release adds support for the just-announced 2nd-generation HomePod .

Black Unity collection: In celebration of Black History Month (February), Apple has a new Apple Watch face (along with watchOS 9.3) and wallpaper.

iOS 16.3: Release date

Apple released iOS 16.3 to all iPhones on Monday, January 23 at 10 am PT.

iOS 16.3: Release notes

iOS 16.3 is a hefty release, weighing in at 761.8MB. The official release notes are as follows.

– New Unity wallpaper honors Black history and culture in celebration of Black History Month – Security Keys for Apple ID allow users to strengthen the security of their account by requiring a physical security key as part of the two factor authentication sign in process on new devices – Support for HomePod (2nd generation) – Emergency SOS calls now require holding the side button with the up or down volume button and then releasing in order to prevent inadvertent emergency calls – Fixes an issue in Freeform where some drawing strokes created with Apple Pencil or your finger may not appear on shared boards – Addresses an issue where the wallpaper may appear black on the Lock Screen – Fixes an issue where horizontal lines may temporarily appear while waking up iPhone 14 Pro Max – Fixes an issue where the Home Lock Screen widget does not accurately display Home app status – Addresses an issue where Siri may not respond properly to music requests – Resolves issues where Siri requests in CarPlay may not be understood correctly

iOS 16.3: Security updates

Apple has included 12 security updates in iOS 16.3, including:

AppleMobileFileIntegrity

• Impact: An app may be able to access user-sensitive data
• Description: This issue was addressed by enabling hardened runtime.
• Impact: An app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges
• Description: The issue was addressed with improved memory handling.
• Impact: An app may be able to bypass Privacy preferences
• Description: A logic issue was addressed with improved state management.

Screen Time

• Impact: An app may be able to access information about a user’s contacts
• Description: A privacy issue was addressed with improved private data redaction for log entries.
• Impact: Processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution

iOS 16.3: How to install

To install the iOS 16.3 update on your iPhone or iPad, first head over to the Settings app.

• Tap General .
• Tap the Software Update tab.
• Tap Download and Install .
• Enter your passcode.
• Tap Agree .
• Tap Agree again in the pop-up window.
• Wait for the update to download and follow the prompts to restart your iPhone.

Author: Jason Cross , Senior Editor

I have written about technology for my entire professional life - over 25 years. I enjoy learning about how complicated technology works and explaining it in a way anyone can understand.

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WebKit Features in Safari 16.3

Jan 23, 2023

by Jen Simmons

Today we are pleased to announce Safari 16.3, our first release of many coming this year. With it, WebKit provides multiple bug fixes and feature polish.

• Fixed MediaQueryList.matches to update the parent document layout for viewport-dependent media queries.
• Fixed transfers of min and max sizes for CSS aspect-ratio to be constrained by defined sizes.
• Fixed gap to be accounted for by using the unclamped subgrid track sizes to compute track positions.
• Fixed calculating block size to use the correct box-sizing.
• Fixed the transferred min and max sizes to be constrained by defined sizes.
• Fixed: Use intrinsic ratio of replaced elements when computing flex sizes.
• Fixed negative content sizes when using box-sizing: border-box with border and padding.
• Fixed setting scrollTop on a fixed element with overflow breaking scrolling on a page with overscroll-behavior: none .
• Fixed replaced elements with aspect ratio and size in one dimension to respect the min and max constraints in the opposite dimension.
• Fixed decompressing content downloaded via fetch() with Content-Encoding: gzip set.
• Fixed downloads served from a service worker that uses preload.
• Fixed: Added an error event when link preload fails synchronously.
• Fixed Cross-Origin-Embedder-Policy incorrectly blocking scripts.
• Fixed Authorization header used for subsequent 301 redirects when the request header changes.
• Fixed showing a dialog element when the target is a shadow host with a focus delegates.

Content Security Policy

• Added support for the prefetch-src directive.
• Fixed: Check for strict-dynamic in script-src and default-src directives.
• Fixed: Added an error event when Content Security Policy blocks inline stylesheets.
• Fixed web audio becoming garbled with switching from speakers to headphones.
• Fixed video track’s size settings in the second MediaStream created when the aspectRatio constraint is applied.
• Fixed showing Media Session API artwork.
• Fixed “A MediaStreamTrack ended due to a capture failure” error when selecting bluetooth headphones as an audio input device.
• Fixed WebVTT styles to apply with in-band tracks.
• Fixed alternate VPx codec names to support vp8.0 and vp9.0 .
• Fixed MouseClick offsetX and offsetY on a foreign object in an SVG to be relative to the element rather than relative to the SVG container.

We love hearing from you. Send a tweet to @webkit to share your thoughts on Safari 16.3. Find us on Mastodon at @[email protected] and @[email protected] . If you run into any issues, we welcome your feedback on Safari UI, or your WebKit bug report about web technology or Web Inspector. Filing issues really does make a difference.

Download the latest Safari Technology Preview to stay at the forefront of the web platform and to use the latest Web Inspector features. You can also read the Safari 16.3 release notes .

Updating to Safari 16.3

Safari 16.3 is available for macOS Ventura , macOS Monterey, macOS Big Sur, iPadOS 16 , and iOS 16 . You can update to Safari 16.3 on macOS Monterey or macOS Big Sur by going to System Preferences → Software Update → More info, and choosing to update Safari. To update macOS Ventura, iOS or iPadOS, go to Settings → General → Software Update.

How-To Geek

Safari is under attack, update your iphone and mac now.

You'll definitely want to install that new iPhone update.

Web browsers are complex applications and need to be constantly patched to keep malicious web pages from breaking out of their sandbox. Apple is now rolling out a fix for a Safari that addresses a critical security vulnerability.

Apple is now rolling out iOS 16.3.1, iPadOS 16.3.1, macOS Ventura 13.2.1, and updates for other platforms that address a handful of security problems. The iPhone, iPad, and Mac updates all include fixes for Safari's engine (WebKit) and the operating system kernel, while the macOS update has an additional security fix for Shortcuts .

The WebKit engine update fixes a bug where improper use of a certain JavaScript library (jsonwebtoken) could allow remote code execution on the host device. Apple said it is "aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited," meaning it may be used on some web pages. It was originally reported with the identifier CVE-2022-23529, but it has been officially withdrawn, as the National Vulnerability Database does not classify it as a software vulnerability.

The iOS and iPadOS updates also fixed a bug that allowed apps to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, which was discovered by Xinru Chi of Pangu Lab and Ned Williamson of Google Project Zero. The macOS update addresses an additional vulnerability that allowed apps to "observe unprotected user data" through Shortcuts, which apparently doesn't affect other platforms.

It's a good idea to update your iPhone , iPad , and Mac as soon as possible to have the latest security patches. Apple is also rolling out Safari 16.3.1 to macOS Big Sur and macOS Monterey, for computers that haven't been updated to Ventura yet (or are too old to run the latest release). You're vulnerable even if you don't use Safari itself -- all web browsers on iPhone and iPad use Safari's WebKit engine, and many Mac apps use the built-in rendering engine for displaying web content.

Source: GitHub , Apple ( iOS , macOS , Safari )

Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

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Upgrade Safari to version 16.0 or higher while using macOS Catalina version 10.15.7

my credit card company wants me to do this since they soon will no longer Safari less than version 16.0.

MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 11, 2023 4:40 AM

Posted on Nov 27, 2023 8:08 AM

Berry with an A wrote:

There are other contextual security factors as to why NOT to use multiple browsers for this situation that prove use of safari best.

However — Apple reserves the right to delete any submission for any reason

37 years Mac experience ain’t worth much of what it use to…

You ire should be directed at Chase Bank, who made the arbitrary and capricious decision to limit use of reasonably secure versions of Safari on slightly older Macs.

The net result will be that their competitor, who runs the Apple credit card that provides low-cost installment payments for a new Apple computer, will profit handsomely.

Similar questions

• updating safari on mac Have a late 2012 mac. Updated to Catalina 10.15.7 this past spring. Currently operating safari browser 15. Have one app that requires safari 16. Have done the system preference and app store approaches to attempt update. In both tries was told no update available or system is up to date. How do i get safari version 16 ? thanks 133 3
• how do you update "Safari" to the most recent version 14 and above on the Mac Pro? How can I update "Safari" to a more recent version at least 14 and above on my Mac Pro? 340 1
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Nov 27, 2023 8:08 AM in response to Berry with an A

Sep 13, 2023 8:04 AM in response to Micktwin

Micktwin wrote:

Safari is baked into the macOS... there is no stand alone Safari.app to upgrade,

Safari 16 ships with iOS 16, and is available as an update on macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur...

it is tied to macOS upgrade.

Sep 13, 2023 9:28 AM in response to Micktwin

There is a 'legacy' version of Firefox that can be installed that will satisfy most requirements. The mainline version of FireFox will likely not be installable.

Chase Bank is not an authoritative resource on these issues.

However, they have stated that if you want to do business with Chase bank, they require:

• Supported browsers
• Chrome 109.0 and higher
• Firefox 113.0 and higher
• Safari 16.0 and higher
• Edge 113.0 and higher

We don't support:

• Beta or development browser versions
• 3rd party browser extensions

Nov 7, 2023 5:42 AM in response to Micktwin

Dec 28, 2023 8:30 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Grant Bennet-Alder wrote:

You ire should be directed at Chase Bank, who made the arbitrary and capricious decision to limit use of reasonably secure versions of Safari on slightly older Macs. The net result will be that their competitor, who runs the Apple credit card that provides low-cost installment payments for a new Apple computer, will profit handsomely.

Ahh... that's nice, fantasy type of thinking, and would be (in the VERY much unlikelihood) Chase would even offer that information .... probably some "head of" IT department, most likely "PC" knowledge driven person. Meaning - they generally have very little macOS knowledge, and don't care anyway.

As a Chase and an Apple card customer - I know Chase really doesn't care about Apple Card profitability or competition either, and unfortunately, my Chase account is a necessary business account.

Because there is great effort needed by many in this type of situation - "The Man" usually wins in the end. :-( Apple wins in this situation, too, because I'm shopping for a new Mac.

oh well. LOL

Sep 11, 2023 6:36 AM in response to Micktwin

You can't. Use a different web browser to access their site.

Nov 27, 2023 7:58 AM in response to Berry with an A

In short.... you cannot upgrade safari 15.6.1 or above if running an iMac on Catalina 10.15.7.

One is stuck again at apple's mercy!

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.

Big Safari & Kernel issues fixed in iOS 16.3.1, macOS 13.2.1 updates

16-inch MacBook Pro

Apple introduced small incremental updates across its software ecosystem on Monday, with iOS 16.3.1 , iPadOS 16.3.1 , and macOS 13.2.1 available to download by the public.

Following the release, Apple has published details about the security content of each update , with a lot of crossover between the three operating systems.

The first, a Kernel issue, impacts all three updates, and is described as one where "an app may be able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The fix addressed a "use after free issue" by adding "improved memory management.

Identified as CVE-2023-23514, the issue was declared by Xinru Chi of Pangu Lab and Ned Williamson of Google Project Zero.

The second, a WebKit problem, is listed as impacting all of the operating systems, as well as Safari itself. Under the issue, "processing maliciously crafted web content may lead to arbitrary code execution."

Apple adds that it is "aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited." It has since been fixed with "improved checks."

It is identified as CVE-2023-23529, and was found by "an anonymous researcher.

The last issue is for Shortcuts, and specifically affects macOS Ventura . Under the issue, an app "may be able to observe unprotected user data," which was fixed with "improved handling of temporary files."

CVE-2023-23522 was found by Wenchao Li and Xiaolong Bai of Alibaba Group.

Next comes the “I hope it fixes... the issue I’ve had for years but Apple won’t acknowledge” comments.

lkrupp said: Next comes the “I hope it fixes... the issue I’ve had for years but Apple won’t acknowledge” comments. It feels “snappier”, is that better? 😎

I wish Apple would consider starting over like Google Fuchsia - a modern take on a posting system with new security considerations architected from the ground up.

All of these issues are garden variety programming errors that have been plaguing software quality for decades, like accessing memory that’s already been freed and failing to sufficiently verify input parameters. In my opinion, one of the root causes of the perpetuation of these fundamental programming errors is the difficulty human brains have with dealing with the complexity introduced as a result of multiprocessing and concurrency in applications and operating systems. In other words, it’s difficult enough for a programmer to mentally keep track of all of the “accounting” related to the memory management, state management, persistence, volatility, privacy, security, exception handling, etc., for a single threaded user mode application. You know, making sure all the ‘i’s are dotted and all of the ‘t’s are crossed and how it relates to the underlying operating system. But in most cases eventually getting everything dealt with in these relatively limited cases is resolvable, often by brute force. When you add in multiprocessing, threading, concurrency,  loss of atomicity with context switching, etc., the ability of most human brains is quickly overwhelmed. Practicing good accounting and hygiene from a single threaded perspective is no longer sufficient when you step into a multiprocessing environment. Brute force testing no longer works, largely because the humans driving the testing don’t fully understand every angle from which to apply the force, whether surgically directed or brutish. They don’t know what they don’t know. In much the same manner, programming successfully in an environment where privacy and security were not within the sphere of concern pretty much guarantees that the artifacts of those efforts are going to fail miserably where security and privacy is a real concern. Nowhere is this more apparent than in legacy code. A lot of the underpinnings in the most popular current computing environments is legacy code that’s considered to be, at some level, “not broken” and thus not to messed with. Try asking an engineering director for time, money, and resources to dig around in existing “working” code to look for problems rather than applying all that expensive things to building new product features. They may say “no problem” - about 5% of the time. Truth be told, they’ve probably had some bad outcomes in the 5% cases. So the legacy code lives on. I’d imagine that some of the legacy code in macOS, iOS, etc., that traces its roots back to OS X, NextStep, and Unix is older than the engineers who are currently maintaining that legacy code. The current complexity of the not only multiprocessing but also highly distributed computing means that humans are effectively unable to fully understand whether their applications are correct, secure, resilient, crash resistant, etc. Too many moving parts, any of which can break or be broken by anyone who starts poking at them long enough to discover their weaknesses. This is clearly an area that requires additional help. My hope is that forward thinking companies will look at AI, ML, and similar technologies and techniques to improve software quality by overcoming some of the limitations of human cognition in these narrow domains. Sure, it’s not sexy or exciting like human-like chat bots or other such AI applications, and it will never be perfect, but until we get to the point where we can actually trust the software we depend on, we’ll always be waiting around for the next mole that needs to be whacked. The wait won’t be long, it never is, especially for the folks who actively search for moles.

dewme said: All of these issues are garden variety programming errors that have been plaguing software quality for decades, like accessing memory that’s already been freed and failing to sufficiently verify input parameters. In my opinion, one of the root causes of the perpetuation of these fundamental programming errors is the difficulty human brains have with dealing with the complexity introduced as a result of multiprocessing and concurrency in applications and operating systems. In other words, it’s difficult enough for a programmer to mentally keep track of all of the “accounting” related to the memory management, state management, persistence, volatility, privacy, security, exception handling, etc., for a single threaded user mode application. You know, making sure all the ‘i’s are dotted and all of the ‘t’s are crossed and how it relates to the underlying operating system. But in most cases eventually getting everything dealt with in these relatively limited cases is resolvable, often by brute force. When you add in multiprocessing, threading, concurrency,  loss of atomicity with context switching, etc., the ability of most human brains is quickly overwhelmed. Practicing good accounting and hygiene from a single threaded perspective is no longer sufficient when you step into a multiprocessing environment. Brute force testing no longer works, largely because the humans driving the testing don’t fully understand every angle from which to apply the force, whether surgically directed or brutish. They don’t know what they don’t know. In much the same manner, programming successfully in an environment where privacy and security were not within the sphere of concern pretty much guarantees that the artifacts of those efforts are going to fail miserably where security and privacy is a real concern. Nowhere is this more apparent than in legacy code. A lot of the underpinnings in the most popular current computing environments is legacy code that’s considered to be, at some level, “not broken” and thus not to messed with. Try asking an engineering director for time, money, and resources to dig around in existing “working” code to look for problems rather than applying all that expensive things to building new product features. They may say “no problem” - about 5% of the time. Truth be told, they’ve probably had some bad outcomes in the 5% cases. So the legacy code lives on. I’d imagine that some of the legacy code in macOS, iOS, etc., that traces its roots back to OS X, NextStep, and Unix is older than the engineers who are currently maintaining that legacy code. The current complexity of the not only multiprocessing but also highly distributed computing means that humans are effectively unable to fully understand whether their applications are correct, secure, resilient, crash resistant, etc. Too many moving parts, any of which can break or be broken by anyone who starts poking at them long enough to discover their weaknesses. This is clearly an area that requires additional help. My hope is that forward thinking companies will look at AI, ML, and similar technologies and techniques to improve software quality by overcoming some of the limitations of human cognition in these narrow domains. Sure, it’s not sexy or exciting like human-like chat bots or other such AI applications, and it will never be perfect, but until we get to the point where we can actually trust the software we depend on, we’ll always be waiting around for the next mole that needs to be whacked. The wait won’t be long, it never is, especially for the folks who actively search for moles. From what I've followed, AI or ML (or however you prefer to call it) are definitely where part of the solution lies. Abstraction is obviously another angle but if you are abstracting to compilers (AI enhanced or otherwise) I suppose it could make programmers 'lazier' (like when we write text and expect the corrector to pick up on not only spelling but grammatical errors). New languages or supersets of existing languages seem to be popping up too. Supposedly making programming itself easier although programmers of a certain generation tell me it makes programmers 'dumber' ha! Luckily, I'm not a programmer. All I can do is listen to people who do it for a living and observe that there seems to be easy way to bring quality software to market without a disproportionate amount of holes in it. Apple is trapped on the wheel and no matter what, a new major version of macOS and iOS have to roll out every year. With that in mind, slowing release cycles down would help to a degree. 

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Apple Releases Safari 16 With Tab Group Start Pages, Cross-Device Syncing for Website Settings, Strong Password Updates and More

Apple today released Safari 16, with the new update bringing some macOS Ventura features to macOS Monterey and macOS Big Sur while we wait for the October launch of the new operating system.

Safari 16 introduces new features, even faster performance, and improved security, such as: - Tab Group start pages let you add different background images and favorites for each Tab Group - Pinned tabs in Tab Groups enable you to pin frequently visited websites for each Tab Group - Tabs in the sidebar let you see a list view of your open tabs - Settings you've set for specific websites now sync across devices - Strong password editing lets you adjust strong passwords to meet website-specific requirements - Some features may not be available for all regions, or on all Apple devices.

The update also addresses several WebKit vulnerabilities that could track users through web extensions, lead to arbitrary code execution, and lead to UI spoofing. None of these vulnerabilities were known to have been actively exploited, but it is still worth updating to the new browser to get the Safari 16 functions.

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Top Rated Comments

Honest question: why does Apple always provide older versions of macOS with the most recent Safari, but not any other app? Why the exception for Safari? They could just include it in a regular macOS update instead of separating it.

Safari is sadly chromium based

Reason for lack of extensions is the $100 a year cost for the Apple Developer Program. Chrome lets you publish with a one time $5 fee while the Edge, Firefox and Opera stores are free. But Apple has made it easy to convert a Chrome extension to a Safari one with a simple terminal command.

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Should I update to iOS 16.3.1? Here's what Apple's newly updated software does

Have you updated your iPhone yet?

Apple has released iOS 16.3.1, an update to its operating system that fixes a security vulnerability that hackers may have exploited in the wild. 

According to Apple's support page, the bug was in  WebKit , the web browser engine used by Safari. The problem could allow an attacker to execute code on someone's device.

iOS 16.3.1 also fixes an issue in the Kernel at the core of the operating system that could allow an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. 

The update comes just weeks after the release of iOS 16.3 , which added the ability to use security keys for two-factor authentication. 

Apple said the issues affect iPhone 8 models and later. It also released  macOS 13.2.1, iPadOS 16.3.1 and Safari 16.3.1 security updates.

Your iPhone Face ID is vulnerable: Change the Face ID setting, or anyone can get into your iPhone

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What else is new in iOS 16.3.1?

iOS 16.3.1 promises to improve Crash Detection  on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models. 

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How to update your iPhone to iOS 16.3.1

To update your iPhone manually, go to Settings, click on General and select Software Update.

If you have your device set to automatic updates, your iPhone will download and install the update overnight while charging and connected to Wi-Fi. 

To install updates automatically, go to Settings, click on General, select Software Update and enable automatic updates.

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Safari 16.3.1 downloads but won't install

• Thread starter LCD
• Start date Feb 14, 2023
• Sort by reaction score

macrumors member

• Feb 14, 2023

With Safari 16.3 installed on my Mac, I first tried unsuccessfully to download Safari 16.3.1 on a 2018 Mac Mini with macOS Monterey 12.6.3 installed, then again after upgrading to macOS Ventura 13.2.1. When I searched for this problem I could find nothing but an article on jamf Nation Community's website named "Safari 16.3.1 Standalone Installers" that might be describing why I'm having this problem. It reads "Apple's Security update bulletins published today are calling it Safari 16.3.1, however Apple actually released new builds of Safari 16.3 with updated build numbers so you'll have to use an EA to extract the CFBundleVersion string from the Safari app bundle to figure out exactly what version of Safari you have installed". I guess it's just the two of us.  

macrumors 603

Here is the link for the update pkg Code: https://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/61/07/032-38754-A_I6L5FGHO4W/6vezgtgkabm4112wd26y1moii3kak18ykb/Safari16.3MontereyAuto.pkg  

Can you clarify what happens when you try to install it?  

• Feb 15, 2023

Apple has updated the page https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213638 It's a different build of Safari 16.3, not Safari 16.3.1. "After installing this update, the build number for Safari 16.3 is 167614.4.6.11.6 on macOS Big Sur and 177614.4.6.11.6 on macOS Monterey."  

Thanks for that link bogdanw. I see I'm good to go. In Ventura now, I have Safari 16.3 build 18614.4.6.1.6. I was on the Apple website page on February 13 'About the security content of Safari 16.3' that you linked me to. Apple updated that page the next day so I'm not sure that the * containing the build information was there for me to see. Then yesterday Safari 16.3.1 appeared in the Software Update pane of Monterey's System Preferences. After that I saw a listing on Softpedia that shows Safari is now at 16.3.1 https://mac.softpedia.com/get/Internet-Utilities/Safari.shtml Hello Moderator Nermal. In Monterey the Safari 16.3.1 download seemed to go as usual but followed with what appeared to be no installation at all. I couldn't find in a search to see where that download is located in the Finder. And since I was only looking for a .1 added to the version number, I'm sorry that I didn't check if the build number had changed +.2 from the January 23 Safari 16.3 build 177614.4.6.11.4 to the February 13 build 177614.4.6.11.6.  

macrumors 68000

LCD said: I guess it's just the two of us. Click to expand...

Safari 16.3.1

Excellent. Thanks for that post KaliYoni. The TidBITS forum never came up in my search yesterday. I'll be going to them first from now on. So I'm down to just wondering why I can't get Safari 16.3.1 build 18614.4.6.11.6 to download into Ventura 13.2.1 (22D68) to replace Safari 16.3 build 18614.4.6.1.6 that came with upgrading to Ventura yesterday from Monterey's current release.  

LCD said: So I'm down to just wondering why I can't get Safari 16.3.1 build 18614.4.6.11.6 to download into Ventura 13.2.1 (22D68) to replace Safari 16.3 build 18614.4.6.1.6 that came with upgrading to Ventura yesterday from Monterey's current release. Click to expand...

You appear to be right bogdanw. But there’s a post in a forum on TidBITS about Safari 16.3.1 being available in Ventura with build number 18614.4.6.11.6. However I downloaded Ventura 13.2.1 yesterday which included Safari 16.3 with build 18614.4.6.1.6 and I have nothing in Settings to update Safari.  

I wouldn't worry about it. If Apple did change the build number, it’s probably just so that update can be pushed now as 16.3, instead of 16.3.1. Whatever build you have, the vulnerability is fixed.  

• Feb 16, 2023

12 hours ago this was posted by David C. in the TidBITS forum… And just to add more confusion, I just installed the Big Sur 11.7.4 update. Immediately after the installation, a Safari update became available. This one is version 16.3.1 (16614.4.6.11.7).  

Safari 16.3.1

Apple has released Safari 16.3.1 for macOS 12 Monterey and macOS 11 Big Sur with a patch for a single WebKit vulnerability that Apple says may have been actively exploited in the wild. In other words, install this update immediately! You can download Safari 16.3.1 only via Software Update. (Free, release notes , macOS 11+)

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Comments About Safari 16.3.1

Notable replies.

Hi. I just updated to Ventura 13.2.1. Safari remains at 16.3. I restarted to see whether that would prompt an update, but it didn’t. I’ve checked via Get Info, but the version seems to be 16.3. Any suggestions?

I’m having this issue too.

Probably a general glitch, then. Thanks for letting me know.

Safari 16.3.1 was released for Monterey and Big Sur. I think it remains at 16.3 for Ventura? David

Oh, I missed that. Thanks.

You have the Safari 16.3.1 update if your BuildVersion is Ventura = 18614.4.6.11.6 even if the version number says 16.3.

When I check “about Safari,” is says Version 16.3 (18614.4.6.1.6). I d on’t know how to check the build version for Ventura itself.

Sorry I wasn’t clear. I did mean the build number for Safari 16.3.1 for Ventura is 18614.4.6.11.6, so you still have Safari for Ventura 16.3.

You can get the build number for Ventura by checking “About this Mac” from the  menu and clicking on the version number in that dialog box. It should be macOS 13.2.1 (22D68) after today’s update.

Thank you. I really appreciate learning that. And the version # is as you said.

Thanks, Adam. I really rely on your articles.

According to MacRumors, 16.3 (18614.4.6.1.6) is the correct build number, not 18614.4.6.11.6 (I think the 11 is a typo). The previous Safari was 16.3 (18614.4.6.1.5).

You can find the MacRumors discussion at Apple Releases macOS 13.2.1 With Bug Fixes and Security Updates | MacRumors Forums .

Thanks for clarifying this for me. Better than Apple Support on Twitter could do, LOL. I’m comfortable I have the newest Safari then.

FWIW, the Safari update I just installed for Big Sur also reports itself as 16.3 (build number 16614.4.6.11.6).

I assume this the same release, compiled for Big Sur, since the build number is identical, not counting the second digit.

On my macOS Monterey system, the version number also lacks the “.1” used in the support article. In Safari’s About dialog: Version 16.3 (17614.4.6.11.6, 17614) .

My guess is the first two digits of the build number in the parentheses correspond to the major macOS version, since they’re 18 on Ventura, 17 on Monterey, and 16 on Big Sur.

Further to the version numbering issue, I compared two versions of Apple’s page about the security content of this release ( About the security content of Safari 16.3 - Apple Support ) - Google’s cached version dated 13 Feb and Apple’s current version dated 14 Feb. We can see that Apple removed the “.1” and added a footnote about build numbers.

MacRumors is correct. Sorry, I was misinformed by a usually reliable source.

Hey there, While everyone seems to be trying to decipher the real version number for the latest release of Safari (the deciphering required being an embarrassment for Apple, IMHO), I believe so far, no one has mentioned the latest copyright year (when invoking “About Safari”), is listed as “2022”, not “2023”, as it should be. An additional embarrassment for Apple.

Thanks very much Adam for this post and Al Varnell for your information. That was me (LCD) yesterday on Mac Rumors. My post at 6pm brought this problem I was having to their attention. At 1pm today a moderator in the forum named Nermal wrote that he knew nothing about it. Then KaliYoni wrote an hour ago about this forum here on TidBITS when I saw Al’s posts.

And just to add more confusion, I just installed the Big Sur 11.7.4 update. Immediately after the installation, a Safari update became available. This one is version 16.3.1 (16614.4.6.11.7).

On Big Sur 11.7.3 two updates are available: macOS 11.7.4 and Safari 16.3.1. Because 11.7.3 update had caused me a bunch of problems, I decided to install only the Safari update. Curiously the installer didn’t ask to quit Safari as normally expected. In fact after the installation nothing changed in Safari’s version number: Version 16.3 (16614.4.6.11.6, 16614) even after relaunching Safari.

I then downloaded the 16.3.1 installer here: https://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/62/14/032-51569-A_6C8JMC4NSY/3excb9qywqf00i87sfss53vk636jizy6ck/Safari16.3.1BigSurAuto.pkg and this one finally gave me Version 16.3.1 (16614.4.6.11.7, 16614)

Everything you said happened to me, but with more. The 11.7.4 update pane also offered Safari 16.3, which, to that level of detail, is what I had. Something around the declared size of the Safari update was downloaded, and the update proceeded normally (which means it took about 50 minutes).

Immediately after the installation, System Preferences sported a badge with a 1 in it. Minutes of “Checking for updates…” had no effect; it was not until after I restarted that Software Update was able (in short order) to offer Safari 16.3.1.

It’s like keeping system software up to date is a game of hide-and-seek or a treasure hunt. And then the prize is copyright 2022.

Join the discussion in the TidBITS Discourse forum

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How to Update Safari on Mac

In this article you will find the following:

No matter Safari’s speed, Apple security experts consistently optimize the browser to counter software incompatibilities and potential cyber threats. As a result, the latest updates of Safari often patch these security flaws as well as resolve other bugs.

In this regard, upgrading Safari on Mac is essential for security measures and accessing new features. For example, with the release of Safari 16.3 in macOS Monterey, users can experience a redesigned sidebar, Quick Note, and other handy enhancements. Now that you know the reasons to download a Safari update, let our team guide you through the steps to take it with ease.

Before we start:   Are you worried about keeping your web browser secure and up-to-date? Why not consider using MacKeeper's Update Tracker —it’s an effortless solution to check for Safari updates on Mac and give you a secure browsing experience.   Here's how to update Safari with MacKeeper’s Update Tracker: Download MacKeeper and install it on your MacBook. Launch the app and access the Update Tracker feature. Click the Rescan button for the tool to automatically check for any outstanding updates to your internet browser or other compatible apps. If any updates are found, follow the on-screen prompts to download them.

• How to check Safari version on MacBook

Have you ever wondered about your internet browser’s version? Checking for Safari updates on Mac ensures you're equipped with the latest features and security enhancements.

Here’s how you can check your current Safari version:

• Open Safari on your MacBook.
• Click on Safari in the menu bar, at the top of your screen.
• Choose About Safari from the drop-down menu to open a pop-up window displaying your current Safari version.

• Does Safari update automatically on Mac

Yes, Safari updates automatically on Mac as part of the macOS update Safari feature. This ensures that your browser stays current with the latest security patches and features without requiring any manual intervention.

To allow automatic updates for Safari , follow these steps:

• Click on the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your screen.
• Choose System Settings > General > Software Update .
• Check the box that says Automatic Updates is on to allow for automatic Safari updates alongside other system updates.

• Should you update Safari on your Mac

Optimising your browsing experience and securing your system is crucial when checking for Safari updates on Mac. Keeping the browser up-to-date improves performance as it can delete cache accumulation as well as safeguard your security when browsing sites online.

Here are the most common benefits of updating Safari on Mac:

• Faster performance
• Increased stability
• Improved user experience
• Better security

1. Faster performance

If your Mac is running slowly , upgrading Safari on a Mac may help to enhance your browsing performance. Each new update introduces improved algorithms and functionalities, leading to a smoother experience. MacBook and iMac users can all enjoy faster performance when regularly updating Safari.

2. Increased stability

Regularly updating Safari can significantly improve stability as each update can minimize crashes while browsing the internet.

3. Improved user experience

Another benefit of updating and changing Safari version on Mac is how the newest changes can improve your overall experience. If you’re struggling with the internet so slow it’s affecting Safari, updating it may help due to the newest functionalities and interfaces it offers.

4. Better security

It’s advised you check for Safari updates on Mac often to safeguard and prevent cyber threats whilst you’re online. Each update implements crucial security patches to improve privacy and allow you to browse the internet securely.

• How to update Safari on your Mac

Deciding to update Safari browser on Mac regularly is a must, as you’re likely using the Safari app every day for work, study, or personal use. You can easily make sure Safari is up-to-date with all the latest features, based on your macOS, and we’ll guide you through step-by-step how to:

• Upgrade to the latest version of Safari in macOS Ventura and later
• Upgrade to the newest Safari version for macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina and Mojave

Update to the most recent Safari version in macOS High Sierra and earlier

Update to the latest version of safari in macos ventura and later.

To keep up with the latest advancements and features, upgrading to the newest Safari version in macOS Ventura and later versions is vital.

Below, you'll find the steps to update Safari on your macOS system:

• Open System Settings.
• Click on General > Software Update.
• Allow your Mac to search for available updates.
• If a Safari update is listed, click Update next to Safari.
• Provide your administrator password if prompted and allow the update to download and install.

Upgrade to the newest Safari version for macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, and Mojave

Now, get familiar with the process of upgrading Safari on Mac to the newest version for users on various macOS versions, including Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, and Mojave.

To allow macOS update Safari for Mojave or later:

• Go to System Settings > General and select Software Update .
• Wait for your computer to check for updates.
• If there’s an available update, click Upgrade Now .
• To automatically receive macOS and browser updates, check the box to On to allow your device to automatically keep your MacOS up to date.
• Wait for your Mac to install any updates.

If you use macOS High Sierra or earlier, you can upgrade Safari on Mac by simply upgrading macOS via the App Store. We should warn you, however, that it’s not always possible to upgrade older Macs to the latest version of macOS.

Here’s how to update macOS High Sierra or earlier via the App Store to simultaneously install the newest Safari updates:

• Open the App Store , and select the Updates tab.
• Find the latest macOS version, and click Download .
• Enter your Apple ID information.
• When the download is complete, go to the Applications folder.
• Open the macOS installation file you just downloaded.
• In the window that opens, click Continue .
• Accept the terms of the software license agreement.
• Select the installation destination, and click Install .
• When prompted, click Restart .
• Wait for the upgrade to complete. That might require several restart cycles.

• Update Safari browser with MacKeeper

If you want to update Safari browser on Mac alongside all your other apps, use MacKeeper’s Update Tracker to do all the hard work for you. Our tool allows you to update apps to their newest versions in just one click.

Here’s how to keep your apps up-to-date with MacKeeper:

• Download and launch MacKeeper .
• Select Update Tracker on the left.
• Click Scan for Updates .
• Click Update All .

• Optimizing Safari updates for a seamless Mac browsing experience

As you keep your Safari app updated, your confidence in its security and performance should grow. These routine updates, accessible through manual checks or system updates, are streamlined for ease. You can also accelerate the process with the aid of MacKeeper’s Update Tracker —a tool for Apple users to stay on top of all the latest app upgrades and changes.

1. What is the latest version of the Safari browser for Mac?

At the time of writing, the latest version of Safari for Mac is 17.1. If you need a reminder on how to check for a new Safari version on Mac, follow the steps below:

• Open Safari .
• Click About Safari from the menu bar at the top of your screen.
• In the window that opens, check the browser's version.

2. Why is my Safari not updating?

With newer versions of macOS, your Safari browser might not automatically update as Apple has shifted away from browser updates via the App Store. To update Safari browser on Mac with OS-installed updates rather than manual changes, you’ll need to adjust your App Store preferences to allow Safari updates once again.

Here’s how to adjust your App Store preferences to upgrade Safari:

• In Finder , click Go and select Go to Folder.
• Enter ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.appstore.plist and click Go .
• Select the com.apple.appstore.plist file and move it to the Trash.
• Quit Safari .
• Go to the App Store , and click Update .

3. Can I install an older version of Safari?

No, you can’t install or change Safari version on Mac to an older one.

You can downgrade your macOS to force Safari to downgrade. However, this action isn’t recommended by our experts, as an older version may have unpatched security issues putting your cybersecurity at risk.

4. Can I update Safari without updating macOS?

Yes, you can check and update your current version of Safari without the need to update a Mac . It can be done by manually updating the browser from the App Store. Keep in mind that if you choose to manually update Safari, it’s only available for older OS versions.

To download Safari updates without updating OS X, do the following:

• Open the App Store from the Apple menu .
• In the window that opens, click Update .

5. How to make sure Safari is up-to-date?

To ensure Safari is up-to-date, regularly checking for the newest updates will help you stay ahead of new features. This makes sure you have a safer browsing experience.

Here are the most common ways to check Safari is up-to-date:

• Check for updates via the App Store.
• Check for Safari updates directly within the Safari browser.
• Access Safari updates via System Settings.
• Utilize MacKeeper’s Update Tracker for streamlined updates.
• Ensure your macOS system is also kept up-to-date, as Safari updates often come bundled with system updates.

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• Jamf Nation Community

Safari 16.3 Standalone Installers

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