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It's a good practice to keep your web browser constantly updated for security reasons , but Apple Safari on Mac doesn't have an update button. Here's how to keep Safari updated.

Every year, Apple releases new features for Safari, and you usually install them without realizing it because they're linked to macOS updates that you get in System Preferences.

But because Safari is a browser, Apple often lets you update to the latest version of Safari without installing the next big OS release. For example, while Safari 14.0 came bundled in macOS Big Sur , macOS Catalina users can still update to it. Apple also provides regular security updates to older versions of Safari, which is the main reason why we recommend that you keep it updated .

Related: Why You Should Update All Your Software

To update Safari, you'll have to use the Software Update feature in System Preferences. To get there, click the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the screen.

In the menu that appears, choose the "System Preferences" option.

In System Preferences, click "Software Update."

The Software Update panel will show you whether there are any software updates available for your Mac. If there are, you have two choices.

If you want to install the latest operating system along with the latest version of Safari, just click the "Update Now" button and follow the process.

Related: Why You Should Update Your Web Browser

If you only want to install an update to Safari, click "More Info" under the list of available updates to see a detailed list of all updates.

After clicking "More info," a panel will appear listing the updates available for your Mac. Make sure that the "Safari" update is selected, and uncheck "macOS" if you don't want to install a system update along with it. When you're ready, click "Install Now."

After a while, the Safari update will be installed on your Mac.

Once the update process is finished, you can safely quit the System Preferences app using the red Close button in the corner of the window.

Since this process is somewhat confusing and non-obvious, we recommend enabling the auto-update feature to keep Safari and your Mac updated. Good luck!

Related: How to Update Your Mac and Keep Apps Up to Date

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How to update the Safari browser on your Mac computer by installing the latest version of macOS

You can update your Safari browser on a Mac computer by updating to the latest available version of macOS.
For those with macOS Mojave or later, you can easily check to see if there are any updates available for your computer and its various apps in your System Preferences.
If you have an older version, you'll instead have to go through the App Store.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories .

The first step to updating your Safari browser is checking if your Mac actually has any available system updates.

If you have macOS Mojave or later, upgrades will come via your System Preferences. If you have a software update available, you can install it to get the updated version of Safari.

System Preferences is also where you can check for any individual upgrades to other Mac apps and programs that might be available for your computer.

Here's how to check if you have any updates available, and if so, how to install them:

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Macbook pro (from $1,299.99 at best buy), how to update your safari browser on a mac computer.

1. Click the Apple logo in the top-left corner of the screen and selecting "System Preferences."

2. Select "System Updates" — it's marked with a gear icon.

3. Your computer will then check if there are any updates or upgrades available for your Mac.

4. If there are upgrades available, click "Upgrade Now" to continue.

To make things easier, you can tick the box next "Automatically keep my Mac up to date" so that you won't have to worry about making updates in the future.

If you have an older MacOS version, like High Sierra, Sierra, or El Capitan, for example, you would be able to check for updates by going to the App Store — which can also be accessed via the Apple menu in the top-left corner of the screen.

From there, toggle over to the "Updates" section, if necessary, and click "Update," next to Safari (if available), or "Update All" if multiple updates are available.

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How to update Safari — Get the latest browser updates on iOS and macOS

Get the latest features on your Safari browser

Safari is the third-most popular browser, following gold medal-holding Google Chrome and relatively new silver medalist Microsoft Edge . Safari offers various features that keep its users happy and secure. However, occasional updates are still necessary to ensure that you get the best experience from your Safari browser. This article will teach you how to update your Safari manually.

Safari often updates multiple times in a year. It does this to patch new security vulnerabilities and stop attacks from hackers. However, there are times when updates may include new functionalities or changes to the look of the system.

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By default, Safari updates without any action required from you. However, if you need to update Safari manually, you have come to the right place. Below are the steps to update Safari on macOS and iOS .

How to Manually Update Safari on macOS

1. To update your browser on macOS, click on the Apple menu and select System Preferences . This will open the System Preferences window.

2. Next, click on Software Update and wait for your device to load.

3. Select any updates related to your Safari browser. If none are shown, it means that your Safari is already up-to-date.

How to Manually Update Safari on iOS Devices

1. The steps to update Safari on iOS differ from those on macOS. Here, the first thing you need to do is open your Settings app.

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2. Go to the General section.

3. Click on Software Update . Wait for your iOS device to load and select the updates related to Safari. You now have the safest and latest version of your browser.

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How To Update Safari On Your Mac: A Step-By-Step Guide

The buttons of the Apple internet browser app Safari

It's no secret that Safari is the go-to browser for many Mac users . Sure, other browsers like Google Chrome have their advantages , especially if you're deep into Google's ecosystem, but using third-party browsers other than Safari on your Mac has downsides. Safari is optimized for macOS and integrates seamlessly with your other Apple devices like your iPhone and iPad by using Handoff.

If you've been a part of the Apple ecosystem for a while now, you're probably aware of Handoff, a very convenient Apple feature that allows you to begin a task on one of your devices, and pick up where you left off on another device.

Safari is no exception — Handoff allows you to start reading or watching something on your iPhone or iPad, and pick up where you left off on your Mac. This not only saves you the time of looking for a webpage but also makes jumping from one task to another extremely simple. Like any application, keeping Safari up to date is extremely important. Not only do new Safari updates come with newer features, but Apple also frequently rolls out updates to address security threats.

Now that you know it is a good idea to install Safari updates whenever they're rolled out, the real question is: How do you update Safari? Strangely enough, if your Apple device is updated to macOS Ventura or later , the only way to update Safari is to update your Mac itself.

How to update macOS

While you can't update Safari without updating macOS, you can check which version of Safari you're currently using. To do so, open the Safari app on your Mac and click on Safari from the menu bar. Now, select About Safari from the dropdown menu. Once you do so, a dialogue box will appear. The version of Safari you're currently using should be mentioned below the "Safari" text.

If you'd like to update Safari, follow the steps below to update macOS:

Click the Apple menu in the menu bar and select System Settings from the dropdown menu.

Select General from the sidebar on the left.

Click Software Update and wait for a few seconds.

Now, if a new update is available, click Update Now next to Updates Available.

If a Safari-specific update is available, you can click More Info and select Safari from the "Updates are available for your Mac" section.

To avoid having to update macOS manually to update Safari, we recommend enabling automatic updates. This way, you won't miss out on new features and can rest easy, knowing that Apple has fixed any known security threats . To do so, click the info icon next to Automatic updates and toggle on the switch next to Download new updates when available, Install macOS updates, and Install Security Responses and system files.

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How to update the Safari browser on your Mac

Apple has been consistent in updating Safari with new features in the past years, including performance enhancements and some whopping privacy upgrades . The MacOS Monterey update is also giving its browser a new look with Safari 15, a version that includes new web code support for more advanced pages, Passkey support for the iCloud Keychain, highlights to emphasize important information, and a whole lot more.

Step 1: Head to the App Store

Step 2: check your updates, step 3: update safari if available, step 4 (optional): add safari extensions.

If you don’t have automatic updates turned on or are delaying certain updates for your Mac, you may not be able to benefit from the latest features right away. The solution is to manually update Safari itself — and fortunately, it’s quite easy to take care of. Here’s how to do it.

Log into your Mac and go to the App store. You can easily open it by selecting the Apple icon in the top-left corner of the MacOS screen and then select App Store .

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When the App Store first opens, look to the left-side menu. Toward the bottom, you should see a section called Updates . Navigate there to check on the status of available app updates.

The Updates section is divided into several parts depending on the status of your apps. There may be a Pending section for apps that are in queue to be updated but need authorization or more time to complete. There could be an Updates Available section for apps that have available updates that haven’t been started yet. And you may also see a Recently Updated section to check on updates that have been recently applied.

Look for Safari in the Pending or Updates Available sections. If you see it look for a blue Update button to the right of the app. If available, select this to begin your Safari update.

Troubleshooting note: If it looks like something is wrong with Safari, such as a pending update that can’t complete or a notice that says something like Unable to Update Safari , then you should try rebooting your Mac and updating again to see if this helps. If it does not work, you should check on your MacOS updates. If your version of MacOS has fallen behind the latest updates for Safari, it may not be available until you complete a more comprehensive upgrade.

Remember, you can typically use this full MacOS update method to update Safari at any time. However, since a MacOS update requires backing up your data and logging out of everything beforehand, it’s not always a feasible option if you’re in the middle of some long-term work. Updating Safari by itself may be a better option.

If you are excited about a new extension that has recently come to Safari, a standard update won’t include it — you’ll have to add it yourself. In the App Store, select the Categories option in the menu. In the list that appears, select Safari Extensions .

Here, you will be able to view the latest extensions and add them to Safari as you prefer. If you want some ideas, check out our list of the best browser extensions .

Reinstalling Safari

Keep in mind that you can choose to delete Safari entirely. If it looks like Safari has a bug or performance issue, deleting the app and reinstalling it is one method of getting everything up to date while fixing your issue. However, the only way to reinstall Safari this way is to reinstall MacOS altogether. You won’t lose any data, but it will take longer to do, so always be careful when deleting Safari.

A note about Safari on Windows

Yes, you can technically download Safari on Windows. However, since Safari 5, Apple has stopped working on this Windows version of the app, so no updates will be available for it. That also means that security and performance for the Windows version have fallen by the wayside, so we don’t suggest using this app at all.

For more information, you may be interested in checking out our best browsers for Mac , and the best web browsers in general based on their lastest updates!

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How to Update Safari on a Mac

Find out how to update Safari on your Mac to keep the browser running as smoothly and securely as possible.

If privacy, performance, and power efficiency matter to you while browsing online, then you have no reason to use anything other than Safari on your Mac. To get the best possible experience, however, you should install Safari updates when available.

The latest Safari updates come with not only feature enhancements but also critical bug fixes and security patches. Below, we'll teach you how to update Safari on a Mac.

How Do Safari Updates Work?

New Safari updates come bundled with macOS updates. But rather than installing everything, you can choose to apply updates only related to Safari.

Still, it's a good idea to install any other system updates when you have the time to improve the stability of other native apps and the operating system in general. Bug fixes are also one of the important reasons to keep your Mac updated , and that extends to Safari as well.

Additionally, it's not possible to update Safari to the most recent version unless you use a relatively new version of macOS. For example, you can't experience the newest Safari features if you don't have the latest version of macOS installed on your Mac.

But you can still apply the latest minor updates for older Safari versions regardless. Since the way to update Safari varies slightly between macOS versions, be sure to check which macOS version is installed on your Mac before processing.

How to Update Safari in macOS Ventura and Later

The process of updating Safari on the Mac is straightforward. If you use Safari on a Mac running macOS Ventura or later, you can get the update by visiting the Software Update section in System Settings. Here's what you need to do:

Click the Apple menu in the menu bar and choose System Settings from the dropdown.
Select General from the left pane, and then click Software Update on the right.
Wait for a moment while your Mac scans for new software updates.
Select More Info .
Select Safari-specific updates (if available), then click Install Now.

On the same page, you can also enable automatic updates. That way, you won't have to install updates for your system manually.

How to Update Safari in macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, and Mojave

If your Mac is running macOS Monterey, Big Sur, Catalina, or Mojave, updating Safari is similar to how you would update it in macOS Ventura, except that you'll be using the System Preferences panel. So, follow these steps:

Click the Apple menu in the menu bar and choose System Preferences from the dropdown.
Select Software Update .
Now, click on More Info .
Select any Safari-specific updates if available, and then click Install Now.

How to Update Safari in macOS High Sierra and Earlier

In macOS 10.13 High Sierra and older versions of the Mac operating system, you need to use the Mac App Store to update Safari instead. Follow the instructions below:

Open the App Store app on your Mac.
Head to the Updates tab.
Wait until the Mac App Store scans for new software updates.
Click on More within the Software Update section.
Now, click on Update next to Safari.

Run the Latest Safari Version on Your Mac

Not all Safari updates end up making a big splash on the Mac. In fact, you may barely notice a difference with most of them. But the various under-the-hood improvements from each update do stack up over time.

Despite Apple products usually performing updates flawlessly, there may be times when your computer might get stuck during the update process. But don't worry; there are ways to overcome that obstacle.