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The 28 Best Mac Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier

Not every Apple is without blemish. The macOS operating system is a sweet piece of software, but every Mac ships with a few worms in it. Namely, a suite of stock, lackluster apps. We love macOS itself for its out-of-the-box stability that requires less tinkering than Windows and Linux, so don't ditch the machine. Just take a look instead at these third-party applications to upgrade your macOS experience.

Some are for niche uses, but others fix gaps in vanilla macOS. Many of these apps aren't free, but most have free trials you can check out while you decide whether to buy. It's also common for them to sync with companion apps on your iPhone. They might just make your life a little easier.

Also, be sure to check out our many other guides , including the Best MacBooks , Best iPads , Best iPhones , and How to Back Up Your iPhone .

Updated September 2023: We've added a new top video player, IINA, as well as a new photo viewer, EdgeView 3. We've removed Tweetbot, which was discontinued, and Deliveries, which is losing functionality because of UPS and FedEx changes to their API terms. We've also updated pricing and availability.

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Yes, you can use Split View on macOS to view two applications side by side, but it's nowhere near as intuitive as it is on Microsoft's Windows, where you can simply drag a window to a corner and have it snap into place. This app is worth the $3 if you don't want to mess with resizing window borders constantly. Magnet for $8 is another good option, although now that they've raised the price from $3, BetterSnapTool is a better deal.

If you've ever had to keep wiggling a finger on the trackpad during a movie or YouTube video to stop the screen from going to sleep over and over (or maybe during a particularly long download), you'll appreciate an app that lets you keep the screen on for certain tasks. It even works with external displays. Sure, you can keep going into your system preferences to change the screensaver and hard disk shutdown settings, but that can get tiresome quickly.

The default search tool on macOS isn't bad, but there's room for it to go deeper. Alfred is a supercharged alternative that lets you create custom shortcuts to programs and file folders, activate system commands by typing, create automated custom workflows that begin with the push of a button or a typed phrase, and, well, a lot more. It's free, but you can purchase a version called Powerpack that has more features, such as contacts and app integrations. It costs 29 British pounds (around $37) for a single user license, or £49 (around $62) for a lifetime of free upgrades to subsequent versions of Alfred.

Even though I said some nice things about Apple Music in my guide to the best music streaming apps , I still prefer Spotify as an all-around music streamer. Its interface is arguably the cleanest and most user-friendly in the field, and it has the strongest music discovery algorithms and social components for swapping music with your friends. I take my music too much to heart to put up with advertisements and limited song skips, so I recommend you drop the $10 per month for the Premium tier. Spotify HiFi, with lossless audio quality, has no release date in sight, but unless you're a die-hard audiophile with the ears and listening equipment to detect it, you probably don't need lossless anyway.

AdGuard's stand-alone macOS app lets you choose from and custom-toggle a huge array of filters to block social media extensions, pop-up ads, URL redirects, and a whole lot more. It works not only on your browser but also on other apps you have installed. There's a free two-week trial, but you'll need to pay for a license to use it after the trial expires. For $2.49 a month, you get access to the service on three devices simultaneously.

Tired of paying for Microsoft Office, unimpressed with Apple's default office suite, and unable or unwilling to switch entirely over to Google's G Suite on the cloud for everything? Download LibreOffice, a full-featured suite that includes the usual applications, such as a word processor and spreadsheet editor. It's completely compatible with all the usual Microsoft file types, including legacy formats such as .doc. It's open source and costs nothing to use, even commercially. For goodwill, donate a few bucks if you end up liking it and using it a lot .

OK, OK, I know I just presented a very worthy, free alternative to Microsoft Office, but there are two features that make paying $7 a month for a Microsoft 365 subscription worth it, if you use them. First, Word's included Editor feature, which scans for grammatical mistakes and makes suggestions, is as useful and easy to use as Grammarly. Second, Microsoft quietly rolled out free in-app voice transcription in Word, and it's as accurate as any expensive stand-alone voice transcription software I've used.

I love Ulysses' plain text and clean interface for writing longer stories, but it's also perfect for short stories, novels, poetry, and scripts. It strips away all the unnecessary icons, buttons, and settings and lets you focus on your work. You can get a free trial before committing to the subscription fee. (You can opt for $6 per month instead of the annual payment plan.) If you do shell out, the iOS app is bundled with the macOS version.

Highland is a plain text editor designed primarily for screenplays and stage plays, but there are templates for things like novel writing as well. What's nice is that it'll automatically configure exported scripts in industry-standard formats, and there's a new gender analysis tool that'll break down how many lines are spoken by your characters, categorized by gender. The basic version (which watermarks PDFs with the company logo) is free, but a one-time $50 purchase nets you upgrades and more features, and it gets rid of the intrusive watermark.

Confused about which characters go inside quotation marks and which go outside? Make sure nobody can fault your grammar, spelling, and syntax with Grammarly, an app that works within your browser and on your desktop. Whether you're writing in an email client, word processor, or another app, Grammarly works across all of them. Although there's a free version, stepping up to the $12-per-month Premium version takes a much more active role and offers full-sentence rewrites, vocabulary ideas, and tone suggestions. Plus, even though Microsoft Word has an editor just as useful, you can use Grammarly in Word through an easy-to-install plug-in.

Journaling is a meditative experience, but if you're like me and your handwriting looks like an SOS message carved into a rock, you tend to avoid writing on paper. Day One is a great digital journaling experience that lets you insert photos, save voice recordings, and export your logs in various formats, like PDFs. Your journal entries are end-to-end encrypted, automatically backed up, and secured with a passcode or biometrics too. There's a free version, but it's severely limited, so you're better off paying the $35 per year for the full suite of features. There's a seven-day free trial available.

Working in a noisy place—or a dead-quiet one—can be monumentally distracting. There's now a free tier for Dark Noise, which comes with 8 built-in sounds. You get Siri integration, infinite looping, shortcuts, and a timer, but if you want the ability to custom-mix all 50 built-in sounds to create the perfect audio illusions, you'll have to step up to Dark Noise Pro for $20 per year. Whether “perfect” to you is raindrops falling on a tent or a box fan thrumming away on a windowsill, or even if you're not under audio attack, a smooth layer of background noise might boost your concentration. There's an option for a one-time purchase of $50 if you're certain you'll use it for at least three years.

VLC Media Player

If you need a heavy-duty image viewer that lets you edit and view metadata, batch-process catalogs of RAW image files, and set up automated processes to sort and classify photos for you, then step up to ApolloOne. This is a program for serious photographers—or at least people who take a lot of pictures and want to organize them. The 14-day free trial has limits on what you can do, but it's a good way to see if you'll want to pay $12 a year for the Standard Edition or $20 a year for the Pro Edition. (You can use the free trial past 14 days if you don't mind the annoying pop-up reminders to subscribe.) Another alternative is XnView MP for free .

I've found Lightroom to strike the right balance between depth of powerful editing tools and intuitive user interface, with all the options for tweaking color contrast, color temperature, distortion, and more. You have to step up to the $20-per-month plan to edit and store images on your desktop, rather than just work off 1 TB of storage in Adobe's Cloud, but it also comes packaged with Photoshop. If you're serious about your photography editing, this is the package to get. Although Photoshop's learning curve is steep, it's an industry standard for powerful photograph-manipulation tools. Paying for one license allows you to use it on any device, from mobile to tablet to computer. There's a seven-day free trial if you'd like to get your feet wet before committing.

As common as PDFs are, computers sure make it hard to use them. While the days of having to download a separate program just to read them are over, you still need a robust stand-alone tool to fill in fields and sign your digital signature on PDF forms. Next time somebody sends you a PDF to sign and fill out, forget going through the trouble of printing it, signing it, and scanning it back in. Use Adobe Reader and be done within minutes.

Our previous recommendation, Xee³, hasn't been updated since December 2021, so we've moved to this lightweight image viewer. Like Xee³, it doesn't come with all the options and clutter of more advanced programs, but it's nicer to use if you don't need all those features. The interface is clean and intuitive, but you can browse through folders of images and move photographs more easily than with the stock photo viewer. It reminds me of Windows Photo Viewer—in a good way.

This slick video player looks as if it could've been designed by Apple itself, blending seamlessly into the macOS design scheme. It plays many more types of file formats and codecs than the stock player, including online streams and YouTube playlists. VLC Media Player , which is free, is also a great video player. An oldie from 2001, it's been continually supported, although its interface looks dated by now.

From the folks who brought us Evernote , Skitch one-ups macOS' built-in Screenshot app. Once you capture a screenshot of a program window, a portion of the screen, or the whole screen, you can edit and annotate it with arrows, shapes, textual callouts, and more. You can also pixelate (make fuzzy) portions of an image to obscure sensitive information, or to draw focus.

Paprika Recipe Manager

Tidying up folders is a slog, and sorting all your files into place never ends because you have to keep doing it over and over as you continue using your computer. That's where Hazel steps in. You tell it which folders to watch—say, your Downloads folder—and it'll automatically move files to new destination folders and sort them by name, date, type, what site they came from, and more. Newly created or downloaded files are moved automatically. It's a one-time purchase.

Instead of having to sign in to all your email, workflow, and social media accounts with individual browser tabs, you can link all of them into Shift. That means having just one app window open for all your work tasks. You can hook up Gmail, Slack, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, Airbnb, LinkedIn, Spotify, Google Docs, and more (plus Chrome extensions!). The Advanced tier unlocks everything you'll want for, uh, $149 per year. That's a $50 raise since the last time we updated this guide. Try the basic (and free) tier first.

Apple iCloud actually works well for most users who simply need a way to have files and photographs accessible on the cloud. But iCloud is clunky on non-Apple devices. Dropbox works more seamlessly if you have a mix of Apple, Android, and Windows devices. It also offers a better file preview window, as well as Microsoft Office integration. You get up to 2 GB of storage with the free version of Dropbox, which is enough for simple files, such as document files, but you need to let go of $12 per month for the cheapest paid plan if you want to store bigger files. That'll get you a cool 2 TB of storage, as well as document recovery for previous versions of files from the past 30 days. One thing Dropbox is not is a backup app. Files in Dropbox mirror the ones on your computer folder, so if you delete it on the desktop, it deletes from the cloud, too, so find another app if you're hoping to use the cloud to back up your data.

Hear me out on this one. This staple of the corporate world might give you flashbacks to your workplace, but it makes for a great organizational chat platform to keep hobbyist groups close (but not too close). There's less pressure to respond immediately than with texts, and unlike WhatsApp groups, there are plenty of options to filter out intrusions when you don't want to be disturbed. You can set do-not-disturb times, get notifications when somebody sends you a direct message or mentions you in a channel, and mute certain channels entirely.

If you need more from your note-taking app than bread-and-butter checklists and wish you could scribble in your own handwriting, upload pictures, and scan documents, Evernote is your app. To sync across more than two devices, have access offline, and upload more than 60 megabytes a month, you have to pay $15 a month for the Personal tier or $18 a month for the Professional tier.

Save recipe web pages and Paprika automatically formats them into a uniform design. All your recipes are organized in folders, and you can use the app's interactive features to check off ingredients as you cook and scale up or down the ingredients needed for different serving sizes. There's an iOS app and an Android app, but you have to buy each separately for $5. It's also available on Windows for $30, so you can sync recipes across multiple platforms.

Beyond adding functionality, you can also boost your security. It has nothing to do with using a Mac and everything to do with using computers and mobile devices in general. To guard against data snoops and identity thieves, I highly recommend paying for a virtual private network (VPN) . While reviewer Scott Gilbertson recommends Surfshark, my personal favorite is NordVPN. It's one of the most popular VPNs, thanks to its fast speeds, wide variety of servers across the world, and a setting that makes it automatically connect whenever you're on an untrusted Wi-Fi network.

You know that password you have? Yeah, that same password you put into every one of your hundreds of website accounts? It's easy for intruders to breach one website account and then use that stolen password to access all of your others. Download a password manager , which will generate complex, secure, and unique passwords for each website and remember them all for you. Spring for Dashlane's Advanced tier at $3 per month. It lets you sync your passwords across an unlimited number of devices (including iOS and iPadOS devices), rather than just the one device for the free version.

Keeping up with the browser wars can sometimes feel like watching the Indianapolis 500. One browser takes the lead in privacy or speed, and then another browser releases a new software version and pulls ahead. Then a third one flies in out of nowhere and edges them both out. Vivaldi has reliably been among the strongest protectors of user privacy. It comes with a built-in RSS reader, calendar, email client, and translation tool so you can use these tools in-browser and not have to resort to the third-party apps that send your usage data to their server farms. Read senior product writer Scott Gilbertson's piece on why Vivaldi is the best browser if you need more convincing.

You should back up your files regularly in several places for redundancy, both on physical hard drives and on a secure cloud service such as Amazon AWS or BackBlaze. There's a saying that if data doesn't exist in three places, it doesn't really exist at all. MSP 360 is a free app that automatically backs up your data to a separate cloud-based backup service, such as Amazon AWS S3 or Backblaze B2 . You have to make those accounts separately and set them up, but once you do that it's a set-it-and-forget-it operation. Unless you have loads of huge files, such as videos and raw-format photographs, you'll likely only have to pay a buck or two per month for either one.

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• 4.0 • 2.7K Ratings

Screenshots

Description.

Explore the web with lightning-fast speed, powerful privacy protections and robust customisation options. With Safari, you can browse sites, translate web pages and access your tabs across iOS, iPadOS and macOS. Features • Passwords, bookmarks, history, tabs and more seamlessly sync across iPhone, iPad and Mac • Private Browsing mode doesn’t save your history and keeps your browsing your business • Intelligent Tracking Prevention prevents trackers from following you across websites you visit • Tab Groups let you save and organise your tabs and access them across iOS, iPadOS and macOS • Profiles help keep your browsing history, website data and more separate between topics like work and personal • Shared Tab Groups help you share tabs and collaborate with family and friends • Extensions allow you to personalise Safari and add even more functionality to the browser • Reader formats articles for easy reading without ads, navigation or other distracting items • Privacy Report shows known trackers that have been blocked from tracking you • Reading List easily saves articles for you to read later • Voice Search lets you search the web using just your voice • Web page translation converts entire web pages into other languages directly in the browser • Handoff effortlessly passes what you’re doing in Safari from one device to another • Add to Home Screen allows you to quickly launch a website or web app from your Home Screen

Ratings and Reviews

2.7K Ratings

Hello, I’m Skylah and Safari has always been here when I was confused on something the thing is I have dyslexia and I am getting my sister to write this for me and it would really help if there was text to speech on everything for dyslexia people, so all I am saying is make a dyslexia setting so people can still be able to understand what they’re looking at. From Skylah

Inappropriate

This is my review that safari should be Able to remove as it has many inappropriate websites that kids under 18 are not allowed to watch apple please fix this and create a block for all phones on inappropriate websites that are not good for children’s health I recommend it. Secondly this is the worst update I believe listen apple they may be people in the world above 18 but it doesn’t mean just add random stuff whenever it is not the purpose of the phone as it is supposed to be used for better stuff like the widgets their helpful but this websites is straight up madness so it’s please apple make a phone that has an inappropriate blocker and please block those who try do inappropriate stuff that is not life but is addicting. Oh yea one more thing please make i specific app that can be used for websites there are to many that even my friend had to download them just to take up space. And please stop producing phones as it takes to much resource from the earth that we might need for much important stuff than building a piece of iron and gadgets that are useless!!

Jury Is Still Out.

I’m starting to get the hang of the new layout after the latest update, now if I could just retrain my muscle memory I’d actually enjoy the browser. There appears to be a glitch, at least with my set up. (iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 15.1.1) I open a website, and it is hit and miss the next time I open the app as to whether the last page I opened will appear, or the page prior to that will open. Even if the second last page visited was on a second tab that I closed before closing the app, it will often appear on the open tab when reloading the app. It’s not a persistent system screen shot like some people have seen, as it doesn’t disappear after a few seconds, and functions as the page. No idea if it’s a glitch, or I need to clear the cache. (Something that requires browsing the web, because the app doesn’t include a “Clear cache” option.

App Privacy

The developer, Apple , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy .

Data Linked to You

The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:

• User Content
• Identifiers

Data Not Linked to You

The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:

• Browsing History
• Diagnostics

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

English, Arabic, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian Bokmål, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Slovak, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Traditional Chinese, Turkish, Ukrainian, Vietnamese

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• Privacy Policy

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Download apps from the App Store on your Mac

Use the App Store to discover apps for your Mac that you'll love.

How to download apps for Mac

Open the App Store app.

Browse or search for the app that you want to download.

Click the price or Get button. If you see the Open button instead of a price or Get button, you already bought or downloaded that app.

In the App Store, if an app has a Get button instead of a price, the app is free. You won't be charged for downloading a free app. Some free apps offer in-app purchases and subscriptions that you can buy. Subscriptions and in-app purchases give you access to more features, content, and more. Learn more about in-app purchases and subscriptions .

How to find apps that you bought

Use Launchpad to open apps that you downloaded . Some apps might ask you to download Rosetta before you open the app .

If the app that you want doesn't appear in Launchpad, redownload the app . When you redownload an app, you don't have to pay for it again.

If you want to download an app that a family member bought from the App Store, redownload the app . Make sure that you're both using Family Sharing.

If you’re using a Mac with Apple silicon, you might be able to use some iPhone or iPad apps that you purchased on your Mac. Determine whether you're using a Mac with Apple silicon , then redownload the iPhone or iPad app onto your Mac.

If you can't find the App Store

Look for the App Store in these two places.

In the Dock

Look for the App Store icon in the Dock.

In the menu at the top of your screen

If you don't see the icon in the Dock, choose Apple  menu > App Store from the menu at the top of your computer screen.

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12 great apps ready for your new 2021 Mac

Make your mac more useful and easier to use.

By Chaim Gartenberg

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With Apple’s fancy new MacBook Pros , its colorful new iMacs , and of course, 2020’s still-excellent M1 MacBook Air all offering incredible performance and battery life, it’s never been a better time to give (or receive) a new Mac.

And as more and more people are shifting to remote work, that laptop or computer you buy has to do more than ever. So we’ve rounded up some of our favorite Mac apps, designed to help you be more productive or to simply just make using your computer and navigating day-to-day life and Zoom calls a little more enjoyable.

Pixelmator Pro

Adobe Photoshop is a key tool for image and photo editing, but it’s super expensive, thanks to its monthly $9.99 subscription. Pixelmator Pro, on the other hand, has a one-time fee of $19.99 while still offering tons of powerful tools for editing your photos. The latest update added a host of useful new features, including the ability to instantly remove the background from an image and improved masking and selection tools.

Pixelmator Pro offers tons of powerful tools for editing your photos while costing less than Adobe’s app.

Spark is one of my favorite email apps for mobile, and the company’s Mac app is just as great, offering a fast UI, helpful automated sorting, and tons of customization for power users. And it supports Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, Yahoo, Exchange, and more, along with integrations for popular work services like Trello, Asana, Zoom, and GoToMeeting. No one likes having to deal with email, but Spark makes it a little easier to get it done.

Spark is one of the best email apps for mobile, and the company’s Mac app is just as great, offering a fast UI, helpful automated sorting, and tons of customization for power users. 

Twitter’s official app exists and is free, but Tweetbot is infinitely better if you’re the kind of person that spends a lot of time on Twitter. The paid app has no ads or suggested tweets clogging up your timeline — instead, it just offers the revolutionary feature of showing all the tweets from the people you follow in the chronological order that they tweeted it. The app looks great, too, with a clean, simple interface that makes reading Twitter almost enjoyable.

Twitter’s official app is free, but Tweetbot is infinitely better if you’re the kind of person that spends a lot of time on Twitter. 

Alfred 4 for Mac

Like many apps on this list, Alfred does something that one of Apple’s built-in apps already does — in this case, search your computer. But Alfred is way better: a lightning-fast search tool and app launcher that supports virtually endless customization, including automated workflows, bespoke Google searches, or whatever else you can think of. Once you use it for a few days, you’ll never be able to go back to Spotlight again.

 Alfred is a lightning-fast search tool and app launcher that supports virtually endless customization.

It happens to everyone sooner or later: after a few years of accumulating photos, videos, music, and other random documents, you start to get the dreaded notifications that you’re running out of room on your hard drive. DaisyDisk is meant to help — it scans your computer and shows you just how much storage you’re using, broken down by files and folders in neat, colorful rings that make it simple to dial down to the junk that’s taking up all your space and clear out your computer.

DaisyDisk scans your computer and shows you just how much storage you’re using, broken down by files and folders in neat, colorful rings.

Your passwords probably aren’t secure enough. 1Password will help you fix that, generating ultra-secure passwords and keeping track of everything. With deep integration into both Safari and Chrome, a clean UI, and tons of useful added features for protecting not just passwords but credit cards, documents, and more, it’s a one-stop shop for securing your digital life. An individual subscription is $36 per year, but if you have more than one person in your household, you’re probably better off with the five-person family subscription for $60 per year that adds the option to share passwords, too.

1Password generates ultra-secure passwords and keeps track of everything.

Authy Desktop

If you’re not using two-factor authentication for your important passwords and log-ins, go do that now. Authy is one of the better apps around for your two-factor setup, with cross-platform apps on iOS and Android. The Mac app does exactly what the mobile versions do: it gets you your 2FA codes when you need to log in. But it’s far more helpful, due to its being on the computer that you’re probably trying to log into something on.

Authy is one of the better apps around for your two-factor setup, with cross-platform apps on iOS and Android. 

MonitorControl

As more people shift towards working remotely, there’s been a big uptick in building out home offices and using an external monitor. MonitorControl is a nifty little menubar app that lets you control your external display’s brightness and volume (if it has built-in speakers) using your Mac’s function keys, just like on Apple’s own hardware.

MonitorControl is a nifty little menubar app that lets you control your external display’s brightness and volume using your Mac’s function keys.

Hand Mirror

Video calls are a bigger part of the day-to-day workplace than ever before. Hand Mirror is a simple app that lives in your Mac’s menubar and is designed to help you look your best on calls: a single click, and it launches a quick window that shows what the current view from your webcam is, letting you double-check that you’ve moved all the workout gear or messy laundry from your background or that your hair is neat before you start your Zoom call.

Hand Mirror is a simple app that lives in your Mac’s menubar that’s designed to help you look your best on calls.

Managing your menubar apps can get out of hand pretty quickly (especially if you just installed any of the ones that we’re recommending here). And it’s only become a bigger problem thanks to Apple’s new MacBook Pro models, which eat up a big chunk of your menubar real estate with a hefty webcam notch. Well, Dozer is here to help. It’s a free app that makes it easy to hide all the menubar icons for things you want open but don’t necessarily need to have visible all the time. If you prefer a little more flash, there’s also Bartender , which costs $15 but offers a fancier design.

A free app that makes it easy to hide all the menubar icons for things you want open, but don’t necessarily need to have visible all the time.

Meeter is another menubar app that’s designed to help with one thing: wrangling all your different Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, Teams, and other video calls into a single place, with one-click links to join whatever meetings you have scheduled. The free app links to your Mac’s built-in Calendar app and can pull in any video calls it sees, putting them in a handy drop-down menu, complete with notifications to remind you to join before your call starts.

Meeter is designed to help with one thing: wrangling all your different Zoom, Google Meet, Webex, Teams, and other video calls into a single place, with one-click links to join whatever meetings you have scheduled.

Local media playback isn’t the critical function it once was, thanks to the rise of streaming as the main way of consuming movies, TV shows, and music. But for those times that you do need to play a local audio or video file, there’s still no better app than VLC, which can handle virtually any file format or codec you’ve ever heard of and quite a few that you haven’t. Plus, it’s completely free.

A free audio / video app that supports a variety of codecs, so it should play anything you throw at it.

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The best Mac apps help you get more out of your Mac by enhancing its strengths and shoring up weaknesses. These are the apps that make it easier and more enjoyable to use your Mac, boosting your productivity and helping you get more out of your device.

With that in mind, we've pulled together this list of our favorite apps to install on a new Mac. Regardless of whether you own a laptop or desktop, these apps will help you make the most out of your Mac.

Many of these apps are freely available on the Mac App Store, which you can access by clicking the App Store icon on your Mac's dock (if you can't find it, you can also open the Apple menu in the top-left corner and launch the App Store from there). The App Store is packed with thousands of apps of varying quality, which is why we've relied on our own hands-on experience and user reviews to compile this list of the best Mac apps you can get to enhance the best MacBooks on the market.

Best Mac apps you can download right now

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Tom's Guide's own Mark Spoonauer describes Rectangle as the best Mac app you’ve never heard of . And it's actually free, too. Which, honestly, it should be: Rectangle helps you manage and organize all of your many windows, with a laundry list of keyboard shortcuts and the ability to snap windows to corners and sides of the screen. This is all the kind of stuff that Windows users get by default and have loved for years. While there's a $10 Pro edition of Rectangle, the free version is definitely the one most should start with.

Download Rectangle

Bear is a free note-taking app that's versatile, encrypted and easy to use. While Apple continues to make meaningful improvements to its own free Notes app, Bear does a lot of what Notes does better, and with a bigger priority on your privacy. The free version of Bear lets you write notes and to-dos in portable Markdown, organize notes with nested tags, pull assets (like images or text) from web pages into your notes, and even draw or dictate notes using a stylus (for drawing) or Apple Watch (for dictation). If you subscribe to the upgraded Bear Pro version ($14.99/year) you get even more useful features, like the ability to sync notes between devices, encrypt individual notes with a password, or lock the Bear app with Face/Touch ID.  

Download Bear

Fantastical

Sure, your Mac already has a built-in calendar, but Fantastical does it better. This award-winning app has long been a favorite of ours, and at least one Tom's Guide editor swears by it as a productivity tool. The free version of Fantastical offers a slick, easy-to-use calendar that makes it easy to organize your tasks and see what's coming up with a glance. If you're willing to pay a monthly fee, you can subscribe to the upgraded version that offers more useful features, including cross-platform Fantastical access and syncing across Mac, iPhone, iPad , and Apple Watch. 

Download Fantastical

You can do better than the default Mail app on macOS, and Spark is one of the best alternatives. This free email client offers a number of handy features the competition doesn't, including a suite of tools that make it easy for multiple people to manage an inbox by doing things like assigning emails to each other or composing emails collaboratively in real time. It also offers excellent tools for organizing your inbox, scheduling emails, and finding exactly the message you're looking for using a natural language search engine. You can also find stellar Spark clients on iOS and Android, making it a great tool for managing email across multiple devices.

Download Spark

Alfred 4 is the latest and greatest version of Alfred, a better way to search for files on your Mac and the web at large. But Alfred is more than a search tool: you can use it to launch apps, look up spelling and definitions, do quick calculations, and generally make the most of your new Mac. The best part? It's free, though you can pay a one-time fee to buy a license and upgrade to a version with more powerful features, including the ability to play music from iTunes, create workflows and hotkeys, customize Alfred's look, and more.

Download Alfred 4

DaisyDisk is one of the best disk space managers for Mac because it's powerful, versatile and beautiful to look at. This $10 app will quickly scan your storage drive(s) to show you a gorgeous interactive map of how your Mac's storage space is being used, and its drag-and-drop tools make it easy to quickly move files around and clear up some space. Plus, the latest version now supports scanning drives on cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.

Download DaisyDisk

Meeter is a handy little app that sits in your Mac's menu bar and organizes all your video calls in one place, whether they be on BlueJeans, FaceTime, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, Zoom or about thirty other video-conferencing platforms. In normal times Meeter is ideal for remote workers, but during the COVID-19 pandemic it's a useful app for anyone who regularly hops on video calls with family and friends. The free version connects to your calendar and automatically pulls in details for your upcoming calls, making it easy to quickly see what you have coming up and join with a single click — no more rooting through your email to find the right meeting link. 

Download Meeter

CleanShot X

CleanShot X is a turbocharged screen-capturing tool for Macs, and if you spend a lot of time capturing pics or video of your desktop it's a real life-changer. The basic version costs $29 and gives you a more powerful suite of screen-capturing tools that make it easy to quickly snap a pic, edit or annotate it, combine it with other screenshots, and share it with whoever you need to via drag-and-drop. You can also record video of your screen (even while scrolling) with the option to capture your clicks, your keystrokes, or your webcam, then quickly upload that recording to the cloud or turn it into a GIF. Upgrade to the $8/month Pro version for unlimited cloud storage (the basic version gives you just 1GB), custom domain and branding options, and more.

Download CleanShot X

Pixelmator Pro

With a $40 asking price, Pixelmator Pro isn't the cheapest photo editing app on the App Store, but it's certainly one of the best. As of this writing it offers more than 50 image editing tools (including a full set of vector tools), including some pretty neat options like photo editing tools that tap into the power of machine learning. It's a strong competitor to Adobe Photoshop, with the added bonus that you only have to pay for Pixelmator Pro once, whereas Adobe wants to charge you a monthly subscription fee to use its best photo editing tools.

Download Pixelmator Pro

Apple's own iMovie isn't the most robust or professional video editor on the market (those honors go to expensive software like Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro), but it's one of the easiest to use. More importantly, it's free, whereas most full-featured video editors will cost you $100 or more. Since iMovie is Apple software it may well already be installed on your Mac, but if not, you can easily grab it from the App Store to do some quick video editing at up to 4K resolution.

Download iMovie

Sure, you can log into Instagram via your web browser of choice, but it's not exactly the most ideal way to browse the image-sharing service. Enter Grids, a free app that makes browsing Instagram on your Mac a much more enjoyable experience. It has a nice clean interface that loads quickly, and you can use it to view Instagram photos and videos in a variety of layouts. There's also a handy enlarged view mode for when you want to zoom in. The only downside is that some of the standard features of Instagram (like being able to direct message other users or watch their Stories) are only available in Grids if you subscribe to the Pro version, which is $2.50/month on a month-to-month basis or $1/month if you buy a yearly subscription.

Download Grids

If you use Twitter frequently, Tweetbot is a must-have app for Mac. This $10 app makes the experience of using Twitter much more enjoyable by giving you access to a powerful suite of filters that can help you block out spoilers, sponsored tweets, and more. It has a slick user interface with that makes it easy to track hashtags, switch between accounts, and jot down notes on user profiles that only you can see. 

Download Tweetbot

If you're not already using Apple Music to kick out the jams, chances are good you're a Spotify user. Even if you aren't yet, Spotify makes it easy to set up a free account and start listening to your favorite artists, and the macOS desktop app gives you more control over your playlists than the web app in a slick, easy-to-navigate design. 

Download Spotify

If you want to play games on your Mac, it's a good idea to download Steam. Launched by Valve nearly two decades ago, Steam has grown to become one of the biggest PC game platforms in the world. Not every game on Steam is compatible with macOS, but Steam makes it easy to filter through its 50,000+ games to see which ones run on Macs. There are lots of amazing options too, including everything from Sid Meier's Civilization VI and Stardew Valley to Cuphead, Hades, Disco Elysium and more. Plus, you can connect a compatible Bluetooth controller for some old-fashioned gamepad gaming on your new Mac.

Download Steam

When you absolutely, positively must play a video file and you're not sure Apple's QuickTime player will support it, VLC is the first media player you should download. It's one of the best media players on the market because it supports so many different types of multimedia, including DVDs, audio/video CDs, and file formats like Xvid, DivX, Real Video, and more — including Ogg Vorbis, a personal favorite. The best part? It's free, open-source, and available across multiple platforms, including iOS.

Download VLC

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Alex Wawro is a lifelong tech and games enthusiast with more than a decade of experience covering both for outlets like Game Developer, Black Hat, and PC World magazine. A lifelong PC builder, he currently serves as a senior editor at Tom's Guide covering all things computing, from laptops and desktops to keyboards and mice. 

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• Jessie.F From the list above I use CleanShot X for screen-capturing while scrolling, great feature. I used Bear for a while, but recently stayed with Notes. I also use an SideNotes app, which is not mentioned here, where I store all the handy stuff like links, files or snippets. I can't imagine my Mac without it. (No subscription, one-time payment of $20.) Reply
• foxhoundsteven Calendar: BusyCal (& BusyContacts) is a powerful alternative (busymac.com) Photo editing: You should give a try to Affinity Photo which is a great Photoshop challenger. There are also Affinity Designer and Affinity Publisher. Video player: Movist is fully macOS designed and more powerful than VLC or IINA. Reply
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How-To Geek

The best browser for mac users (and safari alternatives).

Is Safari really the best choice, and what are the best alternatives?

Key Takeaways

• Safari is highly optimized for Apple hardware, but it may have limited web app compatibility and fewer extensions compared to browsers like Chrome.
• Firefox is a privacy-conscious alternative to Safari, offering features like Do Not Track and blocking invisible trackers. Chrome is the most popular browser, known for its compatibility and wide range of extensions, but it may compromise privacy. Consider trying other browsers like Edge and Vivaldi, or unique options like Arc for a different browsing experience.

Your choice of web browser can have a big impact on your Mac experience. From integration with the services you use to power efficiency and reliability, here’s how to decide which is best for you.

Safari is (Arguably) the Best Mac Browser

There are a few good reasons to pick Safari as your browser of choice if you’re a Mac user, especially if you use other Apple devices like an iPhone or iPad . It might surprise you to find out that you’re not alone, with Safari being the second most popular browser on the web thanks to its inclusion on both mobile and desktop devices.

Apple tightly optimizes Safari for use exclusively on Apple hardware. This means that Safari is highly power efficient on a Mac. When Apple gives an estimate of battery life on its latest Mac models for performing activities like “wireless web” they’re specifically referring to the use of Safari. The company is in a position where both the hardware and the software are designed in unison, so Apple is not bound by thousands of different hardware possibilities.

That helps Safari remain performant on Apple hardware too, a fact you can see for yourself using browser benchmarks like Speedometer 2.0 . In use, Safari feels snappy. The UI is small and non-intrusive, and you can even customize the toolbar using the right-click menu as you can other native Apple apps.

Safari is also loaded with familiar features and technology. iCloud makes it possible to share tab groups, browsing sessions, bookmarks, a Reading List, and even extensions with your iPhone or iPad. The Share menu works just as it does on the iPhone. Continuity makes it possible to quickly jump between devices by placing a small icon in your Mac dock.

Apple’s services work especially well in Safari. You can log in with your Apple ID using your fingerprint, pay for items using Apple Pay right in your browser, and use a variety of Shortcuts actions to build workflows that work using Safari .

Apple also makes it easy to add extensions using the Mac App Store. This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it adds an additional layer of protection against potentially harmful extensions. You can still choose to install unsigned extensions by enabling the Develop menu if you want.

In terms of privacy, Safari isn’t the best browser you can get your hands on but it’s far from the worst. The browser works with Apple’s iCloud Private Relay for iCloud+ subscribers, which anonymizes web requests using a two-step process . Do Not Track is enabled by default, and it provides partial protection against trackers.

You can’t get rid of Safari from your Mac, so it’s ready and waiting for you with every new Apple computer purchase (or every time you reset the operating system ). Apple is always updating and building upon Safari with enhancements, like macOS Sonoma’s ability to turn websites into app-like instances.

Want to Ditch Safari? Here's What to Use Instead

Though Safari is suitable for a wide range of users, it’s far from the last word when it comes to web browsers. It’s convenient and always there if you want it, but it’s not without its critics. One reason you might want to switch is web app compatibility, which can be limited on Safari due to its relatively narrow user base. A lot of Safari users are mobile users, and many services prefer to funnel these users into dedicated apps.

Safari lacks the compatibility of a browser like Chrome or Edge, which means some web apps will simply refuse to work in Safari and demand that you use something else instead. Perhaps worse still, some websites won’t warn you before they refuse to function as intended. You might get glitchy behavior that can be avoided by using another browser.

Safari also isn’t a “platform” quite in the same way that Chrome and similar browsers are. There is a huge range of extensions made with Chrome in mind (including browsers like Edge and Vivaldi), which might make such a platform more desirable if you live inside of browser extensions.

You may even find yourself with no choice but to use an alternative for work or education purposes. Some institutions refuse to support certain browsers, and since Safari is limited to Apple devices it’s easier to tailor an experience to a browser that has cross-platform compatibility.

If privacy is your main concern, Safari might not go far enough to protect you, and you may be tempted to move to something like Firefox instead.

Firefox is the Privacy-Conscious Safari Alternative

Mozilla’s browser is a solid alternative to Safari, with some excellent privacy considerations. Firefox enables Do Not Track by default and blocks both invisible trackers and tracking ads. Firefox even uses DuckDuckGo as its default search engine.

Firefox tests slower than Safari and Chrome in many benchmarks, but how much time this will save you during your daily surfing sessions is up for debate. The browser also enjoys a far wider range of extensions than Safari, though it still falls short of the Chromium family.

Like Safari, Firefox Sync allows you to share browsing sessions and bookmarks with other devices including Windows PCs and mobile platforms like iOS and Android. Firefox remains a browser of choice for those mostly concerned with web privacy and enjoys a loyal (if small) base of users.

Chrome is Number One for Compatibility and Extensions

Google Chrome is the behemoth of web browsers, with more than 60% of all web users choosing to use it. As such, it enjoys excellent compatibility with most websites and web apps, and some even insist on its use (or a similar Chromium-based browser).

Google Chrome fares poorly from a privacy standpoint , with Do Not Track disabled by default, and both invisible trackers and tracking ads able to track you unless you limit this behavior with extensions. On the plus side, there are a huge number of extensions and apps available for Chrome that can help remedy the problem.

Though Chrome has a bit of a reputation for being a resource hog, Google has attempted to address the problem with a feature called Chrome Memory Saver that is designed to purge websites from memory after a period of inactivity. The company also improved Chrome’s energy efficiency with Chrome Energy Saver Mode .

Chromium-Based Browsers Offer Unique Alternatives to Chrome

Chromium is the core open-source browser core on which Chrome and similar projects are built. This means you can have Chrome’s speed, compatibility, and even the full range of extensions without having to use the Google-branded variant.

There are plenty of other Chromium-based browser to choose from, such as Microsoft Edge which falls into the same privacy pitfalls as Chrome; Vivaldi with its customizable interface and email client; and Brave Browser which delivers a slightly confusing combination of cryptocurrency features, opt-in adverts, and privacy considerations.

For a no-frills experience, there’s also vanilla Chromium , the open-source version of Chrome to which Google contributes. Then there are projects like Ungoogled Chromium , which removes dependency on Google services and makes tweaks to enhance privacy.

Alternatively, Try Something Completely Unique

Arc is a browser that does things a little differently than most. Not only does it cull your tabs for you, but it also includes some unique features like side-by-side tab mode, note-taking and whiteboard functionality within the app, and a macOS Spotlight-esque command interface for getting around without touching your mouse.

We reviewed Arc in March 2023 and loved it, though the fledgling browser wasn’t without issues surrounding power consumption and general jitteriness. It’s now out of beta and things have settled down somewhat, so it might be worth a shot if you’re looking for a web browser that helps you stay neat and organized.

It’s far from the only weirdo browser out there though. Colibri is a browser that lacks tabs and emphasizes an uncluttered experience. It’s designed to force you into more mindful browser sessions. Tor is a browser designed for browsing the dark web , but there are other private browsers like Mulvad and Waterfox that you might want to use instead.

The Case for Multiple Browsers

There are so many compelling reasons to use Safari that we think it’s the best choice for most users. Failing that, Firefox offers a solid browsing experience that respects your privacy.

It’s a good idea to have more than one browser installed for those times when you encounter difficulties with your primary choice. On top of this, you can kit a second browser out with extensions that might make certain web operations easier to complete.

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8 iPhone browser apps you should use instead of Safari

By default, the Safari web browser is available on every iPhone, including the iPhone 15 series. Nevertheless, several other web-browsing options can be found on the App Store, each with at least one unique feature that distinguishes it from the others. While some web browser apps like Google Chrome, DuckDuckGo, and Microsoft Edge might already be familiar to you, others such as Aloha and Arc Search may not be.

Google Chrome

Microsoft edge, aloha browser, brave browser, opera browser, duckduckgo private browser, firefox focus, which safari alternative should you choose.

If you’re looking for a Safari alternative, here are our favorite iPhone browser apps you should consider using instead.

Google Chrome is the most popular browser in the world. It stands out as offering one of the best user interfaces for newcomers. Its rapid browsing speed, integration with Google Search, and robust security measures against malware and phishing attempts contribute to its popularity.

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An essential feature of Chrome is the ability to sign in with your Google Account, which allows you to synchronize bookmarks and browsing history across devices where Chrome is active. Chrome also includes a password manager that stores website login details, simplifying the login process without the need to recall numerous credentials. Users can also leverage Google services like Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos to ensure password accessibility across these platforms for convenience.

In short, Google Chrome emerges as the choice for individuals seeking a browsing experience across their range of devices within the Google ecosystem. If you’re a big Google user, this is the way to go.

Download Google Chrome

Arc Search is the latest addition to the selection of mobile web browsers, and it evolved from its desktop version, which was initially launched in 2023. Arc is unique from other web browsers because it uses artificial intelligence (AI) to perform searches on your behalf. Although it may take some time to get used to, the result is an exciting spin on search .

By utilizing the app’s “Browse for Me” functionality, you can view a typical search page with the AI to gather information from six different sources. This will provide a personalized webpage showcasing all the essential details required to answer your search query.

If you do a traditional search, Arc makes it simple to choose your search engine among a list of choices, starting with your iPhone’s default web browser.

Spaces is an exciting feature of Arc Search that lets you organize tabs and themes for a personalized look. Perhaps best of all, Arc Search prioritizes security and privacy and doesn’t track browser activity or search history. It’s one of the more unique Safari alternatives, but if you want a wholly new web-browsing experience, it’s well worth checking out.

Download Arc Search

If you’re already using Microsoft Edge on your Mac or PC, you might find the Microsoft Edge browser helpful. It offers password monitoring, ad tracker blocking, and other features many browsers lack. You can use the InPrivate browsing feature to browse the web without saving your browsing history, cookies, or other data. Microsoft Edge also includes AI capabilities through its Copilot tool, which makes searching easier.

With Microsoft Edge, you can sync your favorites, passwords, and browsing data between your mobile device and other devices. You can also earn rewards points through the Microsoft Rewards program, which you can redeem for various benefits like Starbucks gift cards, a free month of Xbox Game Pass, and more.

Microsoft Edge, even with its AI tools, is best considered a traditional browsing tool for mobile and desktop. That alone means it’s not for everyone. Nonetheless, it’s reliable and stable and gets the job done.

Download Microsoft Edge

Aloha is a web browser that also acts as a private VPN . It comes with an Adblock Plus plug-in to block annoying ads. While it is free, it’s recommended that you purchase one of the premium options after the one-week free trial.

Aloha’s free version includes a VPN that encrypts your internet traffic, making it less likely for you to experience a data breach while browsing anonymously. The built-in ad blocker blocks ads and trackers, improving your browser speed and protecting your privacy. The incognito mode creates a private browsing session that doesn’t save cookies. In addition to its primary function as a VPN service and web browser, Aloha also offers a media player, profile manager, and a Web3 cryptocurrency wallet.

By upgrading to Aloha Premium , you can modify your VPN country selection and configure the VPN to start automatically with the browser. The premium package also extends VPN protection to all devices and includes other premium features. It also removes the occasional ad you’ll see with the free version.

If you want to use Aloha, keep in mind that it currently lacks a desktop version. This means you won’t be able to synchronize your passwords or browsing history across all your devices. If that’s not an issue for you, definitely give this one a look.

Download Aloha

AI technology has now been integrated into the Brave browser — making it one of the better Safari alternatives out there. Brave, also available for desktops, offers features similar to other options on this list — such as Adblock, a rewards system, and a crypto wallet. It also includes a built-in VPN service as a feature, with new users eligible for a free week’s trial of the VPN .

Having used Brave for quite some time, I am consistently impressed by its user interface, which stands out for its creativity. I also find that the built-in news feature enhances the overall mobile web-browsing experience.

On a less positive note, while the Brave VPN functions as expected, it is worth noting that it is priced higher than other options on the market. This aspect should be considered before deciding on an in-app purchase. Even so, Brave still stands out as a fantastic Safari replacement.

Download Brave

Opera has been around for a while and has stayed relevant by incorporating new technology as it arrives. A recent enhancement to Opera is an AI feature called Aria, which aims to assist users in navigating the internet effectively by understanding their queries and responding in natural language.

Aria is currently kept separate from the rest of the browser. This setup isn’t necessarily a drawback; it’s simply Opera’s chosen design. In addition to the AI component, Opera includes web browser functions like bookmarks, privacy mode, synchronization, and more. Opera also boasts an Opera Fast Action Button (FAB), a multi-functional tool that makes navigating and switching between recently opened tabs easier. Finally, Opera provides a VPN service that comes with privacy tools at no cost. Combine all of that with a clean and simple interface, and there’s a lot to like with this one.

Download Opera

DuckDuckGo is an exceptional web browser with a reputation for being the ultimate guardian of user privacy. With its advanced capabilities, DuckDuckGo is designed to keep your online identity under wraps and protect you from the prying eyes of third-party advertisers and data collectors. It does this by automatically blocking trackers hidden in the websites you visit, providing you with a safe and stress-free browsing experience.

DuckDuckGo’s user interface is also user-friendly and allows you to personalize your settings according to your preferences. You can turn off images, use the Fire Button to quickly clear your tabs and browsing data, and customize other settings to make your browsing experience seamless.

One of DuckDuckGo’s most remarkable features is its search engine, which doesn’t track your search history. This means you can search for anything you want without worrying about your searches being stored or used for targeted advertisements. If privacy is a top concern for you, DuckDuckGo should be at the top of your list when searching for a Safari replacement.

Download DuckDuckGo

Firefox Focus is another browser that prioritizes privacy. The browser blocks trackers and ads by default, ensuring that companies do not gather browsing data and habits. This aspect proves beneficial for users who value their privacy.

The browser accelerates page loading times by disabling trackers and data collection, resulting in a better browsing journey. Using Firefox Focus can also reduce mobile data consumption, which is advantageous for users with data plans.

Download Firefox Focus

If you’re not satisfied with the default browser on your iPhone and are looking for an alternative, it’s worth exploring some of the options available.

To make an informed decision, download a few of these browsers and test them to see which works best for you. Consider factors such as speed, ease of use, privacy features, and level of customization. Once you’ve tried them, you’ll be better equipped to choose the browser that best suits your needs.

Happy browsing!

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How to Make an App from a Web Page on Safari

Even with tools like bookmarks and favorites available to you, keeping your web browsing streamlined can still be challenging – especially if your screen tends to be crowded with windows and tabs over time. Luckily, macOS Sonoma adds a nifty feature to Safari called web apps. This tool lets you save a webpage as a web app for easy access from the Dock. This tutorial shows how to make an app from a web page on Safari.

How to Create a Web App in Safari

Where to find your web apps, how to manage web app notifications.

The ability to save a webpage as a Home Screen app has been on the iPhone and iPad for a while. Apple added this feature to Mac with macOS Sonoma. Follow these steps to create your own web app:

Open Safari and navigate to the webpage you want to turn into a web app. Select File -> Add to Dock from the menu bar.

Edit the web app’s name, then click Add .

Your new web app will appear in the Dock. When you visit the website in Safari, a notification will prompt you to open it in the web app. Just click Open to be redirected to it.

You can customize your web app’s settings, including the app’s name, icon, and URL. Open the web app, click its name in the menu bar, and select Settings .

Safari web apps are easy to find via your Dock. However, if you remove them or can’t find them there for any reason, you can access each one in your Applications list or by using Spotlight.

Finding Safari Web Apps in the Applications Folder

Your Mac also saves your web apps in the Applications Folder in your Home folder . Open a new Finder window, then select Applications . You should see all the web apps you’ve made here.

Use Launchpad and Spotlight to Find Web Apps

If you prefer using Launchpad, you can search for a Safari web app on Spotlight by clicking the Search icon in the menu bar and typing in the name of your web app.

For websites that typically give you notifications, such as an email service or a news site, the web app you create for it will ask permission to send you notifications. The website notification request will appear when you first open the web app.

When you open the web app, click Options in the pop-up, and select Allow or Don’t Allow .

How to Fix a Web App With Missing Notifications

If the web app does not ask for notification permission, it’s probably because you’ve already permitted Safari. But you can check these settings at any time.

To check a Safari web app’s permissions, open Safari -> Settings . Click the Websites tab, and select Notifications in the sidebar.

Scroll to find the website for which you’ve created a web app. It will specify whether you allowed or denied notifications.

Once you highlight the website, click Remove at the bottom. Then, close the window.

After you do this, you must remove the web app you previously made and create a new one. Then, open the web app, wait for the pop-up asking for permission for the web app to send you notifications, and respond to it.

Like other apps, you’ll see the number of unread notifications as a red badge on the top-right of the app’s icon. You’ll also see the notifications on your Mac’s Notification Center and lock screen.

You can manage notifications on Mac for your web app just as you would for any other application. Head to System Settings , click Notification in the sidebar, and look for your web app. Modify where and how you want your web app’s notifications to appear.

Streamline Web Browsing

With web apps, you can easily access your favorite websites without contributing to Safari’s clutter. Additionally, directly sending you notifications makes sure you won’t miss anything.

If web apps aren’t for you, you can customize Safari to suit your preferences and needs.

Image credit: Pexels . All screenshots by Rachel Melegrito.

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Rachel Melegrito is a health and tech writer who enjoys educating herself and others about topics that provide value to one's well being, health, and overall productivity.

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What Is The Safari App

• Software & Applications
• Browsers & Extensions

Introduction

The Safari app is a web browser developed by Apple Inc. and is the default browser for all Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. It offers users a seamless and intuitive browsing experience, with a range of features designed to enhance speed, security, and convenience. As one of the leading web browsers in the world, Safari has garnered a loyal user base due to its integration with the Apple ecosystem and its commitment to privacy and user experience.

Safari's sleek interface and user-friendly design make it a popular choice for Apple device users. With its emphasis on speed and efficiency, Safari enables users to navigate the web with ease, whether they are accessing websites, conducting research, or enjoying multimedia content. Additionally, Safari's integration with iCloud allows for seamless synchronization of browsing history, bookmarks, and tabs across multiple Apple devices, ensuring a consistent and personalized browsing experience.

As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the Safari app remains at the forefront of innovation, consistently introducing new features and enhancements to meet the evolving needs of users. Its commitment to privacy and security is evident through features such as Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which safeguards user data and prevents unauthorized tracking by websites and advertisers. Furthermore, Safari's robust security measures, including built-in protection against malicious websites and phishing attempts, contribute to a secure and reliable browsing environment.

In essence, the Safari app represents a cornerstone of the Apple ecosystem, offering users a powerful and versatile web browsing experience that seamlessly integrates with their Apple devices. With its focus on speed, privacy, and user-centric design, Safari continues to set the standard for web browsers, catering to the diverse needs of Apple users worldwide.

History of the Safari App

The history of the Safari app traces back to the early 2000s when Apple recognized the need for a proprietary web browser to complement its growing line of products. In 2003, Apple introduced Safari as the default browser for Mac OS X, marking the beginning of its journey as a pioneering web browser in the Apple ecosystem.

Safari's development was driven by Apple's commitment to delivering a seamless and innovative browsing experience for its users. The browser's initial release showcased a clean and intuitive interface, setting it apart from existing browsers and laying the foundation for its future evolution. With a focus on speed, efficiency, and adherence to web standards, Safari quickly gained traction among Mac users, offering a compelling alternative to other browsers available at the time.

As Apple expanded its product lineup to include the revolutionary iPhone in 2007, Safari became the default browser for iOS devices, further solidifying its position as a key component of the Apple ecosystem. The integration of Safari across Mac computers and iOS devices facilitated a cohesive browsing experience, allowing users to seamlessly transition between devices while maintaining continuity in their browsing activities.

Over the years, Safari has undergone significant enhancements and updates, reflecting Apple's dedication to refining and optimizing the browsing experience for its users. With each iteration, Safari introduced new features and performance improvements, such as enhanced speed, improved security measures, and advanced privacy features. Notably, Safari's emphasis on privacy led to the introduction of Intelligent Tracking Prevention, a feature designed to protect user data and prevent intrusive tracking by websites and advertisers.

The evolution of Safari has been closely intertwined with the advancements in Apple's hardware and software ecosystem. The browser's integration with iCloud enabled the synchronization of browsing data across multiple devices, offering users a seamless and personalized browsing experience. Furthermore, Safari's compatibility with web technologies and standards has positioned it as a versatile and reliable platform for accessing a wide range of online content and services.

As Safari continues to evolve, it remains a cornerstone of the Apple experience, embodying the company's commitment to delivering a secure, efficient, and user-centric browsing environment. With a rich history of innovation and continuous improvement, Safari has solidified its status as a leading web browser, serving as a testament to Apple's dedication to enhancing the digital experiences of its users.

Features of the Safari App

The Safari app is renowned for its diverse array of features, each meticulously designed to elevate the browsing experience for users within the Apple ecosystem. From seamless synchronization across devices to advanced privacy measures, Safari encompasses a range of capabilities that set it apart as a leading web browser.

1. Speed and Efficiency

Safari is engineered for swift and responsive browsing, leveraging optimizations that prioritize speed and efficiency. The browser's rendering engine ensures rapid loading of web pages, while its JavaScript engine delivers high-performance execution of web-based applications. This emphasis on speed enables users to navigate the web seamlessly, enhancing productivity and user satisfaction.

2. Privacy and Security

Safari places a strong emphasis on user privacy and security, offering features such as Intelligent Tracking Prevention, which safeguards user data by preventing unauthorized tracking by websites and advertisers. Additionally, Safari incorporates built-in protection against malicious websites and phishing attempts, bolstering the overall security of the browsing experience.

3. Seamless Integration with Apple Ecosystem

As the default browser for Apple devices, Safari seamlessly integrates with the broader Apple ecosystem. The browser's compatibility with iCloud enables the synchronization of browsing history, bookmarks, and tabs across multiple devices, ensuring a cohesive and personalized browsing experience for users across their Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

4. Reader View

Safari's Reader View feature enhances the readability of online articles and web pages by presenting content in a clean, distraction-free layout. This functionality allows users to focus on the core content of a webpage, free from clutter and extraneous elements, thereby improving the overall reading experience.

5. Tab Management and Organization

Safari offers robust tab management capabilities, allowing users to organize and navigate their open tabs with ease. Features such as Tab Groups enable users to categorize and manage their tabs efficiently, facilitating seamless multitasking and content organization within the browser.

6. Web Technologies and Standards Support

Safari is committed to supporting the latest web technologies and standards, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of online content and services. By adhering to industry standards, Safari delivers a versatile and reliable platform for accessing diverse web-based applications and multimedia content.

7. Energy Efficiency

Safari is designed with energy efficiency in mind, optimizing resource utilization to minimize battery consumption on Apple devices. This focus on energy efficiency contributes to prolonged battery life, allowing users to engage in extended browsing sessions without undue strain on their device's battery.

8. Customization and Extensions

Safari provides users with the ability to customize their browsing experience through the use of extensions, enabling the integration of additional features and functionalities tailored to individual preferences. This flexibility empowers users to personalize their browsing environment according to their specific needs and interests.

In essence, the Safari app encompasses a rich tapestry of features that collectively contribute to a seamless, secure, and personalized browsing experience for users within the Apple ecosystem. By prioritizing speed, privacy, and integration with Apple devices, Safari continues to set the standard for web browsers, catering to the diverse needs of users worldwide.

How to Use the Safari App

Using the Safari app is an intuitive and straightforward experience, designed to empower users to explore the web with ease and efficiency. Whether you are accessing websites, managing tabs, or customizing your browsing environment, Safari offers a range of features and functionalities that enhance the overall user experience.

1. Navigating the Interface

Upon launching the Safari app, users are greeted by a clean and minimalist interface, featuring the address bar, search functionality, and navigation controls. To navigate to a specific website, simply enter the URL or search term in the address bar and press Enter. Safari's intelligent autocomplete feature provides suggestions and predictions as you type, streamlining the process of accessing your desired web content.

2. Tab Management

Safari enables users to manage multiple tabs efficiently, facilitating seamless multitasking and content organization. To open a new tab, tap the "+" icon located in the tab bar, allowing you to access additional web pages without disrupting your current browsing session. Users can swipe left or right to switch between open tabs, or utilize the Tab Groups feature to categorize and organize tabs based on specific topics or activities.

3. Reader View

When viewing articles or web pages, Safari's Reader View provides a distraction-free reading experience by presenting content in a clean and visually optimized layout. To activate Reader View, simply tap the Reader icon displayed in the address bar when visiting a compatible webpage. This feature enhances readability and reduces visual clutter, allowing users to focus on the core content of the page.

4. Customization and Settings

Safari offers a range of customization options and settings that empower users to tailor their browsing environment to suit their preferences. By accessing the Safari settings, users can configure preferences related to privacy and security, adjust the behavior of tabs and browsing history, and explore additional features such as content blockers and extensions. Furthermore, Safari's integration with iCloud allows for seamless synchronization of browsing data, ensuring a consistent experience across multiple Apple devices.

5. Utilizing Extensions

Safari supports the use of extensions, which are additional software components that enhance the browser's functionality. Users can explore the Safari Extensions Gallery to discover and install extensions that cater to specific needs, such as ad blockers, productivity tools, or content management utilities. By leveraging extensions, users can personalize their browsing experience and integrate additional features that align with their individual requirements.

In essence, using the Safari app entails leveraging its intuitive interface, robust tab management capabilities, and customization options to navigate the web, consume content, and personalize the browsing experience. With its emphasis on user-centric design and seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem, Safari empowers users to engage with the digital world in a manner that aligns with their preferences and browsing habits.

Safari App vs Other Browsers

When comparing the Safari app to other popular web browsers, several distinguishing factors come to light, showcasing the unique strengths and capabilities that set Safari apart within the competitive landscape of web browsing platforms.

Integration with Apple Ecosystem

One of the standout features of the Safari app is its seamless integration with the broader Apple ecosystem. As the default browser for Apple devices, Safari offers unparalleled synchronization of browsing data, including history, bookmarks, and tabs, across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. This cohesive integration ensures a consistent and personalized browsing experience for users immersed in the Apple ecosystem, setting Safari apart from other browsers that may not offer such seamless cross-device synchronization.

Emphasis on Privacy and Security

Safari's robust privacy and security features distinguish it from many other browsers. With Intelligent Tracking Prevention, Safari protects user data by preventing unauthorized tracking by websites and advertisers, enhancing user privacy. Additionally, Safari incorporates built-in protection against malicious websites and phishing attempts, bolstering the overall security of the browsing experience. This emphasis on privacy and security sets Safari apart as a browser that prioritizes user data protection and online safety.

Energy Efficiency and Performance Optimization

Safari is renowned for its energy efficiency and performance optimization, particularly on Apple devices. The browser is designed to minimize battery consumption, contributing to prolonged battery life during browsing sessions. This focus on energy efficiency aligns with Apple's commitment to enhancing the user experience across its devices, offering a distinct advantage over other browsers that may not prioritize energy optimization to the same extent.

Reader View and Tab Management

Safari's Reader View feature and robust tab management capabilities further differentiate it from other browsers. Reader View enhances the readability of online articles by presenting content in a clean, distraction-free layout, offering a unique reading experience that may not be readily available in other browsers. Additionally, Safari's intuitive tab management empowers users to organize and navigate their open tabs with ease, facilitating seamless multitasking and content organization within the browser.

Web Technologies and Standards Support

Safari's commitment to supporting the latest web technologies and standards positions it as a versatile and reliable platform for accessing diverse online content and services. By adhering to industry standards, Safari ensures compatibility with a wide range of web-based applications and multimedia content, offering users a comprehensive browsing experience that aligns with the evolving landscape of web technologies.

In essence, the Safari app distinguishes itself from other browsers through its seamless integration with the Apple ecosystem, robust privacy and security measures, energy efficiency, unique features such as Reader View and advanced tab management, and its commitment to supporting the latest web technologies and standards. These factors collectively position Safari as a leading browser within the Apple ecosystem, catering to the diverse needs of users while upholding Apple's standards of performance, privacy, and user-centric design.

In conclusion, the Safari app stands as a testament to Apple's unwavering commitment to delivering a seamless, secure, and user-centric web browsing experience within the Apple ecosystem. From its inception as the default browser for Mac OS X to its integration with iOS devices and the continuous evolution of its feature set, Safari has consistently set the standard for web browsers, offering a compelling blend of speed, privacy, and integration with Apple devices.

The history of Safari reflects a journey marked by innovation and refinement, with each iteration introducing new features and enhancements aimed at elevating the browsing experience for users. Safari's emphasis on speed and efficiency, coupled with its robust privacy and security measures, positions it as a browser that prioritizes user well-being and data protection. The seamless integration of Safari across Mac, iPhone, and iPad, facilitated by iCloud synchronization, ensures a cohesive and personalized browsing experience that resonates with the needs of Apple device users.

The diverse array of features within Safari, including Reader View, advanced tab management, and support for the latest web technologies and standards, underscores its versatility and adaptability in catering to the evolving demands of web users. Furthermore, Safari's energy efficiency and performance optimization align with Apple's overarching commitment to enhancing the user experience across its devices, contributing to a browsing environment that is both efficient and sustainable.

When compared to other browsers, Safari's unique strengths, such as its integration with the Apple ecosystem, emphasis on privacy and security, energy efficiency, and distinctive features, set it apart as a browser that embodies the values and principles of Apple's user-centric design philosophy. By prioritizing the seamless synchronization of browsing data, safeguarding user privacy, and optimizing performance, Safari continues to resonate with users who seek a browsing experience that aligns with the ethos of the Apple ecosystem.

In essence, the Safari app remains a cornerstone of the Apple experience, offering users a powerful and versatile web browsing platform that seamlessly integrates with their Apple devices. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, Safari's unwavering commitment to speed, privacy, and user-centric design ensures that it will continue to meet the diverse needs of Apple users worldwide, setting the standard for web browsers and reaffirming its position as a leading browser within the Apple ecosystem.

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Apple to introduce new Safari browser assistant for iPhones with iOS 18

The upcoming ios 18 is poised to be the most significant advancement in iphone's evolution yet with a new safari browsing assistant being one of the key features..

Listen to Story

Interestingly, the hint at the integration of a browsing assistant in Safari is in line with ongoing speculations about new generative AI features slated for release on the iPhone with iOS 18. If it's true, the AI assistance will be similar to the feature. It's worth noting that AI capabilities are already present in several, such as Microsoft Edge, which includes a Copilot feature powered by GPT-4 and Arc Search.

In addition, lvarez spotted a function named "Encrypted Visual Search" in the code, but its specifics are still unclear.

Apart from the rumoured AI assistant improvements, iOS 18 is expected to bring several significant updates. We can anticipate AI integration across various iOS applications.

For example, Apple Music might curate personalised playlists based on your listening habits, while stock apps like Mail and Notes could gain AI-powered features for improved functionality. Siri, once sluggish, is set for a substantial upgrade with the integration of large language models (LLMs). This will transform it into a comprehensive "ultimate virtual assistant" with improved conversational capabilities and deeper Shortcuts integration.

iPhone users might finally be able to ditch the limitations of iMessage and enjoy features like enhanced video quality and read receipts when messaging Android users through rumoured RCS support. iOS 18 might also grant you more control over the home screen just like an Android phone. Speculations suggest the ability to create blank spaces and customise icon arrangements for a truly personalised experience.

Apple might introduce "Adaptive Voice Shortcuts" and potentially allow adjustable font sizes across more apps with iOS 18. The AirPods Pro could even gain functionality similar to hearing aids. Apple Maps might become more competitive with features like custom route planning and potentially the addition of topographic maps for outdoor enthusiasts.

While Apple hasn't officially confirmed which iPhones will support iOS 18, rumours suggest a wide range of devices, including many models from 2018 and later, could be eligible. This could potentially include the iPhone XS and XR, although that remains uncertain.

• Artificial Intelligence

iOS 18 Siri: Three clues about what it may be able to do

People have been complaining about Siri for years now, arguing that it’s fallen behind the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant. With clear evidence that 2024 is going to see dramatic improvements in Apple’s AI features, will iOS 18 Siri finally turn things around?

I’m very much hoping the answer is yes, and think there are three clues which provide some reason for optimism …

Apple’s long wait to improve Siri

Apple hasn’t rushed into generative AI, for three reasons.

First, the company has a well-established approach to new tech. It prefers to let other companies suffer the bleeding-edge issues, and only enter the market when the company feels it can deliver an experience which beats the competition.

Second, Apple has a strong focus on privacy, aiming to do as much processing as possible on the device, rather than sending personal data to a server to be processed. We’ve already seen the company take one small step toward this goal, with  offline Siri launching in the latest Apple Watch models  back in September.

Third, Apple is a conservative-with-a-small-c company, choosing to steer clear of controversy where it can. Generative AI has wowed people with the apparent intelligence of its responses, but also done some spectacularly dumb things – from offering a Nazi salute phrase as a suggested response to seemingly attempting fraud.

I’ve also argued that a spoken interface raises the stakes .

But this is the year

Much as I think Apple has been waiting for good reasons, things have now reached the point where it’s simply not feasible to wait any longer, and there’s now plenty of evidence that 2024 is the year Apple climbs on board the generative AI train.

Bloomberg has reported Apple referring to iOS 18 as one of the biggest iOS updates it has ever made , and that AI is the focus of this.

The Financial Times got a little more specific, indicating that Siri would this year be powered by a ChatGPT-style generative AI model .

9to5Mac found evidence in an iOS 17.4 beta that Apple is working on a new version of Siri powered by generative AI technology .

Even CEO Tim Cook, who is normally tight-lipped when it comes to Apple’s future plans, said that the company is “excited to share the details of our ongoing work in this space [AI] later this year .”

So what might we expect?

Clue 1: The original goal of the Siri team

One of the biggest weaknesses with Siri is that it hasn’t been able to meaningfully interface with other apps. It can control smart home devices, of course, and there are Siri Shortcuts, but in general, if the thing you want to do requires a third-party app, Siri can’t help. Hence the infamous “Here’s what I found on the web” response.

But this is precisely what’s needed to turn Siri into a truly useful and intelligent assistant. To have it actually start to perform some of the tasks currently carried out by human PAs.

In fact, this is what the original team behind Siri wanted to achieve. Prior to Apple’s acquisition, the third-party version of the app actually had integrations with 42 different services. It was Apple who stripped out this capability, likely to have Siri be able to do fewer things more reliably.

So Apple went its way, with a greatly reduced Siri capability, and the original team created a new intelligent assistant – Viv – giving it deep integration with third-party apps in order to carry out complex tasks.

Here’s an example of what Viv was able to do all the way back in 2016 :

“Get me a pizza from Pizz’a Chicago near my office,” one of the engineers said into his smartphone. It was their first real test of Viv, the artificial-intelligence technology that the team had been quietly building for more than year. Everyone was a little nervous. Then, a text from Viv piped up: “Would you like toppings with that?” The engineers, eight in all, started jumping in: “Pepperoni.” “Half cheese.” “Caesar salad.” Emboldened by the result, they peppered Viv with more commands: Add more toppings. Remove toppings. Change medium size to large. About 40 minutes later — and after a few hiccups when Viv confused the office address — a Pizza Chicago driver showed up with four made-to-order pizzas.

Clue 2: Generative AI’s ability to divine intent

Since then, of course, we got generative AI.

While most people have been impressed by the output – which, in its better examples, reads more like something written by a person than by a machine – for me the most impressive thing is how tech like ChatGPT handles the input. What it’s really good at is divining our intent.

If Siri can figure out what it is we are trying to achieve, and it can interface with third-party apps and services like Uber, Booking.com, airlines, and so on, then we open up the possibility of it using multiple apps to carry out complex tasks.

Clue 3: Apple’s own research into interacting with apps

We got the final clue earlier this week.

An Apple research paper describes how the company has been developing Ferret-UI, a generative AI system specifically designed to be able to make sense of app screens. The paper is somewhat vague about the potential applications of this – likely deliberately so – but the most exciting possibility would be to power a much more advanced Siri […] A user could give Siri an instruction like “Check flights from JFK to Boston tomorrow, and book a seat on a flight that will get me there by 10am with a total fare below $200.” Siri would then interact with the airline app to carry out the task.

What might this mean for iOS 18 Siri?

If we put all this together, we end up with an all-new Siri which uses generative AI capabilities to make sense of our requests; interfaces with popular existing services; and can interact with other apps on our iPhone.

That should then enable Siri to respond to things like this:

“I’m attending WWDC 2024 – suggest some flights and hotels.”

Generative AI does the necessary parsing. It knows it has to look up WWDC to see where it is held, and for which dates. It uses our known home location to see from where we need to travel.

It uses the apps I have on my iPhone to determine which airlines I use, and which hotels groups I favor. For popular ones, it then uses Apple-created Siri integrations with those services.

Where Apple hasn’t created a Siri integration, then it interacts with other apps as required to carry out our intent.

I’m not suggesting we can go quite as far as just trusting Siri to book everything! I think it will need to run its suggestions past us to let us choose. But once we have, then it ought to possible to say “Go ahead and book the Mosser, and the American flights departing at 3pm on the 9th and returning at 11am on the 15th.”

Pipe dream, or realistic expectation?

It’s been almost a decade since I wrote a feature request calling for Siri to be able to interface with third-party apps. It hasn’t really happened yet; could it finally be happening now?

It’s an ambitious goal for sure. But the original Siri team have already demonstrated just how much was possible even before generative AI. With the breakthroughs that have been made since then, I’d like to believe what I’ve outlined above is feasible.

What’s your view? Do you think this is a reasonable expectation for an all-new version of Siri powered by generative AI in iOS 18? Please take our poll, and share your thoughts in the comments.

• Rumor: iOS 18 to include new ‘Safari browsing assistant’ AI feature
• Siri in iOS 18: An AI revolution, or a sometimes useful dumpster fire?
• iOS 18: Here’s everything we know so far
• iOS 18’s new AI features: Everything we know so far

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Siri is Apple's personal assistant technology th…

Ben Lovejoy is a British technology writer and EU Editor for 9to5Mac. He’s known for his op-eds and diary pieces, exploring his experience of Apple products over time, for a more rounded review. He also writes fiction, with two technothriller novels, a couple of SF shorts and a rom-com!

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Add Microsoft Office to Your PC or Mac for Just $32 With This Deal

Skip the recurring monthly fees and snag lifetime access to Microsoft Office productivity apps at an 86% discount.

The Microsoft Office suite of apps is a ubiquitous productivity tool. But signing up for a subscription will run you $7 a month, which can add up over time. If you're looking to save some cash, investing in an older version of the software may be the right choice. For a limited time, you can snag a Microsoft Office 2019 license for just $32 and gain access to the suite for life with this StackSocial deal. That's a massive discount on the usual cost of $229. Just use promo code ENJOY20 at checkout before April 14 to lock in that price. 

There are two versions of Office here.  Mac users will get the Home and Business suite of apps, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams Classic and OneNote, while Windows users will get the Professional Plus version with additional apps like Publisher and Access. Just note that you won't get Microsoft Teams on the Windows version.

This isn't the latest version of Office, but compared to signing up for the  Microsoft 365 subscription suite , which costs $7 a month or $70 a year for individuals, StackSocial's offer is a great deal. There is a  free online version of Microsoft Office  out there that you can use, but it lacks several features, so this may be a better option. Apple users should note that Outlook is now available as  a free app for the Mac . 

Some important things to note: You'll get a one-time use code for a single computer, which means you won't be able to download these apps on multiple devices. And that means that if you upgrade to a new computer or your current one dies, you likely won't be able to transfer the suite. These licenses also lack some of the added conveniences you'll get with a 365 subscription, including OneDrive cloud storage and cloud-based AI features, including  Microsoft Copilot . Additionally, these apps should work for as long as your computer does, but the Mac license has reached the end of its lifecycle, which means Microsoft's support for this version of Office has ended. Windows users will have extended support through Oct. 14, 2025 . There is also a risk that Microsoft could terminate the license at any time, but we've been running other versions of Office from StackSocial since early 2022 and have yet to encounter a problem.

Now that you have some sweet new software, you might need a computer to go with it. Be sure to check out our regularly updated list of the best laptop deals to make sure you don't overpay.

More shopping deals from CNET

CNET is always covering a wide array of deals on tech products and much more. Start with the hottest sales and discounts on the CNET Deals page , and check out our CNET Coupons page for current Walmart discount codes , eBay coupons , Samsung promo codes and more from hundreds of other online stores . Sign up for the CNET Deals Text to get daily deals sent straight to your phone. Add the free CNET Shopping extension to your browser for real-time price comparisons and cash-back offers. Peruse our gift guide , which includes a full range of ideas for birthdays, anniversaries and more.

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Blazing fast. Incredibly private.

Safari is the best way to experience the internet on all your Apple devices. It brings robust customisation options, powerful privacy protections, and optimises battery life — so you can browse how you like, when you like. And when it comes to speed, it’s the world’s fastest browser. 1

Performance

More battery. less loading..

With a blazing-fast JavaScript engine, Safari is the world’s fastest browser. 1 It’s developed to run specifically on Apple devices, so it’s geared to make the most out of your battery life and deliver long-lasting power.

Increased performance

We’re always working to make the fastest desktop browser on the planet even faster.

Improved power efficiency

Safari lets you do more online on a single charge.

Up to 4 hours more streaming videos compared with Chrome 3

Up to 17 hours of video streaming 3

Best-in-class browsing

Safari outperforms both Mac and PC browsers in benchmark after benchmark on the same Mac. 4

• JetStream /
• MotionMark /
• Speedometer /

JavaScript performance on advanced web applications. 4

Safari vs other Mac browsers

Safari on macOS

Chrome on macOS

Edge on macOS

Firefox on macOS

Safari vs Windows 11 browsers

Chrome on Windows 11

Edge on Windows 11

Firefox on Windows 11

Rendering performance of animated content. 4

Web application responsiveness. 4

4K video streaming

See your favourite shows and films in their best light. Safari supports in-browser 4K HDR video playback for YouTube, Netflix and Apple TV+. 5 And it runs efficiently for longer-lasting battery life.

Privacy is built in.

Online privacy isn’t just something you should hope for — it’s something you should expect. That’s why Safari comes with industry-leading privacy protection technology built in, including Intelligent Tracking Prevention that identifies trackers and helps prevent them from profiling or following you across the web. Upgrading to iCloud+ gives you even more privacy protections, including the ability to sign up for websites and services without having to share your personal email address.

Intelligent Tracking Prevention

Safari stops trackers in their tracks.

What you browse is no one’s business but your own. Safari has built‑in protections to help stop websites and data-collection companies from watching and profiling you based on your browsing activity. Intelligent Tracking Prevention uses on-device intel­ligence to help prevent cross-site tracking and stops known trackers from using your IP address — making it incredibly difficult to learn who you are and what you’re interested in.

Privacy Report

Safari makes it simple to see how your privacy is protected on all the websites you visit. Click Privacy Report in the Safari menu for a snapshot of cross-site trackers currently prevented from profiling you on the website you’re visiting. Or view a weekly Privacy Report to see how Safari protects you as you browse over time.

Customisation

Putting the you in url..

Safari is more customisable than ever. Organise your tabs into Tab Groups so it’s easy to go from one interest to the next. Set a custom background image and fine-tune your browser window with your favourite features — like Reading List, Favourites, iCloud Tabs and Siri Suggestions. And third-party extensions for iPhone, iPad and Mac let you do even more with Safari, so you can browse the way you want across all your devices.

Safari Profiles allow you to separate your history, extensions, Tab Groups, favourites, cookies and more. Quickly switch between profiles for topics you create, like Personal and Work.

Web apps let you save your favourite websites to the Dock on Mac and to the Home Screen on iPhone and iPad. A simplified toolbar and separate settings give you an app-like experience.

Safari Extensions add functionality to your browser to help you explore the web the way you want. Find and add your favourite extensions in the dedicated Safari category on the App Store.

Save and organise your tabs in the way that works best for you. Name your Tab Groups, edit them, and switch between them across devices. You can also share Tab Groups — making planning your next family trip or group project easier and more collaborative.

Smart Tools

Designed to help your work flow..

Built-in tools create a browsing experience that’s far more immersive, intuitive and immediate. Get detailed information about a subject in a photo with just a click, select text within any image, instantly translate an entire web page, and quickly take notes wherever you are on a site — without having to switch apps.

Notes is your go-to app to capture any thought. And with the Quick Note feature, you can instantly jot down ideas as you browse websites without having to leave Safari.

Translation

Translate entire web pages with a single click. You can also get translations for text in images and paused video without leaving Safari.

Interact with text in any image or paused video on the web using functions like copy and paste, translate, and lookup. 6

Visual Look Up

Quickly learn more about landmarks, works of art, breeds of dog and more, with only a photo or an image you find online. And easily lift the subject of an image from Safari, remove its background, and paste it into Messages, Notes or other apps.

Surf safe and sound.

Strong security protections in Safari help keep you safe. Passkeys introduce a safer way to sign in. iCloud Keychain securely stores and autofills passkeys and passwords across all your devices. Safari also notifies you when it encounters suspicious websites and prevents them from loading. Because it loads each web page in a separate process, any harmful code is always confined to a single browser tab so it won’t crash the entire application or access your data. And Safari automatically upgrades sites from HTTP to the more secure HTTPS when available.

Passkeys introduce a more secure and easier way to sign in. No passwords required.

Passkeys are end-to-end encrypted and safe from phishing and data leaks, and they are stronger than all common two-factor authentication types. Thanks to iCloud Keychain, they work across all your Apple devices, and they even work on non-Apple devices.

Learn more about passkeys

Apple Pay and Wallet make checkout as easy as lifting a finger.

Apple Pay is the easiest and most secure way to shop on Safari — allowing you to complete transactions with Face ID or Touch ID on your iPhone or iPad, with Touch ID on your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, or by double-clicking the side button on your Apple Watch.

Learn more about Apple Pay

With AutoFill, you can easily fill in your previously saved credit card information from the Wallet app during checkout. Your credit card details are never shared, and your transactions are protected with industry-leading security.

Same Safari. Different device.

Safari works seamlessly and syncs your passwords, bookmarks, history, tabs and more across Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch. And when your Mac, iOS or iPadOS devices are near each other, they can automatically pass what you’re doing in Safari from one device to another using Handoff. You can even copy images, video or text from Safari on your iPhone or iPad, then paste into another app on your nearby Mac — or vice versa.

When you use Safari on multiple devices, your tabs carry over from one Apple device to another. So you can search, shop, work or browse on your iPhone, then switch to your iPad or Mac and pick up right where you left off.

Save web pages you want to read later by adding them to your Reading List. Then view them on any of your iCloud-connected devices — even if you’re not connected to the internet.

iCloud Keychain securely stores your usernames, passkeys, passwords and credit card numbers, and keeps them up to date on your trusted devices. So you can easily sign in to your favourite websites — as well as apps on iOS and iPadOS — and quickly make online purchases.

Designed for developers.

Deep WebKit integration between Mac hardware and macOS allows Safari to deliver the fastest performance and the longest battery life of any browser on the platform, while supporting modern web standards for rich experiences in the browser. WebKit in macOS Sonoma includes optimisations that enable even richer browsing experiences, and give developers more control over styling and layout — allowing for more engaging content.

Make Safari your default browser

Customise your start page, view your browsing privacy report, monitor your saved passwords, use apple pay in safari, view your tabs across all your devices, read the safari user guide, get safari support.