Safari Running Slow on macOS Ventura? Here's the Fix

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Sarahi Johns
Last updated: Mar 16, 2023

Get stuck in Safari running slow after updating? Looking for a way to fix your slow Safari? Come with us to speed it up using the following 9 methods!

Safari, as a built-in browser of Apple, has brought a lot of convenience to iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. It is also the favorite browser among Apple fans.

It is designed to maximize your battery life and provide long-lasting power. It is also one of the fastest browsers in the world.

But recently, many users have noticed that Safari has become slow after updating to MacOS Ventura.

This post gives you a detailed explanation of why is Safari so slow on macOS Ventura. After explaining the reasons, we provide you with 9 effective solutions and 1 extra tip. Read on to learn more about it!

Safari Running Slow on macOS Ventura? Try These Fixes

Why is Safari so Slow on macOS Ventura

After updating to macOS Ventura, Safari is running slowly. You can check the reasons for a slow Safari on your macOS Ventura by following the points below. Once you know the reasons, you will be clear about how to speed up your Safari. Keep them in mind and avoid them next time. And even if you can't avoid them, you are able to solve the problem quickly the next time you encounter it.

Here are the 10 main causes of a slow Safari:

  • Too Many Tabs
  • Cache Accumulation
  • Extensions
  • Outdated Safari
  • Network
  • DNS Prefetching
  • Mac Drive
  • Virus
  • VPN or Other Security Software
  • Autofill Data

How to Fix Safari Running Slow

Now that you have figured out the reasons why Safari is running slow on macOS Ventura, let's start with the causes and solve them one by one. You are getting closer to a high-speed new Safari!

Below we have listed 9 ways to speed up your slow Safari. Pick one or try them all to bring your Safari back to life!

1. Close Unwanted Tabs

A tab is actually what we call an open window. When you are using Safari, too many loading pages may cause a slow Safari. So you can close some unimportant tabs after browsing.

And here's how:

  1. Move your mouse over the X on the left of the page you want to close and click it. Or right-click on any tab and click Close Tab to close the current page.
  2. Right-click any tab > click Close Other Tabs to quickly close all other tabs.

2. Clear History and Caches

The longer you use the Safari browser, the more history and caches you accumulate. This may slow down your Safari, so you need to clear these data.

Follow the steps to clear them:

Clear History:

  1. Open Safari > right-click Safari at the top Apple Menu.
  2. Click Clear History and you will get a pop-up message asking you the period history you want to clear.
    Clear Safari History
  3. Select the time period you want to clear and click Clear History.
Clear Last Hour Safari History

Empty Caches:

  1. Open Safari> right-click Safari at the top Apple Menu.
  2. Click PreferencesAdvanced > check Show Develop menu in menu bar.
    Check Show Develop Menu in Menu Bar
  3. Right-click Develop menu > Empty Caches.
    Empty Safari Caches

3. Check and Reset Network

Sometimes Safari is slow to load may not be a problem inside Safari. The network environment is also a key to the speed of Safari. You can check whether the network connection is disconnected and whether the network signal is good. If you find that the network is bad, you can switch the network in time.

Here we also find a faster way to monitor the network speed for you - BuhoCleaner. It is a powerful network speed checker.

Monitor System Status in BuhoCleaner

And here's how to use BuhoCleaner to monitor internet speed:

  1. Free Download, install, and launch BuhoCleaner. (The Status Menu will automatically display the internet speed and other data on the top Apple Menu.)
  2. Right-click the BuhoCleaner icon at the top Apple Menu, then click SettingsStatus Menu > select the items you want to show in the Status Menu.

4. Update Safari

Outdated Safari may also be a possible cause for Safari running slow. So you need to update your Safari in time. The most up-to-date version of Safari is included with the latest version of macOS.

And here's how to update Safari:

  1. Go to Apple MenuSystem SettingsSoftware Update.
  2. Click Restart Now and wait for the update to finish.

5. Disable Unwanted Extensions

Installing multiple Safari extensions may lead to increasing CPU and RAM, which means the performance of the browser will be significantly slowed down. We recommend you uninstall some unimportant extensions to speed up Safari.

And here's how to disable unwanted Safari extensions:

  1. Open Safari > Find Safari on the top Apple Menu and right-click it.
  2. Click PreferencesExtensions.
  3. Find the extension you want to disable and click Uninstall, and wait for the uninstallation to finish.
Disable Unwanted Safari Extensions

6. Disable Search Engine Suggestions

Search engine suggestions are easy to ignore but disabling them also plays an important role in speeding up Safari.

Follow the steps below to disable search engine suggestions:

  1. Open and right-click Safari on the top Apple Menu.

  2. Click PreferencesSearch.

  3. Uncheck Include search engine suggestions.

    Disable Search Engine Suggestions

7. Disable DNS Prefetching and Switch DNS Provider

DNS prefetching is the act of resolving a website's IP address before a user clicks on its link. If you are running Safari version 5.0.1 or later, DNS prefetching will also slow down your Safari. So you need to disable DNS prefetching in time.

And here is how:

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Enter the following text: defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitDNSPrefetchingEnabled -boolean false.
  3. If you have Safari open, you will need to quit and relaunch Safari.

Switching DNS provider can also speed up Safari. Follow the steps below:

  1. Click the Apple icon on the Apple Menu > click System PreferencesNetworkWIFIAdvancedDNS+.
  2. Enter 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4.

8. Check and Clear Virus

In addition to the above methods, checking for viruses is also a practical way to speed up Safari. If you have a virus on your computer, your Safari will obviously be affected. So you can download antivirus software and check for viruses.

9. Have a Thorough Cleaning for Your Mac

In addition, a slow Safari may need a thorough cleaning. Removing unwanted apps and disabling startup items contribute a lot to a high-speed Mac. We Recommend that you pick a professional third-party software like BuhoCleaner to do a big cleaning of your Mac. After that, you may get a high-speed Mac as well high-speed Safari as before. Free up your Mac and Safari with BuhoCleaner now!

Buhocleaner
Tips
  1. In addition to the above 9 methods, you can also go to the Apple Community to find a solution. There are many people experiencing the same problem as you, and you can see how others have solved the Safari running slow on macOS Ventura problem.

  2. Besides, you can go to Apple Support to find help.

Conclusion

We hope at least one of the above methods helps you get out of your problem. Safari running slow may be caused by many reasons. So pay more attention to the points we listed when you are using Safari in general. Use the methods mentioned above to speed up your Safari now!