Safari Slow on Mac Sonoma

Installing a new macOS can provide users with plenty of exciting functions and features. Still, upgrades are often followed by unexpected performance issues. With Sonoma, a frequent complaint is that Safari runs too slowly.

Does it discourage you from updating your computer to the latest macOS version? It could, especially if you're used to a fast browsing experience. However, all is not lost—one way to solve this irritating problem is to clean up your Apple device’s storage.

Before we start:

 

Of course, if you have lots of free time and aren’t afraid to accidentally delete important files, many users clean up their storage manually. But if at least one of these risks bothers you, it’s easier to use MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup, which will take care of information safety, get rid of junk files, and make your Apple computer work faster.  

 

Here’s how to benefit from our cleaning solution:

1. Download MacKeeper to your computer.
2. Choose Safe Cleanup on the left of the app’s interface.
3. Start Scan and wait until it’s completed.
4. Tick the files you want to remove on your Mac, or delete them all at once by choosing Clean Junk Files.

Why is Safari so slow after macOS Sonoma update

If Safari is slow after Sonoma is updated, it actually isn’t a common thing but a problem to be fixed. Try to find out the reason why first. Sometimes, Safari may exploit system resources like memory. Also, some extensions may slow your browser down. Even your internet connection may be the root of the issue.

The main causes of slow Safari on Mac Sonoma are:

1. Safari takes up a lot of system resources
2. Wi-Fi connection issues
3. Mac disk problems
4. Viruses
5. Problems with VPN or security software

Now, let’s go through each reason one by one.

Safari takes up a lot of system resources

Though Safari is quite efficient in system resource usage, your device can end up storing unnecessary web history and data, especially if your activity levels are high. The more tabs you open, the more memory is consumed by Safari, which results in your Mac being very slow.

Wi-Fi connection issues

Sometimes, Safari runs slowly on Mac Sonoma because of the internet, so you have to know how to fix a slow internet connection. The other core causes of this are Wi-Fi disconnection issues, an inability to access the network, or a complete failure to establish a Wi-Fi connection.

Mac disk problems

Mac disk errors cause unexpected behavior in your device. Even a helpful app like Disk Utility, which is one of the most resourceful Mac tools, can negatively impact your device. Hence, due to problems related to the formatting or disk structure, Safari can result in running slowly on Mac Sonoma.

Viruses

Safari is a secure browser used to detect and block plenty of viruses, but some of them are smart enough to avoid typical methods of discovery. Moreover, any virus is a real threat that could impact a browser’s performance.

Problems with VPN or security software

VPN is our friend when we need to protect privacy while browsing the network. However, redirecting your internet connection through a VPN takes some time to encrypt your data, constricting the speed of your Safari. Nevertheless, you can solve such problems by switching VPN servers, disabling your VPN connection, or using split tunneling.  

How to speed up Safari on macOS Sonoma

Now that you're aware of the reasons for Safari being slow, our experts are ready to provide you with our list of solutions to speed up Safari on Mac Sonoma:

1. Check the internet connection
2. Restart your Mac
3. Reset Safari
4. Check resource-intensive processes in Activity Monitor
5. Close unnecessary tabs
6. Clear the history and cache
7. Remove unwanted extensions
8. Check for viruses
9. Reset the network settings
10. Install updates

1. Check the quality and speed of your internet connection

Check network activity in the Activity Monitor to ensure the problem isn’t related to Safari itself:

1. Open the Activity Monitor app and choose the Network tab.
2. See the following info to learn the details behind your internet connection:
   • Packets in, Packets out: that’s the total number of received and sent packets;
   • Packets in/sec, Packets out/sec: here’s the speed of information transfer in packets per second;
   • Data received, Data sent: by this, you’ll see the amount of information moved in megabytes;
   • Data received/sec, Data sent/sec: consider the amount of information moved over time in bytes per second.

2. Restart your MacBook

Another easy way to speed up Safari is to restart your MacBook. Doing so can clear up temporary files, install updates that are on standby, and close all active apps. All these things give your browser a fresh start. Here’s how:

1. Click on the Apple icon.
2. Choose Restart from the list.

3. Reset Safari

Usually, if an app isn’t working on your device, you try uninstalling it and then reinstalling it again. But what to do if Safari keeps crashing? In this case, try to reset Safari, which means to return it to its initial settings. To do it, follow our instructions:

1. Open Safari menu.
2. Choose History > Clear History.
3. Click on Clear All History.

4. Check resource-intensive processes in Activity Monitor

This method helps to understand whether Mac uses its memory efficiently. If Safari on your Mac Sonoma exploits more memory resources than needed, the browser slows down the Mac’s system.

Here’s how to check the resource-intensive processes through Activity Monitor:

1. Open Applications > Utilities > Activity Monitor.
2. Choose the CPU tab to arrange the processes by the energy rate they’re using.
3. Quit processes or extensions that consume more resources than others by clicking X on the chosen ones.

5. Close unnecessary tabs

Have you only ever opened active tabs on your Safari? Definitely, it’s a rhetorical question. We all open lots of browser tabs at the same time, and that's why the browser may not run as fast as it should. So, if you discover Safari being slow on your Mac Sonoma, our advice is to close the tabs you don’t need now:

1. Open Safari > the tab bar > put the pointer over the tab.
2. Close unnecessary tabs on the left side of the tab by selecting the option Close Tab from the list.

6. Delete history and cache

Each time you use Safari, it stores the info on your Mac. It’s just a tiny particle of temporary data but can accumulate with time and cause problems with browser speeds, so you can imagine how it impacts your overall device speed. The solution is to delete your history and clear Safari cache:

To clear history:

1. Open Safari.
2. Click the History tab.
3. Click Clear History.

To delete cache files:

1. Open Safari.
2. Choose Settings > Advanced > tick Show features for web developers.
3. Then, open the Develop tab in the Safari menu and click Empty Caches.

Note from our experts: 

 

Meanwhile, there’s an easier and safer way to get rid of accumulated cache files—with a third-party app like MacKeeper. With its help and support, you’ll do it much quicker.

 

To clean the cache with MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup:

1. Download our app.
2. Choose Safe Cleanup.
3. Click on Start Scan.
4. Select the files you want to delete and click Clean Junk Files.

7. Disable or remove unnecessary extensions

Numerous Safari extensions increase CPU and RAM usage, which cause the browser to slow. In this case, you have to disable or uninstall any unwanted extensions to speed up your Safari.

To deactivate unnecessary Safari extensions:

1. Choose Safari menu > Settings > Extensions.
2. Select the extensions you want to disable and click Uninstall.

8. Check your Mac for viruses and malware

Viruses and other malware can make your Safari run slow on Mac and become ineffective, as they actively use its resources. Also, these harmful intruders often cause serious damage to your overall device’s security. To shield your system, download an antivirus software like MacKeeper and check your device for viruses:

1. Launch MacKeeper.
2. Choose Antivirus on the left.
3. Proceed with your virus checkup by clicking Start Scan.
4. If any malicious threat is found, move it to Quarantine.

9. Check the network and reset its settings

Network issues can lead to Safari’s speed reduction as well. If the signal strength isn’t good enough or the network is disconnected, Safari won’t be available. If you face these problems, try to switch the network or reset its settings by following these steps:

1. Open Wi-Fi Settings.
2. Choose the network to forget, and click on Details beside it.
3. Click on Forget this Network.
4. Select the Remove option to confirm the action.

10. Check for macOS Sonoma version updates

New versions of OS usually need some time to make the new features efficient. That’s why Apple releases updates to upgrade certain elements like Safari browser to improve the overall Mac performance. To check if your system offers a new update, do the following:

1. Open the Apple menu and choose System Settings.
2. Choose General > Software Updates.
3. Follow the instructions to install any available updates.

Conclusion

Slow Safari on Mac Sonoma is an obstacle that can be easily overcome by following the steps in our guide. Now, you know how to identify and fix this problem both manually and automatically.

If you’re thrilled to save their time and want to be sure that any important data won’t be accidentally deleted, then you can rely on MacKeeper’s Safe Cleanup tool. With it by your side, you’ll clear your device storage properly and prevent your favorite browser from being too slow.