When laptop users switch to Mac, most of them start to use the Safari browser, instead of the chrome browser, and there is a good reason why. Over the years, Apple has updated and improved Safari to become a powerful browsing tool. In fact, in the most recent macOS update, Safari is now almost twice as fast as the Chrome browser! However, most of us at some point while using it, have experienced the spinning color wheel. This can happen randomly and leads the browser to either freeze, crash, or even both.

In such cases, users must quit Safari, and it can be an extremely frustrating experience, especially if you were conducting some work. This leads most users to wonder, why does the application keep on crashing?  And how can I stop that from happening? Well, we’re going to dive into the possible causes of the problem. Plus, we also have some suggestions that can help stop the issue from recurring again.

Why Is Safari Crashing?

There are several different reasons why your browser window keeps on freezing or crashing. However, some of the most common causes include;

• Opening too many windows or tabs at once
• The website overloaded the browser with high processing demands
• Your browser cache is full and has not been cleared in a long time
• A faulty or outdated browser extension is causing the issue
• Your Mac storage capacity is full, which is affecting performance speed.
• You are using an outdated version of Safari.

Alternatively, if you connected your Mac to an external monitor, this could sometimes be a culprit. For instance, you could be making a presentation or using an external screen for wide viewing, and the Safari app starts to respond slowly. This can happen if the devices aren’t fully compatible or are having synchronicity issues. In such cases, we suggest using a usb c hdmi hub instead. These devices will allow you to seamlessly connect your Mac to an HDMI-compatible external screen and easily stream audio and video content, make presentations, etc.

If you are in the market for one, then we recommend Lention’s CB-C36B model. It is a popular accessory due to its relatively affordable price and universal compatibility with most laptops. Plus, it offers all the general features and functionalities you may require. It comes with 3 USB 3.0 ports that allow you to connect and charge any external devices and send files at up to 5Gbps data transfer speed. Moreover, it also comes with two SD-Card 3.0 Readers that can read and write at a rate of up to 104MB/s. However, its most important feature is its 4K video and audio output that allows you to mirror or extend your screen with the HDMI to any HDTV, monitor, and projector. This should help keep any important work presentations or browsing from being unaffected by slow processing when using external screens.

How Can I Fix It When It Freezes or Crashes?

Step 1: The first thing you can do to try and fix the problem is to try and give the color wheel a little time. In most cases, it appears but will vanish and the system should go back to normal after a minute or so. Moreover, you can help speed up the process by closing any other open background programs and apps. However, if the wheel seems to be taking too long, then you can move on to step 2.

Step 2: The next step is to try and close any open tabs. In most cases, this is a culprit for a problematic Safari app, and also, opening too many tabs can affect your MacBook’s performance too. You may even start to hear your Mac’s fans start to overheat, which is a rather obvious sign.

Step 3: If you have either tried to close the tabs and are unable to. Or have done so, but the problem remains, then the next best thing is to force quit the application completely. You can accomplish this by right-clicking on the Safari icon on the dock and kicking “Force Quit”. Alternatively, you can head to the Apple icon at the top of your screen, click on “Force Quit” and close the Safari app from there. You can also check to see if your Safari browser is up to date by reopening it and clicking the “About” page.

How Can I Stop Safari From Crashing Again?

There are several preventative measures that you can take to prevent the problem from recurring again.

1. Clear Your Browser Cache

You can improve the performance of your browser by clearing the cache files from storage. For those unfamiliar, these are the files that store information to help your browser load webpages faster. However, this data is usually supposed to be temporary. So if it keeps on piling up, it will start to slow down your application. You can clear this data by heading to the History tab on Safari and selecting “Clear History and Website Data”. You can either choose to clear some of the data or all of it, depending on what you prefer. However, clearing all the history is best, as it will clear the cache completely. This will ensure there are fewer instances of crashes.

2. Clear Storage Space

Alternatively, another main cause for the slow performance and crashes could be a full hard disk drive. In most cases, where a Mac starts to perform slowly or starts crashing is often due to an overcrowded file system. This is because if you have too many files taking up space on your hard drive, then there is not enough room for your Mac to keep apps functioning at an optimum rate. As a result, there will be frequent cases of crashes and application freezing. However, you can fix this by either deleting any unnecessary large files or by transferring them to external storage space. If you prefer the latter option, then you will need to use a usb c multi hub. This will allow you to safely transfer any data and files from your Mac onto an external disk drive or USB drive. After which, you can reboot your Mac. You should then start to notice a significant change in its overall performance and may fix the problem of your Safari browser crashing.

Other Suggestions

You can also improve some of your browsing and multitasking habits to avoid any other Safari-related issues. For instance, you should avoid opening too many browser windows and tabs to avoid the app from being overloaded. Moreover, some Macs may not be in a position to handle too many apps and connections at the same time. You can avoid overworking your system by closing any unnecessary apps and also utilizing external accessories. For instance, if you tend to multitask with many external devices, eg. speakers, microphone, keyboard, etc… then we suggest purchasing what we consider to be the best usb c docking station from Lention. This device will allow you to expand your workspace to connect several devices while helping you ease your Mac’s processor’s load simultaneously. Alternatively, if Safari is not working out, then you can always utilise other browsing apps like Google Chrome.