Millions of Mac users love Safari — not only is it preinstalled, but it is also a secure, fast, and reliable browser. However, there are also millions of Mac users who want to remove it. If you are one of them, keep on reading to learn how to delete Safari on Mac and if it makes any sense. Let’s dive in!

Why uninstall Safari and is it worth trying to delete it from my Mac?

Here are some reasons why you might consider removing Safari from Mac: 

🚩 It is being bombarded with fake pop-ups claiming that your Mac is infected with malware.

🚩 A recent Safari version is unstable or glitchy (freezes or keeps crashing).

🚩 Safari displays unwanted browser notifications.

🚩 Safari takes up a lot of space.

Or you may simply believe other browsers are better and want to remove unneeded apps (Safari, in this case) from your Mac.

    Whatever your reason, generally, uninstalling Safari makes little sense since this built-in app does not occupy a lot of space, as it won’t accumulate caches and other files if you do not use it. Besides, it cannot be removed completely. 

    Why Safari cannot be removed completely

    You might be wondering, why so? There are two main reasons: 

    • In older macOS versions (Big Sur or older) in which the removal is possible, it is protected by System Integrity Protection (SIP) — a macOS feature that protects system files and folders from modification, even by the root user or administrator in order to prevent a user from damaging system processes. You can delete it by disabling SIP, but every time you install a macOS update, Safari will be put back on your Mac.
    • In newer macOS versions, such as macOS Monterey or later, the binary file remains even if you disable SIP. It is done for security reasons since deleting any built-in app can severely damage the system. 

    Nonetheless, it’s possible to deep-clean some parts of Safari with an app like CleanMyMac. You can reset Safari browser with the Applications tool in CleanMyMac. It’s a Mac cleaning app that has a reset option for apps, and it will wipe clean all your plug-ins, history, and cache.

    How to reset Safari on macOS Monterey or later

    Resetting Safari is deleting all of the information from the browser, leaving it pristine like the first snow. Whatever history, data, extensions, or else you had in the Safari browser, after resetting, it will all be wiped out irreversibly, so think twice if you have anything important stored in there.

    If you are ready to reset Safari, follow these steps:

    1. Get your free CleanMyMac trial and open the app.
    2. In the top menu, choose CleanMyMac and go to Settings > Ignore List > Uninstaller.
    3. Deselect Ignore system applications.
    4. Go back to CleanMyMac and open the Applications tab. Run a quick scan.
    5. Click Manage My Applications > Uninstaller. 
    6. Find Safari on the list of all apps and click an arrow (>) next to its name.
    7. Select everything except Binaries and click Remove.
    Reset Safari on Mac

    And that’s it. Resetting Safari sometimes fixes bugs and resolves conflicts with other software. It also frees up some space in case it was the main reason for deleting Safari before starting to use another browser.

    Why use CleanMyMac

    • A fast way to remove unneeded apps — a scan using the Applications feature takes up around 8 seconds and 5 more seconds to remove an application you no longer use
    • Not only can it uninstall apps with a click, but it can also find Mac-specific threats: on average, users find and remove 1 malware after the first scan 
    • Comes with 20+ other tools to maintain and declutter your Mac

    Try CleanMyMac for free — see it in action on your Mac. You can test all tools for 7 days at no cost.

    How to uninstall Safari on Big Sur and earlier macOS

    As mentioned earlier, on macOS versions older than macOS Monterey, it is still possible to remove Safari from Mac. 

    Important note

    Removing Safari may also remove critical files necessary for Mac system processes and apps that rely on Safari to run correctly. By removing the Safari browser via the steps in this guide, we are in no way responsible for what happens to your Mac when Safari is removed. 

    If you are sure you want to delete Safari, follow these steps one by one. But first off, back up your passwords and bookmarks so that you can import them to your new browser.

    1. Disable SIP

    Since removing a built-in app is protected by SIP, the first step is to disable it. To do it, you will have to boot into recovery mode, and the process is different for Apple silicon and Intel-based Macs. 

    If you have a Mac with Apple silicon, when turning it on, press and hold the Power button. Do not release it until you see startup options. Now, click Options > Continue. You may need to enter your admin credentials. 

    Give your Mac a bit of time to load, and you’ll be taken to Utilities.

      Recovery mode

      For an Intel-based Mac, you simply need to press and hold Command + R when restarting your Mac. Do not release them until you hear the startup chime.

      Once you’ve booted into recovery mode, open Terminal by clicking Utilities in the menu bar. Now, paste this command: csrutil disable and press Return. It will disable SIP, and you can now restart your Mac and log in to your system as you normally do.

      Disable SIP on Mac

      2. Remove Safari from Mac

      Now that you’ve disabled SIP and restarted your Mac, you can remove Safari. From the Finder, go to the Applications folder and drag Safari to the Trash. 

      Unfortunately, that is not it, and you will have to hunt down the leftover files. To do it, go to the Finder and navigate to Go to Folder from the Go menu in the menu bar. Now, go to the following locations by pasting the path into the window that opens one by one and pressing Return after each of them. Look for files containing Safari in their names and send them to the Trash:

      • /Users/YourName/Library/Application Support/
      • /Users/YourName/Library/Address Book Plug-Ins/
      • /Users/YourName/Library/Caches/ 
      • /var/folders/typically-two-numbers-andOr-letters/C/
      • /Users/YourName/Library/
      • /Users/YourName/Library/Preferences/
      • /Users/YourName/Library/Saved Application State/
      • /Users/YourName/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/
      Remove Safari from Mac

      Please be careful when deleting system files. You never know how it will affect your Mac if you remove the wrong ones (or the right ones, for that matter).

      Don’t forget to empty the Trash afterward.

      3. Enable SIP 

      Once you’ve removed Safari by following the steps above, it is crucial to enable SIP so that the system is protected. To do it, boot into recovery mode by following the steps above. Then, once again, open Terminal. Now, paste the following command: csrutil enable and press Return. Finally, restart your Mac.

      Enable SIP on Mac
      Tip

      If it seems like a lot of work, you can completely remove Safari from Mac by using the Applications tool that comes with CleanMyMac. However, as mentioned, it is possible on macOS versions older than Big Sur. Just select it and click Uninstall.

      How to remove Safari extensions

      If the only reason for uninstalling Safari is its sluggishness, try to remove extensions and see if it helps. The process is pretty simplistic and straightforward — just follow these steps: 

      1. Open Safari and go to Settings from the menu bar (alternatively, press Command + ,).
      2. Navigate to Extensions. 
      3. Click on each extension you want to remove and select Uninstall. Do it one by one for every extension. 
      4. Restart Safari. 
      Remove extensions from Safari

      How to fix other issues with Safari

      Finally, let us cover some extra issues you may fix instead of trying to uninstall Safari: 

      • Safari taking up space on Mac: reset Safari or delete its caches (Develop > Empty caches) and cookies (Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All) 
      • Safari infected with malware/adware (bombarded by fake pop-up, browser redirects, etc.): run CleanMyMac and its Protection scan 
      • Safari slow or crashing: update macOS to update Safari, clear up caches, or reset Safari 
      • Too many website notifications: manage them in Settings > Websites > Notifications
      • Windows popping up: check Settings > Websites > Pop-up Windows

      We hope this guide has helped you. We’re sorry if it didn’t (because you’re running a newer macOS version and just found out that you’ll have to deal with Safari on your Mac forever). Don’t forget to retrieve important info from your browser before uninstalling or resetting it, and have a nice day. Cheers.

      Frequently asked questions

      How do I reinstall Safari if I deleted it? 

      To reinstall Safari, you will need to update macOS. If there is no macOS update available, boot into recovery mode and reinstall macOS. 

      How do I hide Safari on my Mac without deleting it?

      Just remove the app icon from the Dock (control-click Safari icon and choose Options > Remove from Dock) and set another browser as default in System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Default web browser. 

      Can I block Safari without uninstalling it? 

      Yes, you can do it by using the Screen Time feature. Go to System Settings > Screen Time and enable App and Website Activity. Now, navigate to Content & Privacy under Restrictions > App & Feature Restrictions and use the toggle next to Allow Safari to disable it.

      Can Safari be updated independently of macOS?

      Most of the time, no. Since Safari is a part of macOS, it is usually updated when you update your macOS. However, in some cases, you can do it independently: in System Settings > General > Software Update, click More Info under the following message if you see it, “macOS [X] and [X] more…” You can then deselect the checkbox next to “macOS [version name]” and keep only Safari selected. If it is not there, updating macOS is the only way to update Safari. While in System Settings, enable automatic updates. 

      Is it safe to use Chrome or Firefox instead of Safari? 

      Yes, these browsers are safe and reliable, so you can use them instead without worries.