Safari Browser is a built-in browser for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Safari browser brings up new updates from time to time to compete with other browsers like Chrome and Firefox. It also stands away from these Mac browsers because of its rich features. Unfortunately, there will be situations where you may not be able to access and control the features, like enabling dark mode and changing the background on the Safari browser. During those times, you need to uninstall and reinstall Safari on your Mac for better functioning.
Is it Possible to Uninstall Safari on Mac?
No. By default, Apple uses System Integrity Protection (SIP) feature, so you cannot delete or uninstall the pre-installed apps. As Safari is the default browser, you cannot delete the app. Even if you try to delete it, you will get a pop-up message stating, "Safari.app" can't be modified or deleted because it is required by macOS
. However, you can uninstall Safari on Mac by disabling the SIP feature.
You can remove or uninstall Safari from your Mac in three different ways.
Information Use !!
Concerned about online trackers and introducers tracing your internet activity? Or do you face geo-restrictions while streaming? Get NordVPN - the ultra-fast VPN trusted by millions, which is available at 69% off + 3 Months Extra. With the Double VPN, Split tunneling, and Custom DNS, you can experience internet freedom anytime, anywhere.
- Using the Terminal
- Manual Delete
- Third-party Tools
Things to Consider Before Uninstalling the Safari
If you are using Safari browser as your default browser, you have saved some of the important information in the browser. Before uninstalling the Safari browser on your Mac, make sure to save or export the necessary details like
- Bookmarks
- Passwords
- Extensions
- Browsing history.
How to Uninstall Safari With Terminal
Follow these steps to uninstall Safari on Mac using the Terminal.
1. Restart Mac and hold the Command + R keyboard shortcut while rebooting.
2. By doing so, it will open recovery mode.
3. Select Utilities from the menu bar and click on the Terminal to open it.
4. Type the command csrutil disable
in the Terminal window.
5. Press Enter (Return) to disable SIP on your Mac.
6. Again, restart your Mac to apply the changes.
7. Next, log in with your admin account to continue.
That’s it. Now, you are ready to uninstall the Safari browser on your Mac.
8. Launch the Terminal as you did before.
9. Enter the command sudo mount - uw/System/Applications
on the Terminal window.
10. Press Enter.
11. Enter your password when prompted.
12. You have enabled the /System/Applications folder to Read & Write.
13. Type the command cd/Applications/
on the screen. Press Enter.
14. It will display the Applications directory.
15. Write the command sudo rm -rf Safari.app/
on the window.
16. Press the Enter key.
That’s it! You have uninstalled the Safari browser from your computer or laptop.
How to Manually Uninstall Safari on Mac
1. Open the Finder on Mac and click on Preferences.
2. Go to the Preferences folder and select com.apple.safari.plist associated file.
3. Click on the Delete button to remove the file.
3. Click on Go → Go to Folder from the Finder.
4. Click the Delete button to erase the below files from the specific folders.
- Safari-related plugins –
/Users/(yourName)/Library/Address Book Plug-Ins/
- Safari cache files –
/Users/(yourName)/Library/Caches/
- Safari windows and tabs –
/Users/(yourName)/Library/Saved Application State/
- Safari crash reports –
/Users/(yourName)/Library/Application Support/Crash Report
5. Lastly, move the Safari icon to the Recycle bin (trash can) to remove Safari.
Note: This method is not applicable for OS X 10.11 EI Captain or later because of advanced Apple security.
How to Uninstall Safari Using Third-Party Tools
You can use third-party extensions such as AppCleaner, CleanMyMac, AppZapper, and more to uninstall Safari from your Mac. You can use CleanMyMac X as it is one of the most popular third-party apps used by many users to uninstall system apps. Before moving into the steps, you need to install the CleanMyMac X app from the Mac App Store.
1. Open the CleanMyMac app and go to Preferences from the menu bar.
2. Choose Ignore List, which is on the left. Click on Uninstaller.
3. Following that, uncheck Ignore system applications and head to the Uninstaller tab.
4. Scroll down to locate and select Safari from the list of apps.
5. Next, click on Application Reset from the options.
6. At last, tap the Remove button.
The Safari browser will be deleted on Mac along with its application data.
How to Delete Safari Extensions
If the Safari browser is running slow, make sure to delete the unwanted extensions on Mac.
1. Launch the Safari Browser on Mac.
2. Click Safari from the menu bar and select Settings.
3. Now, pick the Extensions tab.
4, It will show all the extensions on your Safari
5. Click Uninstall to remove extensions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Move the cursor and place it on the Safari browser. Then, right-click on it and, click on Options, select Remove from Dock. Finally, the Safari browser will be removed from the Dock.
If you have bookmarked a website on Safari, refer to the steps below to delete it.
* Open the Safari browser on your Mac device. Then, click the Sidebar button to select Bookmarks.
* Next, control-click the bookmarks and click on Delete.
Disclosure: If we like a product or service, we might refer them to our readers via an affiliate link, which means we may receive a referral commission from the sale if you buy the product that we recommended, read more about that in our affiliate disclosure.