The privacy leak really affected version 4 and 5 of the Safari browser. That being said, it is a good idea to disable autofill in all versions of Safari, just to be on the safe side.

The privacy leak was basically built around the issue that some malicious and dangerous sites were able to pull personal details like your name, email and address.

Even though the problem was disclosed years ago, the issue may still remain. It’s probably a good idea to take a few minutes to disable autofill in Safari.

After you do this you can take even more precautions by removing adware in Safari.

NOTE: The PC version of Safari lost support back in 2012. This tutorial is for MAC users only.

Disable Autofill in Safari

Launch the Safari browser on your desktop. It’s a blue and white icon with a compass.

Once the Safari browser is running, select “Safari” from the top left menu and in the drop down menu that appears click on “Preferences.”

When you do this a popup box will appear with all of the settings Safari has to offer. Click on the “Autofill” tab at the top of the popup box.

Once on the autofill tab you will see that all the selections are already checked by default. You want to uncheck the option box that says “Using information from my contacts.”

From there simply click on the red “x” to jump back to the main Safari page browser.

If you want to double-check the box remained unchecked, go ahead and repeat the above steps to open the autofill preference box. You will see that you are good to go.

It is important to disable autofill in Safari, especially until we know that all versions have patched this privacy issue.

The post How to Disable Autofill in Safari to Fix the Privacy Leak appeared first on GreenGeeks.

Whatever the reason may be, you can easily check your Safari history in just a few steps.

Let’s take a look at how to do that.

Check Browsing History in Safari

Launch the Safari browser on your desktop. It’s a blue and white icon with a compass.

Once the Safari browser is up and running select “History” from the menu on the top left and click on it. When the drop down menu appears, highlight and click on “Show All History.”

Once you have selected “Show All History” a separate window will appear with a full list of all the websites you have visited. These will be combined by dates with a drop down of each day being made available.

Note: If you are logged into your Apple ID on your desktop, you will be able to see websites you have visited on your iPhone and/or iPad as well.

You can scroll through this list and find what you need. You can use the drop downs to find sites you visited on specific dates.

Furthermore, you can use the “Search” box on the upper right side of the screen to search specific sites and pull them up in your Safari history.

You can also clear your entire Safari history or portions of it if you need.

That’s it! It is very simple and easy to check browsing history in Safari whenever the need arises.

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The process for updating Safari is fairly simple. Follow the easy steps below to ensure your Safari browser will remain up-to-date.

Update Safari

The first thing you want to do is open “Spotlight.” is the magnifying glass icon in the upper-right corner of your screen. Click on it to open.

When the Spotlight search bar pops up Type in “App Store.” The App Store has a blue icon with a pencil and paintbrush in the shape of the letter “A.”

Highlight it and press the “Return” button on your keyboard, or simply click on it to open.

Once the App Store is open click on the “Updates” tab on the top right of the window.

Under “Updates” find the system update. It will likely include the phrase “OS X Update” or higher depending on your version.

Note: Updates for Safari won’t appear, because they are a part of system updates.

You have the option of clicking the “Update” button next to each software program that needs an update, or you can click the “Update All” button to update everything.

That’s it. Your Safari browser and other updates have been made and you are good to go.

If Safari is slowing down for you, try clearing your browser cache.

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The process to clear Safari browser history should not be confused with clearing the Safari browser cache. These are two separate things with different functions.

You can clear your Safari browser cache on a Mac here, or clear your Safari browser cache on a PC here.

Let’s take a quick look at how to clear single entries in your Safari browser history.

Clear Single Entry History in Safari

Launch the Safari browser on your desktop. It’s a blue and white app with a compass icon.

Once the browser is launched click on “History” in the top menu and from there select and click on “Show All History.”

Note: You can also use the keyboard shortcut by pressing ⌘ Command+⌥ Option+2 to open the Show History window.

Now that you are on the Show History page, find the single entry that you want to delete. You can use the search bar in the upper-right corner, or expand the dates to browse through all your entries.

Scroll through your entries and find the one you want to delete. When you do, highlight it and right click the entry. In the right-click dropdown select “Delete.”

Note: If you have a single-button mouse or trackpad, hold Control and click to open the menu. Repeat for any additional entries you want to remove.

You can delete as many single entries as you would like. You can also easily clear your entire Safari browser history when needed.

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You may be using Safari for a number of reasons. Maybe you tried it out and liked it, or maybe you got a new Apple product and decided that the Safari browser was the one you wanted to start using for everything.

Whatever the reason may be, importing bookmarks into Safari does not have to be difficult. You simply need to know the steps to do it. This way, you have all of your previously saved bookmarks from another browser added to the Safari browser that you are now using.

If you want to make Safari your default browser, or if you simply want to move all your bookmarks into Safari, then you want to import bookmarks into Safari. This article will show you how to easily import your bookmark file into your Safari browser from a desktop.

Let’s take a look at the steps you need to perform to get bookmarks imported into Safari.

Import Bookmarks Into Safari From Desktop

Launch the Safari browser on your desktop. It’s a blue and white app with a compass icon.

Make sure you have already downloaded the bookmark file from wherever you are transferring it from. Remember, if you haven’t done this part yet, then you need to do it before importing. You can easily export bookmarks from Chrome or export bookmarks from Firefox whenever you need to.

Now that you have exported the file, you are ready to import it into the Safari browser and have all your bookmarks neatly organized there.

Note: If you saved your bookmarks file in iCloud or Google Drive, open the appropriate site. You’ll need to download your bookmarks file before you can import your bookmarks.

With the Safari browser open, it is time to locate the bookmark file on your desktop. Search for it and locate it from the destination you saved it to when you performed the export function.

Now, within the Safari browser click on the “File” tab to pull down the dropdown menu. Inside that menu, select and click on the “Import From” function. Another pullout menu will appear. Within that sub-menu, go ahead and select the “Bookmarks HTML File.”

Your computer will ask you to select a file to import.

Locate and select your bookmark file. It should be exactly where you saved it (e.g., your desktop). When you find the file, click on it and then click on the “Import” button.

Clicking on the “Import” button will automatically load the file of bookmarks into the Safari browser. After you have imported bookmarks into Safari, simply refresh your browser and you will see all of the bookmarks you imported under your URL bar.

Note: This process works no matter what browser your bookmark file came from. So whether you exported the file from Chrome, Firefox, Opera, or something else, the process is the same.

Final Thoughts

No matter what browser you use, it is important that you have easy access to all the bookmarks you have created over time. You can actually export and import bookmarks from different browsers. This way you have access to all of your data no matter what browser you are using at any given moment.

Importing bookmarks into Safari is fast, simple, and easy. Now the you know the steps involved, you will be able to have access to all your bookmarks whenever you are using Safari.

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If you have done this and the homepage keeps redirecting to something you don’t want, you might have an adware infection. Removing adware in Safari can be a little tricky. However, if done correctly, it will give you back control of your browser.

Use the steps below to remove adware in Safari.

Remove Adware in Safari

You can try these functions one-by-one to see if that fixes the adware in Safari problem. If not, just perform all of them and see where you stand.

Make sure you update to the latest version of OS X because he latest versions always have anti-adware tools. These might remove the infection for you upon update. Also, make sure you have updated the Safari browser to the latest version as well.

Click the Apple menu and select “App Store” or “Software Update” to check for any available system updates. After updating, test Safari again to see if the problem persists. If it does, read on.

Did the software update not do the trick? Let’s bring up the Safari Preferences menu and select the “Extensions” option. This shows you all of the current extensions that are installed on Safari.

To get there simply click on Safari in the upper left corner of your screen, then find “Preferences” and click on that.

This will open up the “Preferences” popup box so you can click on the “Extensions” tab.

If there are no extensions here you are done. If there are, select the ones you don’t recognize or don’t want and click on the “Uninstall” button. Some common adware extensions may include:

• Amazon Shopping Assistant by Spigot Inc.
• Cinema-Plus Pro (Cinema + HD, Cinema + Plus, and Cinema Ploos)
• Ebay Shopping Assistant by Spigot Inc.
• FlashMall
• It
• Omnibar
• Searchme by Spigot, Inc
• Slick Savings by Spigot Inc.
• Shopy Mate

Does Adware Still Persists?

So if the adware still persists you can quit Safari. Once you do, click “Go” in the menu to the top left and select “Go to Folder”.

This will bring up your “Go to Folder” popup box. Work your way through the entries below, one-by-one and copy and paste them into the “Go to Folder” text box field.

If any of these items are found they will appear in the Finder windows already selected. Drag the selected item to the trash and then move on to the next item. If it can’t be found, move on to the next item in the list.

• /System/Library/Frameworks/v.framework
• /System/Library/Frameworks/VSearch.framework
• /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/Jack
• /Library/InputManagers/CTLoader/
• /Library/Application Support/Conduit/
• ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/ConduitNPAPIPlugin.plugin
• ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins/TroviNPAPIPlugin.plugin
• /Applications/SearchProtect.app
• /Applications/WebTools.app
• /Applications/cinemapro1-2.app
• ~/Applications/cinemapro1-2.app

After you go through the above list, reboot your computer and empty the trash.

Now, launch the Safari browser again but hold the “Shift” button down when you start up Safari. This will prevent any previous windows from re-opening, and prevent you from having to close them all again.

Now, with all the adware removed you can change your homepage again by using the steps in the link provided at the beginning of this article. These steps and this process should have cleared all the adware in Safari.

Conclusion

Adware in Safari can be problematic. However, if you know and understand the steps to removing it, then you should be good to go moving forward. I hope the tutorial above was easy to follow. The adware should now be successfully removed because of the steps you took.

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Safari comes with a full set of tools that make navigating the web easy. You can easily set a home page, or even clear your search history with just a few clicks.

Let’s take a look at how to bookmark websites in Safari.

Bookmark Websites in Safari

First you want to launch the Safari browser on your desktop. It’s a blue and white app with a compass icon.

When the Safari browser is launched, type in the URL of the site you want to visit and bookmark.

When you are on the site you want to bookmark, click “bookmarks” in the top menu bar and a dropdown menu bar will appear.

In the dropdown menu click on “Add Bookmark” and a popup box will appear.

You can add your new bookmark to any folder you want or simply add it to favorites. You can also give it a description.

If you want to add a new folder for bookmarks Click “Bookmarks” in the top menu again and then click on “Add Bookmark Folder.” This will add an “untitled folder” to the sidebar in Safari. Long-click the folder to edit the name.

Other Safari Bookmark Functions

A few other Safari bookmark functions to remember.

• To access your bookmarks, click “Bookmarks” in the menu bar and click on the bookmark you want to open.
• Click “Bookmark” in the menu bar and click “Show Bookmarks” to display the bookmarks sidebar.
• Click “Bookmarks” in the menu bar and click “Edit Bookmarks” to move, delete, or rename your bookmarks.

There you have it. You can easily bookmark websites in Safari whenever you want. If you are using Firefox you can add, edit, and modify bookmarks in that browser as well.

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This process will delete all of your recent searches and page visit history that has occurred while using the Safari web browser. This shouldn’t be confused with a clear browser cache operation, as they are two different things.

Your search history is everything that you’ve entered into the Search bar, while your browsing history is a record of all the websites you’ve visited.

Use the following simple technique to clear Safari search history. This will clear Safari browser search no matter what version of Safari you are using.

Clear Safari Search History

To get this started open the Safari browser from your desktop. You will be able to delete your recent searches within the browser.

Now that the Safari browser is open click the URL bar. If you are using an older version of Safari with a separate Search bar, click the Search bar instead.

The page that comes up when you open your browser is the Safari homepage you have set. You can set your homepage to Google or any other homepage you want. That is up to you.

Delete any URL that is currently in the Search bar. This will ensure that your recent searches are displayed automatically below the bar.

Again, this may look different on older versions of Safari. The screenshot below is from the newest version of the Safari Browser.

Now click on the “History” tab on the top left of the Safari browser and select “Clear History” from the dropdown menu.

A popup box will appear asking you to select the time period you would like to clear history from. Make the selection you feel appropriate and click on the “Clear History” button to complete the task.

Note: If you want to remove a single entry only from the Safari search history this can be handled from the Bookmarks tab. Simply click on the “Bookmarks” tab, search for the entry you want to delete, and right click it and select “Delete.”

That’s it. A quick and easy way to clear Safari search history when it is called for.

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By completing the steps below, each time you launch the Safari browser you will automatically be taken right to Google. There is no need to type the URL from the address bar or access your bookmarks to get there.

Make Google Your Homepage Using Safari on a Mac

Note: You can only perform this function from a desktop or laptop computer. The Safari app on iOS devices does not allow this configuration.

Look for and launch the Safari browser on your computer.

On the top left click on “Safari” and from the dropdown menu select “Preferences” and click on that.

You will see a popup box appear with several different Preference options and tabs. Click on the “General” tab and find the “Homepage” field.

Inside the “Homepage” filed type in https://www.google.com/. When you are done typing the Google URL in click on the little red dot in the upper left corner of the popup box.

When you click on the red dot a smaller popup box will appear asking for you to confirm your homepage change. Click on the “Change Homepage” button and you are all set.

That’s it. Just exit the window and from now on whenever you launch the Safari browser your homepage will be Google.

The post How To Make Google Your Homepage Using Safari on a Mac appeared first on GreenGeeks.

What is a Safari Browser Cache?

When you visit a website, your Safari browser checks if a copy of the files on the page is already in the cache. If they are, it saves the visitor some download time and the webpage will load faster. Browsers refer to its cache as “Temporary Internet Files.”

There are some cases though that you will run into where bypassing your Safari browser’s cache will be preferred. In most cases, clicking the refresh button will not get you the result you need because this is just reloading the page while still using the same old files from the cache.

Clearing your browser cache in Safari on a Mac is actually a pretty straightforward process. So whether you are looking to perform some regular maintenance, or trying to solve some issues within your Safari browsing, clearing the cache should not be difficult for you to do.

Follow the steps below to learn how to clear the cache in Safari. Remember, clearing your Safari browser cache is not the same as clearing a search history, though they are similar.

How to Clear Your Safari Browser Cache on Mac

Step 1: Launch Safari Browser

More than likely you already have the Safari browser running on your machine. If not, go ahead and launch it now. The browser needs to be open in order to clear the cache.

Step 2: Open Safari in Menu Bar and Go to Preferences

Once the browser is launched, click on “Safari” in the menu bar, and then click on “Preferences” inside the dropdown menu.

Step 3: Find the Privacy Tab

In preferences, you will be given a set of tab options. Find the “Privacy” tab and click on it. Now, click on the “Manage Website Data” button.

Step 4: Make Selections to Remove or Remove All

Here you will find a list of everything you can clear. Select the items you want, or simply use the “Remove All” button to clear the entire cache.

That’s it. You have successfully cleared the cache in Safari.

Note: The Safari browser also offers a “force refresh” option. Oftentimes this may be enough. You can force refresh your browser by using the following key combination on your Mac: CMD + R. This is an option you can use down the line instead of using the steps above.

However, if you find this simply isn’t working for you, then go ahead and clear your safari browser cache using the steps above.

Congratulations, the Safari browser cache is now empty.

Note: Don’t forget to close out the browser and restart it after you have performed the steps above.

What Are Cookies?

When you hear the term “cookies” being thrown around, we are not talking about the kind you eat. Instead, in this instance, cookies are actually a small piece of data that is stored in your browser while you’re on a website. Every time you go back to that same website, the browser sends the cookie back to the said website with all the info from the last visit.

Cookies can be very helpful, as they store content like usernames and preferences for certain websites you visit. Most times, a browser will overwrite a cookie after you reach a certain limit but will keep information on your browser history until you clear it out. These can bog your browser down over time and lead to a number of issues.

This is another reason you want to clear the Safari cache periodically and start fresh.

Below are step-by-step instructions for clearing your Safari browser’s cache on a Mac and forcing it to load all the freshest and latest data from a website.

Why You Need To Clear Your Safari Browser Cache on Mac

Any website you visit is actually made up of hundreds, and oftentimes thousands of files. Even the websites that are highly optimized for speed will usually load a lot of files in order to display the content properly in your browser.

Your Safari browser does its part to speed up the loading process by saving pieces of the website the first time you visit. Once those pieces are saved the Safari browser can display the files stored in its cache much faster than it can pull fresh files from a server. Therefore, next time you visit that site, the load time will be much faster because the Safari browser will serve up the files stored in the browser cache.

For instance, common images that do not change over time are stored on your computer. This way, the website doesn’t have to spend time uploading the image to you. Your device simply pulls it out of the cache, which drastically cuts down processing time.

With that being said, caching files can have several disadvantages over time. It is a great idea to clear your Safari browser cache every so often for the following reasons:

Maximize Speed and Performance

Even if you don’t spend a lot of time online, over time, you will build up a very large cache. For those of you who do spend a lot of time online for work or surfing the web, your cache will build up even faster. This can affect the speed and performance of your computer. Clearing the Safari browser cache frees up some space and may help speed things back up again.

Viewing Most Recent Pages

Every time you revisit a website your Safari browser cache is supposed to check to see if the site has changed in any way so that it can serve you the most up-to-date pages. This doesn’t always work and sometimes the cache will serve you up old page versions. Clearing the cache from time-to-time will force the browser to start over. This ensures that you are viewing the most up-to-date pages and information on that and other websites you visit often.

Maintaining Security

This will come in particularly handy if you are using a shared or public computer. Clearing the cache after using the computer will help maintain your privacy by clearing out any personal data you may have used while browsing. It also clears out any personal data that the websites you have visited keep.

Fixes Browser Errors

There are situations sometimes when your cache can cause problems when you are using your Safari browser. Some good examples of this would include:

• Certain websites are slow to load.
• Certain websites will not load at all.
• You will receive error messages.
• Get hung up at certain spots on the website.

In most cases, all of those problems and others can be fixed by clearing the cache. After that, restart the browser and you should be all set.

What Happens to Saved Passwords When You Clear Your Cache?

Yes, clearing your Safari browser cache will clear out all of your saved passwords. This means you will need to re-enter them once when you visit any site you have passwords saved for. Not only will this clear saved passwords, but it will also automatically log you out of any websites you were auto-logged into.

This isn’t a huge deal most times, as you can simply re-enter passwords once. However, there is a solution to this from Apple. If you use iCloud, simply check the box for Safari and all of your passwords and logins will be retained even after you clear your Safari browser cache.

Final Thoughts

The Safari browser offers Mac users a fantastic browser filled with a ton of tools, options, and settings. However, just like any other browser, the cache should be cleared periodically to ensure that the browser is operating at its best.

Clearing the cache on your Safari browser is something that should be done periodically, no matter what. Not only will this help speed up your browser, but it will also maximize performance. Furthermore, it helps maintain the security of the browser and fixes certain browser errors that you come across.

It is not difficult at all to do this. A few clicks of a button within your Safari browser menu will get you to the point where you can easily empty the cache in Safari. This will ensure everything is refreshed and running smoothly.

You can also clear your Safari browser on a PC as well.

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