The capabilities of Apple’s mobile browser are many. They safeguard your privacy, keep things organized, and make it simpler to follow and consume internet material. Here is a list of the top functions that every iPhone user has to be aware of.
Private Relay on iCloud
In 2021, Apple released the iCloud Private Relay beta through order to mask online traffic in the Safari browser. If you pay for any tier of iCloud (also known as an iCloud+ membership) or utilize Apple One, you can use iCloud Private Relay.
A VPN and iCloud Private Relay cannot be used together since Private Relay is not a VPN. Web queries are sent over two hops as part of the service; the first, run by Apple, can see your IP address but encrypts your request and DNS records, and the second, run by a third party, provides a random IP address and decrypts your web request.
It is envisioned that neither Apple nor the third party will be able to make the connection and determine who is accessing a certain website. Uncertain error messages, unexpected downtime, and carrier hostility have all plagued the service at various points.
But if you’re worried about privacy, it usually works as promised, so it’s worth turning on. By opening the Settings app and pressing on your name at the top of the screen, you may switch on iCloud Private Relay (or turn it off). Navigate to iCloud > iCloud Private Relay from here and turn on the service.
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Safari Add-ons
With the release of iOS 15, extensions were available for usage in Safari. With third-party add-ons, you can greatly increase the functionality of Apple’s browser, but you’ll have to do it through Apple’s channels. Safari extensions are available via the App Store. Open the App Store app, then select “Apps” from the menu at the bottom of the screen.
Find the “Safari Extensions” category under Top Categories at the bottom of the page by scrolling down and tapping “See All” if it isn’t immediately apparent. By opening the Settings app and pressing on your name at the top of the screen, you may switch on iCloud Private Relay (or turn it off). Navigate to iCloud > iCloud Private Relay from here and turn on the service.
Safari Add-ons
With the release of iOS 15, extensions were available for usage in Safari. With third-party add-ons, you can greatly increase the functionality of Apple’s browser, but you’ll have to do it through Apple’s channels. Safari extensions are available via the App Store. Open the App Store app, then select “Apps” from the menu at the bottom of the screen.
Find the “Safari Extensions” category under Top Categories at the bottom of the page by scrolling down and tapping “See All” if it isn’t immediately apparent. If you’re concerned about your online privacy, it’s worth double-checking that Safari’s privacy options are activated. Scroll down to the “Privacy & Security” section under Settings > Safari.
To stop online monitoring by advertisers and their cookies, turn on “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.” Theoretically, by doing this, you can stop marketers from creating a profile of you based on the websites you frequent. The first widely used browser to by default block third-party cookies was Safari.
If you’re using iCloud Private Relay, you may also turn on “Hide IP Address” to keep trackers and websites from seeing this information. With the use of this tool, you may prevent marketers from profiling you based on your IP. To further restrict tracking, you may also turn off “Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement,” which is enabled by default. Although the tool may seem like something you should use, it really serves as a method to “privately” share information about your contacts with marketers.
Viewer Mode
By touching and holding the “AA” button to the left of a website URL in Safari’s Address bar, you may turn on Reader mode for the majority of websites. If you’d want to complete the action in two touches, you may alternatively hit this button and then select “Show Reader.” When you do this, Safari will remove everything but the webpage’s content and display it to you in a manner that you may choose.
This is fantastic for a number of reasons. It starts by getting rid of intrusive adverts, such as those that update as you read and move the text up and down the page. Additionally, formatting and website designs like unusual font selections and distracting colors that can make it difficult to read are removed.
By pressing on the “AA” icon in the URL bar and using the tiny and big “A” buttons to select a font, background color, and text size, you may personalize Reader. You may either long-press the “AA” button once more to close Reader or select “Hide Reader” from this menu.
A dark backdrop allows you to view webpages in the dark without becoming dazzled, which is essential for late-night reading in bed. Both an accessibility function and a convenience, Safari will keep track of your Reader preferences until you use it again.
The menu for “Website Settings”
A “Website Settings” option will appear if you hit the “AA” button in the website URL bar while you are browsing. By tapping on it, you may change between always requesting the desktop version of a website using the “Request Desktop Website” toggle or always forcing Reader to be used.
These are helpful if you frequently utilize Reader (to prevent intrusive advertisements) or steer clear of a certain mobile page owing to its restricted capabilities. Reader should only activate on pages with meaningful information; for instance, a website’s main page with merely headlines should work normally, however going through to an article will activate Reader mode for you.
By consistently granting or flatly rejecting a specific website access to these rights, you may also avoid seeing any requests for access to your camera, microphone, and location. Safari will keep track of your preferences for every website. Go to Settings > Safari and scroll down to the “Settings for Websites” section to make changes to these settings.
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Reference list
There are occasions when you could visit a website or receive a link to an intriguing article but not have the time to read it right away. You could even wish to check out a product website or a video that is uploaded online. To bookmark webpages for later, a tool like Reading List comes in handy.
When your finger is pressed down on a link, a long-press menu appears that you may use to access the “Add to Reading List” option. This may be done using the Share sheet in apps like Twitter, in Safari on a webpage, or in a Messages window. While the website is active, you may also reach this option by using the Share button in Safari.
By selecting the “Bookmarks” button in the bar at the bottom of the screen, then selecting the Reading List tab, you may access all of these links from Safari (it looks like a pair of glasses). Your Reading List will sync between your Mac and iPad if you own one of those devices.
Click Groups (and Shortcuts)
If you are not making use of Safari’s grouping capabilities, keeping your tabs organized may be a real hassle. This enables you to identify tab groups so you may recall and end browsing sessions whenever you choose. Launch Safari and click the tab view button in the bottom right corner of the screen to see all of your open tabs before setting up your groups. From here, touch the label that says “10 Tabs” or a similar phrase at the bottom of the screen (depending on how many you have open).
You may now create a new tab group that contains only empty tabs or one that contains all open tabs. This list starts with your primary browsing session, immediately above the “Private” heading. By holding down the tab view button in Safari’s bottom-right corner for a long time, you may add a tab to a group. Additionally, you may mass-move tabs to an existing or new tab group.
Private Web Surfing (and Shortcuts)
The most apparent benefit of private browsing is that you don’t leave a record of the websites you’ve visited in your history, cookies, or website data. However, the tool is also helpful for beginning fresh sessions with websites that may have already profiled you, such as after you’ve read all five of your free articles allotted on a news website.
In Safari’s bottom right corner, next to the tab view button, is where you may enter a private browsing session. By holding down this button for a long time, you may swiftly switch between your “Private” session and another. Tap and hold Safari on your home screen, then select “New Private Tab” to go directly to a new tab in your “Private” session.
Click “Add to Home Screen” Web Apps
Use any websites that resemble web applications? The most elegant way to launch some services, including Xbox Cloud Gaming, into a browser window is using Safari’s “Add to Home” feature. Numerous websites operate as separate applications, taking up a space in the iPhone multitasker and lacking Safari’s user interface. Others function as straightforward bookmarks that you can access from your home screen, which may not be to everyone’s taste but can still be useful.
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Apple Pay with AutoFill
By customizing your AutoFill options under Settings > Safari > AutoFill, you may expedite the checkout process. To make it simpler to complete transactions, you may choose to have information like your address and other contact data retrieved from your personal Contact entry in your address book.
The “Saved Credit Cards” option on this menu also allows you to store your credit card details. You may delete any previous cards that may have expired or been cancelled here in addition to adding a new one. Apple Pay is the last option, and it will be available on websites that support it.
You may choose a delivery address, a shipping method, and contact information from one neat pop-up window, which speeds up the checkout process. To add a card and begin using Apple Pay, go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay. Under Settings > Safari > Search Engine, you may set DuckDuckGo as your iPhone’s default search engine.
Added Safari Advice
There are numerous features in Safari that can simplify your life. You can download files, make your browser ignore apps, store and access passwords, and prevent pop-up windows using an iPhone or iPad running a current version of Safari.
