How to Fix: Safari Unable to Load Website on Mac

You don’t often see problems on Safari loading a web page. Apple’s native web browser is one of the most reliable browsers used by millions for daily net surfing.

And Safari, too, gives a highly polished experience to its users. However, on certain occasions, you can see Safari browser unable to load the website on your Mac.

Unable to load websites on Safari is a severe problem, but it’s not always Safari’s fault. Sometimes the network is not working, or the website is having issues in the backend.

Fortunately, it is not very pressing, and there are multiple solutions to the problem. So, if you cannot load any website or webpage on your Safari Mac, here is what you can try to make things work as usual.

Related: How to Fix: This Webpage uses Significant Memory in Safari?

If you are facing such trouble, this must be because of some technical issues. Here are some of the most common fixes for Safari not being able to load a website on your system.

Reload the Webpage

If you fail to load any webpage on the Safari browser, your first move must be to try reloading the webpage a few times. If that doesn’t help you fix it, try closing the application and relaunching it. If the problem was due to some glitch, a fresh start should resolve it seamlessly.

Likewise, you can also perform a hard refresh on the website page to clear unnecessary chunks of cached files.

Here are the steps to hard refresh a page in Safari Mac:

1. Launch the Apple Safari browser on the computer.
2. Open the Website that you want to refresh hard.
3. Keypress and hold the Command button on the keyboard.
4. Within the URL bar, click on Refresh  in the browser.
   

Reloading the page after a hard refresh will take some time. The locally cached files are deleted, and new files are downloaded from the server.

Check Network Settings

If you still fail to load the website after relaunching the application, check if you have switched on WiFi or ethernet. This type of problem often occurs when you manually change your network settings, or sometimes a few applications might create auto changes per their requirements.

Here are the steps to check for network settings on Mac:

1. Click on Apple for the menu list.
2. Select System Preferences, and open the Network menu.
   
3. Make sure the WiFi or Ethernet is connected. If not, please connect the relevant network source.
   

You can also check the network connection, like WiFi, on the macOS menu bar.

Look for Software Updates

If you are using an outdated version of Safari, check for the latest software updates and upgrade your Mac’s software and operating system. This shall effortlessly fix any Safari-related problem, and you can load websites without further trouble.

Here are the steps to check for software updates on Mac:

1. Click on Apple for the menu list.
2. Select System Preferences and open the Software Update menu.
   It will open the Software update window and start checking for any updates.
3. Click on Upgrade now and wait for the update to process.
   

This will typically take 30 mins to complete the minor updates. However, you’ll have a fresh look and enhanced Safari browser security.

Note: Make sure to charge your Macbook up to 80% before updating it to the newest version.

Update/Disable Safari Extensions

Sometimes browser extensions can create a hindrance while browsing. Therefore, check for any outdated extensions and update them all.

If updating doesn’t work in your favor, disable them for a while to determine if the problem exists due to an extension. In that case, delete the particular extension to eliminate the problem.

Here are the steps to disable the Safari Extensions on Mac:

1. Launch the Safari browser on your PC/Laptop.
2. Click on the Preferences option from the menu bar,
3. Switch to the Extensions tab.
4. Deselect the checkbox located right next to the extension to turn it off.

Related: 7+ Best Apple Safari Extensions [You Must Have]

Connect to a VPN

If the website you are trying to load has been restricted to your region, Safari won’t load the website. You can connect your Mac to any reliable VPN, set up a proxy network, and try opening the website again.

If that does the trick, it means that a particular website/webpage is banned in your country/region, and you cannot view it without a VPN service.

You can use a VPN service like CyberGhost VPN that provides the best and most reliable browsing experience at a nominal cost.

Load the Website in a Private Window

When you are trying to load a website on a regular window on Safari, it stores various data in the cache in your browser. If there is any problem with any of these stored data, it might affect the website’s loading.

Hence, try opening it in a private window to avoid storing caches.

Here are steps to open websites in the private window in Safari Mac:

1. Launch the Safari browser on your Mac.
2. Go to the File menu and choose the New private window option.
   

You can even use the safari keyboard shortcut – ⌘ + Shift + n.

Try Later

If the website server you are trying to reach is busy or having some trouble, it is common to encounter such problems. In this case, it will show you a server error. You can try opening it at a different time to check if the server issue has been resolved.

Bottom Line: Safari unable to load Site

Following the tips mentioned above, you must fix the Safari loading Website issue. Although it might take a while to know the precise cause behind the problem, it will be fine once you discover it.

Disabling the adblocker Safari extension has worked in my favor. It was causing the issue that wasn’t allowed to load the website correctly on the Safari browser.

Related: 10+ Best Browsers for Mac OS (Safari Alternative)

And if you are facing any issues, let us know, and we will help you.