6 Best Ways to Fix Safari High Memory Usage on Mac
Safari is a fast and efficient web browser for Mac, but it does have some issues. Sometimes it crashes, fails to find the server, and uses too much memory. This can cause the Mac to overheat and slow down. Here are the best ways to fix Safari’s high memory usage on Mac.
High memory usage in Safari can cause glitches and errors in other apps. When your Mac apps have less RAM, they need assistance with daily operations. First, we will demonstrate how to verify Safari’s high memory usage and then proceed with troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue.
Use Activity Monitor to Confirm High Memory Usage
Before making changes to Safari on Mac, confirm the default browser’s rogue behavior using the built-in Activity Monitor in macOS. Follow these steps:
Step 1: Press Command + Space to open Spotlight Search.
Step 2: Type Activity Monitor and press Return.
Step 3: Go to the Memory tab.
Step 4: Check memory pressure, physical memory, used memory, cached files, and swapped memory.
Step 5: Check Safari’s memory consumption under Process Name.
Usually, desktop browsers use 2GB-3GB of memory. If Safari is using 8GB-9GB RAM, it’s alarming and needs fixing to maintain Mac performance.
1. Close Irrelevant Tabs
Safari lacks features like Sleeping tabs (Microsoft Edge) or Memory Saver (Google Chrome) that put irrelevant tabs to sleep to save memory. The browser keeps all tabs actively running in the background, so it’s necessary to frequently close unnecessary tabs to prevent high memory usage on Mac.
Here’s how to close unnecessary tabs in Safari on Mac:
1. Open Safari.
2. Glance over the opened tabs at the top.
3. Click the ‘x’ mark beside the tabs you don’t want to use right now.
To revisit the article, bookmark it or add it to your Reading List.
Step 4: Click the ‘+’ icon in the address bar and add the webpage to Reading List.
Step 5: Right-click on the ‘+’ icon to Bookmark the page.
2. Review Safari Extensions
Safari supports third-party web extensions to enhance your browsing experience. While the selection is smaller than the Chrome Web Store, there are still many extensions available. However, not all extensions are regularly updated or maintained. If you have outdated or unnecessary extensions running in the background, they may consume excessive memory. To address this, review your installed Safari extensions and uninstall any that are irrelevant. Here are the steps to follow:
1. Launch Safari on your Mac.
2. Click on Safari in the top-right corner of the menu bar and select Settings.
Step 3: Click on the Extensions tab. Select unknown extensions from the left sidebar.
Step 4: Uninstall and confirm.
3. Force Stop Safari
Due to high memory usage, Safari may occasionally become unresponsive. Force-stop Safari and try again.
Step 1: Launch Activity Monitor on Mac. Step 2: Select and close Safari.
Step 3: Relaunch Safari and monitor memory usage closely.
4. Simplify Safari Homepage
Safari allows you to customize the homepage with add-ons. However, overcrowding it with Siri suggestions, Privacy Report, background images, and menus can lead to high memory usage. Here’s how to simplify the Safari homepage on Mac:
1. Open Safari and click the customize button in the bottom right corner.
2. Disable irrelevant menus by removing the checkmark and relaunch the app.
5. Update macOS
Safari is closely tied to macOS. Apple releases new features and bug fixes for Safari with macOS updates. An outdated macOS build can cause high memory usage in Safari. Step 1: Click the Apple icon in the top left corner and open System Settings.
Step 2: Select General and open the Software Update menu.
Step 3: Download and install the latest macOS update.
6. Ditch Safari in Favor of Microsoft Edge
If you are facing issues with Safari, ditch it for better alternatives. The Mac ecosystem has many capable browsers, and Microsoft Edge is one of the best. It has a long list of features, is compatible with all Chromium browsers, and works on all platforms.
Smooth Safari Experience on Mac
Safari’s high memory usage on Mac is not desirable. You can fix the problem using the tricks above. Which trick worked for you? Let us know in the comments below.
As Fred Humiston, the author behind Twothirds.us, I focus on providing practical and easy-to-follow guides and solutions for a variety of technical issues that people commonly face.
My articles cover a wide range of topics, from troubleshooting out-of-sync audio on TikTok and managing Firestick devices, to understanding the impact of Capcut on video quality and resolving sound issues on Hisense Roku TVs.
I also delve into more general tech tips, like how to block numbers on landlines or use VPNs without Wi-Fi. My goal is to make technology more accessible and less intimidating for everyone, whether you’re a tech novice or a seasoned user. I strive to offer clear, concise, and helpful advice to make your digital experience smoother and more enjoyable.