Why are my Safari Extensions not working?

Answered by Ricardo McCardle

There could be several reasons why your Safari extensions are not working. Let’s explore some possible causes and solutions:

1. Outdated Extensions: It’s important to ensure that your extensions are up to date. Outdated extensions may not be compatible with the latest version of Safari, leading to malfunctioning or non-functional extensions. Check for updates by opening the App Store and navigating to the “Updates” tab. Look for any available updates for your extensions and install them.

2. Incompatible Extensions: Sometimes, extensions may not be compatible with the version of Safari you are using. Developers regularly update their extensions to ensure compatibility with the latest browser updates. If you recently updated Safari and your extensions stopped working, it’s possible that they haven’t been updated by the developer yet. In such cases, you can try contacting the extension developer for more information or look for alternative extensions that are compatible with your Safari version.

3. Conflicting Extensions: Certain extensions may conflict with each other, causing issues with their functionality. To troubleshoot this, try disabling all extensions and then enable them one by one to identify if any particular extension is causing the problem. If you find a conflicting extension, consider removing it or finding an alternative that works well with your other installed extensions.

4. Disabled Extensions: It’s also worth checking if your extensions are accidentally disabled. Open Safari and go to Safari > Preferences. Click on the “Extensions” tab and make sure the checkbox beside each extension is selected. If any extension is disabled, simply enable it by checking the box.

5. Safari Settings: Occasionally, Safari settings can interfere with extension functionality. Resetting Safari settings can often resolve these issues. To do this, go to Safari > Preferences, click on the “Privacy” tab, and then click on “Manage Website Data.” In the new window, click on “Remove All” to delete all website data. Note that this action will log you out of websites and clear website preferences. Restart Safari and check if the extensions are now working correctly.

6. System Updates: Ensure that your macOS is up to date. Sometimes, system updates can affect the performance of extensions. Go to the Apple menu and select “System Preferences.” Click on “Software Update” to check for any available updates. Install any updates and restart your computer if necessary.

By following these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve most issues related to non-functioning Safari extensions. If the problem persists, consider reaching out to Apple Support or the extension developer for further assistance.