Follow these simple troubleshooting steps to fix Safari if it isn’t working properly on your iPhone 13.
It can be so annoying when Safari is not working on your iPhone 13. There are many things that could be to blame for the problem, and there’s a list of steps you should take if you want to figure out what might be causing it.
In this piece, we’ll discuss several ways you can troubleshoot Safari that is not working on iPhone 13.
How to fix Safari not working on iPhone 13
Here are a few things you can do to troubleshoot issues with Safari when the browser can’t load a website, displays a blank page, or just unexpectedly crashes on your iPhone 13.
1. Make sure the site you are trying to access is up and running
It may sound obvious, but maybe the problem isn’t caused by your iPhone 13, but rather by the website you are trying to access. When you have issues with your internet connection or browser, the first thing you should do is try to access google.com. If Google loads fine, then try a few other websites randomly. If they all work, go back to the first website you were trying to load and try to confirm whether it is down or if it’s a problem with your browser.
2. Check your router
Once you are able to confirm the problem comes from your own set up and not from the website you are trying to access, your next check is the router. Is it on? Are your other devices able to connect to the web and load pages fine? If not, unplug the modem and router for a few seconds and plug them back in.
3. Toggle Airplane Mode on and off
If the problem is limited to only one of your devices, say your iPhone 13, simply turn Airplane Mode on and off. This temporarily disables all antennas on the device, and quite frankly, it’s often the most successful way of getting back online.
4. Reboot
When in doubt, a good old reboot of your device is always a safe bet as it might just iron out any temporary bugs that just needed to be flushed out. To do this, go to settings > general > shut down.
5. Turn Off Safari Suggestions
One of the simplest and most common fixes for Safari not loading pages on iPhone 13, or crashing, is turning off Safari Suggestions. While we aren’t sure why this works, many iPhone 13 users have reported that turning this off fixes the problem.
To turn off suggestions, head to Settings > Safari > Safari Suggestions and turn this off. You can also turn off Search Engine Suggestions while you’re there too, as some users reported this also fixes the issue.
If this fixed your issue, then you’re all set. If not, try the following steps.
6. Turn On Cellular Data for Safari
If you’re frequently connected to Wi-Fi, you may have cellular data off for Safari to save on data. While helpful, if your iPhone 13 is connected to Wi-Fi but no internet access, connecting to cellular data could fix your issue.
To do this, head to Settings > Cellular > Safari and turn this on. If it was off, this was most likely the cause of the issue you were facing. Alternatively, you can turn off Wi-Fi if you’re connected and just connect with cellular data. If you’re able to connect this way, that means it’s a network issue with your Wi-Fi network.
See also: iPhone 13 Pro Cellular Data Not Working? Here’s The Fix
7. Edit Your Screen Time Settings
If you’ve ever changed your Screen Time settings or blocked certain websites through Screen Time, try turning these settings off. To block websites, you need to enable Content Restrictions which can inadvertently block websites you still wanted to use. If you can’t load a link from an email or text message, this could also be a sign that content restrictions are on.
To fix this issue head to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and turn this option off. If it was on, then this was most likely your issue. If it was off already, proceed to the next fix.
8. Clear All Safari’s Data
Caching errors are often to blame for web browsing issues, especially when these issues are specific to one site in particular. To rule out this problem, clear your Safari history and website data. This will remove all cookies, caches, and website data on your device.
To clear Safari’s data, head to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. This will erase all extra data in the Safari app. Some iPhone 13 users report this works, but you’ll need to do it every so often if you can’t eliminate storage space elsewhere on your iPhone.
9. Update iOS to the Latest Version
Some iPhone 13 users have reported that updating iOS resolves issues with Safari. Whether Safari isn’t loading, is crashing, or just is not connecting to websites, try updating iOS on your iPhone. Apple does a great job of fixing widespread issues with iOS updates. So if there is an issue that Apple is aware of, it could get fixed by an update.
10. Reset Your Network Settings
If you’ve had issues with your network before, like not getting service or pages timing out, resetting your Network Settings could help. To reset your Network Settings, head to General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. This will reset only your Network Settings and won’t erase any other data on your iPhone.
After you finish this, try opening Safari to see if it’s working again. If not, proceed to the next fix.
11. Reset to Factory Default Settings
If all else fails, you can try resetting your iPhone to the default settings. This will erase all the data on your iPhone and you’ll have to set it up from scratch. However, this is also a very effective way to resolve all manner of software problems. To do this, head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
After resetting to the default settings, test out the Safari app before you install your usual apps. If Safari is working then but stops working when a certain app is installed, that means the app installed is interfering with Safari.
If Safari isn’t working when you have a fresh install, make sure you didn’t restore a backup of your iPhone. If you restored a backup, there could be something interfering with Safari that transferred over. If you reset your device without a backup and Safari still didn’t work, it means there is only one more option to start using the internet again.
12. Use an Alternative Browser
Still can’t seem to load a webpage in Safari? Then try Chrome or another browser to figure out whether the problem is from Safari itself.
13. Disable content blockers and extensions
By now, if you’ve identified the problem is from Safari itself, try to narrow it down to extensions or content blockers you might have installed on your device. On your iPhone 13, go to Settings > Safari > Content Blockers, and disable all of them, if any.
Safari Not Working on Your iPhone 13? It’s Most Likely a Software Issue
Cracked screens and broken buttons are easy to diagnose as we can instantly see what’s wrong. But when Safari or other apps on your iPhone 13 stop working, that usually means a software issue is at play.
By updating iOS, changing your settings, or resetting your device, you can usually fix these issues.
If you have other tips to fix Safari not working on iPhone 13, please feel free to share in the comments section below.