For some reason Safari (either the version with Catalina 10.15.6, or the 14 Beta) will not display content using WebGL.
As you can see I get the above error message.
I've removed extensions etc.
Firefox on the same machine in the same User account works fine.
Anyone know how to fix this?
Thank you.
iMac 27″, macOS 10.12
If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer or by using the developer’s uninstall instructions. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.
If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown. If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply. After pasting the report in a PasteBin page, go to the top of the page, and copy the address in the URL bar. Paste that in a new reply. Pastebin
Etrecheck – System Information
Web site version if required. https://etrecheck.com
If the problem is still there, try booting into the Safe Mode using your normal account. Disconnect all peripherals except those needed for the test. Shut down the computer and then power it back up after waiting 10 seconds. Immediately after hearing the startup chime, hold down the shift key and continue to hold it until the gray Apple icon and a progress bar appear. The boot up is significantly slower than normal. This will reset some caches, forces a directory check, and disables all startup and login items, among other things. When you reboot normally, the initial reboot may be slower than normal. If the system operates normally, there may be 3rd party applications which are causing a problem. Try deleting/disabling the third party applications after a restart by using the application un-installer or by using the developer’s uninstall instructions. For each disable/delete, you will need to restart if you don't do them all at once.
If it works in the Safe Mode, try running this program when booted normally and then copy and paste the output in a reply. The program was created by Etresoft, a frequent contributor. Please use copy and paste as screen shots can be hard to read. Click “Share Report” button in the toolbar, select “Copy to Clipboard” and then paste into a reply. This will show what is running on your computer. No personal information is shown. If the log won’t post, try posting it in Pastebin and provide a link in a reply. After pasting the report in a PasteBin page, go to the top of the page, and copy the address in the URL bar. Paste that in a new reply. Pastebin
Etrecheck – System Information
Web site version if required. https://etrecheck.com
I had this problem in Mojave and played with settings for WebGL via the Developer menu to no avail. I finally dumped Safari defaults via the command line in Terminal:
defaults read com.apple.Safari | grep -i webgl
a line in the output showed webgl as disabled:
"WebKitPreferences.webGLEnabled" = 0;
I enabled it by setting it to "1":
defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitPreferences.webGLEnabled 1
Then I restarted Safari and the webgl worked.
In your case you could check Catalina settings and reset ones that may be set to 0.
OK, so no luck there either I'm afraid.
FYI, I have now updated to the Safari 14.0 public release, so the Beta issue is no longer relevant.
However, catalysed by your suggestion, I HAVE now solved it.
The correct file to be edited in Catalina is, and resides as shown:
I opened it in XCode, searched for "webgl" - and found that, sure enough, the variable shown below was set to "NO".
Editing that to "YES" was the right answer.
Now, this wasn't quite as straightforward as I was then not permitted to save the edited file even though I am admin etc., Unlock and Duplicate using Xcode did not work - insufficient permissions to save.
All the folders shown above when interrogated with Get Info show me as Read & Write but clearly not...
So, I duplicated the file, dragged that dupe to the desktop, edited it in Xcode, renamed the original and dragged that to desktop, then redragged edited file back into folder and that was somehow allowable.
Problem solved in Catalina.
And WebGL2 is also True if I enable in Developer > Experimental Features menu.
I should have added that this affects only my (Administrator) account.
If I log in as a Guest, then WebGL (and WebGL2 if I enable it in the Develop > Experimental Features menu) both show up as working.
Thanks Eric for such a speedy reply - it is driving me mad trying to resolve this.
So, restarted in Safe Mode (after I'd remembered to connect the BT KB to the iMac by USB...).
Safari WebGL still did not work in my User account.
Ran EtreCheck:
Yes had VPN off - makes no difference and also WebGL works fine on another Mac on same n/w with VPN on.
Any idea why WebGL is reported as "False (supported, but disabled in browser settings, or blocked by extensions)"
Extensions are off. Where might I look to see is there is orphan extension clutter in (only) my user account in Safari?
mmxix, I have now tried this and it did not work for me.
When I first ran the Terminal command to interrogate preferences, I got an error:
Then I ran the command to enable webGL etc and this produced no errors. I then ran the command to interrogate again and I ended up with that one preference reported.
IS this somehow due to the different Terminal behaviour in Catalina? I'm afraid I don't know enough to know what to try next...!
I am running Safari 14 Beta.
___
XXXXXX ~ % defaults read com.apple.Safari | grep -i webgl
2020-09-17 15:48:50.952 defaults[1497:27197]
Domain com.apple.Safari does not exist
XXXXXX ~ % defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitPreferences.webGLEnabled 1
XXXXXX ~ % defaults read com.apple.Safari | grep -i webgl
"WebKitPreferences.webGLEnabled" = 1;
XXXXXX ~ %
___
Since you're running a Safari beta, I believe the app's name would be Safari Technology Preview and not simply Safari. That may be why the first defaults read command didn't find the domain com.apple.Safari. Try replacing com.apple.Safari with com.apple.SafariTechnologyPreview (no spaces) in the commands.
Great! I'm glad to have been a catalyst and that you solved the problem. Now that you're not on the beta, I should think the defaults command pointing to com.apple.Safari would allow changing the setting without having to deal with file permissions. It would be interesting to know at least if defaults read com.apple.Safari works now.
No, that command does not work in Catalina.
Well, it does 'work' but it is clearly reading ONLY the one line I have edited in using your suggestion previously, and I did not add the webgl filter, just wrote defaults read com.apple.Safari
So, I can only assume it is looking at a legacy plist file.
Just to add that I've tried disabling AdBlock - to no effect. It is present on my other Mac and WebGL is unaffected by this on that Mac.
You are welcome. Have you tried turning off the VPN to see if that helps? You have a lot of background applications running. Try quitting everything but Safari to see if that helps.
That is a very helpful suggestion - precisely the sort of detail I was looking for - thank you.
Will report back so we know if it works.
Thank you!! This worked!! This was driving me crazy!!!
Ok, thanks for checking.
Safari reporting that WebGL not supported
