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cannot delete website data in Safari

Hello. I have macOS Monterey 12.2.1 and Safari 15.3

I just noticed that I cannot remove selected website data in Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data.

I select a few websites, and click on Remove, but nothing happens, nothing gets deleted.

In macOS Big Sur this worked very well.

Is there something I can do to fix it, or is it a bug and I have to wait until it gets fixed?

Thanks!

MacBook Pro 16″, macOS 12.2

Posted on Feb 21, 2022 12:55 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Feb 21, 2022 9:59 AM

Hi Dominic23,

something very interesting I noticed. Yesterday I turned ON Content and Privacy Restrictions (system preferences > Screen Time > Content & Privacy) because I got a pop-up survey from dope-news.xyz, which I think is a virus or related to a virus. So I blocked this site.

What is interesting is that if I have turned ON content and privacy restrictions in Screen Time, the Manage Website Data in Safari (Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data) does not work (does not remove websites). But if I have Content & Privacy Restrictions turned OFF in Screen Time, the Safari Manage Website Data works fine, it removes websites.

So I don't know what is the relation between Screen Time and Safari website data, but this is the way it works.

Now, I would like to have Content & Privacy Restrictions turned ON in Screen Time, and at the same time being able to manage website data in Safari. But maybe this is a bug that Apple may want to fix (soon). What do you think?

6 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Feb 21, 2022 9:59 AM in response to dominic23

Hi Dominic23,

something very interesting I noticed. Yesterday I turned ON Content and Privacy Restrictions (system preferences > Screen Time > Content & Privacy) because I got a pop-up survey from dope-news.xyz, which I think is a virus or related to a virus. So I blocked this site.

What is interesting is that if I have turned ON content and privacy restrictions in Screen Time, the Manage Website Data in Safari (Safari > Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data) does not work (does not remove websites). But if I have Content & Privacy Restrictions turned OFF in Screen Time, the Safari Manage Website Data works fine, it removes websites.

So I don't know what is the relation between Screen Time and Safari website data, but this is the way it works.

Now, I would like to have Content & Privacy Restrictions turned ON in Screen Time, and at the same time being able to manage website data in Safari. But maybe this is a bug that Apple may want to fix (soon). What do you think?

Feb 21, 2022 3:52 AM in response to RicMoli

Check "Library".


Quit all applications.


Finder > Go

Hold the "Option" key down and click the "Go" menu in the Finder menu bar.

Library folder will be shown between "Home" and "Computer".



Go to the Safari and then Local Storage. Click open those Folders.

See if those items are in Local Storage folder or not.

If you see them, highlight those and delete/ Move to Trash.

Restart the computer.



cannot delete website data in Safari

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