*Unable to open safari at all*

Whenever I open safari, the app name on the menu bar shows that I have opened safari, but the app window is not at all opening. I tried force quitting and reopened it, but no use.


I followed several tutorials online to clear cache, history etc etc. But all in vain.


But, when I created another user account and tried opening safari, it opens there, But not in my main user account.


This is very annoying, for the past several weeks I have been reaching out to the apple support team, but no one has been able to solve this issue. I could not even find anyone facing a similar issue online.


Please anyone suggest me some way to rectify the issue.

I am using MacBook M1 Pro, 14 inch. MacOS Ventura.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.0

Posted on Nov 14, 2022 4:59 AM

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Posted on Nov 14, 2022 12:01 PM

I understand that when you launch the Safari app, the app opens but no windows appear. Safari opens and works as expected in a different User Account. Apple Support was unable to fix it.


The fact Safari works in a different User Account suggests a corrupted file in one of several potential places. I have several suggestions that Apple may or may not have had you try, so consider the following.


Quit the Safari app if it is open. Safari menu > Quit Safari. If that menu is dimmed or "greyed out" just force Safari to quit according to How to force an app to quit on your Mac - Apple Support. Then, press and hold a Shift key while launching Safari from Applications, Launchpad, or the Dock. Release the Shift key when Safari opens.


That action causes Safari to open with no previously opened windows or tabs.


If the problem remains, continue.


Quit the Safari app if it is open.


Then, navigate to your User Library by typing the following in the Finder's Go menu > Go To Folder... field.


~/Library


Make it look like this



... and click the Go button. A Finder window will open. The files it contains are some of your User Account - specific files that could be contributing to the problem. Other User Accounts have their own User Libraries.


From there, your task is to find certain Safari-related files and drag them out of their locations and onto the Desktop. Each time you do that, open Safari again and determine if the problem is fixed or not. Quit Safari if it is not fixed, and proceed to the next step. Stop when it's fixed.


Open the folder named Saved Application State. Drag the file named com.apple.Safari.savedState onto the Desktop. Then, back out of that folder (use the "back button") which returns you to ~/Library or just repeat the same Go To Folder actions you did before.


Repeating the same general instructions, open the ~/Library/Preferences/ folder. In it, find com.apple.Safari.plist and drag it onto the Desktop.


That is as far as I'll go for the time being, but you should have the general idea. The worst thing that could happen is that you will be logged out of websites and / or have to provide login information or whatever other website preferences may have been affected, in which case you could always drag those files back into their original locations. Let me know if anything helps.

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32 replies

Nov 27, 2022 6:45 PM in response to muhammadwasee_m

This was indeed a tortuous path to success — assuming you have indeed solved the problem to your satisfaction.


There is a way to set Safari to always open with a private window (the opposite of what you want) but I don't recall what it is at the moment. It may no longer be available or applicable in Ventura.


If you dragged the entire User Library to the Desktop, you can now drag any files not likely to be related to Safari back where they belong. I suggest taking as much time as necessary to do that — use all your other apps as you would normally, and if everything is working to your satisfaction you can finally drag that desktop copy to the Trash. I'd seriously wait a few weeks before concluding there is nothing in it you need.

Nov 14, 2022 4:48 PM in response to John Galt

Thank you for your time and efforts. But the issue is still not resolved. I now literally drag and dropped all the files which you have mentioned above to Desktop. When I again tried, Safari failed to open.😔


The only suggestion the apple support team was able to give me was to reinstall the OS. But I am not sure how that will work out. Because when the issue first arrived, I was using Monterey, but later I installed Ventura. But still, the issue hasn't been solved!


One more thing, just curious, is there any particular reason that might have corrupted my Safari?


@John Galt, welcoming your other suggestions for this issue.

Nov 14, 2022 6:21 PM in response to John Galt

First of all, To confirm your understanding of the problem.

--> Yes, you are right when I click safari icon in dock. It bounces exactly once but the app windows doesn't open.

--> At the same time Mac's menu bar indicates Safari at the upper left, adjacent to the  Menu


Other clarification

--> Yes, Apple support team suggested safe mode login. But that too failed.

--> Yes, I have checked the Applications folder, Safari is present there. Opening from there doesn't work as well.

--> I don't get any error messages as well!!


Regarding backup

--> I am currently having my end-semester exams going on. So I am waiting till next week Friday to go home and take back-up with Time machine.

--> After backup I will follow up your suggestions, if any you will.


Just a query, does resetting Safari makes any difference? I think I have to anyway take backup before doing such methods.


If you have any further suggestions, even to work with terminal I am fine with it, please let me know. Once I take back-up, I will try them out and let you know here.

Nov 15, 2022 4:40 AM in response to John Galt

I was able to find Safari download facility(pkg file, if I am not wrong) for previous MacOS versions. So similarly when such version is available for Ventura, will reinstalling that Safari solve my issue by any chance??


That is actually time-consuming, but possibly a choice for rectifying my issue. Since I have exams, I wont be having time to do it. I also have to take backup, as I said before It will be done by next week.


I will get back to you after my backup with the time machine. Meanwhile, I will also try to use the Shared folder, as you have suggested after taking backup.


John Galt wrote:

Until I can determine and provide suggestions for more targeted areas to examine...

Please let me those suggestions in this forum. I will get back to you as soon as my backup is done. I have to get this done !


Thanks a lot so far

Dec 8, 2022 7:39 PM in response to John Galt

Its been more than week, Safari works good. But It takes time to load certain websites, not specifically. Sometimes it load quickly, but sometimes it loads forever. Apart from that I haven't faced any issues so far.


I would be happy if anyone, at least in future, would be able to find out the cause for corruption of files. Any how, Thanks a lot for your constant support.


Dec 9, 2022 3:34 PM in response to muhammadwasee_m

I don't believe that will be necessary. If you have an abundance of time and curiosity, you could try selectively copying those Safari related files back into their original locations, thereby overwriting their newly created ones.


  • To copy a file, option-drag it.


In that manner, you could conceivably isolate the cause to one or more specific files. It's up to you.


If certain web pages load slowly, I would begin with the fundamental step of clearing Safari's history and / or website data before doing anything drastic:


Clear your browsing history in Safari on Mac - Apple Support

Clear cookies in Safari on Mac - Apple Support


Otherwise perhaps those websites are simply slow to load due to factors beyond your control.

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*Unable to open safari at all*

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