It's a bummer to encounter internet access issues after updating to macOS 14.3 on your 2020 MacBook Air. Let's try to troubleshoot and resolve this to get your Safari browser back up and running smoothly.
Here are some steps you can take to address this problem:
1. Check Network Connectivity: First, make sure your MacBook Air is connected to the internet and the connection is stable. You can check this by trying to access the internet with a different application or browser. Since you mentioned that Google Chrome still works, it's important to confirm that your network connection is functioning effectively for other applications as well.
2. Restart Safari: Try quitting Safari and then reopening it. To do this, simply click on the Safari menu and choose "Quit Safari." Then, relaunch the application and try accessing websites again.
3. Check Safari Preferences: In Safari, navigate to the Preferences menu (Safari > Preferences), and then go to the "Privacy" tab. Here, you can click on "Manage Website Data" to delete any stored website data, including cache and cookies. Sometimes, corrupted cache or cookies can lead to browsing issues.
4. Reset Safari: If the issue persists, you can consider resetting Safari entirely. To do this, go to Safari > Clear History, and select "All History" to remove all browsing history. Additionally, you can go to Safari > Preferences > Advanced and select "Show Develop menu in menu bar." Once the Develop menu is available, you can click on "Empty Caches" to clear out cached website data.
5. Update or Reinstall Safari: Although Safari updates are typically included with macOS updates, you might want to check for any available Safari updates, or even consider reinstalling Safari if the problem persists. Reinstalling Safari can effectively reset the browser to its default state.
6. Check Security Software: Sometimes, security software or firewalls can interfere with web browsing. If you have any security software installed, ensure that it's not obstructing Safari's internet access.
7. macOS Troubleshooting: In case the issue continues, it's good to perform general macOS troubleshooting steps, such as restarting your MacBook Air, running Disk Utility to check for any disk errors, or even considering resetting the PRAM (Parameter RAM) or NVRAM (Non-Volatile RAM).
If after going through these steps you're still experiencing issues, it's worth reaching out to Apple Support or visiting an Apple Store or authorized service provider for further assistance. They may be able to conduct a more in-depth investigation to identify the source of the problem and offer a tailored solution.
I hope these suggestions help you in resolving the internet access issues you're experiencing with Safari on your macOS 14.3 MacBook Air.