After updating to Safari Version 17.5 (17618.2.12.111.5, 17618) it sometimes crashes

Have you installed and run any "cleaning", "optimizing", "speed-up", anti-virus or VPN apps on your Mac?

Give this a try: boot into Safe Mode according to How to use safe mode on your Mac and test to see if the problem persists. Reboot normally and test again.

NOTE 1: Safe Mode boot can take up to 3 - 5 minutes as it's doing the following; 

• Verifies your startup disk and attempts to repair directory issues, if needed

• Loads only required kernel extensions (prevents 3rd party kernel/extensions from loading)

• Prevents Startup Items and Login Items from opening automatically

• Disables user-installed fonts 

• Deletes font caches, kernel cache, and other system cache files

NOTE 2: if you have a wireless keyboard with rechargeable batteries connect it with its charging cable before booting into Safe Mode. This makes it act as a wired keyboard as will insure a successful boot into Safe Mode.

Yesterday night, I restarted my Mac in Safe Mode and browsed online with Safari for around 20 - 25 minutes.

After that, I restarted the computer and used Safari for about an hour with no crashes at all. Today, I have been working with my laptop all day and Safari hasn't crashed yet.

I believe (and hope) that restarting the Mac in Safe Mode did solve the issue for me.

Browser: Version 17.5

MacBook Pro Retina Mid 2015

macOs Monterey 12.7.2

Processor: 2.8 GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7

Possible solution in another thread:

Safari is crashing consistently on specif… - Apple Community

"Have you tried this one yet?

Accessibility settings crash browsers - Apple Community

In short, delete ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SpeakSelection.plist .

(Note the tilde - which means home directory. You can get to the Library via the Finder Go menu with the option key pressed.)"

Apple just released a new build of Safari 17.6 which appears to have solved the crashing problem. Available in Software Update.

Start with this...

Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode? Could take 10 minutes or more.

Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches & loads safe Drivers, & prevents loading of 3rd party extensions, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.

To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

Safari 17.5 crashes after dismissing peeked links. macOS Monterey 12.7.5​

link peeking feature of safari makes safari crash everytime on my safari 12.7.5

its a 3 finger tap on a link in a webpage.

today i got an update and installed safari Version 17.6 (17618.3.11.11.7, 17618).

i can confirm that no more crashes of peeked links or closing tabs or closing windows.

thanks apple🍏

After upgrading so far the previewing doesn't crash Safari anymore. New version Version 17.6 (17618.3.11.11.7, 17618).

Have you tried launching Safari with the Shift key held down to clear out its caches, etc.

Same issue here. Started the moment I ran the last Safari security update (also running Monterey 12.7.5). Anytime I close a new browser window, Safari crashes.

Additionally, I have websites where some images are not displaying. This is happening to my Shopify store and only started happening after the last update. Browsing the same pages on Chrome/Firefox, the images are loading/displaying correctly. This same behaviour started happening on all of our work Macs with the same Safari security update so it's not a website/image issue.

Absolute garbage from Apple on this one. Everyday I look to see if there's a new Safari update that's going to fix these issues as it's driving me nuts.

I tried this too. Basically, re-installed the Monterrey OS files by using macOS Recovery. When complete, the OS recovery files end up installing the previous version of Safari (before this crashing issue started). This does in fact eliminate the crashing issue as well as the missing images from certain websites. However, my issue is that all of my Safari plug-ins (such as 1Password) are the newer versions which no longer functioned with the previous/stable version of Safari. I therefore ran the Safari update and once again, the crashing and missing image issue started up again. This is pretty conclusive that the latest Safari security update is absolute trash and is the cause of this crashing issue. It's been weeks now and still waiting for Apple to address this. I've been sending up to a dozen crash reports daily whenever it crashes. I wonder how many it's going to take for them to actually do something about it???

Hey there, try to clear Safari’s history and cookies.

jvspringrose wrote:

Having similar problems on my iMac running same 12.7.5 OS Monterey. Since update to Safari 17.5 (17618.2.12.111.5), I've not had problems with crashes, but many times loading of frequently-visited websites is extremely prolonged, up to 1 minute or more. (Other times it seems Safari remembers the website has been visited and loads in a flash!??). I've done speed testing for our ISP (Cox) and up/down speeds ~940MBPS each, so input is good. My wife has identical problems on her iMac, iPhones and iPad. She's headed to the Apple Store today to have them check it out. (Her iMac is running OS Sonoma 14.5, Safari 17.5 (19618.2.12.11.6)).

Try the following:

1 - turn off the modem, router and Mac.

2 - turn them back on in this order: modem, router and then the Mac.

3 - check to see if the problem persists.

Sometimes temp cache files get damaged or corrupted and cause strange performance issues. That's why the Safe Mode boot often fixes these problems. As Forrest Gump said: "It happens". Nothing is perfect although we'd like to think so.

Everyone who has this issue, the best thing you can do when it crashes is to go ahead and send the bug report to Apple. I do it everyday, literally 3-5 times a day because that's how many times Safari crashes on me when closing a new window. The other issue that's annoying is how some images in websites simply do not load/display any longer (I just get the blue square with the question mark). Anyhow, the more bug reports Apple receives from this issue, the higher the likelihood that they actually address and fix it. C'mon Apple!