Safari on my MacBook Air freezes while streaming fullscreen

As "they" say, one swallow doesn't make a summer!

BUT, 2 weeks without a freeze and anecdotal iterative changes have produced a result that may point in the direction of a solution.

I've tried;

• removed any app that wasn't absolutely needed
• analysed and removed to offline storage "old" data - storage now <50% used
• tried "safe boot" and other "system preference" suggestions like auto proxy etc.,
• ran a "second Desktop" with Activity Monitor and proved the system is ±80% idle when streaming full screen video
• system performance has moved from slow to good 👍

Finally, I had a serendipity event where Internet Access was interrupted while WiFi and Broadband showed 100% uptime. The video froze - streaming hesitated - but returned as soon as internet services resumed (<2sec). Could the system freezing be associated with networking? Brave browser showed a restart log suggesting no activity for ±8sec?

I downloaded a movie and played it - from local storage - over and over again without a freeze.

Then, thanks to your influence, I was re-reading an article; If Safari doesn't open page or . . . particularly, Check; iCloud Private Relay and VPN.

Switching off these features has resulted in 2 weeks of online streaming full screen video without a freeze. I can only assume that interruption of the internet in some way, could be, the cause?

PRP_53, I'd be interested to hear your views?

So, still freezing - but - I have a foolproof workaround!

1. set one of the screen corners to blank your screen - System Settings >Desktop & Dock >Hot Corner shortcut >Set a corner with (in my case) option >Put Display to Sleep (select from the dropdown).
2. When the system freezes, the sound continues but the video is stuck. Stop the widescreen video display app, in my case - the browser, by using the standard Hot Key combination; >Command Q. The sound will stop, but the full screen stuck picture still excludes you from controlling the system. Then,
3. Hold down the function key you have set for the Hot Corner (my case option) and draw the cursor across the screen to the corner. The stuck screen will blank out.

Now, >esc - the blank "sleep" screen disappears and you will have access to the system desktop and all functionality can be accessed. I just start the browser again and it takes off from the position on the streamed content and probably wont freeze again. My anecdotal evidence suggests the system dies once and then not again (during thiis boot session), but, your experience may very.

Well, it's been 6 days without a freeze. Turns out that the problem is very common and I've seen dates going back to 2016! Brave has an AI browser answer, which I normally ignore, and scroll to the "traditional" links, but this time it seems to have hit pay dirt.

Once it freezes there is nothing you can do - but directly after it boots back up;

• close all the restored app's (and I've even reLaunched Finder) and then use the key combo to "Hard Reset"
• Press the Power button: On a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, press and hold the Power button (or the Touch ID/Eject button) until the screen goes blank and the machine restarts. On MacBooks with physical function (F1-F12) keys, press the Power button in the upper right corner of the keyboard.
• Hold the Power button and Command (⌘) and Control (Ctrl) keys: On a MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, press and hold the Power button, Command (⌘) key, and Control (Ctrl) key until the screen goes blank and the machine restarts.
• Wait for the Mac to restart: The Mac will automatically restart and attempt to boot up normally.

It's worked for me, and I hope I'm not too enthusiastic and get bitten as soon as I send this note. I've been getting 2-3 times a day and it's been a week of sweet watching!

Wow, PRP-53, this has been such an eye opener and so useful in making my system work as intended. Just hope I'm not being too optimistic and it's getting ready to bite me - you know where.

Took a good 2 minutes off the runtime of EtreCheckPro, and removed all the warnings by;

• used AppCleaner to remove everything that had been installed since the Ark floated
• used your link to viewing and subsequently removing TimeMachine snapshots.
• Did away with a few hundred megs of images that I used for desktop, reverted to standard Sonoma image
• Stopped loading the present apps. that I use for productivity: 1Password, Bartender 5, Autostarter, Paste, ToothFairy - I'll put them back eventually.

Watched the tennis this morning for over and hour without a freeze. The system is much more responsive to the point of easy recognition by the operator.🫵 Just one thing, you mentioned a number of TimeMachine snapshots.

I'd run TimeMachine before looking at what was "under the hood" but was surprised to find about 15 files going back to the end of last month. I checked to see that they were on my removable disc and then used the information you gave me to remove them. Somehow, after they were copied to the removable media, TimeMachine had not cleared them up - of course they made a noticeable (> 1GB) increase in disc space. I also changed the use of TimeMachine from scheduled to manual.

Thank you so much for you advice and trouble - it was very worthwhile!

Thank you for taking the time to suggest possible solutions, much appreciated.

If Safari doesn't open a page or work as expected on your Mac - Apple Support

looks like a good resource and I have saved that to try a few things - the problem occurs on a range of browsers with SAFARI and helpers NOT loaded, so I assume the problem is not with Safari.

I have used Safe Mode but didn't find that is changed anything as the problem persisted.

I will close all non-Apple 3rd part apps and see if that helps, I only use apps from the Apple App store (hopefully vetted by Apple) as I'm very aware of "download fever" danger. I've used them for ages and their authors are proactive in providing updates as we go through OS versions. I'm comfortable with their use but will take them out for a fuller test.

Appreciate you taking the trouble to help me. Unfortunately, this report, of today, is from a system that has not misbehaved at all even though I have watched some Wimbledon Tennis on full screen - the persistent rain made the viewing time rather short. :)

Hope I copied the report correctly and that it may highlight something that may be helpful.

I did go through the report initially (first use in late May) when I read about its use in the community. It highlighted some things which I changed on the system, mainly getting rid of old unused apps, but nothing that I load and use currently. Is this what you wanted?

Thank you for your help. I have done a few things and there does seem to be a better response from the system. Time will tell if the restarting problem persists.

Some comments;

• Runtime: 4:16 - improved to 3:39
• User Login items in its entirety , there are 15 processes - how do you see this, I thought I'd closed everything down.
• 12 local snapshots - can't understand this as I'd just did a Time Machine backup - check my data was on the removable LaCie disc and deleted the snapshots (thanks) I'll be more disciplined - also changed to manual not scheduled
• When I have some times, I'll ruthlessly see if I can take a GB out of the data I have stored.

There is a problem with data creep, this is my 3rd Apple Air and this one is 4 years old, every time I used the migration tool that means there are a lot of things that are saved from legacy fiddling - do you have a suggestion how this could be accomplished?

Thanks so much for your help.

Latest report after some clean up activities