Safari 5.1 continually logs me out of websites

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Safari 5.1 continually logs me out of websites

Since updating Safari to v5.1 last week, I have been nothing been continually frustrated by its inability to function. In previous versions, I could log into sites like Facebook, Gmail, and my WordPress Admin area and not have to worry about being logged out whether I was using normal or private browsing. 5.1 continually logs me out of these three sites in particualr though I would have to assume it does not end there. I have experimented with private browsing (which I prefer) and normal browsing but both seem to be operating in the same fashion. I seem to have been able to bandage the issue with Facebook and Gmail by staying in normal browsing, using Autofill, and selecting keep me logged in but this is a far step from the privacy I felt i had in previous versions. However, the most frustrating part of this issue was discovered today. After logging in to my WordPress Admin area, selecting a page to edit and then switching between Visual and HTML editing modes, I was logged out. Now, almost everytime I attempt to switch between the two, I am kicked out and returned to the page and mode I was on before attempting to switch. My info is autofilled but this makes it impossible to update my site in Safari since I am actually being prevented from navigating through my Admin area. If I got just downgrade to my older version of Safari, I would be happy but I really dont want to reinstall my OS.

Safari settings at this point:

Autofill - all three choices are checked

Security - all boxes checked accept Ask before sending a new secure form from a secure website (it was preventing file transfers in Google+)

Privacy - Block cookies: Never

No extensions added

Not in Private Browsing mode though I would prefer to be

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Jul 26, 2011 2:38 PM

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Answer 1

Jul 26, 2011 4:46 PM in response to mm444

Quit Safari.

Open Keychain Access (Applications/Utilities). Select Passwords on the left. Delete all the keychains for the sites you have problems logging into.

Now go to ~/Library/Cookies. Move the Cookies.plist file to the Trash.

And ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari. Move the cache.db file to the Trash.

Relaunch Safari. Login to a site as you normally would. You should be prompted to save that data to a keychain, click Yes when prompted.

When you turn on private browsing, Safari doesn’t remember the pages you visit, your search history, or your AutoFill information.

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Answer 2

mm444 Author

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Jul 27, 2011 8:12 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks but it didnt help. Keychain asked to save data for Facebook which I did not delete but failed to do so for Gmail which I did delete. Even with Private Browsing on, Safari is autofilling usernames and passwords but Autofill isnt really my concern. I dont mind entering username or passwords on a site login, but I dont want to be logged out after opening a new page or switching between pages or modes within a site, as is happening within my WordPress Admin area since updating to 5.1.

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Answer 3

Saxman

Level 2

278 points

Jul 27, 2011 10:09 PM in response to mm444

I'm experiencing the same issue (among plenty of others), I keep getting logged out, including on this site! It's a royal pain, and Apple told me about five days ago they know there's problems with Safari, and that a fix would be released ASAP, but I'm still waiting.....

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Answer 4

JakeP

Level 1

31 points

Aug 2, 2011 12:39 PM in response to mm444

Same here. I spoke to Apple, and they had me go to Keychain, as well as do Permission Repair (3 times), to no avail. Every time I have to log in to Facebook I have to specify which computer I'm on (same as always, so it's unrecognized), and I receive an email informing me that I've logged into a new computer.

Hope there's a fix soon.

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Answer 5

wlars

Level 1

0 points

Aug 5, 2011 2:43 AM in response to mm444

Same here. It is so annoying that Safari is not usable anymore. No matter where I've logged in, Safari logs me out almost any time within 60 seconds. This is annoying especially when I'm editing things in the browser. All the work I have done so far gets lost and I can start all over again. For now, I'm using Google Chrome because I do not have this issue there and in my job I have to work a lot within services that require a login.

However, if there ever will be a fix to this issue I would love to hear about that. Maybe I switch back then.

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Answer 6

MattKorn

Level 1

0 points

Aug 5, 2011 7:23 AM in response to mm444

I am having the same problem with Safari 5.1 too. For my work, I often have multiple Safari windows open, logged into different websites. Then every so often, ** BLINK ** and every window I am logged out of every site simultaneously.

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Answer 7

Aug 12, 2011 9:45 AM in response to mm444

Add me to the list of users experiencing this problem.

I get logged out of sites and I've not been able to trace the pattern and/or what triggers it. I've timed it and that seems nothing to do with it. The machine going to screen saver isn't it because it happens whether or not I'm using Caffeine. My keychain has nothing to do with it because it is empty as I use 1Password. At first I thought it might have something to do with Lion's auto termination thing, but after reading about that it sounds an unlikely explanation.

It's a relatively annoying occurence and I hope that it is fixed.

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Answer 8

JakeP

Level 1

31 points

Aug 12, 2011 9:46 AM in response to poorgradstudent

I spoke to an Apple tech the other day. He had me reset the PRAM, and though it seemed to work at first, everything reverted back to what I'd been experiencing re log-in issues.

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Answer 9

JakeP

Level 1

31 points

Aug 18, 2011 5:48 AM in response to mm444

I think I discovered what the issue is: Private Browsing has become more secure, and hence your login name and password are simply not recognized. Turn PB off and all is well.

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Answer 10

MattKorn

Level 1

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Aug 18, 2011 7:42 AM in response to JakeP

I have the problem many days -- and NEVER when I have turned on private browsing. It happens when I logged on to several websites -- e.g. morganstanley.com, the financial pages of aol.com (without private browsing) and then randomly I am suddenly logged out of these websites. I don't have to to be actually active in safari -- just can leave the windows open on my screen, take my hands off the keyboard/mouse -- and I'll be logged out. Safari must be attempting to refresh some content on the page, but with the sign-in information wiped, the screens can't update, so they all simultaneously revert to the sign-in page for the web site.

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Answer 11

Aug 18, 2011 11:25 AM in response to MattKorn

For me it has nothing to do with Private Browsing. I have it off and this problem persists.

So I suspect there are multiple issues going on here.

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Answer 12

mm444 Author

Level 1

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Aug 18, 2011 12:12 PM in response to JakeP

At first, I thought that might be the cause (though it was never an issue before Safari 5.1). Unfortunately though, it is not the issue. I have since downgraded to 5.0.3 and the issue persists eventhough it was never an issue before I initially upgraded to 5.1. Safari 5.1 seems to have affected some system files of some sort and that is were the issue lies.

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Answer 13

Aug 19, 2011 5:56 PM in response to mm444

I was having a similar problem staying logged into my att.yahoo home page. Per an earlier post, I turned on private browsing, quit Safari and restarted. Logged in to my yahoo account and wham, it locked in (at least so far.)

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Answer 14

JakeP

Level 1

31 points

Aug 21, 2011 9:29 AM in response to sojourner42

I've had private browsing turned off for several days and haven't had a log-in issue once. Save for this site!

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Answer 15

Aug 21, 2011 4:39 PM in response to sojourner42

Turning on private browsing has solved the problem for me.

Don't ask me why private browsing prompts safari to stay logged into sites while normal browsing tends to kick you off 😕

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