URLs not working in Safari or Mail after iOS 9.2.1

What I did:

1. Created a backup of the iPhone 6 using the latest version ofiTunes.
2. Restored the iPhone using the ipsw for iOS 9.2.1.
3. Setup the iPhone as a new phone.
4. Tried to open links and verified that it works.
5. Upgraded the iPhone from iOS 9.2.1 to iOS 9.3.
6. After the upgrade, setup the iPhone as a new phone
7. Tried to open links and verified that it works.
8. Restored the latest backup, that I created in the first step, using iTunes.
9. Tried to open links and again the exact same issue as before so this did not work.

I was kind of hoping that it was related to the upgrade to iOS 9.3 that went wrong or something by giving it a new I thought I could resolve it. So whatever the problem is it seems to be software related because as I mentioned after restoring a backup I had the same problem again.

This also means that if you are okay with setting up your phone as a new phone I would say go for it!

I have exactly the same problem here. My iPhone 6 started with this issues when I updated it to 9.3. My wife's iPhone 6 Plus Safari links stopped working all the sudden, by the same time, but she hadn't updated her phone by then. She updated to 9.3, but the problem persists. It's unbelievable! What a stupid bug! Since iOS 7 apple looks more and more like microsoft in its worst days. Come on, Apple, you are better than this...or at least, you used to be.

http://osxdaily.com/2016/03/25/troubleshooting-ios-9-3-update-problems/

My wife has IPhone 6 with the same problem, in addition to other links in iphone settings. We all did the update to 9.3 but her's still not working. I did the restore as well but with no luck. Also Whatsapp and instag are not working properly.

OK so now my iPhone 6S Plus is doing the same thing. It is still on iOS 9.2.1. So it's not jus 9.3

i have tried most of the suggestions. I AM NOT GOING TO RESTORE TO FACTORY SETTINGS, PERIOD

This is BS. Apple needs to respond. This is a big issue.

I Haven't even been able to get back to this forum discussion because none of the links work from the emails I have gotten

As I said before, I tried using Mercury but is acts the same way.

I Downloaded Chrome and so far I have been able to successfully click on some links. Is t that a very sad story? We'll see

We are Apple from end to end and have been since mid to late 80s. I've had every iPhone from the first and every iPad as well. It's very sad but I feel like they are a shadow of their former self. Apple stuff just worked but no more. It's truly one issue after another.

I Have a genius appt on Monday but this is the sort of issue they will be clueless about.

UPdate

Chrome not working that well either

still some links like those in Google searches don't work with Chrome either

I am running 9.2.1 on iPhone 5S and iPad Air and i am also having the same problem have tried restarting numerous times. Am now getting increasingly frustrated with this issue. Please issue a fix Apple!

I also have the problem on my Iphone 6 64gb BUT I still have 9.2 (13c75) installed.

My wies iphone 5s on 9.2 is stil fine.

Come on Apple at least acknowledge you have a problem!

I have noticed something very strange. My wife her iPhone 6 was my iPhone more than 6 months ago and I had it named "Gabriel's iPhone". More than 6 months ago I reset the iPhone and renamed it to "Wife's iPhone". She upgraded yesterday to iOS 9.3 when the problems started and for some strange reason the iPhone was renamed again to "Gabriel's iPhone".

I am 100% sure because the iPhone was connected to the car over bluetooth just the day before and the car shows "Wife's iPhone". My wife did not change it as she would not even know how to change it.

I have a feeling that there is going to be an announcement about a major breach...

I tired off Apple total ignorance of their software issues, going to sell my iPad, iPhone, etc and NEVER EVER buy any Apple device again! Looking for new Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung tablet as well.

Dear all,

after updating my iPad Air 2 (128Gb) to iOS 9.3 I face the same issues as already reported. Links in Mails simply don't work any longer and the mail app freezes. Even when changing mail client to e.g. Outlook the issue remains. But what makes it even worse is that when receiving documents by mail and I try to open right from mail even the respectivey app freezes. And it's not only when trying to follow web-links from mail but also when embedded in documents like .doc, .docx, .pdf, etc. The links don't open and the app freezes. It only helps to kill the app and restart. This whole issue occured all of a sudden, 2 days after installing 9.3. Before, while running 9.2.1, everything went smoothly on iPad as well as on iPhone 6, the latter one is not affected yet. As I need to use both iPad and iPhone for business purpose I cannot afford being blocked by such severe bugs which seem to be known since already the version before 9.3. At this current stage iPad is nothing else but expensive crap. Did anyone already got some professional, profound and competent feedback from Apple support?

HI, I have the same problem. Have tried everything. I downloaded Safe Browser. I now route my safari and email requests through Safe Browser and it works again. Might not work for everyone but worth a try. Apple needs to issue a fix soon. Hope Safe Browser works for you.

I also have the same kind of problem since 3-4 days or so. iOS 9.3 on iPhones 6s and 6s plus working fine

iOS 9.2.1 on (first) ipad air and links in search results or mail won't open. It seems to have come out of nowhere. Apps working fine and direct typing of the URL brings you to the requested page.

Tried to update to 9.3 but when checking the update it says can't load because you are no longer connected to the internet (which is definitely not true).

Also connected it to my macbook pro and didn't pay enough attention because I loaded an ancient backup. Thinking all was lost I tried to restore a recent backup (iCloud) which worked and all was back (documents, recent photo's etc)

So strangely, making backups and restoring them just works but I will not be able to update since it keeps telling I am no longer connected to the internet.

At the moment I think nobody can update to 9.3 since Apple postponed it.

Rise and fall of the Apple Imperium??

Nice title for a book perhaps.

Ok, that was helpful. I have had the same problem as others here - cannot get any links in Mail or Chrome or Safari to work. I followed these instructions and now Safari works OK. But I still cannot get links on Chrome or in Mail to work. Any suggestions?

Exactly same issue on iPad Air running 9.2.1 started yesterday, using chrome as a get around where at least the push and hold function works to open the links in a new tab. Doesn't help with email links though. Tried everything to fix, looks likes we have to sit and wait until Apple pulls it's finger out......very poor!