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Safari won't open any links and then freezes/crashes

HELP! The Safari on my fairly new iphone 6s has gone haywire. Safari opens fine, and if you type in a direct URL, it will go to the website just fine. However, if i attempt to search any subject it will pull up the pages of websites, but will not allow me to connect to any of the links and when I select a link it then freezes and crashes safari. Additionally, if i try to open any weblink imbedded in an email, it again freezes and crashes both mail AND Safari. SO FUN!


And just to test general connectivity and function, i downloaded Google Chrome to see if I can search and connect there, and I can. The search works fine, pulls up the pages, and strangely, I can't access the pages direct, but it will allow me to open the page in another tab. I feel like this should be a clue for someone smarter than I. 😝


I have been tinkering for about an hour with it and I am at a loss.


Things I have tried:

1. Resetting the phone - both just by powering off and a hard reset (Power + Home)

2. Turning off Safari Suggestions (and browser suggestions) - this was a fix that I found for a bug that seemed similar from earlier this year.

3. Changing the search engine from Google to Yahoo and back, nothing.

4. Private Browsing (again a "fix" I found on the interwebs...)

5. Downloading and upgrading my iOS to 9.3. Still nothing.

6. Banging my head on my computer and cursing very loudly at the phone.


PLEASE, if you have any suggestions, i am all ears... I am going bananas and can't let it go.


THANK YOU!!!

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.3, Prob started while on 9.2.1

Posted on Mar 22, 2016 3:35 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Apr 11, 2017 1:09 PM

First thing a human should do after receiving an iPhone or iPad is download Google Chrome then download Google Maps then download Gmail and possibly download Google+ if you have a business.


Google Chrome is the best web browser in the world plain and simple. Sure you could use Safari or Firefox or Opera or IE or Egde But why waste time when you have a gem available to you with the push of a couple buttons.


Safari is a joke made by Apple so they can say they have a browser on their devices when you purchase them.


Firefox is a nonprofit group that has no money


Anything made by Microsoft is worse then Apple


Opera is so old but kinda funny in my opinion. I would actually recommend Opera just because most people have never heard of it and it's only used by about 1% of the worlds devices.


Put it this way, I bet you've seen a google car driving around at some point in your life. I have seen quite a few of them loaded up with cameras and gadgets. What's my point? Google has a lot of money and they usually spend it in the right places like having Chrome up to date with all coding and new stuff.


I think Safari is a disgusting browser. When I look at the news widget on my iPhone and click on a story to read it opens a new window everytime which is a pain in the azz. I have to close a bizzillion windows weekly just from reading some news articles. Great work Safari team.


Any unbiased web developer would most likely recommend using Chrome.

325 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Apr 11, 2017 1:09 PM in response to mizmantha

First thing a human should do after receiving an iPhone or iPad is download Google Chrome then download Google Maps then download Gmail and possibly download Google+ if you have a business.


Google Chrome is the best web browser in the world plain and simple. Sure you could use Safari or Firefox or Opera or IE or Egde But why waste time when you have a gem available to you with the push of a couple buttons.


Safari is a joke made by Apple so they can say they have a browser on their devices when you purchase them.


Firefox is a nonprofit group that has no money


Anything made by Microsoft is worse then Apple


Opera is so old but kinda funny in my opinion. I would actually recommend Opera just because most people have never heard of it and it's only used by about 1% of the worlds devices.


Put it this way, I bet you've seen a google car driving around at some point in your life. I have seen quite a few of them loaded up with cameras and gadgets. What's my point? Google has a lot of money and they usually spend it in the right places like having Chrome up to date with all coding and new stuff.


I think Safari is a disgusting browser. When I look at the news widget on my iPhone and click on a story to read it opens a new window everytime which is a pain in the azz. I have to close a bizzillion windows weekly just from reading some news articles. Great work Safari team.


Any unbiased web developer would most likely recommend using Chrome.

Feb 12, 2017 8:49 PM in response to mizmantha

by Joodles8,
User uploaded file Joodles8Feb 12, 2017 8:33 PM in response to DallasTwinMom
User uploaded file Level 1Re: Safari won't load certain websitesIn response to DallasTwinMom

My iPhone won't open directly...first it recommends Safari, instead of opening directly, but now it won't open further, just shows the blue line which now doesn't grow across

Feb 12, 2017 8:33 PM

Mar 22, 2016 4:10 PM in response to mizmantha

Try resetting Safari. Close Safari completely from the multitasking window by double clicking the Home button and swiping up the Safari preview pane until it disappears from the screen. You may have to look for the Safari pane by scrawling to the left. Then go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data. Then do a forced restart. Hold down the Home and Wake/Sleep buttons at the same time for about 15-20 seconds until the Apple logo appears.

Mar 23, 2016 12:44 PM in response to mizmantha

If resetting Safari as I suggested above did not work the next step to try would be a System Restore. Upgrading to 9.3 over the air installs the revised files only, not a complete iOS. I suggest doing a restore as New first, testing Safari, and then restoring the backup. If Safari does not work properly after restoring the backup, your only option would be to restore as New.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201252

Mar 24, 2016 10:55 AM in response to mizmantha

I'm experiencing the same exact behavior as OP and, while I appreciate the troubleshooting suggestions, it seems ridiculous to have to jump through so many hoops (a Sustem Restore?!) to get the most basic functionality (i.e., clicking links) to work correctly! Did Apple even test this new release? Is it possible they tested everything *except* clicking on a link in a search result? It seems preposterous.


Apple needs to acknowledge the blunder and issue an immediate 9.3.1 update to fix this. Again, it's basic functionality and a simple web search (if you can actually click on the result!) will show that this is a documented issue happening to many users.


Apple: PLEASE FIX!


Thanks.


iPhone 6S

iOS 9.3

Mar 24, 2016 5:36 PM in response to mizmantha

I have the same exact issue and did everything you did and still not working completely. But -after reading Tommacgr suggestion it worked for me as well and as he says seems like a temporary fix because not all sites will work with Java off. thanks for saving me from a hard reset and hours of frustration. Anyone know how long apple takes on fixing such glitches?

Mar 24, 2016 7:08 PM in response to mizmantha

I'm having the same issues after upgrading to IOS 9.3 and have tried everything that was recommended without success. I was even online with apple support who can't seem to figure it out either so now it's being escalated to their engineers. In the meantime I've downloaded the Google App which allows me to search and open webpages but doesn't resolve the issue of not being able to open links within an email/ text, etc.


Apple- PLEASE FIX!!!!

Mar 25, 2016 6:09 PM in response to mlreis

Well, at least I am not the only one?? It is true, what they say, Misery does love company!


I am sorry to all of you that you are having the same issue!! I am waiting patiently(ish) for a cure to magically occur because I'm on the road and I REALLY don't want to do a full system restore... AND, it doesn't sound like that's even guaranteed to work! Soooo... APPLE GENIUSES: WHERE IS OUR FIX???


In the meantime i'm using Chrome for searching and just NOT opening any links from emails... it's annoying as all get out.


If anyone gets a fix or hears anything though, I think we'd all appreciate it if it was posted here.


Thanks all and have a TERRIFIC weekend despite your glitchy phone! 🙂

Safari won't open any links and then freezes/crashes

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