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mizmantha Author

Level 1

28 points

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

Top-ranking reply

GALACTICPROTON

Level 1

4 points

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.

View in context

325 replies

Mar 28, 2016 12:17 PM in response to Brushton

Something really weird Miss/Mrs/Ms Brushton! Haha mine all seems fine now with the google maps app installed but I'm now wondering back further. I just had my phone changed on Saturday by Apple as he battery was draining very quickly and it also kept switching off when it was anywhere between 30%-92% charged. But the very first time it did this, I was using google maps at the time. May just be a coincidence. When they checked my phone they said there was a software issue that caused this problem in 9.2 and should have been fixed by 9.3 but it was still happening. I wonder if it's related?

rchaas

Level 1

8 points

Mar 28, 2016 12:25 PM in response to adamb0703

Have tried a wide variety of all above. Booking.com gone, Google maps gone, new restore, restore from backup. the behavior persists despite all efforts. Done troubleshooting, awaiting apple patch. hoping it comes soon.

Mar 28, 2016 12:32 PM in response to mizmantha

I still can't open hyperlinks in mail without it crashing my mail.

@apple please fix the problem!!!!

vsteffen

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2016 12:35 PM in response to Starrky

As with everybody else, my problem started about 3 days ago. Like Starrky I am able to open links by changing the search engine from Google. I'm using Bing. Although that still does not allow me to open up any links embedded in texts. Same with disabling Java-that works and allows use of Google but still doesn't allow me to open links in text and also completely freezes the phone. I'm using IOS 9.3. Did that update just come out within the past week?

nbrownin

Level 1

9 points

Mar 28, 2016 12:41 PM in response to Tommacgr

Thanks Tommacgr! Your steps helped. Sure hope they figure out what the issue is soon.

Brushton

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2016 12:59 PM in response to adamb0703

HI Adam, call me Barbara... By how we've resolved this issue, albeit a quick fix, it seems that the problem is with those Apps that have updated since the latest Apple update, I.e. Google Maps and Booking.com. So somewhere along the line compatibility between 9.3 and App updates must have been compromised. I haven't put any of the Apps I deleted back on yet, and I've got a couple of Apps, You Tube and Messenger, that an update is waiting, but I'm leaving until Apple get it sorted. I think you're right It seems that by them trying to fix the software problem in 9.2 it's now caused a much bigger issue...Well done Apple...lol

AmyG328

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2016 1:19 PM in response to able_ape

Like everyone else on this forum, I am experiencing the same issues and wanted to log my displeasure with Apple. I agree with your advice and especially your last comment (LOL). Apple is truly testing all Christian virtues with this so-called upgrade. I have advised all friends and loved ones to NOT INSTALL THIS UPGRADE.

APPLE, DO YOUR JOB! Fix this!

Mar 28, 2016 1:23 PM in response to Tommacgr

Tommacgr - thank you -fixed my issue in 6 seconds--

rchaas

Level 1

8 points

Mar 28, 2016 1:29 PM in response to rephillips

what did Tommacgr do that took 6 seconds and solved it? WIkipedia? or remove all apps (only comments from him i can find in this thread)

Olegb580

Level 1

8 points

Mar 28, 2016 1:31 PM in response to mizmantha

all solutions on this forum for this issue do not work, not really, factory reset will work, safari will work but when you install additional apps and try using them, booking, fruit ninja, skype, it will break safari again tried it 3 times, i recommend relying on your most important apps and waiting for update that fixes this, or doing factory reset and loading just most basic apps and waiting for update, the more apps you download the higher are your chances that they will break safari, and you dont know which apps from app store will do that

Mar 28, 2016 1:33 PM in response to Brushton

well hi Barbara! Yeah I have a whole load of app updates now pending including booking.com But I'll just leave them! My phone works now thanks to our troubleshooting! Are you in the US?

MicNoo

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2016 1:36 PM in response to mizmantha

Same problem here! Can't open any links in my mail or the google search results... Please Apple fix this asap!

Mar 28, 2016 1:36 PM in response to rchaas

Went to safari turned off JavaScript now pages load

MicNoo

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2016 1:42 PM in response to rephillips

Indeed that works but it's only a quick fix! Doensn't solve the real problem... They just need to release a new patch on iOS 9.3 to solve this problem!

Brushton

Level 1

4 points

Mar 28, 2016 2:07 PM in response to adamb0703

HI, no I'm in the UK. Agree it's best to leave well alone while we're up and running. Are you in the US?

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