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

325 replies

Mar 27, 2016 1:44 AM in response to adamb0703

And just to add to my last post, when I checked the apps that were updated yesterday (27th) which is when I got this issue, they were - Airbnb, Booking.com, Velocity, Hotel Tonight, CamScanner, Messenger, GoToWebinare, Good, BBC iPlayer Radio, BBC News, Expedia, Youtube, Skype, Whatsapp, Waze, BT Sport, British Airways, Twitter, LinkedIn, iTunes U, Trip Advisor, Facebook, Run Keeper, Google Maps, HL LIve, Skyscanner....

JurijC

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 1:49 AM in response to adamb0703

Same here, it works for a limited period of time while it is loading and installng the apps. The apps that we have in common are: Dropbox, Skyscanner, Google Maps, Tripadvisor, LinkedIn, Skype, Youtube, Booking.com and AirBnb.

Ma(r)c

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 1:53 AM in response to adamb0703

What a shame for Apple. I'm also experiencing problems with freezing Safari, Mail,...on iPhone 5s. I can't understand why Apple in not reporting when will they solve the issue. I'm sure there are a lot of us out there. The best thing would be that we (the consumers) turn our back on their future products if they act like this.

ton63

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 2:16 AM in response to mizmantha

The same issue with links, freeze safari, mail, whatsapp... Epic fail...

Brushton

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 2:17 AM in response to adamb0703

I Have quite a few of the same apps. I have however noticed that this only happened a couple of days ago and the one app that was updated at that time was Google Maps on the 24th Match. Could it be that this has caused the problem?

Mar 27, 2016 2:18 AM in response to JurijC

I'm convinced this is the problem. I swapped my phone yesterday as the battery was faulty so it wasn't holding charge. So I backed up my old iPhone 6S yesterday morning which has been running on ios9.3 since Wednesday without an issue. Apple replaced my iPhone and I restored it from the perfectly good back up I had taken in the morning and then I faced this issue. The only thing that has changed with that back up is that the latest versions of those apps have automatically been downloaded. So it has to be something to do with this. I might try a reinstall and put every app on pause and one by one try it.

Mar 27, 2016 2:22 AM in response to Brushton

Ok, it may well be that. I'm going to reinstall my back up and leave google maps on pause and let all the others download. I'll let you know what happens but i have to pop out first so it may be a while. I have tried just deleting the Google Maps app itself now but that has made no difference.

Mar 27, 2016 2:44 AM in response to mizmantha

Yep, add me to the list. iPhone screen flashed then momentarily went black. After that, links would not open on many websites - some do work, others dont. I've tried most of the things suggested. When trying to open link that won't work, Safari hangs.

This is really not good. Needs fixing ASAP.

Ems27

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 3:18 AM in response to Tommacgr

This worked but why the fault in the first place? My Iphone 6 is running version 9.3 and had Yahoo as its Safari search engine and this suggested change didn't work so changed search to Google and change worked. Ipad is running 9.2.1 and Google and change worked.

Why did both stop opening pages at the same time? My page set up has changed in appearance as a consequence-can Apple explain what has happened please?

Mar 27, 2016 3:20 AM in response to mizmantha

I'm just in the process now of installing my back up from yesterday morning when all was fine with Safari and I was running ios 9.3 too. When the apps start loading, I'm going to pause Dropbox, Skyscanner, Google Maps, Tripadvisor, LinkedIn, Skype, Youtube, Booking.com and AirBnb. and release them one by one and check if Safari is still working after each one. Hopefully this will route out the issue - Brushton, I'll leave Google Maps as the last one. I'll let you all know what happens as I don't think this is solely and ios 9.3 issue

Mar 27, 2016 3:22 AM in response to Ems27

The fix to turning Java off isnt really a fix.

Did you update any apps before you found this problem? If you go to your app store and check updates, what updates have been taken in the last day or so?

Brushton

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 3:28 AM in response to Brushton

adamb0703 - thanks...hope it works?

Mar 27, 2016 3:31 AM in response to mizmantha

I think I've found the issue along with Brushton - I'm pretty sure its the latest Google Maps Update. I've just restored my last back up from yesterday morning. Safari was working fine then. Since that back up, Google Maps App took an update. So I've resinstalled my previous back up and when the google Maps app was showing "waiting", I've deleted it and my safari is working fine again.

Brushton

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 3:37 AM in response to adamb0703

I'll do the same...here goes...

Mar 27, 2016 3:42 AM in response to Brushton

Good luck! I hope it works! Mine has

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