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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.

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325 replies

M_itch

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 7:40 AM in response to mizmantha

Same problem here. When using duckduckgo as default search engine, safari didn't open links in search result. After a few extra clicks, safari freezes. My solution was to clear all safari data (settings -> Safari -> Clear all website data) and set search engine to google. Very very annoying bug. Already restored my iPhone two times.

Iphone 6 plus, iOS 9.3 (problem seemed to have been started after upgrade)

Mar 27, 2016 8:14 AM in response to mizmantha

I have the same thing here, iphone 9.2.1 has problem, ipadair 9.2.1 everything fine.

Factory reset and recover backup - no improvement

deleting nearly all apps and restart -no improvement

Factory reset to 9.2.1 and configure as new phone - the problem has gone ! all links work form safari and from mail, even javascript is on.

I can start now load back in all apps needed. Maybe I find the one that caused the hassle.

It's a good exercise too to ged rid of the mess that has built over the years.

The only thing i don't like is, all my health data has gone and I see no chance to retrieve these without restoring to the last backup , and then have the fault again.

I would really like a normal filesystem on these units, where data does not stick to programs and one could machine a selective recovery.

Reiner

jujucz

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 8:35 AM in response to mizmantha

Hi there,

I have the same problem on my iPad Air 2 64GB 9.3. I had Google Maps installed but uninstalled it and it didn't changed anything. I do have some other Google Apps installed on my iPad but I don't know if it's really linked.

I tried to reset Safari 3 times, change the search engine...

I even installed Firefox and it doesn't work either.

Please Apple, fix this ASAP, it's really annoying..

On my 6S 64GB 9.3, everything works perfectly, and Google Maps is installed..

Brushton

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 8:51 AM in response to adamb0703

HI, reinstalled Google maps but it corrupted Mail and Safari again, so had to reset and use backup again. This time it stays off until Apple, or Google, come up with a bug fix. Hope yours is still ok? x

DerekT13

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 8:59 AM in response to mizmantha

I have had the same issue since upgrading to iOS 9.3. Links are not launching when tapping them in Safari, Messages, or Mail and instead, the app freezes. 3D Touch is also not allowing me to peek at links in Safari, Messages, or Mail and instead, the app freezes.

I spoke to an iOS Chat Senior Advisor yesterday and Apple is aware of the issue and is working on an iOS update to resolve it. Apple's suggestion to turn off Javascript resolved the issue when tapping links in Safari, however other suggestions they gave to potentially resolve the other issue was not successful.

Curtius

Level 1

11 points

Mar 27, 2016 9:12 AM in response to mizmantha

Switching off JavaScript seemed to help me in Google (could immediately open links, first time since yesterday), but haven't tested thoroughly yet.

I wonder what is going on!

Mar 27, 2016 9:30 AM in response to mizmantha

Strange thing , some have it on iPhone only , some on iPad only, different iOS versions. I didn't have Google apps at all on my phone, but got it.

My wife's iPhone 4 with 7.1.2 has no problems with issue.

I'm really curious what will be the solution.

Mar 27, 2016 10:22 AM in response to mizmantha

same problem here since iOS 9.3, please fix it quickly

Mar 27, 2016 10:25 AM in response to Brushton

Oh no! Well at least you took a backup first! Mine still seems to be ok! thanks your assistance anyway! I think we nailed it! 😁

Guballu

Level 1

46 points

Mar 27, 2016 10:29 AM in response to elcpu

I tried this, didn't solve the problem!

Mar 27, 2016 11:52 AM in response to able_ape

Safari freezes for me when clicking a link too. If I try peek and pop safari crashes and I have to reset it.

I'm using iPhone 6S+ on ios9.3

Mar 27, 2016 12:38 PM in response to mizmantha

guess some mysterious organisations are testing ways to unlock that iPhone . Collateral damage can not be avoided completely.

rvp7777

Level 1

4 points

Mar 27, 2016 1:13 PM in response to mizmantha

Removing Google Maps followed by hard reset didn't work for my iPad. As mentioned you can work around the links issue in Chrome by holding it down and opening new tab. The Gmail app also works. It is a strange busines that won't tell its best customers that they know there is a problem and are working on it.

Mar 27, 2016 1:21 PM in response to mizmantha

I have the exact same problem with my iPhone 6+. Problem with links happens in Safari and Chrome. Google app works, but links in emails etc do not.

This problem started before I upgraded to the last version ios 9.3, but only a day or so previous.

It is rendering the phone almost useless. Apple better get on this if they want to keep their customers.

Mar 27, 2016 1:50 PM in response to lotuseve110

I noticed the link freeze issue before I upgraded to ios 9.3 - just the day previous. I upgraded because I thought it may fix the issue, but no luck. It happens in Safari, Chrome, Apple email and Apple Messenger.

Turning off Javascript in Safari makes that browser work, but doesn't help any other apps.

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