Fix Safari Memory Leaks on macOS: A Quick Guide

Updated at: 31/05/2025

Is Safari hogging your Mac's memory, causing frustrating slowdowns? This quick guide offers practical solutions to common Safari memory leaks on macOS. We'll explore simple troubleshooting steps, from force-quitting unresponsive tabs to clearing browser cache and cookies. Learn how to optimize your Safari settings for peak performance and reclaim valuable system resources, ensuring a smoother, faster browsing experience.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Check for Safari Memory Leak

    • Open Activity Monitor (Spotlight search)
    • Go to the Memory tab and sort by memory usage.
    • If Safari is at the top using several gigabytes and constantly increasing, a memory leak is likely.
    If Safari is at the top using several gigabytes and constantly increasing, a memory leak is likely. If Safari is at the top using several gigabytes and constantly increasing, a memory leak is likely. If Safari is at the top using several gigabytes and constantly increasing, a memory leak is likely.
    Check for Safari Memory Leak

  2. Locate and Move Safari Related Files

    • Go to Finder -> Go -> Library (hold Option key)
    • Drag the following folders from the user Library to your desktop:
    • Safari
    • Saved Application State -> com.apple.Safari.savedState
    Saved Application State -> com.apple.Safari.savedState Saved Application State -> com.apple.Safari.savedState Saved Application State -> com.apple.Safari.savedState Saved Application State -> com.apple.Safari.savedState
    Locate and Move Safari Related Files
    • Caches -> com.apple.Safari
    • Internet Plugins (if any)
    • Preferences -> com.apple.Safari
    • Cookies -> com.apple.Safari.safebrowsing
    Cookies -> com.apple.Safari.safebrowsing Cookies -> com.apple.Safari.safebrowsing Cookies -> com.apple.Safari.safebrowsing Cookies -> com.apple.Safari.safebrowsing
    Locate and Move Safari Related Files
    • Go to your hard drive -> Library -> Internet Plugins and remove all files except 'Quartz Composer Plugin'.
    Go to your hard drive -> Library -> Internet Plugins and remove all files except 'Quartz Composer Plugin'.
    Locate and Move Safari Related Files

  3. Restart Safari

    • Reopen Safari.
    Reopen Safari.
    Restart Safari

  4. Clean Up Desktop

    • Delete files moved to the desktop.
    Delete files moved to the desktop.
    Clean Up Desktop
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Tips

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Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Ignoring Browser Extensions

Reason: Resource-intensive or poorly coded extensions can significantly contribute to memory leaks, slowing down Safari and consuming excessive RAM.
Solution: Disable unnecessary extensions or uninstall those known to cause problems.

2. Failing to Regularly Update Safari

Reason: Outdated versions of Safari often contain bugs and vulnerabilities that can lead to memory leaks and other performance issues. Apple regularly releases updates that address these problems.
Solution: Update Safari to the latest version through System Preferences or the App Store.

FAQs

Why is Safari using so much memory on my Mac?
Safari memory leaks can occur due to several factors, including numerous open tabs, extensions running in the background, corrupted website data (cache and cookies), or even a bug within Safari itself. Resource-intensive websites or videos also contribute.
Will deleting my Safari history and cache hurt my browsing experience?
No, deleting your browsing history and cache will generally not hurt your browsing experience. It removes temporary files that can cause performance issues, including memory leaks. Your saved passwords and bookmarks are typically unaffected.