Apple is giving Mac users a chance to try out its latest Safari 17 browser before its official release with macOS Sonoma in the fall. This opportunity is available for users running macOS Ventura and macOS Monterey. Here’s a look at what’s new in Safari 17 and how to download it.
Last month, Apple quietly made beta versions of Safari 17 available as a standalone package. Before this, the only way to try out the revamped Safari was by installing the macOS Sonoma Beta. But now, users running macOS Ventura or macOS Monterey can easily try out Safari 17 without the need to install Apple’s latest beta operating system on their Mac.
Safari 17 for macOS Ventura and Monterey has reached its fourth beta. Apart from being snappier and having faster search responsiveness, it also comes with more relevant and easier-to-read search suggestions. Here are some other new features in Safari 17:
1. Locked Private Browsing: Safari now allows you to lock private browsing windows when not in use. This adds an extra layer of privacy by requiring secondary authentication, such as Touch ID or your Mac’s password, to unlock and access the private browsing mode.
2. One-Time Code AutoFill from Mail: Safari can now automatically fill in one-time verification codes received in Apple Mail. This makes it easier to log in to websites without leaving the browser.
3. Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection: URLs in Safari 17 can be stripped of tracking information appended to the end of the URL. This prevents websites from tracking your browsing using URL identifiers.
4. Multi-Tab Selection: You can now select multiple open tabs at once to move them around the tab bar or create a Tab Group.
5. Favicons in the Favorites Bar: Safari now displays favicons in the Favorites bar, making it easier to identify websites.
6. Hide IP Address From Websites: Safari offers an option to hide your IP address from both trackers and websites, or only from trackers when using the iCloud Private Relay feature.
7. Reading List Widget: You can add your Safari Reading List to your Mac’s Notification Center for quick access.
8. Privacy Protections for App Extensions: Safari now allows you to set per-site privacy settings for app extensions in addition to web extensions.
9. Safari Profiles: Safari introduces a new feature called Profiles, which helps keep your browsing separate for different topics like Work, School, or Personal. Each profile has its own icon and isolates your history, Tab Groups, favorites, and cookies. You can even assign specific extensions to profiles to optimize your browsing experience based on the task at hand.
To install Safari 17 on macOS Ventura or Monterey, follow these steps:
1. Open Safari on your Mac and go to Apple’s developer website.
2. Sign in to the website using your Apple ID and password. Even if you are not a paying member of Apple’s Developer Program, you will still have access to developer beta releases by signing in with your Apple ID.
3. Navigate to the Safari Beta Downloads page.
4. Under Safari 17, click “View Details” and then click the Safari 17 Beta DMG link to download the installation package compatible with your macOS version.
5. Once the package is downloaded, double-click it and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
Keep in mind that Safari 17 Beta 4 requires macOS Ventura 13.4 or macOS Monterey 12.5 to run. Installing the beta version will overwrite your current Safari version. Also, remember that beta software may have bugs and issues that can affect your browsing experience, although beta 4 has proven to be stable.
When Safari 17 is officially released as part of macOS Sonoma, users can look forward to additional features such as saving favorite websites as streamlined Web Apps and sharing website passwords and passkeys with trusted contacts.
In conclusion, Apple is giving macOS Ventura and Monterey users the opportunity to try out Safari 17 before its official release. The latest version of Safari brings several new features and improvements to enhance the browsing experience. Users can follow the steps mentioned above to download and install Safari 17 beta on their Macs.