Fix: iPhone 14 Safari Not Working Issue

Fix 1: Check your Internet Connection

Safari needs an active internet connection to work properly. Failing to provide an active internet connection means that Safari won’t work. Here are a few things to try:

Check your internet connection by opening Chrome or a social media app.
Check your Wi-Fi router by turning it off, unplugging it, waiting a few seconds, and plugging it back in. You can also try connecting to a different Wi-Fi network.
Turn on Airplane mode for a few seconds, then turn it off again to refresh your network.
If other apps work, but Safari still doesn’t try the following fixes.

Fix 2: Turn Off the VPN Connection

If you are experiencing slow internet speed on your VPN network, consider turning it off. You can also try changing the server region to see if that improves the speed. Follow these steps:

Close Safari.
Go to Settings and tap General.
Then, tap on VPN & Device Management.
Tap on VPN and turn off the toggle.
Open Safari again, and it should be working as expected.

Fix 3: Enable Cellular Data for Safari

You can choose which apps use cellular data on your iPhone. To enable cellular data for Safari, follow these simple steps:

Open the Settings app.
Tap Cellular.
Look for Safari in the list of apps and make sure Mobile Data is turned on.

If Safari works fine on Wi-Fi but not on cellular data, it’s probably because cellular data is turned off for Safari. Enabling it will let you browse the web using Safari even when you’re not connected to Wi-Fi.

Fix 4: Reset iPhone Network Settings.

If you think you still have a problem with the internet connection on your iPhone, consider resetting your network settings. Resetting the network settings will fix any issues with your internet connection by restoring all the network settings to their defaults. Here’s how to reset your iPhone 14’s network settings:

Note: Resetting the network settings will delete all your saved Wi-Fi networks, VPN connections, and other network-related settings.

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General.
Tap on Transfer or Reset.
Choose the option to Reset.
Select the option to Reset Network Settings.
Enter your passcode and tap on Reset Network Settings.

This will reset all of your iPhone’s network settings to their default values and can help fix any network-related issues you may be experiencing on the Safari app.

Once the network settings have been reset, try launching Safari again, and it should work flawlessly; however, if it doesn’t, move down to the next solution.

Fix 5: Force Quit Safari

If you’re someone who tends to have multiple apps open at once, your Safari app may become slow or even crash, especially if your iPhone has storage issues. To solve this, you can force quit Safari and close other apps running in the background. Simply go to the recent apps menu and swipe away from the Safari app. Once you’ve done this, check to see if Safari is working properly.

Fix 6: Restart your iPhone

Restating your iPhone is always a must-try solution when facing any kind of software issue. Safari may sometimes experience software issues due to certain bugs and glitches. Restarting your iPhone can often deal with these bugs and glitches and get Safari back to the working stage. Here’s how to restart your iPhone 14:

Press and hold the Side button alongside either of the Volume buttons for a few seconds.
Once the Slide to power off menu appears, do as directed. Drag the slider to the right, and your iPhone will power off.
Wait for a few seconds and press and hold the Side button again to turn your device back on.
After you have restarted your iPhone, try using Safari again to see if it now works.

Fix 7: Clear Browsing Data and History

Over time, Safari may accumulate junk files and cached data, causing it to slow down and have trouble loading website content and images. To fix this, you can perform a complete cleanup of Safari by clearing out all the stored data. Follow these steps:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Finally, tap on Clear History and Website Data. This will delete all your browsing data and history.
Restart your device.

After restarting your device, launch Safari again, and it should work smoothly without any issues.

Fix 8: Check your Screen Time Restrictions

If you had set a screen time restriction for the Safari app, then it could be the reason the app isn’t working, and you are not able to use it. In this case, you should consider reconfiguring the screen time for the Safari app or disabling it altogether. Follow these steps:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Screen Time.
Tap on App Limits and see if you can find Safari in the list.
Tap on Safari. Here, you can either change the screen time limit or delete the restriction altogether.
Tap on Delete Limit.
Tap on Delete Limit again to confirm.
Launch Safari again and see if it’s working now.

Fix 9: Disable Safari Suggestions

If Safari is still giving you trouble, you may consider disabling the Safari suggestions. To do this, follow these simple steps:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Look for Search Engine Suggestions and Safari Suggestions.
Turn both of these options off by toggling the switches.
Once you have disabled the Safari suggestions, try using Safari again. It should hopefully start working again.

Fix 10: Disable Safari Extensions

Most modern browsers, including Safari, allow you to install extensions to increase the functionality and productivity of the browser. However, these extensions can sometimes cause problems and cause Safari to stop working. In this case, you can consider disabling these extensions. Here’s how:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Look for the Extensions option and tap on it.
Now you will see a list of installed extensions. Tap on each extension name and toggle it off.
Eventually, you will find which extension is problematic.

Once you have found the problematic extension, you can disable it permanently and continue using Safari.

Fix 11: Enable Javascript

You need to enable JavaScript on your iPhone to make websites more interactive. Without it, you may not be able to see images, videos, or other media on a website, and Safari may stop responding. Here’s how to enable JavaScript:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Then, scroll down and tap on Advanced.
Enable the switch next to JavaScript.
Open Safari again and check if it’s working now.

Fix 12: Disable Experimental Features

Sometimes, Safari’s experimental features can hinder its performance, leaving it unusable. Experimental features are features that are yet in their development stage. So, it is better to disable these features and enjoy a smoother browsing experience with Safari. Here’s how:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Then, scroll down and tap on Advanced.
Tap on Experimental Features.
Turn off all the active toggles and try using Safari again.
Try using Safari again and see if it’s working now.

Fix 13: Disable Hide IP address from Trackers.

When you surf the internet using Safari on your iPhone 14, trackers can follow your online activity through your IP address. To prevent this, Apple offers a feature to hide your IP address. However, this feature can sometimes cause issues with the Safari app. You can try disabling this feature to see if that helps. Follow these steps:

Open the Settings app.
Tap on Safari.
Look for the “Hide IP Address” option and tap on it.
Select the “Off” option. This will disable the feature and should allow Safari to function properly without hiding your IP address.

Once you have disabled the Hide IP Address feature, try using Safari again. If the issue persists, move down to the next solution.

Fix 14: Reset All Settings

You can also try resetting all your iPhone settings to see if that helps. This will restore all your iPhone settings to their defaults. So, make sure to proceed with caution. Here’s how to reset all your settings on your iPhone 14:

Open the Settings app on your iPhone and go to General.
Tap on Transfer or Reset.
Choose the option to Reset.
Select the option to Reset All Settings.
Enter your passcode and tap on Reset All Settings.

Once you have reset all your iPhone settings, relaunch Safari and see if it works. If it still doesn’t work as expected, move down to the next solution.

Fix 15: Update iOS.

The software is an essential part of your iPhone. Keeping it up-to-date is important to keep your iPhone stable. Software updates often contain bug fixes and performance improvements. If your iPhone 14 runs on an older software version, you should immediately update it to the latest version. Here’s how:

Ensure your iPhone has at least 50% battery life and is connected to Wi-Fi.
Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap on General.
Scroll down and select Software Update.
If an update is available, tap Download and Install.
Wait for the download to complete.
Tap Install Now to update your iPhone’s iOS.
Wait for the installation process to finish.
Restart your iPhone once the installation is complete.

On the next startup, try using Safari again to see if it works. If it still doesn’t work, move down to the next solution.

Fix 16: Perform a Factory Reset.

If you’re still having issues with the Safari app, one solution is to factory reset your device. This will erase all of your data and settings and return your phone to its default options.

Note: Performing a factory reset will delete all your data, including your signed-in accounts. So, be sure to take a backup before proceeding.

Back up your content and settings.
Make sure you have your passcode and Apple ID password ready.
Open the Settings app.
Tap on General.
Tap on Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Now, tap on Erase All Content and Settings.

Final Words

Safari not working can be extremely daunting. However, with the steps provided in this article, you should be able to get it back to working again. Just make sure to follow the steps mentioned. If none of the solutions work, you can always contact Apple Support for further assistance. If you have further doubts or queries, do let us know in the comments section below. We will try to help you out.