Check Internet Connection
The first thing you should do is check your internet connection, make sure it is active and enabled. If the device or computer is disconnected from the internet, you will see the “Safari Can’t Open the Page” every time it tries to access the internet.
First, confirm that you have an active and functioning internet connection. Load other web activities, or even the other internet services outside the browser.
iPhone has a special feature where you can limit the internet connection to apps. Make sure you have given Safari permissions to access and use the internet.
- Open Settings app
- Choose Mobile Data settings.
- Scroll down and make sure safari has toggle enabled.
Smartphones have the capability to disable the internet connection temporarily when the battery is low. Make sure that your internet is currently connected and actually works and then load the page again.
Turn Off Safari Extensions
Even if your Safari extensions are up to date, temporarily turn them off to be sure they aren’t affecting Safari in unexpected ways.
- Open Safari browser
- Got to Preferences, then click Extensions.
- To turn off an extension, deselect its checkbox.
Try removing or disabling the extensions one at a time, while checking the connection. If you can now open the same pages you’re trying to reach, with no error, you can later re-enable the extensions using the same steps.
Check the URL Address
When this error occurs, do double-check your URL to make sure it’s correct and proper. A wrong URL is one of the most common reasons why you can’t open a page. The address can have an error in the ending address which you are typing due to auto-complete leading to an expired session.
Try opening the URL in another browser just to make sure. If it is opening on another browser, it probably means there is an issue with Safari.
Reload the Web Page
Sometimes Safari browser cannot open the page because the error is caused by a somehow interrupted network connection. Tap on the refresh button to see if the webpage loads up properly.
Quit and Relaunch Safari
This is the solution to many problems. This method often fixes the issue where a web page can’t be able to load properly. Simply close your Safari browser on your Mac or iOS device and open it again.
Check DNS and Use Google DNS
Google DNS servers might be one of the reasons why you are having such kind of issue. In such a case, your problem might be resolved by using a custom Google public DNS server.
Some Google public DNS servers are 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4. You may also change your DNS settings if you want.
Below are the steps to use Google DNS on Safari iPhone:
- Open Settings app in the device.
- Choose the Wi-Fi menu and select the Wi-Fi you are connected to
- Scroll down and select the Configure DNS option.
- Switch to Manual and add DNS server details.
- Type 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4 as the new DNS server address
- Hit on the Save command option.
Just check if this resolves the error in the Safari browser on iPhone.
Similarly, we can also change the DNS settings on Mac computers. However, this setup is network-wide and not just limited to the Safari browser.
Here are the steps to change the DNS server settings in Mac:
- Click on the menu, and choose System Preference.
- Click to open Network preferences.
- In the list on the left, select the network connection you want to use (such as Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
- Hit on the Advanced command button.
- Switch to the DNS tab, then click the PLUS(+) button at the bottom of the DNS Servers list.
- Enter the Google DNS Server addresses 8.8.8.8 and then click the plus icon again and add server 8.8.4.4 as well.
- Tap on the OK command button to save the changes.
Check for Software Update
An outdated version of the safari normally causes this error too. Check for any available Safari updates in the Mac App Store and install them on your device.
Clear Safari Cache and Site Data
Clear Site Data from Mac
A Cache is a storage space that saves the memory of the history of the visited websites. The storage space is in your Mac’s hard drive and RAM memory. Safari uses cache as short-term memory. When your cache is corrupt, it can start receiving error messages.
- Click on Safari > Preferences.
- Click on Privacy > Manage Website Data.
- Then click on Remove All to clear all website cache and data.
Clear Site Data from iOS
- Go to Settings > Safari.
- Click on Clear History and Website Data > Clear History and Data.
Checking Restricted Protocol
Apple devices have a setting from which you can restrict some flagged content from being opened on your website. This option was introduced to safeguard children against questionable content on the web.
However, unknowingly, restrictions might be active and you might be experiencing the error message because your device itself isn’t allowing the connection.
In this solution, we will navigate to the settings and change the restriction settings.
- Open Settings on the Device and then click on General.
- Scroll down and click on Restrictions. Enter passcode if prompted.
- Next, scroll down until you see the heading of Allowed content. Select websites from under it.
- The option of All websites should be selected.
- Save changes and exit.
- Restart your device and check if the issue is resolved for good.
Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) Connection
Most of the websites nowadays are “geo” aware of those visiting and accessing their websites. “Geo” basically means that they know your location based on the IP address and can sometimes block and prevents you from gaining access to their websites especially if those websites have restrictions as to who they only allow from a particular location.
If that happens, an error message “Safari Cannot Open the Page” typically appears. It is then recommended to use a Virtual Private Network and try to reconnect again to the website URL.
Try a Different Browser
If the issue persists, then another choice is to go with different web browsers for mac. You may try to open the same URL in a different browser such as Chrome or Firefox or Microsoft Edge.
If the website is opened in another browser means the problem is specific to the Safari browser only.
Conclusion
The Safari error “Safari Can’t Open Page” is a very common problem encountered by Safari users on Mac. However, the above fixes should be able to help you resolve this problem. If they don’t work at all, opt for a different browser and see if the webpage you are trying to access loads successfully.