For as long as I can remember, Google Chrome has been my preferred browser. Ever since setting up my very first MacBook Air, I have consistently used Chrome. I've always owned Apple products, but I don't think I've ever given Safari much thought. To be honest, Chrome always seemed to be more feature-rich and easier to use. But it's safe to say that with Apple's most recent MacOS release, Safari has captured my attention.
When MacOS Sonoma was released earlier this fall, Apple's web browser saw some intriguing improvements. These aren't particularly revolutionary changes, but they're a good assortment of improvements that give Safari a fresh, appealing appeal in my opinion.
My top picks for recent Mac Safari features are these ones. For additional information, check out these MacOS shortcuts and how MacOS Sonoma is bringing Macs up to speed with iPhones.
Profiles come to Safari
Although browser profiles are nothing new, Safari's are unique. Other people's profiles on other browsers are typically intended for visitors or family members who will be using the same computer as you, or at the very least, the same browser. With Apple showcasing profiles for "School" and "Home,"
Safari's browsing profiles are more geared toward your personal browsing experience. You can still make unique profiles for each user if you wish to use Safari on a shared computer.
If you want to set up Profiles on Safari, it's easy to do. All you need to do is open Safari, click Safari in the menu bar and then click Create Profile (this will change to Manage Profile after you create your first profile) -> Start Using Profiles.
Giving your new profile a name and choosing whether to use an existing bookmark folder or create a new one from scratch are required when creating a new profile. You can also choose an icon and color for your profile.
Once your profile is created, you can click the box at the top next to the search bar, labeled "The name of the profile you're currently browsing on," to switch between your saved Safari profiles.
Web apps on your Dock
An app icon in the Dock did not provide you with access to your favorite app if it was not available for download on your Mac prior to MacOS Sonoma. That's not quite true anymore with Sonoma. You can now make a web app version of your favorite website and dock it in your dock. This enables you to access and utilize the website independently of the Safari browser; consider Safari's latest web applications as an enhanced version of bookmarks.
There are differences even though the web app may appear and function similarly to its equivalent webpage on Safari. According to Apple, a web app doesn't give Safari access to cookies, browsing history, website data, or
settings. In the web application, everything remains.
It's easy to set up web apps on your dock. Go to the website you want to turn into a web app in Safari, then just go to File > Add To Dock. Alternatively, you can click the Share button, which looks like a square with an arrow coming out of the top, and then select Add to Dock.
After you've selected Add to Dock you are good to go. You can tinker with some settings, like the name of the app, but otherwise, you're all set. If you want to change the settings in your web app, all you'll need to do is open the app, click the app's name in the menu bar and then click Settings.
