5 Little-Known Extensions That Make Safari Even Better
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Safari is better than Chrome . Apple’s default browser is faster, less cluttered, offers privacy features Google can’t even dream of, and doesn’t try to force AI on you.
But that doesn’t mean Safari is perfect. Like all browsers, it works better with the right extensions. Here are a few I’ve found over the past year that make an already great browser even better.
Blocking ads and other junk
The internet is becoming increasingly useless without a good ad blocker, and the best ad blocker for Safari , which works on both macOS and mobile devices, is wBlock . This extension uses Safari’s built-in ad blocking feature, which is much faster than the workarounds browser extensions like Chrome must employ. It also supports a number of popular blocklists with automatic updates. Or you can go even further and install Userscripts. And best of all, it’s completely free. Give it a try if you’re unhappy with your current ad blocker.
Add dark mode to websites that don’t have it
You can argue endlessly about which mode is better: dark or light (and I’ve argued), but everyone agrees that using dark mode just to make the websites you browse as white as snow is annoying. That’s where Noir comes in. This extension forces dark mode on websites in Safari that don’t have it. It’s a must-have for dark mode lovers.
Automatically open picture-in-picture when switching tabs
Safari on mobile will continue playing video in picture-in-picture mode when you switch to another app or tab. This feature isn’t available on desktop Safari, which is unfortunate. Autopip is a Safari extension for Mac that adds this feature. The result: you can continue watching videos in the background while working in another tab or app. This is ideal for those who don’t want to pause video playback while working on something else.
Quickly copy the URL of the current website
The Arc browser is dead , and frankly, there’s only one feature I miss: the ability to copy the current website’s URL using the Command-Shift-C keyboard shortcut. Yes, it’s a very specific feature that’s missing, but I can’t overstate how much of a habit it has become for me. And I can maintain that habit thanks to Supercopy , a Safari extension that adds this keyboard shortcut to Safari. Yeah, that’s all it does. Still, I use it dozens of times every day, so for me, it’s definitely worth keeping.
Filter Reddit to be less angry
I’d happily spend less time on Reddit, and I’m sure I’m not alone. The problem is, the site contains both useful and infuriating content. The good news is that Protego lets you filter Reddit to make it less annoying. The idea is to pick a few subreddits that you know deep down you shouldn’t browse. Do this, and you’ll be able to use Reddit without falling down rabbit holes of rage and disgust. You can also filter posts by keywords and hide promoted content. Trust me, you’ll feel much more comfortable.