How to Uninstall Safari on Mac? Completely Delete a Browser from macOS

Safari browser usage rate is less than 20%. Although it is stable and reliable, not all users prefer it. If you want to uninstall Safari, this article will guide you on how to completely clear Safari and its related files.

Uninstall Safari completely? Not easy!

macOS's System Integrity Protection (SIP) mechanism prevents the possibility of completely removing Safari. SIP is like the "guardian" of Mac files, protecting the system's default application.

Although you can't completely remove Safari, you can uninstall and block it from running, limiting its activity and gaining better control over the browser.

Preparation before uninstalling Safari

Uninstalling Safari may delete a lot of important information, so be sure to prepare the following before operating:

1. Record all important passwords.
2. Back up important bookmarks for recovery in a new browser.
3. Back up important browsing history, such as URLs, etc.
4. Record installed extensions and third-party apps for re-download after uninstalling.

How to delete Safari

Whether you want to free up storage space, resolve crashes, suspect a virus infection, or simply change your browser, the following four methods can help you uninstall Safari:

1. Use terminal to delete Safari
2. Stop Safari from running
3. Use Finder to delete Safari
4. Cleaning Safari residual files

Method 1: Use the terminal to delete Safari

This method requires modifying macOS protected files. Please be cautious and ensure that you have administrator rights.

Step:

1.1 Open the terminal

Restart the Mac, hold down the Cmd R key, and select "Terminal" in the "Utilities" menu.

1.2 Close SIP

Enter csrutil disable and press Enter, then restart your Mac and log in to your administrator account.

1.3 Delete Safari

Enter cd /Applications/ in the terminal window and press Enter, then enter sudo rm -rf Safari.app/ and press Enter.

1.4 Re-enable SIP

Enter csrutil enable and press Enter, then restart your Mac.

Method 2: Prevent Safari from running

Block Safari using the screen time feature:

1. Open system settings and select the screen usage time.
2. Click "Apps and Website Security" to enable "Apps and Website Security".
3. Enable "Content and Privacy Restrictions" and select "Apps".
4. Uncheck the Safari check box to prevent it from running.

Method 3: Use Finder to delete Safari (macOS Sonoma and earlier)

This method is time-consuming, but Safari and its related files can be deleted manually:

1. Open the finder and click "Go to"> "Go to Folder".
2. Enter the following path and delete all files containing "Safari":
   • /Users/您的用户名/Library/
   • /Users/您的用户名/Library/Address Book Plug-Ins/
   • /Users/您的用户名/Library/Preferences/
   • /Users/您的用户名/Library/Caches/
   • /Users/您的用户名/Library/Saved Application State/
   • /Users/您的用户名/Library/Application Support/CrashReporter/
3. Drag the Safari application to the Trash and empty the Trash.

Method 4: Clean Safari residual files

Thoroughly clean Safari residual files, including cache, support files and preferences:

• Cleaning Safari history
• Clean Safari cache
• Clean Safari preferences

Cleaning Safari history:

1. Open Safari and click "History" > "Clear History".
2. Select the time range and click "Clear History".

Clean Safari cache:

Method 1: Use Finder

1. Open the finder, click "Go to" > "Go to Folder", enter ~/Library/Caches/ and click "Go to".
2. Finish the Safari folder, right-click and select "Move to Trash", and then empty the Trash.

Method 2: Use MacKeeper's "Safe Cleanup" tool (there are omitted the MacKeeper-related steps and pictures here)

Clean Safari preferences:

1. Open the finder, click "Go to" > "Go to Folder", and enter ~/Library/Preferences/.
2. Find all files starting with com.apple.Safari. and delete them.

Using third-party apps to uninstall Safari

Manually uninstalling Safari takes a long time, and you can use third-party apps, such as MacKeeper, to quickly uninstall. (The MacKeeper-related steps and pictures are omitted here)

Summary

Disinstalling Safari is not easy due to system integrity protection (SIP). This article provides a variety of methods, and you can choose the right method according to your own situation. Third-party tools such as MacKeeper can simplify the uninstallation process and optimize the Mac system.

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