Safari profiles are a new feature in iOS 17 and macOS Sonoma that can help you organize your browsing experience on your Mac. When Properly configured and assigned with Focus modes, they can be quite powerful and enable productivity. Whether you want to separate work and personal browsing or maintain distinct profiles for different projects, Safari profiles can streamline your online activities. Let’s dive into how you can make the most of this feature.
Understanding why setting up profiles on safari is beneficial.
A profile in Safari holds all related browsing information and data from previous web activities. Such web information and data can include: bookmarks and tab groups, quick links to open common webpages. Browser History of previously visited websites and URLs. Website cookies and website data which is information that the website may have saved to your computer; common examples are Agreements of the terms and conditions of the website. Lastly, Extensions, some known extensions are Honey, Zoom/Web Conferencing Apps, and Ad Blockers.
Profiles help keep work, school, personal, and any other life you can think of separate from each other when needed. Profiles can be used in conjunction with focus modes as well. Setup a focus mode to zone in settings. Apple has public documentation if you want to read more; however, we plan to release another blog post on Focus Modes. Stay tuned.
One Last key thing: some items are shared between profiles. Favorite Bookmarks are displayed across all profiles in addition to the Bookmarks of the specified profile. Safari Extensions are shared between all profiles but can be activated or deactivated on a profile-level basis if needed.
Okay, enough talk. Let's get into the Details of setup.
Creating a New Profile:
1. Open Safari on your Mac.
2. Go to “Safari” in the menu bar.
3. Select “Preferences.”
4. Click on the “Profiles” tab.
5. Click the “+” button to add a new profile.
6. Give your profile a name and choose its icon for easy identification.
Switching Between Profiles:
1. Once you’ve created multiple profiles, switching between them is a breeze.
2. Click on the profile icon next to the address bar.
3. Select the profile you want to switch to from the dropdown menu.
Customizing Profiles:
1. Each profile can have its unique settings and extensions.
2. Customize settings like homepage, search engine, and privacy preferences for each profile.
3. Install specific extensions for work-related tasks on one profile and entertainment-related extensions on another.
Private Browsing in Profiles:
1. Profiles also offer a private browsing mode tailored to each profile.
2. Open the profile you want to use in private mode.
3. The browsing history and data will be isolated to that specific profile.
Syncing Profiles Across Devices:
1. If you use iCloud, your Safari profiles can sync across your Apple devices.
2. Ensure Safari is enabled in iCloud preferences on all your devices for seamless profile syncing.
Deleting Profiles:
1. To remove a profile, go back to Safari Preferences > Profiles.
2. Select the profile you want to delete and click the “-” button.
Safari profiles on your Mac can be a game-changer in enhancing your browsing efficiency. Whether you’re a professional juggling multiple projects or someone who likes to keep personal and work browsing separate, Safari profiles offer a tailored and organized online experience. Explore this feature, and take control of your browsing on Safari.
If you would like help setting up profiles on Safari for macOS, schedule a One on One Support Session with one of our technicians here.
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