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A Full Guide – How to Download & Install Safari in Windows 11

What is Safari? Is it possible to install Safari for Windows 11? How can you download and install Safari latest version for Windows 11 PCs? To get answers to these questions, you can read this article. MiniTool Solution will give a detailed guide focusing on Windows 11 Safari.

What Is Safari?

Safari is the default web browser on all Apple devices. According to Apple, it is the fastest browser in the world and it is 50 percent faster than Google Chrome when loading websites. Google Chrome is widely used on Windows PCs.

Besides, Apple asserts Safari consumes less battery power than most web browsers. And the time you browse websites on laptops and mobile devices with Safari is longer – 30 minutes longer than Chrome, Edge, and Firefox

Due to a wide range of personalization choices, industry-leading battery life, and strong privacy safeguards, Safari is popular with many users. And someone prefers installing this browser on a Windows PC to replace Chrome, Firefox, or Edge. Perhaps you are also the one.

Is Safari Compatible with Windows 11?

Currently, the new Windows operating system, Windows 11 has been released by Microsoft. You may have upgraded to Windows 11 and decided to install Safari on the new system. Well then, a question comes: is it possible to install Safari on Windows 11? The answer is Yes. Safari is compatible with Windows 11 to some extent.

Back in 2012, Apple no longer developed Safari for the Windows operating system. Safari for Windows was likely abandoned by Apple. Thus, you cannot install the latest Safari browser version for Windows 11. But you can still download and install Safari 5.1.7 which was published a few years ago. This version is compatible with Windows 11/10/8/7.

The following is the way to download and install Safari on Windows 11. Now, let’s go to see it.

Is there Safari for Windows? How to download and install Safari on Windows computers? In this post, we will show you a full guide.

Windows 11 Safari Download & Install

Step 1: Download Safari Browser for Windows: Version 5.1.7

Open Microsoft Edge or another browser in Windows 11, search for “Safari for windows download” and you can see some searching results. Click one download website and click the given link to download this version.

Step 2: Install Windows 11 Safari

• Double-click on the downloaded file and click Next to continue.
• Accept the terms in the license agreement.
• Choose the installation options for Safari according to preference.
• Choose a folder where Safari files will be installed. If you don’t install this app to the default path like C:\Program Files (x86)\Safari, click Change to specify one.
• Click Install to start the installation. During the process, you need to click Yes on the UAC prompts.
• After finishing the installation, click Finish . To launch this browser, you can check the box of Open Safari after the installer exits before clicking Finish.

Are you looking for web browsers for Windows? Now we will show you some alternative browsers for Windows and you can choose a suitable one for further use.

Final Words

This is all the information about Windows 11 Safari and how to download & install Safari latest version for Windows. Follow the given guide to get Safari for use.

About The Author

Position: Columnist

Safari for Windows 10: How To Get and Install It

Plus, why you shouldn't do this

If you use a Mac or an iPhone, it’s hard to pick a different browser over Safari. It’s incredibly fast, uses minimal resources, and respects user privacy. But if you also use a PC, you won’t have the luxury of installing Apple’s flagship browser on Windows since the Cupertino-based tech giant does not develop Safari for the Windows PC. That’s a major issue when your gear consists of cross-platform products.

What you can do is install an older version of Safari on Windows 10 or 11, although we highly advise against that due to compatibility and security-related issues. The best and safest option is to sync your browsing data from Safari to Chrome or Edge on your PC via iCloud for Windows. Setting up macOS on your PC and using Safari that way is another feasible option.

Download and Install Safari on Your Windows PC

Apple halted the development of Safari for Windows in 2012. However, the final version of the browser (Safari v.5.1.7) is freely available on the internet, so you can quickly download and install it on your Windows 10 or 11 PC. The problem? It’s terribly slow and dated, lacks compatibility with most web apps, and poses security risks. You also can’t sync your browsing data, so it’s not a solution if you want to access bookmarks and passwords.

Regardless, the steps below will walk you through downloading and installing Safari on your Windows 10/11 PC. But unless you just want to have a feel of how Safari looked almost a decade earlier, we recommend you stay away from it.

1. Download the Safari installer from a software download portal such as Uptodown , Filehippo , or TechSpot . It weighs in at 36.7MB. Unfortunately, Apple no longer supports Safari for Windows, so you can’t get it from an official source.

2. Double-click the downloaded SafariSetup executable file.

3. Select Next on the Safari Setup’s Welcome screen.

4. Accept the license agreement and select Next .

5. Specify if you want to add Safari as a desktop shortcut or not. Also, decide if you prefer it as the default browser on your computer (we recommend you don’t select this option). Select Next to continue.

6. Pick an install directory (or leave the default folder path) and select Install .

7. Wait for the Safari installer to finish installing Safari on your computer. Then, select Finish .

After installing Safari, you can choose to open it by double-clicking the Safari icon on the desktop. Or, you can open it by selecting Safari on the Start menu’s programs list.

Despite being almost ten years old, Safari for Windows doesn’t look too out of place. To the top, you have the familiar URL bar (you can’t use it to perform searches, however), a Bookmarks strip underneath, and a dedicated Search bar on the left corner. By default, new tabs display frequently visiting sites in thumbnail format—you can use the Top Sites and History tabs to switch them and your browsing history.

Selecting the cog-shaped icon at the right corner of the screen reveals the Safari menu, where you can choose to customize the toolbar, access your browsing history, launch a private browsing window, and so on.

Selecting Preferences opens the Preferences pane, which provides options to modify the homepage, pick a default search engine, adjust privacy settings, manage extensions (although extensions support is non-existent), etc.

What the browser does not allow is to sign in with an Apple ID. That makes it impossible to sync your browsing data from an iPhone or Mac. Even if the functionality were present previously, Apple probably would’ve stopped you from signing in to it by now.

During our Safari tests on Windows, the browser started showing its age. Most websites took a long time to load, while web apps (such as YouTube and Google Maps) simply failed or prompted us to switch to a compatible browser. Other than for basic web browsing, it was practically useless.

Safari for Windows also hasn’t received security updates in almost a decade, so we recommend that you don’t attempt to use it for any sensitive activities such as banking or shopping.

Sync Safari Browsing Data via iCloud for Windows

If your gear consists of a PC and iPhone or Mac, you can sync your passwords and bookmarks from Safari with Google Chrome and vice-versa by installing iCloud for Windows. That’s the most convenient method for accessing your browsing data on each platform.

iCloud for Windows also offers password syncing for Microsoft Edge and bookmarks syncing for Mozilla Firefox. However, only Chrome receives support for both.

If you don’t have iCloud for Windows on your PC, you can get it via the Microsoft Store or the Apple website . If you already have it, make sure to upgrade it to at least version 12.5 or later (you can do that via the Microsoft Store’s Downloads and updates screen or by running the Apple Software Update applet).

With iCloud for Windows up and running, open the iCloud app and check the boxes next to Passwords and Bookmarks . You can also activate additional iCloud services such as Photos and Drive if you want.

Follow that by installing the iCloud Passwords on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge. The former lets you insert and save passwords to the iCloud Keychain. You can also use the iCloud Passwords app (which installs automatically alongside iCloud for Windows) to manage your passwords in Windows. On the other hand, the iCloud Bookmarks extension syncs passwords between Chrome/Firefox and Safari.

Download: iCloud Passwords (Chrome)

Download: iCloud Bookmarks (Chrome)

Download: iCloud Passwords (Edge)

Download: iCloud Bookmarks (Firefox)

Run Safari via a macOS Virtual Machine

If you want to use the most recent version of Safari on your PC (perhaps to test a feature or extension), the only way you can do that is by running macOS via virtualization software. However, the procedure is not convenient. For starters, Mac’s operating system is not natively supported by most VM software, so installation generally relies on workarounds relying on additional software. Also, it requires lots of free disk space and uses up system resources, not to mention that virtual machine guests generally run sluggishly compared to the host operating system.

If you still want to go ahead and install macOS, the easiest way to do that is by following the instructions within this macOS Virtualbox project on GitHub. It lets you install macOS Catalina as a virtual machine via a Bash script. We’ve condensed it into the following steps:

1. Download and install Oracle VM VirtualBox on your PC (it’s free).

2. Download and install Cygwin with the following dependencies (you can select them during installation).

3. Download the macos-guest-virtualbox.sh bash script from GitHub.

4. Open the Cygwin Terminal. Then, drag and drop the bash script and press Enter .

5. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up macOS as a virtual machine on your PC.

After the setup procedure, you can open and use Safari by selecting the Safari icon on the Mac’s Dock. Before you do that, however, it’s a good idea to update macOS and Safari. To do that, open the Apple menu and select System Preferences > Software Update > Update Now .

iCloud for Windows Is the Most Convenient

Although it’s possible to download and install Safari on your Windows 10/11 computer, we recommend you stray away from it. The security risks alone make it impractical, and it’s not like you can use it for any serious web browsing anyway due to compatibility issues.

Since the most likely reason you would want to install Safari involves syncing your passwords and bookmarks, using iCloud for Windows is the only viable alternative. But if you do have the time and just want to try out the latest version of Safari, your best option is to set up macOS as a virtual machine on your PC.

Dilum Senevirathne is a freelance tech writer and blogger with three years of experience writing for online technology publications. He specializes in topics related to iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Google web apps. When he isn't hammering away at his Magic Keyboard, you can catch him binge-watching productivity hacks on YouTube. Read Dilum's Full Bio

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It's time for Apple to bring back Safari for Windows

Apple ended development of Safari for Windows in 2010, but it might be time for the browser to make a comeback.

The web has changed drastically over the past decade: web apps have become more common, algorithms now dictate how most people receive content, and billions more people are now connected globally. Google has also become more dominant in that time, and has occasionally used its position in the web ecosystem and browser market in harmful ways. There have been many ideas for how to keep Google's power in check, but here's mine: Apple should make its Safari web browser cross-platform again.

You might recall that the Safari web browser used to be available for Microsoft Windows , in addition to macOS (then known as Mac OS X) and later iPhone and iPad. Apple discontinued the Windows version of Safari many years ago, but bringing it back now could provide one of the best alternatives to browsers built with Google's Chromium engine.

The Windows experiment

Apple released the first version of the Safari web browser in January 2003, as part of Mac OS X 10.3 'Panther', following the end of Microsoft's five-year deal with Apple to keep Internet Explorer as the default web browser on Mac. Even though the web browser was new, the technology powering it was not — Apple used the KHTML rendering engine as a starting point to create Safari's WebKit engine.

The browser was initially exclusive to Mac, but when the first iPhone arrived in 2007, it also included Safari. The first version for Windows, Safari 3.0, was released that same year. However, the Windows version wasn't all that great . The initial release included a security vulnerability for arbitrary code execution, which was patched less than 48 hours later as Safari 3.0.1.

Safari also felt out of place on Windows. Apple used the same (awful) compatibility layer from iTunes for Windows with the Safari port , which re-implemented the Cocoa UI, Core Foundation, Core Graphics libraries on top of Windows — similar to using Wine to run Windows programs on Linux. The result was an application that worked, but didn't match the design or expected functionality of its host operating system.

Despite the early security issues and questionable software architecture, Safari for Windows was a decent web browser. Apple advertised it was "up to twice as fast" as Internet Explorer 7, and up to 1.6x the performance of Mozilla Firefox 2 (both supposedly tested on a Intel Core 2 Duo system with Windows XP and 1GB of RAM).

Apple continued to release new Safari versions for Mac and Windows, but when Safari 6.0 was released as part of Mac OS X Mountain Lion in 2012, a Windows version was missing. Apple later quietly removed the download links for Windows Safari, seemingly marking an end to the browser's existence on non-Apple platforms. The final version was Safari 5.1, released in 2010.

The comeback

Fast forward to 2022, and the web ecosystem is better in many ways, but also far from perfect. Web apps are more capable than ever before, mostly thanks to the accelerated development of new APIs in Google Chrome. However, Google now has significant influence over the course of web browsers — Opera and Microsoft dropped development of their own rendering engines to use the same Google's Chromium engine, while newer contenders like Brave and Vivaldi used Chromium from the start.

Web browsers based on Chromium have the ability to make changes to the browser interface and engine, so Google doesn't have complete control over how they work. Each step away from Google's upstream code makes adopting new changes to Chromium more time-consuming, though. That makes development more burdensome, and more crucially, it can lead to security patches in Chromium taking a long time to show up in some browsers. One example was Kiwi Browser for Android, which was stuck on Chrome 77 for over a year.

The web needs a balance of powers to remain an open platform

The web needs a balance of powers to remain an open platform, but there are now only two major web browsers not based on Chromium: Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari. Firefox uses its own Gecko engine, which has seen significant performance improvements in recent years. Safari still uses WebKit, and while much of Safari's popularity comes from it being the only real browser allowed on iOS and iPadOS, it has also become a proper competitor to Chrome in recent years. Apple bringing Safari to more platforms could pull back some market share from Chrome and other Chromium-based browsers.

Christian Schaefer pointed out in a blog post last year that Apple still supports the WebKit engine on Windows, mostly for embedded applications and Microsoft's Playright testing platform. Newer versions even dropped the iTunes-based monster of a compatibility layer, in favor of the cross-platform Cairo graphics library. However, these minimal builds of WebKit are only intended for site testing, and don't have common browser features like sync, tabs, or extensions.

There are reasons beyond the health of the open web for Apple to port Safari to more platforms. There are millions of people that use an iPhone or iPad, but use Windows PCs instead of Mac computers. Keeping Safari exclusive to macOS might encourage some of those people to buy a Mac, but Safari on Windows (and other platforms) could also act as a loss leader that encourages future Apple hardware purchases — much like the original iTunes for Windows nearly two decades ago. This is also a strategy that worked for Google: Chromebook sales were helped by the popularity of the Chrome browser, which itself only made Chrome more popular.

Apple has also been more willing in recent years to bring its services and applications to other platforms, even in just a limited fashion. iCloud is available for Windows, the iCloud web apps work in most web browsers, FaceTime calls can now be joined via link from non-Apple devices, Apple Music has an Android app, and so on.

Safari for Windows could give Chromium browsers some much-needed competition, while also opening up a more connected experience for Apple devices. There are still plenty of reasons for Apple to not do it, but I'd certainly like to see it happen.

10 Best Browsers for Windows 11 Based on Use Case

Browsers are your window to the internet world — the world wide web or WWW as we know it. That’s how you access the wild web. You need a Windows 11 browser and there is no dearth of them either. So which browser should you use on your Windows 11 computer and why? Good question. The answer is that there is no clear winner and choosing a browser for Windows PC depends on your use case and what you want it to do. I will test 10 Windows 11 browsers for speed, security, privacy, and features today.

Let’s begin.

Table of Contents

1. Google Chrome (Most Popular, Largest Ecosystem)

Google Chrome is the most popular Windows 11 browser in the world and with the largest market share too. Chrome browser runs on the Chromium engine, a free and open-source initiative that is used by many other browsers covered in this guide. While Google has done an impressive job at developing the Chrome ecosystem with a large repository of extensions , Chrome is marred by sluggish performance and frequent lags and crashes.

Chrome is also known to be a resource hog, especially when you have multiple windows and tabs open. A quick look at the Task Manager will tell you all you need to know about RAM and other resources it is consuming. But still, Chrome is a first and solid choice for most users.

Chrome benefits from Google’s large ecosystem of apps like Search, Translate, dates, currency converter, etc. So you can solve simple math problems or perform quick searches right in the address bar without having to open a site or even Search.

• Privacy and security focused
• Create QR code for any page
• Cast to device
• Translate, Lens, Search, etc. works
• Benefits of Google’s ecosystem
• Search, convert, translate, etc. right inside the address bar
• Search Google Drive from Chrome address bar directly
• Send page to synced devices
• Password and credit card manager
• Resource intensive on RAM
• Lags and hangs frequently

Download Google Chrome

2. Microsoft Edge (Balanced Replacement for Chrome)

Microsoft finally got over IE and launched Edge, a Chromium-based browser that benefits from the large extension database of Chrome but mostly none of its drawbacks. Edge is quite fast and in my personal experience, has never lagged. Because it is a Microsoft product, it integrates with Microsoft apps, just like Chrome does with Google apps.

Microsoft Edge browser for Windows brings some interesting features like web capture to take and annotate screenshots on any page on the fly, solving on-screen math problems, and choosing between three different privacy profiles to name a few.

Just like Chrome, Edge also benefits from Microsoft’s suite of apps and is capable of performing several tasks right inside the address bar.

Some interesting things I noted. Edge can’t translate words in Bing like Google does in Chrome. However, Edge can solve even complex math problems on any website or webpage.

• Cast media to device
• Solve on-screen math problems
• Suggests coupons when shopping
• Three Privacy profiles to choose from
• Web capture to take and annotate screenshots
• Benefits of Microsoft’s ecosystem
• Can’t search OneDrive from Edge
• Can’t translate on the fly

Download Microsoft Edge

3. Brave Browser (Private Browser That Pays You)

Brave is a privacy and security-focused Windows 11 PC browser, but it is also web 3 and a crypto-native one. It was founded by one of Firefox’s co-founders and so privacy and security are part of its ethos. We have covered Brave browser before pitting it against Chrome , Vivaldi , and even Firefox and each time it came out stronger.

Brave blocks ads and trackers by default. You see, Google’s business model was built on advertising so it can’t help but show ads and that requires collecting and selling user data. Brave chose a decentralized web with its own crypto token and advertising model.

Interestingly, Brave has a revenue split program called Rewards. Basically, you can choose to view ads if you want and the revenue earned by Brave will be split between them and you. Get paid to browse. By default, this is turned off which is good. Revenue will be credited to your crypto wallet and paid in their native token Brave.

It also integrates TOR’s world-class privacy feature and uses DuckDuckGo as the default search engine to enhance your privacy online. Over the years, Brave has grown its product lineup.

But because Brave is still a new player, it cannot compete with the resources or ecosystem of Google or Microsoft. However, because it was built on Chromium, it does benefits from it.

• Search engine
• Talk – Video calling app
• Crypto wallet
• Privacy-focused
• Native token
• Chromium-based
• Lacks ecosystem benefits of Edge and Chrome

Download Brave Browser

4. Opera (Free VPN With a Catch)

Opera is quite a feature-rich Chromium browser for Windows 11. One of the primary features is a free VPN that can be set to 4 different regions. But as the famous proverb goes, if there is no product, you are the product. Free VPNs make money by selling your data so forget privacy. They recently introduced paid plans beginning at $1.99/month though.

Another interesting feature is the ability to use messaging apps like WhatsApp and Telegram , among others, right in the sidebar. No need to keep them open in separate tabs now. It saves time and makes life easier. Also supports music streaming apps like Spotify.

• Multiple workspaces
• Messaging apps in sidebar
• Music streaming apps in sidebar
• Built-in ad blocker
• Built-in Calculator
• Flow to share files/URLs between devices
• VPN (Freemium)
• Screenshot tool
• Slightly bloated

Download Opera

5. Opera GX (Gaming Browser or Fad)

Another browser from Opera, GX is focused on gamers. In fact, Opera has a number of browsers for Windows users to choose from making it slightly confusing. For example, Opera supports crypto wallets, however, there is a dedicated Web 3 browser too!

I would say GX should be considered if you are into light-browser gaming on Windows 11. For everything else, there is Steam and dedicated desktop apps like MSI Afterburner and Rivatuner among many others. GX will add some fancy bookmarks to sites that a gamer may visit, a red theme that screams gamer, and tools in the sidebar to limit CPU, RAM, and Network. The limiter functionality might come in handy while playing in-browser games.

• RAM, CPU, Netowork limiter
• Gaming themes/wallpapers
• GX Corner – gaming news, deals, etc.
• Music streaming in sidebar
• Share files and URLs between devices
• Gaming calendar
• Freemium VPN
• No workspaces

Download Opera GX

6. Firefox (Fighting Losing Battle)

The only non-Chromium Windows 11 browser on the list, Firefox is slowly losing out to Chrome and all the other browsers that its browser engine helped spawn. What that means is if Firefox loses and has to shut down, Google dominates the browser industry and that is important because browsers are how we access the world wide web.

Privacy and security were Firefox’s selling points until others started offering features that simply made life easier. Firefox was forced to up its game with offerings like the ability to edit PDF inside the browser itself, Eye Dropper that will identify color codes, and a few more.

But the primary selling point remains a privacy-focused secure Windows browser that is not owned or even related to Google remotely. If you take a look at Firefox’s product lineup , it becomes more obvious. There is a VPN, Monitor that will tell you if your email address was part of known hacks, and Relay that works like Apple’s own iCloud Email Relay .

Firefox has an important role to play but seems to be lagging behind. Too little, too late? Probably, but when it comes to privacy and security, it is second to none.

• Color picker
• Dedicated Facebook Container
• Doesn’t support many popular extensions/add-ons
• Sometimes sites don’t load correctly

Download Firefox

7. Safari (Try and Buy)

Talking about privacy and security, Safari is the go-to browser for most inside Apple’s walled garden, or as Apple calls it, ecosystem. Outside, Apple decided to stop offering support for Safari in 2015. You can still download the old version on Windows 11 but it is not recommended. So no joy for Windows users unless you simply want a taste of it before you move to macOS for good. That’s the only reason it made the list. Read on, nothing to see here.

Download Safari

8. Vivaldi (Endless Customizable)

Vivaldi takes a leaf out of Opera and tries to distinguish itself in a sea of Chromium browsers on Windows by adding features and customizations. The good thing is that it allows you to choose how much clutter you want in your UI.

I went for fully loaded because that’s one way to truly experience the browser on my Windows 11 machine. The setup process is clean and clear and takes you through features, security, privacy, etc.

Like Brave, it displays the number of ads and trackers blocked. Like Opera, it has a functional sidebar where you can find interesting and useful features like notes, tasks, and a mail client. The UI can be customized infinitely (which is where it shines) and however, you want from the position of tabs to the sidebar, menus, and everything in between.

Vivaldi is for those who like to control every single aspect of their Windows browsing experience right from the position of the address bar to keyboard shortcuts. And Vivaldi doesn’t disappoint.

• Customizable keyboard shortcuts
• UI is flexible and customizable
• View multiple pages
• Tab manager
• Mail client
• Translation tool
• In-built ad blocker
• So many settings/options can be overwhelming

Download Vivaldi

9. Slim (Lightweight and Fast)

We saw browsers with privacy and security on the mind. We saw browsers with features and customizations on the mind. We also saw browsers for Windows with web 3 and crypto on the mind. Slim takes all that away to offer the lightest browser for Windows 11 you can find. It does nothing else which means it opens quickly and loads pages fast.

It does have a download manager that allows you to download packets in parallel. There are a few other addons available that enable features like sharing pages directly to Facebook and Twitter but that’s it.

• Download manager
• Too basic and simple for modern browsing

Download Slim

1 0 . TOR (For privacy and Security Fanatics)

Download Impervious

TOR is the gold standard of privacy and security. TOR or The Onion Router uses something called multi-layered encryption where your traffic is moved through a series of servers to mask the source IP. Just like how an onion has multiple layers.

However, because traffic and data are moved through as many as three servers, the result is slow loading times. TOR doesn’t offer any of the fancy features we saw in some Windows browsers above. No. It was designed from the ground up to do one thing – offer the best privacy to the end user.

As such, TOR is not your ordinary browser and neither are its use cases. TOR is used to browse the dark web, journalists who are reporting on war, and so on. It is designed with specific use cases in mind.

• Private and secure
• Encrypted traffic
• Blocks ads, trackers
• Resist fingerprinting
• Slow loading speeds

Download TOR

Browsers for Windows 11

Here is the breakdown.

Go for Edge if you are deep into the Windows ecosystem. Use Brave browser if you are into crypto and web 3 but also value your privacy and security equally. Opera and Vivaldi will offer way too many features than you know what to do with and that’s not a bad thing. Most of you won’t need TOR unless you really want to protect your identity at all costs. I still like Firefox and it has an important role to play but sadly, it is on the decline. I do hope it makes a strong comeback.

Chrome remains the OG with its large ecosystem with Google’s full might behind. It is also the most popular one out there. But sometimes, it lags and disappoints and when it comes to privacy and security, Chrome is far behind the likes of Brave, for example.

Gaurav Bidasaria

Gaurav is an editor here at TechWiser but also contributes as a writer. He has more than 10 years of experience as a writer and has written how-to guides, comparisons, listicles, and in-depth explainers on Windows, Android, web, and cloud apps, and the Apple ecosystem. He loves tinkering with new gadgets and learning about new happenings in the tech world. He has previously worked on Guiding Tech, Make Tech Easier, and other prominent tech blogs and has over 1000+ articles that have been read over 50 million times.

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Should I use Safari on Windows? [closed]

I've been considering installing Safari on my Windows machine for a while. Is it worth it? I normally use Opera, and fall back to Firefox, then to IE if I need extra compatibility (not very often) - would Safari add anything to that?

• Thanks very much for all the answers everyone. I think I'll stick to what I've got for the moment then! –  Ant Jul 15, 2009 at 12:24
• Funny that the obvious answer wasn't mentioned: install and try it out for a bit, and if you like it (more than the other browsers), then by all means use it :) Safari 4 does have some nice new features, so I can see why some might prefer it over Opera, IE and Firefox. –  Jonik Aug 10, 2009 at 20:39
• I think I did try the last version and couldn't get used to it. As some have mentioned, I found it a bit to mac-y for my preference. I'll probably try it again at some point, but not just yet :) –  Ant Aug 11, 2009 at 9:57

5 Answers 5

Well, Webkit (the rendering engine behind Safari) is really fast and supports the latest standards. I would use Google Chrome though as it shares a large part of its codebase (including Webkit) with Safari but it is more suitable for Windows. Safari looks really out of place in a Windows environment in my opinion.

• 2 I agree. Safari feels more at home on OS X, and Google Chrome would be a better alternative to Safari because of the shared codebase. –  user83 Jul 15, 2009 at 9:50
• Safari 4 is much better since it was developed as a Windows app and not an OSX app. I prefer it over any of the others and honestly find it faster then both IE and Firefox. However there is the normal issues when running in a heavily Microsoft environment and a lot of sites still complain about compatibility. On MacOSX Safari is the only browser I use. –  BinaryMisfit Jul 15, 2009 at 10:16
• 2 Diago: alignedstrategy.com/images/safari4windows.JPG - dunno, that still doesn't really look like a Windows app for me. I mean, it's a great browser and stuff but all the widgets and colors just feel wrong on windows. –  Tamas Czinege Jul 15, 2009 at 11:37
• DrJokepu, that's a screenshot of Safari 3 for Windows, despite the file name. –  eyelidlessness Sep 20, 2009 at 21:02
• This is Safari 4 on XP: greginthedesert.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/… Note, though, that the cap is of the beta, and top tabs were removed in the final version (sadly). –  eyelidlessness Sep 20, 2009 at 21:05

One reason why I prefer Safari over Chrome in Windows is because it syncs my bookmarks over MobileMe.

• 1 You can also use Xmarks, it's a plug-in for firefox it's really cool to sync bookmarks –  bAN Aug 24, 2009 at 19:36

Safari will not provide any compatibility gains next to Firefox or IE. It is also far less stable than either of those Windows systems. Personally I see no reason to use Safari on Windows, except where you may prefer its interface.

• Safari certainly has web standards support well beyond IE on most metrics, (and somewhat beyond Firefox on some metrics). –  eyelidlessness Sep 20, 2009 at 21:06

I certainly didn't like it at all. One of the main reasons is that, it really doesn't fit. This might be because I use Mac OS and Windows and it just feels awkward. Furthermore, the performance, I'd dare to compare it to IE but of course, a li'l better (I hate IE).

I use Safari on Windows about 30-40% of the time (the rest being Firefox). Safari has Apple's font rendering which makes the text look better and more correct from the typography's point of view. See, for example Joel's article on the subject. I find it being significantly easier on the eyes, and I choose Safari for lengthy articles.

On Mac on the other hand, I find myself using Firefox almost exclusively since it's got all the GreaseMonkey goodies and it takes much less CPU than Firefox, which translates to cooler and quieter notebook.

• Oh interesting - I find the Microsoft font rendering to be easier to read. Bet that's a small nightmare for usability experts :) –  Ant Aug 25, 2009 at 8:29
• When you look at the text as a whole, and not a collection of standalone letters, the dynamics of the text (i.e. ratio between its weight and spacing) and consistency of the page become important factors. Different people perceive it differently, no question about it. My eyes tolerate working with text rendered using Apple's method much better than working with text rendered by default Windows method. I measure it by the amount of strain and pain after hours of work. –  Rom Aug 26, 2009 at 18:54

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged windows safari .

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How to Download Safari for Windows 11 – A Complete Guide!

• Published on December 16, 2022
• Updated on July 27, 2023
• In Tips , Windows
• Read Time 5 mins

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Safari is one of the best browsers apart from Brave, Google Chrome , and Firefox. Almost every Apple user uses Safari as their default web browser on their MacBook as it is one of the most secure browsers . Now if you just switched from Mac to Windows OS then this article can help you to get Safari for Windows 11/10.

Earlier, Safari wasn’t available for Windows but now you can use Safari on Windows 11. Wondering how you can do that? In this article, we will share a working method for how to download the Safari browser on Windows 11.

Table of Contents

Is Safari Compatible with Windows 11?

Apple hasn’t released an official version of Safari for Windows 11 but you can still use it. So, Safari is only partly compatible with Windows 11. Apple ended Windows support for Safari in 2012 when it launched Safari 6 just for Mac users .

So, for a long time, Apple hasn’t launched an updated version of the Safari browser for Windows. On Microsoft’s Windows 11, you can still use the current Safari browser.

Safari 5.1.7 is the last and most stable version of Windows 11. Note that you won’t be able to use the latest Safari browser features as it is an older version.

How to Download Safari for Windows 11

To download Safari on Windows 11, you will need to use the setup wizard for version 5.1.7. Follow these steps to download and install the Safari browser on Windows 11.

• First, open the official website of Safari and then go to the downloads section .

• Now find and click on the Safari browser icon on the top and then click on the Download button as mentioned below.

• Save it on your desktop.

How to Install Safari Browser on Windows 11 PC or Laptop

Once you download the browser, here’s how you can install Safari on Windows 11 system.

• Double click on the Safari setup file from your desktop to install it. It will open a setup wizard window.
• Click on next and you will see license agreement details.
• Agree to the license agreement by clicking on the I accept ratio button.

• Follow all other on-screen instructions and select the required installation options to install the Safari browser on Windows 11.
• If you want to change the installation location then you can change it while installing process. Or you can just skip this step.

• Click  Install and then click on Yes of UAC alert shows up.

Once installed, click on the open Safari browser option from the desktop shortcut or using the Windows search box and start using Safari on Windows 11 without any hassles! This completes the Safari download for Windows 11 process.

Update:  Few users aren’t able to see the Safari download option on their PCs on Apple’s official website and it’s redirecting to this page instead which reads “Apple no longer offers Safari updates for Windows. Safari 5.1.7 for Windows was the last version made for Windows, and it is now outdated.” In that case, here’s an alternative method to download Safari for Windows 11.

Alternative Way to Download Safari on Windows 11

To get Safari for Windows 11 even when Apple has stopped the support, you need to download Safari from a third-party website like this one .

Although, it’s not recommended to install Safari from such third-party websites as it may have adware and some freeware but if you still want to use it at any cost, that’s up to you. We do not endorse it but upon our readers’ request, we’ve provided the Safari download for Windows 11 link.

Here’s a video that shows the entire process of installing Safari on Windows 11 using third-party download links.

When Safari is running on Windows 11, you can use some awesome features. Here are some tips that will improve your browsing experience.

To add a new site, click Edit. Then type the website’s URL in the address bar, but don’t hit Enter. Click the small globe icon to the left of the website address and drag it onto a top site’s thumbnail.

Safari comes with a Reading List function. To view it, click the Show Reading List button. To add a webpage to the sidebar, click Add page.

Safari’s Bookmarks Bar now offers page thumbnail previews. To see it, select Show all bookmarks from the browser’s left side.

Safari’s URL toolbar can be customized. To do so, click the Show a menu button in the browser’s upper right. Select Customize Toolbar to bring up the popup shown below:

Safari even allows access to banned websites. Parental Control settings are best for Mac users.

Can I Use the Latest Version of Safari Browser with Windows 11?

The only way to install the latest version of Safari for Windows 11 or 10 is by using virtual machine tools like VMWare or Virtual Box . You can even install and use all the Apple products that are not available for Windows.

The entire process takes little time and it is a very complex process. So you have to take care while setting up and installing Safari on Windows 11 using virtual machine tools. At times, your system might get slow too as the virtual machine requires higher CPU resources and RAM too.

In such cases, it’s better to use Windows 11 Safari browser as mentioned in the above method. But if you’re a developer and want to test out how the latest Safari version behaves on Windows 11 operating system, virtual machine tools are your best bet!

Related Posts:

• How to Find What is Running in Windows 11
• How to See Other Computers on Network in Windows 11
• How to End a Program’s Task in Windows 11

Well, that ends up the tutorial on how you can download the Safari browser for Windows 11. Do not hesitate to reach out to us on Twitter if you’ve any issues regarding the installation of the browser or any other problem you face.

Rahul Patel

Rahul is a blogger and a tech geek. By reviewing the latest technology and finding the solution of pesky errors, he feels immense pleasure. Driven by his innate interest in blogging, he adapted blogging as a full-time profession 4 years ago.

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will apple bring back saffari for windows?

I use to use Safari for everything.. Starting to feel its getting outdated and falling behind.

Windows, Windows 10

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How to Download and Install Safari on Windows 11

• Safari, the fastest browser for Apple devices, can also be downloaded and installed on Windows 11.
• Steps to download and install Safari on a Windows 11 PC are provided, including accessing the download link, completing the installation process, and launching Safari.
• Safari offers unique features and tools, claiming to load web pages faster than Chrome, extend battery life, and provide a user-friendly experience in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Safari, the built-in browser for macOS X, is also accessible on Windows 11. On all Apple devices, it is the default browser. Although Chrome is now the most popular browser among most users, Apple users still prefer Safari. In this guide, We’ll look at how to download and install Safari on Windows 11 PC.

Download And Install Safari On Windows 11

Safari is the web browser for Apple devices. It is claimed by Apple to be the fastest browser on the market. For frequently visited websites, they claim Chrome takes 50% longer to load than Safari. Comparisons and benchmarks are also available on Safari’s homepage. Because it’s made specifically for Apple devices, it also helps to extend battery life. When compared to Chrome and Firefox, Apple claims that you can surf the Internet for an hour longer.

Increasingly user-friendly web browsers are in demand due to the ever-evolving technological environment. Every day, users worldwide search for safe and easy-to-use browsers for a variety of reasons, including banking, transactions, and shopping online.

This browser has been designed with ease of use in mind. It also provides unique tools and features that can be found nowhere else on the market. Safari’s amazing features and simple design have made a strong impression on users based on Apple’s reputation.

Download & Install Safari on Windows 11

You can install the Safari browser on a Windows 11 computer by following these steps.

Step 1. You can download Safari for Windows 11 by clicking on the link below.

Download Safari

Step 2. Once the link has been opened, click the Download button. Wait for the download to complete.

Step 3. Locate the location where you downloaded Safari after you have completed the download. And open the application.

Step 4. After opening the safari , select Next.

Step 5 . Select the I accept the license terms option. Press Next.

Step 6 . Select all checkboxes here. Click the Next button.

Step 7 . Click the Install button. Another thing you can do is change the location of the file in which it will be installed. Once this is done, wait for the installation to complete.

Step 8 . Click Finish to complete the process.

Step 9 . Wait for Safari to launch. You can then use it.

Why Use Safari?

Safari is the web browser for Apple devices and is claimed by Apple to be the fastest browser on the market. Apple states that for frequently visited websites, Safari loads pages 50% faster than Chrome. Comparisons and benchmarks can be found on Safari’s homepage. Designed specifically for Apple devices, Safari also helps to extend battery life, allowing users to surf the Internet for up to an hour longer compared to Chrome and Firefox.

In the ever-evolving technological environment, user-friendly web browsers are in demand. Users worldwide seek safe and easy-to-use browsers for various activities, including banking, transactions, and online shopping. Safari, with its unique tools and features, offers a user-friendly experience that stands out in the market.

Conclusion – Safari for Windows 11

This is How to download and install Safari on Windows 11. You will be easily able to download and install Safari on your Windows 11 PC. Since Safari is designed for Mac PCs, it may sometimes crash or not perform up to the mark. So, it’s better to go for Chrome, Firefox rather than Safari.

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The Best Web Browsers of 2024

We tested the most popular web browsers to see which is the fastest and best.

• Works natively with Google services
• Syncs across multiple devices
• Outperforms the competition in speed

• Blocks cryptominers
• Prevents fingerprinting
• Stores passwords locally

• Provides high customization
• Protects against phishing
• Syncs data between devices

Our pick: Which web browser is best?

Google Chrome is our pick for the most well-rounded web browser you can get. It’s fast and synchronizes across every device you use. You can perform a search within the address bar, group your browser tabs, and more. Want to go dark? Chrome supports themes, too.

We spent many hours comparing the best web browsers in terms of speed using a handful of tests on Windows and Mac. We provide the results in our Methodology section to show which is the fastest web browser on your favorite desktop platform.

Do you have the slow internet blues?

Your web browser may not be making your internet connection feel as slow as snails. Enter your zip code below to find a plan that can better handle your internet speed needs.

Jump to : Best overall | What to look for | Best browser features | Which browsers are the fastest? | Our verdict | Methodology |  FAQ

• Best overall
• What to look for
• Best browser features
• Which browsers are the fastest?

Our verdict

Methodology, the 6 best web browsers.

• Best overall: Google Chrome
• Best for security: Mozilla Firefox
• Best for customization: Vivaldi
• Best for social media: Opera
• Best for Mac: Apple Safari
• Best for Windows: Microsoft Edge

Compare web browser features

What should you look for in a web browser.

The best web browser should be fast and clean to give you the best browsing experience. You don’t want excessive bloat that can bog down your device and cause web pages to load at a dial-up pace.

And while speed is great, security should also be a high priority. Internet browsers should protect users from trackers, hackers, and pesky internet eavesdroppers.

Ultimately, a browser should be your interactive window looking out into the World Wide Web—a picture frame that should never distract you from the view at hand.

Get the best router to complement your fast browser

We tested and reviewed more routers than we can count to determine the best of the best you can get. Go with the TP-Link Archer AX11000 if you want a lot of bang for your buck, or choose the ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AX11000 if you want lots of features at a higher price. The NETGEAR Nighthawk RAXE500 is the fastest router we’ve tested to date, but it ain’t cheap.

* Amazon.com Prices (as of 12/19/23 9:35 MST). Read full disclaimer .

Best overall—Google Chrome

• Supports Google services
• Includes tab group management
• Outperforms other browsers in tests

Availability

• Desktop: Windows, Mac, Linux, Chrome OS
• Mobile: iPhone , iPad , Android

Data this browser collects from you

And more (see App Privacy )

Chrome is the fastest and best web browser on Microsoft Windows and an excellent alternative to Safari on a Mac in terms of speed. However, you agree to Google’s excessive data collection in exchange for speed and convenience.

More about Google Chrome

Google Chrome is the fastest web browser available for Windows machines. It surpasses the competition in three out of four tests and outranks  Microsoft Edge in all but one test.

On Apple Mac, Chrome is a heavy hitter in performance, outranking Safari in two out of four tests . It’s a good alternative to Safari, but Chrome’s data collection issues are a little disconcerting. If you’re worried about how Google uses your data, Safari or Microsoft Edge may be your better alternative.

Still, despite privacy concerns, Chrome is a great browser overall if you use Google’s services. It’s probably the ideal default browser if you shift between Windows, Android, and Apple devices.

• Supports a huge extensions library
• Syncs across devices
• Collects lots of data
• Uses lots of memory

Best for security—Mozilla Firefox

• Ranks the lowest for speed in tests
• Desktop: Windows, Mac, Linux
• Contact info

If you want the best internet browser that prioritizes security over data collection, Firefox is your best bet. However, it’s not the fastest browser available.

More about Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla’s Firefox browser isn’t known for speed. It falls into last place in most of our tests for Windows and Mac, and that’s okay. Firefox is more about security features than speed, which is ideal if you’re more concerned about blocking malware than loading pages in a flash.

Firefox received a facelift in 2021. Mozilla redesigned the tabs, prompts, menus, and overall look, giving Firefox a new modern interface. Under the hood, Firefox strives to keep you safe online with tools like DNS-over-HTTPS , which encrypts browser requests versus sending the information in plaintext.

Want to improve your home network’s security?

Be sure to check out our list of the best routers for security . We also offer a guide on how to keep your router secure if you don’t need a new one.

• Protects against spyware
• Blocks almost all pop-ups
• Consumes high memory
• Falls behind other browsers in speed

Best for customization—Vivaldi

• Mobile: Android

Vivaldi is great for customizing your browsing experience, but it doesn’t match the speed of Chrome or Safari.

More about Vivaldi

Vivaldi breathes new life into the tired, repetitive web browser design. Here, you can customize the start page, create and use a custom theme, customize and move the menu, customize the toolbar, and so on. You can also assign browser commands to keyboard shortcuts, map commands to gestures, and assign quick commands to the Function keys.

In terms of speed, the Vivaldi browser isn’t the fastest on the planet—at least, not yet. It’s the youngest in the batch, so there’s room for improvement. It ranks fourth in all four tests we run on Windows, while its performance jumps between third and last in the same tests on Mac.

That said, Vivaldi is an excellent middle-ground browser in terms of performance.

• Offers plenty of customization
• Syncs data across devices
• Lacks iPhone, iPad versions

Best for social media—Opera

• Includes a built-in VPN client
• Includes social tools
• Verifies all websites
• Diagnostics

Opera is a good web browser if you want a built-in VPN client and social tools. It provides middle-ground performance in terms of speed.

More about Opera

The Opera browser is great if you want built-in social network tools. The sidebar includes shortcuts to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, and three others you can pin to the browser window. 

Opera also supports two VPN services: Free VPN and VPN Pro . The “pro” version costs $7.99 per month and comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Our FAQ explains the differences between the two services.

As for performance, Opera is the third-fastest browser in our tests for Windows , falling behind Chrome and Microsoft Edge. It has a similar performance level on our MacBook, falling behind Safari, Chrome, and Microsoft Edge in our four tests. Opera has a “battery saver” mode that reduces background activity and pauses animations, but we verified it was disabled before running our tests.

• Includes built-in social tools
• Loads some websites incorrectly
• Updates less frequently than Chrome

Best for Mac—Apple Safari

• Provides a clean privacy report
• Supports extensions
• Displays tab previews
• Competes with Chrome  in speed on Mac
• Desktop: Mac
• Mobile: iPhone, iPad
• Nitro, WebKit

Safari is the best browser for Macs, hands down. Stick with Safari if you also have an iPhone or iPad. However, if you use other platforms like Windows and Android, Chrome is the better multiplatform solution—if you can ignore Chrome’s data collection woes.

More about Apple Safari

Safari is an excellent example of how Apple optimizes its software for Macs. It’s fast, simply designed, and somewhat customizable. It supports Chrome extensions, tab previews for power users, and easy translations using the menu bar. And while we will always recommend Firefox as the best browser for security , Safari’s privacy report panel lists every website that tracks you across the internet.

The drawback with Safari is that you can’t get it on anything but Apple devices. That means we could measure its performance only on our MacBook, so there are no numbers for Windows-based PCs. That said, Safari and Chrome duke it out for the fastest browser, both taking the top spots in two out of four tests. If you want speed, either browser will do.

• Runs superfast on Macs
• Uses low memory
• Isn’t available outside Apple’s ecosystem
• Has a limited extensions library

Best for Windows—Microsoft Edge

• Stacks tabs vertically
• Groups websites into Collections
• Supports Dolby Audio and 4K
• Competes with Chrome in speed on Windows
• Desktop: Windows, Mac
• Browsing history

Bottom line

Microsoft Edge is a great native browser for Microsoft Windows and a good alternative to Safari on a Mac if you need a browser that runs outside Apple’s ecosystem.

More about Microsft Edge

The original Edge browser was a clunky mess despite Microsoft’s good intentions. It used the company’s in-house EdgeHTML engine and really couldn’t compete with Chrome. Microsoft scrapped its proprietary engine in early 2020 and chose Chromium instead, the browser foundation used in Chrome, Opera, Vivaldi, Brave, and more.

Now, Microsoft Edge is highly competitive in terms of speed. On Windows, it gives Chrome a run for its money, falling just a hair behind Google’s browser in three of four of our tests . On our MacBook, Chrome and Microsoft Edge are nearly identical in performance, both falling behind Safari.

• Synchronizes across devices
• Includes a PDF viewer
• Lacks a version for Linux
• Collects your browser history

Are you troubleshooting speed issues?

If you have connection problems and slow speeds, your web browser may not be the issue. We provide several guides to help you get back up to speed.

• 7 Reasons Why Your Internet is Slow (And How To Fix It)
• Improve Your Wi-Fi in 10 Simple Steps
• Are Ethernet Cables Slowing Your Connection?
• How to Check Your Internet Speed

Which web browsers are the fastest?

To determine the fastest browser on our list, we ran four different tests three times per browser, determined the average, and compared the results.

On Windows, Chrome tested as the fastest browser, followed by Microsoft Edge .

On Mac, Safari and Chrome shared the top spot as the fastest browser, followed by Microsoft Edge .

In all tests, Firefox was the slowest browser on our list.

See the complete test results in the Methodology section .

Browser specs and features

A web browser is software that downloads data from a remote server and pieces it all together on your screen. It’s your interactive window to the World Wide Web, a view that exists only when you open a tab and enter an address. All browsers provide this basic function, but there are five elements you should keep in mind while considering your browser options.

You want a browser that loads pages quickly and can run in-browser apps without slowing you down. A browser should have a relatively small footprint in your system memory, so it doesn’t affect the performance of your other programs and apps while you surf the internet.

Security and privacy

A browser should make secure connections to websites. They should also provide means to block malicious advertisements, cross-site trackers, cryptominers, and fingerprinters. Users should have tools to block and delete cookies, secure their passwords, and use the browser without worrying about how it collects their data.

Learn more about the best internet browsers for security .

Customization

While you don’t want your window to the internet framed with a clunky interface, it’s a nice bonus to add a personal touch. Most of the browsers on our list provide means for customization.

For example, you can apply a theme in Chrome obtained from the Chrome Web Store . You can create themes in Vivaldi, reposition the menu, or create your own menu.

Compatibility

The best browser should be compatible with the latest internet standards, like HTML5 and WebGL . A good way to benchmark a browser’s compatibility is to use the HTML5 Test website or AnTuTu’s HTML5 Test online utility. Plus, you don’t want to install a browser that can’t access all the modern functions of a website, like web apps.

Easy navigation

While customization is great, you want a browser that’s easy to use. Most browsers we list here are just that, with the address bar headlining your window to the internet. Menus should be tucked away and easily accessible. Settings should be just a click away, and bookmarks should be easy to save and load.

Our verdict: Google Chrome is the best web browser

Google Chrome is fast and available on nearly every platform. It’s our top pick in speed, as it goes head-to-head with Safari on our MacBook and Microsoft Edge on Windows. It’s also a firm alternative if you don’t want to use those native browsers.

But Microsoft Edge is an excellent third-place browser that’s accessible on nearly all platforms. It’s almost as fast as Chrome and Safari and includes a few standout features you can’t get with most browsers, like 4K Netflix streaming.

However, if you want the most secure browser on the planet, Firefox is the way to go, although it’s the slowest browser on our list.

Related content

• How Much Speed Do I Need for Online Gaming?
• How Much Speed Do I Need to Stream Music?
• Ethernet vs. Wi-Fi: Is It Really Better to Go Wireless?
• What Is a Good Download and Upload Speed?

To determine a browser’s speed, we did the following:

• Installed a clean, current copy without any plugins or extensions
• Closed all open programs and unnecessary processes
• Ran four different tests three times
• Calculated the average

To test Microsoft Edge and Safari on their native platforms, we ran browser benchmarks on a Windows laptop and a MacBook . We plugged both in for maximum power performance.

Microsoft Windows

We use a Lenovo ThinkPad with Intel’s Core i7-10850H 6-core processor, 16GB of system memory, and a 500GB SSD for these tests.

Chrome is our biggest performer, taking the top spot in three out of four tests. Microsoft Edge always comes in at a close second, save for one test where it switches seats with Chrome. Firefox is our lowest performer of the browser batch.

JetStream 2

This test measures how fast a browser loads data and how quickly it executes code—higher numbers are better.

Speedometer

This test measures the responsiveness of web applications by simulating user input.

Basemark Web 3.0

This tool performs 20 tests—map scaling, drawing, and so on—in one sitting. It’s also popular for testing a laptop’s battery life, as it loops through all tests until the battery dies.

MotionMark 1.2

This test benchmarks the browser’s capability to render and animate complex scenes within a set frame rate.

Apple macOS

We use a 2018 MacBook Air (A1392) with Intel’s Core i5-8210Y 2-core CPU, 8GB of system memory, and a 128GB SSD for these tests. There’s a huge processor difference between this machine and the Lenovo notebook, so we rerun the benchmarks to compare Safari against the competition on the same Core i5 CPU.

Overall, Safari and Chrome go head to head for the fastest browser. Safari grabs the top spot in two tests, while Chrome dominates in the other two. Microsoft Edge is the best alternative to Safari and Chrome, while Firefox has the lowest performance of the six.

This tool performs 20 tests—map scaling, drawing, and so on—in one sitting.

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FAQ about the best web browsers

Internet browser vs. web browser: what's the difference.

Although we tend to use the term, there’s no such thing as an “internet browser.” The internet is a global network of cables, servers, and switches—it’s the hardware needed to deliver information to your eyeballs. A browser is software that accesses software—the World Wide Web in this case.

In other words, we connect to the internet and use the web. But since “internet” is easier to read and write than “World Wide Web,” we typically stick with the former term.

What is a virtual private network (VPN)?

A virtual private network creates a secure, private connection between your device and the destination. It requires software installed on your device that encrypts your data and establishes a direct, encrypted connection to a remote VPN server. The server then decrypts your data and sends it as plaintext to the destination.

Overall, a VPN prevents the destination from seeing your geological location, IP address, and operating system.

Want to see how a VPN affects your speed?

Run our internet speed test with a VPN enabled. After that, rerun the test with the VPN disabled and then compare the results.

Run a Speed Test

What is a Device ID?

A Device Identifier (ID) is a unique string of numbers derived from other hardware-identifying numbers stored on your device. Browsers use this information to identify your device.

What is a User ID?

A User Identifier (User ID) is a unique profile created by the browser and stored locally as a cookie. This profile includes information such as your processor, storage, screen resolution, and operating system.

What is Chromium?

Chromium is Google’s free, open-source code provided to all internet browser developers. These developers can compile Google’s code with proprietary components and unique designs (Microsoft Edge) or compile the code “as is” (Chromium).

What is HTML5?

HTML5 is the fifth generation of HyperText Markup Language (HTML), the programming language that creates websites you see in your browser. There are three components in HTML5: Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) that dictate how web page elements are displayed, JavaScript that executes interactive components, and HTML code that brings it all together.

HTML5 eliminates the need for browser plugins, like Adobe Flash, Silverlight, and Java.

What is WebGL?

Web Graphics Library (or WebGL ) is an application programming interface (API) that allows a browser to render 2D and 3D graphics. These elements are written in JavaScript and OpenGL ES for the web and are executed on your device’s graphics cores, not your processor. WebGL eliminates the need for a browser plugin, eliminating security risks and providing better animation.

To see WebGL in action, visit the Get WebGL website to view a cube rotating in your browser without any additional software.

What is HTTPS?

Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (or HTTPS) is a secure version of the application layer protocol used to deliver HTML files, video, and more across the internet. 

In a nutshell, the browser (client) sends a request to the server hosting a website. In turn, the server sends the appropriate files to your device that are pieced together within your browser. These files reside on your device as cache.

Browsers and servers that support HTTPS communicate using the Transport Layer Security cryptographic protocol to encrypt the connection between the website and the browser, not the actual data. This encrypted connection prevents eavesdroppers from obtaining your data but only while it’s en route.

What is DNS-over-HTTPS?

DNS-over-HTTPS is a means of sending a browser query over a secure connection.

Short for Domain Name System, DNS essentially translates alphabetic URLs into proper numeric ones. For instance, when you type “google.com” into your address bar, a DNS service consults its address book and sees that the numerical address is 172.217.2.110. It then sends your browser request accordingly.

Typically this request speeds along the internet highways as plaintext. A secure connection doesn’t happen until the website responds to your browser—a handshake, if you will. With DNS-over-HTTPS, a compatible browser sends your query to a compatible DNS server using an encrypted connection. This connection prevents eavesdroppers from viewing your browsing habits.

Free VPN vs. VPN Pro: What’s the difference?

Opera Software launched VPN Pro in May 2022. In a nutshell, with VPN Pro , you get full device-wide coverage on six devices, a network with 3,000+ servers, 30+ unique locations, two-factor authentication, and live chat support. Here’s a chart showing what you get with both services:

Does Incognito Mode hide you from Google and other services?

No, Chrome’s Incognito Mode feature doesn’t completely protect you. It’s only meant to hide your activities from other people using the same device and browser. Google even confirmed in a court filing in March 2021 that users are not “invisible” when they open an Incognito Mode window. The company said user activity might be visible to websites and third-party analytics and ads.

What happened to Safari for Windows?

Safari 5.1.7 was the last version released on Windows. While you can find links to download the browser, Apple discontinued Windows support in 2012. We do not recommend this browser for Windows users due to the lack of updates and customer support.

What happened to Internet Explorer?

Microsoft retired Internet Explorer on June 15, 2022, but it still lives on in Microsoft Edge as IE Mode. To enable it for legacy websites, click the Settings and more button in the top right corner of Microsoft Edge, followed by Settings > Default browser > Allow sites to be reloaded in Internet Explorer mode . Select Allow on the drop-down menu to enable IE Mode.

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CERTAIN CONTENT THAT APPEARS ON THIS SITE COMES FROM AMAZON. THIS CONTENT IS PROVIDED ‘AS IS’ AND IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR REMOVAL AT ANY TIME.

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Author - Kevin Parrish

Kevin Parrish has more than a decade of experience working as a writer, editor, and product tester. He began writing about computer hardware and soon branched out to other devices and services such as networking equipment, phones and tablets, game consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom’s Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others. At HighSpeedInternet.com, he focuses on network equipment testing and review.

Editor - Cara Haynes

Cara Haynes has been editing and writing in the digital space for seven years, and she's edited all things internet for HighSpeedInternet.com for five years. She graduated with a BA in English and a minor in editing from Brigham Young University. When she's not editing, she makes tech accessible through her freelance writing for brands like Pluralsight. She believes no one should feel lost in internet land and that a good internet connection significantly extends your life span.

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Manage cookies in Microsoft Edge: View, allow, block, delete and use

Cookies are small pieces of data stored on your device by websites you visit. They serve various purposes, such as remembering login credentials, site preferences, and tracking user behavior. However, you might want to delete cookies for privacy reasons or to resolve browsing issues.

This article provides instructions on how to:

View all cookies

Allow all cookies.

Allow cookies from specific website

Block third party cookies

Block all cookies, block cookies from a specific site, delete all cookies, delete cookies from a specific site, delete cookies every time you close the browser, use cookies to preload the page for faster browsing.

Select  Settings   >  Cookies and site permissions .

Select Manage and delete cookies and site data > See all cookies and site data.

By allowing cookies, websites will be able to save and retrieve data on your browser, which can enhance your browsing experience by remembering your preferences and login information.

Select Manage and delete cookies and site data  and enable the toggle  Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended)  to allow all cookies.

Allow cookies from specific site

Select Manage and delete cookies and site data.

Navigate to Allow  section and select  Add  to allow cookies on a per-site basis by entering the site's URL.

If you don't want third party sites to store cookies on your PC, you can block cookies. But doing this might prevent some pages from displaying correctly, or you might get a message from a site letting you know that you need to allow cookies to view that site.

Select Manage and delete cookies and site data and enable  Block third party cookies.

Select Manage and delete cookies and site data  and disable Allow sites to save and read cookie data (recommended)  to block all cookies.

Microsoft Edge allows you to block cookies from a specific site however doing this might prevent some pages from displaying correctly, or you might get a message from a site letting you know that you need to allow cookies to view that site. To block cookies from a specific site:

Navigate to Block section and select  Add  to block cookies on a per-site basis by entering the site's URL.

Select  Settings   >  Privacy, search, and services .

Navigate to Clear browsing data section and select  Choose what to clear located next to  Clear browsing data now . 

Under Time range , choose a time range from the list.

Select Cookies and other site data , and then select Clear now .

Note:  Alternatively, you can delete the cookies by pressing  CTRL + SHIFT + DELETE together and then proceeding with the steps 4 and 5.

All your cookies and other site data will now be deleted for the time range you selected. This signs you out of most sites.

Open Edge browser, select Settings and more    > Settings   >  Cookies and site permissions .

Under Cookies and data stored , select  Manage and delete cookies and site data > See all cookies and site data and search for the site whose cookies you want to delete.

Select the down arrow    to the right of the site whose cookies you want to delete and select Delete  .

Cookies for the site you selected are now deleted. Repeat this step for any site whose cookies you want to delete. 

Open Edge browser, select  Settings and more    > Settings   > Privacy, search, and services .

Under Clear browsing data , select Choose what to clear every time you close the browser .

Turn on the Cookies and other site data toggle.

Once this feature is turned on, every time you close your Edge browser all cookies and other site data are deleted. This signs you out of most sites.

Enable the toggle Preload pages for faster browsing and searching.

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