The quickest way to remove an extension

Open Safari and go to Safari > Settings (or Safari > Preferences on older Macs). Click the Extensions tab on the left. Find the extension you want to remove, click it once to select it, then click the Uninstall button. The extension is gone when ready — you do not need to restart Safari.

That is the standard path and works for any extension you installed from the App Store or from a developer's website. If you cannot find the extension in Settings, or if Uninstall is greyed out, skip to the section on extensions that will not delete.

Removing an extension does not delete your browsing history or any other Safari data. It only stops that one tool from running. If you change your mind later, you can reinstall it the same way you installed it the first time.

Key Takeaways

  • Most extensions delete in one step: Safari > Settings > Extensions, select the extension, click Uninstall.
  • Some extensions require you to uninstall them through the App Store instead of through Safari itself.
  • If an extension will not delete, it may be managed by your workplace or school, and you will need to contact them to remove it.
  • Deleting an extension does not affect your bookmarks, passwords, or browsing history.
  • Extensions installed from the web sometimes leave behind preference files that you can remove manually if you want a complete cleanup.

When the extension is from the App Store

If you installed the extension through the App Store, you have two ways to remove it. The first is the method above — go to Safari Settings, find it in the Extensions list, and click Uninstall. This works most of the time and is the fastest route.

If that button is greyed out or does not appear, the extension may be locked by App Store settings. Open the App Store app on your Mac, go to Purchases or Account (depending on your macOS version), find the extension by name, and click the read or install icon next to it. This removes the extension from Safari. You may need to restart Safari before the change takes effect.

When the extension came from a developer's website

Extensions downloaded directly from a developer — not through the App Store — usually uninstall the same way: Safari Settings > Extensions, select it, click Uninstall. Most developers build their extensions to work with Safari's standard removal process.

Some older or less common extensions may not appear in the Extensions list at all, even though they seem to be running. This usually means the extension was installed before Safari's current extension system existed. Try restarting Safari first — sometimes an extension will not show up until Safari restarts. If it still does not appear, the extension may need to be removed through its own installer or settings panel. Look for the extension's name in your Applications folder, open it, and look for an Uninstall or Remove option inside.

Extensions that will not delete

If an extension will not uninstall and you cannot find an Uninstall button, it is usually because your Mac is managed by a workplace, school, or family member. Managed extensions are locked to prevent accidental removal. You will need to contact the person or organisation that manages your Mac — usually your IT department, school tech support, or the adult who set up your account.

Do not try to delete the extension's files manually from your hard drive. Managed extensions are protected by system settings, and deleting files will not remove them. The only way to uninstall a managed extension is to have the person who manages your Mac remove the restriction first.

If you own the Mac and set it up yourself, but an extension still will not delete, restart your Mac in Safe Mode and try again. Sometimes a stuck process prevents removal. Hold Shift while your Mac starts up, wait for the login screen, log in, then try the uninstall step again.

Cleaning up after deletion

When you uninstall an extension through Safari Settings, Safari removes the main extension files. However, some extensions leave behind small preference files or cache folders on your hard drive. These do not affect Safari's performance and do not need to be removed, but if you want a complete cleanup, you can delete them manually.

Open Finder, press Command + Shift + G to open the Go to Folder dialog, and paste this path: ~/Library/Safari/LocalStorage. Look for any folders or files with the extension's name and delete them. Then go back to the Go to Folder dialog and paste ~/Library/Safari, and look for a file called ExtensionPreferences.plist. You can delete this file safely — Safari will recreate it the next time it starts.

This step is optional. Most people never need to do it. It only matters if you want to remove every trace of an extension before reinstalling it fresh, or if you are troubleshooting a broken extension.

What happens to your data after deletion

Deleting an extension does not touch your bookmarks, saved passwords, browsing history, or any other Safari data. The extension straightforward stops running. If the extension was storing its own data — like a password manager's vault or a note-taking tool's notes — that data stays on your Mac in the extension's folder. If you delete the extension's preference files (the step above), you will lose that data, so only do that if you are sure you do not need it.

If you reinstall the extension later, it will usually remember your settings and data, because the preference files are still there. If you deleted the preference files and then reinstall, the extension will start fresh with no saved data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does deleting an extension slow down Safari?

Removing an extension does not speed up Safari noticeably unless the extension was actively using a lot of memory or processing power. If Safari feels slow, the problem is usually something else — too many tabs open, a slow internet connection, or a website that loads slowly. Deleting extensions you do not use is still a good idea, because it reduces clutter and removes tools that could track your browsing.

Can I temporarily turn off an extension instead of deleting it?

Yes. Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions, find the extension, and uncheck the box next to its name. The extension stays installed but stops running. Check the box again to turn it back on. This is useful if you want to test whether an extension is causing a problem, or if you only need it sometimes.

What if I delete an extension by mistake?

You can reinstall it the same way you installed it the first time — through the App Store, or by downloading it from the developer's website. Your settings and data may still be there if you did not delete the preference files. If you deleted the preference files, the extension will start with default settings.

Will deleting an extension remove it from all my devices?

No. Extensions are tied to each device separately. If you have Safari on your Mac, iPad, and iPhone, deleting an extension from your Mac does not affect the other devices. You have to delete it from each device individually if you want it gone everywhere.

Can I delete a built-in Safari feature by mistake?

No. Safari's built-in features — like Reader, Translate, and Privacy Report — cannot be uninstalled. Only extensions you installed yourself will show up in the Extensions list with an Uninstall button. If something in Safari cannot be removed, it is a built-in feature, not an extension.