Where to find and disable Safari extensions
Safari extensions live in Safari's settings, not in a separate folder on your computer. On Mac, go to Safari menu > Settings, then click the Extensions tab. You will see a list of every extension you have installed. Uncheck the box next to any extension you want to turn off — it stays installed but stops running.
On iPhone and iPad, the process is slightly different because Safari extensions are managed through the main Settings app, not Safari itself. Open Settings, scroll down and tap Safari, then tap Extensions. You will see the same list of installed extensions with toggles next to each one. Tap the toggle to turn an extension off.
Disabling an extension is not the same as deleting it. The extension remains on your device and can be turned back on later without reinstalling. If you want to remove it completely instead, that step comes after disabling it.
Key Takeaways
- On Mac, disable extensions in Safari menu > Settings > Extensions by unchecking the box next to the extension name.
- On iPhone and iPad, disable extensions through Settings > Safari > Extensions using the toggle switch.
- Disabling an extension stops it from running but keeps it installed; you can turn it back on anytime.
- If an extension is causing problems, disabling it is faster than uninstalling and lets you test whether it was the culprit.
- Some extensions require Safari to be fully closed and reopened before the change takes effect.
Why you might want to disable an extension
Extensions can slow down Safari, drain battery on mobile devices, or interfere with websites you use regularly. A password manager might conflict with a form-filling tool. An ad blocker might break the login page of a site you trust. Rather than uninstall and reinstall, disabling lets you test whether a specific extension is the problem.
Privacy is another reason. Some extensions collect data about your browsing, even if you trust the developer. Turning off an extension you do not use regularly reduces the number of tools watching your activity. You keep the option to turn it back on if you need it later.
How to disable all extensions at once
If you want to turn off every extension temporarily — to troubleshoot a Safari problem or speed up browsing — you can disable them all from the same Extensions settings page. On Mac, uncheck the "Show in menu bar" box at the top of the Extensions tab. This hides the extension menu from Safari's toolbar but does not fully disable the extensions themselves.
For a complete shutdown of all extensions on Mac, you need to uncheck each one individually. There is no master toggle that disables everything at once. On iPhone and iPad, you can turn off each extension's toggle one by one, or disable Safari extensions entirely by going to Settings > Safari > Extensions and toggling off "Allow Extensions" at the top.
Removing an extension completely
Once you have disabled an extension and confirmed you do not need it, you can delete it. On Mac, right-click the extension name in Safari > Settings > Extensions and select Uninstall. The extension is removed from your device and cannot be turned back on without reinstalling it from the App Store or the developer's website.
On iPhone and iPad, open Settings > Safari > Extensions, tap Edit in the top-left corner, then tap the red minus sign next to the extension you want to remove. Tap Delete to confirm. The extension is removed when ready.
What to do if disabling an extension does not fix the problem
If Safari is still slow or a website still does not work after you disable an extension, the problem may not be the extension itself. Try closing Safari completely and opening it again — some extensions do not fully stop running until Safari restarts. On Mac, use Command+Q to quit Safari entirely, not just close the window.
If the issue persists, try disabling a different extension, or disable all of them and turn them back on one at a time. This narrows down which one is actually causing trouble. If Safari works fine with all extensions off, you know the problem is one of your extensions, not Safari itself or a website.
Extensions that require special steps to disable
Some extensions, particularly password managers and VPN tools, may have their own settings separate from Safari's extension controls. Disabling them in Safari > Settings > Extensions stops them from running in the browser, but they might still run in the background on your Mac or iPhone. To fully stop them, you may need to open the extension's own app and turn off its features there.
Check the extension's app on your device if disabling it in Safari does not seem to have an effect. Password managers like 1Password and Bitwarden have their own settings for Safari integration. VPN extensions like ExpressVPN have toggles in their main app. Disabling in both places ensures the extension is completely off.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling an extension slow down Safari?
Yes, disabling extensions that you do not use regularly can speed up Safari slightly, especially on older Macs or iPhones. Extensions consume memory and processing power even when you are not actively using them. The more extensions you have enabled, the more resources Safari uses at startup and while browsing.
Can I disable an extension just for certain websites?
Not directly through Safari's settings. However, some extensions have their own settings that let you turn them off for specific sites. Open the extension's app or settings and look for an option to exclude certain domains. If the extension does not offer this, you would need to disable it entirely for that website.
What happens to my saved data if I disable an extension?
Disabling an extension does not delete any data it has stored. Password managers, form fillers, and other tools keep their data intact. When you turn the extension back on, all your saved information is still there. Only uninstalling the extension risks losing data, depending on how the extension handles deletion.
Do I need to restart Safari after disabling an extension?
Most of the time, no — the change takes effect when ready. However, some extensions, particularly those that modify how Safari loads pages, may require a full restart. Close Safari completely using Command+Q on Mac, or swipe up from the bottom of the screen on iPhone to close it fully, then reopen it.
Can I disable Safari extensions on a shared Mac?
Extensions are tied to the user account that installed them. If you disable an extension in your account, it stays disabled only for you. Other users on the same Mac have their own extension settings and can keep theirs enabled. Each account manages its own extensions independently.