Transform Safari Websites into Powerful Mac Apps with These Simple Steps!
Transform your favorite websites into dedicated Mac apps that reside in your dock, providing seamless access and separate notifications Effortlessly manage and enhance your web app experience with Safari's powerful features
Key Takeaways
Enhance your browsing experience by transforming Safari websites into convenient Mac applications. Easily create web apps featuring streamlined navigation controls and independent notifications by selecting File > Add to Dock in Safari. These applications will then be seamlessly added to your macOS dock and Launchpad for quick and effortless access.
This feature proves to be incredibly valuable for frequently accessed web applications such as Gmail, Spotify, YouTube, and Netflix as it allows for enhanced concentration and separates these services from your browser, resulting in a more efficient and seamless user experience.
Access to Safari web apps is exclusively offered on macOS 14 Sonoma or any subsequent versions.
Dock Web Apps Using Safari
Looking to transform the websites you frequently visit on your Mac, such as Gmail or Netflix, into dedicated macOS applications? This can be accomplished by converting Safari websites into apps, enabling you to conveniently access them without the need for a web browser. Discover how this novel feature operates and the reasons why it could be advantageous for you to employ it.
Safari web apps function as containerized web pages that offer streamlined navigation controls. Unlike traditional web browsing, these apps do not include an address bar, preventing users from navigating away from the app. This design feature aims to improve focus and enhance accessibility when searching for frequently used services.
To utilize the Safari web apps feature on macOS 14 Sonoma or later, ensure that you have updated your operating system to Apple's October 2023 macOS update or a newer version. Upgrade your Mac through System Settings > General > Software Update, remembering to back up your data with Time Machine beforehand.
To create a web app, start by opening the desired webpage using the Safari browser. Then, navigate to File > Add to Dock... and provide a name for your web app while confirming the desired URL. The app will automatically adopt the website's favicon, or you can opt for a different icon by clicking on it.
Click on “Add” to generate your web app, which will be instantly added to your macOS dock. Additionally, it will seamlessly appear in Launchpad without creating a distinct entry within the Applications folder. Simply click on it to open and utilize it as a standalone application.
When you create a web app, cookies are shared with Safari. That means you shouldn’t need to log in again since your web app is merely an extension of your Safari session.
Web Apps Get Separate Notifications
Standard notifications in Safari (and other browsers) have been around for a while, but they are usually displayed in a stacked manner within Safari. This means that when you click on a notification, it opens within your web browser and takes away the focus from your previous activity.
Web apps operate similarly to regular macOS applications, featuring their own stacks of notifications. When you click on a notification, it will open within the web app without affecting your current browsing session. To return to your previous activity, simply utilize the "Back" button within the web app.
To enable this functionality, follow these steps: Go to Settings > Notifications and allow notifications for Safari. Then, ensure that the specific service you are utilizing is permitted to deliver notifications within Safari preferences on the Privacy > Notifications tab.
How to Delete Safari Web Apps
One way to delete web apps from your dock is by simply clicking, dragging them out of the dock, and releasing them when you encounter the "Remove" tooltip. Another option is to right-click on the icon and choose Options > Remove from Dock.
Works Great With Web Apps You Use a Lot
This innovative addition is particularly beneficial for frequently used web apps such as Gmail, Spotify, Netflix, as well as work-related tools like Google Sheets or WordPress. In addition to having an easily accessible icon, you have the ability to view your web apps alongside your other ongoing processes by using the Command+Tab shortcut.
By decoupling the web app from the browser, you eliminate the need to search through countless tabs to locate your desired content, thereby reducing potential distractions. Additionally, you have the ability to replace your pinned tabs with distinct web apps.
You are able to personalize the experience to some extent by simply clicking on the web app name located in the menu bar. From there, you can choose "Settings" to enable or disable the navigation bar, adjust the color of the title bar to match your preferences, and effectively manage your privacy settings.
Do More With Safari
Safari is an ideal option for Mac users. It offers a fast and energy-efficient browsing experience while seamlessly integrating with other Apple devices through iCloud. With iCloud+ Private Relay, you can even ensure the anonymization of your web requests.
Discover additional Safari features, such as modifying your default search engine to DuckDuckGo, or the advantages of enabling the Develop menu.
