When it comes to choosing your primary browser, extension support is really important. Apple introduced a slew of new features in iOS 15. Third-party extension support for Safari for iPhone is without a doubt the most remarkable. It’s great to see that the much-loved functionality of Safari for Mac has finally found its way to the iOS version.
If you’ve been waiting to utilise those handy add-ons to block ads, manage passwords, and locate coupons while shopping on your iPhone, now’s your chance. This article will show you how to install, manage, and download Safari extensions on your iPhone. So, let’s get this party started.
The steps below show you how to install extensions to your Safari app on an iPhone, but you can use the same basic instructions on an iPad. We’ve also provided a selection of extensions for you to test out.
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HOW TO DOWNLOAD SAFARI EXTENSIONS FOR IPHONE
On iPhones, Apple has made it easier to download extensions. Unlike Safari for Mac, extensions may be downloaded straight from the App Store.
You must have iOS 15 or above on your iPhone to utilise Safari extensions. So, now that you’ve upgraded to Safari for iPhone, here’s how to get extensions.
Step 1: Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Step 2: Now scroll down to find and tap on Safari. Under General, select Extensions.
Step 3: Here, you’ll find all the extensions that have already been installed on your phone. Tap on More Extensions to download newer ones.
This will take you to the Safari Extensions Store. You can browse and download them just like any other app. Alternatively, you can also find extensions by visiting the App Store directly and exploring the Must-Have Safari Extensions menu under the Apps section.
HOW TO ENABLE SAFARI EXTENSIONS FOR IPHONE
By default, any extensions downloaded for Safari will be disabled. So, you can’t use them unless you enable them manually by visiting the Settings app. Here’s how.
Step 1: Open up the Settings app and navigate to Safari.
Step 2: Tap on Extensions and you’ll find all the extensions currently installed on your iPhone. Go to the extension that you wish to enable and toggle on the switch next to it.
Once enabled, depending on the extension, you may or may not be asked to provide a few permissions or configure the extension from the app.
HOW TO USE SAFARI EXTENSIONS FOR IPHONE
After you download and enable an extension, you’re all set to use it in Safari for iPhone. Here’s how.
Step 1: Launch Safari on your iPhone and navigate to your favorite website.
Step 2: Tap on the aA icon on the left of the Safari’s address bar, and you’ll find all the extensions that are currently enabled.
Select the extension that you wish to use. If you’re using the extension for the first time, Safari will ask you to give it a few permissions.
HOW TO DISABLE OR REMOVE SAFARI EXTENSIONS FOR IPHONE
If you have too many comparable Safari extensions installed on your iPhone, the browser will become needlessly bloated. You may need to disable or uninstall some of the extensions you no longer use to unload some of them. This is how you do it.
Step 1: Launch Safari on your iPhone and navigate to your favorite website.
Step 2: Tap on the aA icon on the left of the Safari’s address bar and select Manage Extensions from the menu that pops up.
Step 3: Now locate and turn off the extension that you wish to disable.
If you no longer intend to use a particular extension, you’d be better of removing it altogether. It’s about the same as deleting an app. Here’s how to do it.
Locate the extension icon from your Home Screen or App Library. Now tap and hold the app icon and choose Remove App from the list. Choose the Delete App option when prompted.
Once removed, you’ll no longer find the extension in Safari.
SOME EXTENSIONS TO TRY
This is a small sampling of some of the extensions that you can now access via the App Store. While there are not many extensions yet available (compared to the number of extensions for, say, Chrome), it’s a pretty safe bet that there will be lots more to come over the next few months.
AMPLOSION ($2.99)
AMP, which is short for “Accelerated Mobile Pages,” is a web format created by Google to optimize search results for mobile browsers. However, if you’d rather not have Google tweaking the webpages you upload, you can use Amplosion to redirect the AMP links that show up in search results into normal mobile links.
NOIR ($2.99)
When you’re browsing at night and you’ve set your iPhone or iPad to dark mode, you will often hit a website that is bright enough to make your eyes water. Noir allows you to set a dark mode for all the websites you visit.
1PASSWORD (SUBSCRIPTION NEEDED)
1Password is a well-known and respected password manager. If you’re a 1Password user, there’s no question that you’re going to want to add this one to your mobile Safari app.
SUPER AGENT FOR SAFARI (FREE)
This handy extension automatically fills out a website’s cookie consent forms based on your preferences, which can save you a lot of time and irritation.
WEB INSPECTOR (FREE)
Something for developers: an app that lets you inspect the HTML coding of a website, modify it, debug it, and perform other essential tasks.
EXTENSIONS FOR EXTENDED NEEDS
Support for extensions in Safari for iPhone is a huge deal. Because the mobile version of Google Chrome does not currently enable extensions, this is the case. While there are just a few Safari extensions available, they are carefully vetted, and more are on the way.
Which Safari extensions are you going to utilise the most if you’re going to use them? Let us know what you think in the comments area below.