MacDebug

Verified for macOS Tahoe 26.2

How to Fix Safari Freezing or Crashing in macOS Tahoe 26.2

Symptom: Safari becomes unresponsive when opening multiple tabs, or it crashes entirely when viewing sites with heavy JavaScript (like YouTube or Google Maps).

TL;DR fix

Start with Fix 1: Clear Safari Web Cache & Cookies. If the issue persists after that, try Fix 2: Disable iCloud Private Relay (Test). Full Terminal commands and step-by-step instructions are in each section below.

Tahoe 26.2 includes an updated WebKit engine that has compatibility issues with certain legacy extensions and "Private Relay" settings.

Recommended Troubleshooting Tool

Before proceeding with manual fixes, we recommend using CleanMyMac X. Excellent for clearing Safari caches, bloated databases, and stuck background processes.

Fix 1: Clear Safari Web Cache & Cookies

A corrupt database of cookies can cause Safari to hang while trying to load a page.

  1. In Safari, go to Settings > Advanced.
  2. Check the box for "Show features for web developers" at the bottom.
  3. In the menu bar, go to Develop > Empty Caches.
  4. Then go to Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data > Remove All.

Fix 2: Disable iCloud Private Relay (Test)

Private Relay can cause "DNS lookup failures" that Safari interprets as a hang.

  1. Go to System Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Private Relay.
  2. Toggle it OFF and restart Safari.

Fix 3: Force Reset Safari Saved State

If Safari crashes on launch, it's likely trying to resume a "broken" window state.

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run:
rm -rf ~/Library/Saved\ Application\ State/com.apple.Safari.savedState

Try launching Safari in "Safe Mode" (hold Shift while clicking the app icon) to see if a third-party extension is causing the instability.

Tested and documented by the MacDebug team — about MacDebug. See also VoiceOver Not Working Properly in Safari on Sequoia, Tahoe Safari "Service Worker" High CPU, or browse all guides on macdebug.