MacDebug

Verified for macOS Tahoe 26.2

title: How to Fix Safari Network Inspector Crash in macOS Tahoe 26.2

description: Fix the issue in macOS Tahoe 26.2 where Safari's Web Inspector crashes when switching to the Network or Sources tab.

category: Safari

How to Fix Safari Network Inspector Crash in macOS Tahoe 26.2

Web developers on macOS Tahoe 26.2 have reported a consistent crash in Safari's Web Inspector. When trying to debug a site, switching to the "Network" or "Sources" tab can cause the entire Inspector window to freeze or close unexpectedly.

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Method 1: Disable "Include Network Requests" in Timeline

The crash is often caused by the Inspector trying to render too much historical network data at once.

  1. Open Safari and go to Settings > Advanced.
  2. Ensure "Show features for web developers" is checked.
  3. Open the Web Inspector on any page.
  4. Go to the Timeline tab.
  5. In the top toolbar, toggle OFF the "Network" recording icon.
  6. Try switching to the Network tab now.

Method 2: Clear Safari's Developer Cache

Corrupted developer-specific caches can cause the Inspector UI to fail.

  1. Open Finder and press Command + Shift + G.
  2. Paste: ~/Library/Caches/com.apple.Safari/
  3. Locate the WebInspector folder and delete it.
  4. Restart Safari.

Method 3: Reset the "com.apple.Safari.WebInspector" Plist

Corrupted preference files for the Inspector itself are a common cause of crashes.

  1. Open Terminal.
  2. Run the following command:
defaults delete com.apple.Safari.WebInspector
  1. Restart Safari and try opening the Inspector again.

Method 4: Use Safari Technology Preview

Since the bug is a known regression in 26.2, many developers have successfully switched to the Safari Technology Preview, which often contains the fix before the main OS update.

  1. Download Safari Technology Preview from the Apple Developer website.
  2. It runs alongside the stable version of Safari and allows you to use the Web Inspector without the 26.2 bugs.