How to Manage Plug-Ins in the Safari Web Browser

In Safari 9 and earlier, plug-ins enhance the browser's functionality

What to Know

  • To view plug-ins in Safari, select Help > Installed Plug-ins.
  • To manage plug-ins, select Safari > Preferences > Security > Plug-In Settings or Manage Website Settings, and select from menu options.

In Safari 9 and earlier versions, Safari plug-ins helped users personalize their browsing experience. If you use a Safari version that's compatible with plug-ins, here's how to view and manage them.

How to View Plug-ins in Safari

If you use Safari 9 or earlier, view your installed plug-ins from the browser's Help menu. Here's how to do this on a Mac:

Newer versions of Safari don't support plug-ins. Apple recommends that users explore Safari extensions to enhance the browser's functionality.

  1. Open Safari on your Mac.

  2. Select Help from the browser menu at the top of the screen.

  3. From the drop-down menu, select Installed Plug-ins.

    Installed plugins from the Safari Help menuy
  4. A new browser tab opens, displaying detailed information on currently installed plug-ins, including the name, version, source file, MIME type associations, descriptions, and extensions.

    List of Plug-ins installed in Safari

How to Manage Plug-ins

Here's what to do if you need to modify any plug-in permissions:

  1. Select Safari in the browser menu, located at the top of the screen.

  2. From the drop-down menu, select Preferences.

    Safari on a Mac with the Preferences menu item highlighted

    The keyboard shortcut is Command+, (comma).

  3. Select the Security heading.

    Safari Preferences with the Security tab highlighted
  4. Near the bottom of the Safari security preferences, uncheck Allow Plug-ins to stop all plug-ins from functioning.

  5. To manage individual plug-ins, select Plug-In Settings or Manage Website Settings (depending on the browser version).

  6. You'll see a list of current Safari plug-ins along with each website the browser currently has open.

  7. To change a plug-in's usage settings, select the drop-down menu next to it and select Ask, Block, Allow (default), Allow Always, or Run in Unsafe Mode.

  8. To disable an individual plug-in, remove the check mark next to it.

    Unchecked box
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