Apple offers Safari browser extensions through Mac App Store. You can install them like any other app and start using from Safari browser. Unlike Chrome Web Store, there are limited extensions available for Safari. In this article, we will list down top 10 Safari browser extensions that you can use to improve your productivity in Mac.
Free Safari Extensions for Mac
Most items in App Store are premium only and here are top free extensions which you can make use in Safari. Remember some of these free extensions also offer premium subscriptions for a nominal fee with additional features.
1. Adblock Plus for Safari ABP
Annoyed with too many ads on websites? Adblock Plus for Safari ABP ads on websites, ads on videos, pop-ups, banners and allows you to read clutter free website content. In addition, this extension also blocks content trackers profiling you while browsing to protect your privacy.
2. Infinity New Tab
You can use Start Page option in Safari for customizing the new tab page and sync across devices using iCloud. However, the options are limited and if you really want to have an elegant new tab, then try Infinity New Tab extension. This allows you to customize the icons, wallpaper and search engine on new tab page. You can quickly access Gmail, weather and reminders from the sidebar that comes as part of the extension. It is also possible to create a link for your bookmarked pages and share with others.
3. OneTab
Sometimes, you work with multiple tabs but need to move on to other tasks in-between. OneTab is a cool extension that helps in this situation to convert all your open tabs into a single list. Later, you can open all tabs in the saved list together or only open a required site links. This is also an effective way to reduce CPU and RAM usage by Safari by keeping large number of tabs in a single list.
4. TickTick:To-Do List, Calendar
Reminders app offers a decent way to manage your task lists. However, TickTick is a comprehensive Safari extension for prioritizing your daily tasks. You can create checklists, get reminders and add recurring items to manage all your tasks effectively. You can sync the items across all devices to keep track on your progress. There is also a premium subscription available for $2.99 per month for viewing tasks in grid/timeline calendar view with additional functions.
5. Save to Pocket
This is a cool extension for saving webpages and reading them later. Good thing is that you can use this extension in Chrome, Firefox and Edge and sync pages from different browsers in one place. You can add tags to saved pages for easy grouping and read them distraction free in Pocket app. However, you should create a free account for using Save to Pocket service. There is also a premium subscription for $4.99 per month to get a permanent library for accessing all your saved content.
6. Enpass – Password Manager
In this digital world, managing multiple usernames and passwords is one of the biggest headaches for any computer user. Safari uses Keychain Access to save your passwords and sync across devices using same Apple account. Enpass is an offline password manager that uses AES-256 bit encryption to store passwords locally on your Mac. you need to remember a single master password for accessing all the stored data. It addition to passwords, the extension can also remember credit cards, driving license and attachments. If required, you can save the passwords on cloud storage services like iCloud, Google Drive and OneDrive to sync passwords across all devices. The free service allows you to use 25 items with single vault. If that is not sufficient for you then you can purchase a premium plan starting from $1.99 per month.
7. Malwarebytes Browser Guard
If you want to block ads as well as protect your browser from malware then this is the extension you should try. Though Safari by default allows you to block content trackers, Malwarebytes Browser Guard blocks ads, pop-ups, dangerous websites and all other trackers. You can also exclude specific sites to trust and bypass the extension.
8. Funny Cursors for Safari
If you are bored with using the default cursor in Safari then this is an extension for you. This extension stores the cursors locally on your Mac and offers 27 different styles. Simply click on the extension icon, select the style you like from the list, reload the page and start using the new cursor.
9. PocketTube for Safari
This extension helps to group all your YouTube subscribed channels based on topic. You can create groups and collect similar channels to access them easily. Good thing is that you can use the collection on YouTube main page and sync them with iPhone.
10. Grammarly: Writing App
If you use online text editors in Safari, then Grammarly is the best tool to create error free content. Free version of the extension will check spelling, grammar and punctuation mistakes while you write. You can find the mistakes are underlined with colors and get the suggestions to fix your errors. It is useful when writing emails in Gmail or preparing your documents in Google Docs.
Final Words
Safari extensions are apps that you install from App Store and allow permissions in the browser to add additional features. If you have M1/M2 chip Mac models, then there are some iOS apps available as Safari extensions. Though there are limited free extensions available at this point of time, you can expect more developers to offer free iOS apps as extensions for Mac Safari.
