With the arrival of iOS 17, Apple has implemented a series of improvements and functionalities in Safari, emphasizing privacy, better integration with Siri, search optimizations, and much more. These novelties come on multiple fronts, making our favorite browser even more secure and versatile for navigating the web with ease.
Profiles to separate navigation
One of the major advancements in iOS 17 is the introduction of the Profiles feature. Similar to tab groups, this function allows us to separate our browsing based on different uses. For example, now it’s possible to have a “Work” profile and a “Personal” profile, keeping searches and navigations for each domain separate.
Each profile has its own cookies, history, extensions, and website data. Additionally, we can customize preferences, such as enabling or disabling cookies and pop-ups, for each profile. We can also decide which extensions to use based on the profile and clear the history and site data for one profile while leaving others intact.
To access the profiles, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Go to Safari.
- Tap on “New Profile.”
- Choose a name, an icon, a color, and configure the favorite folder you want to use, as well as the plugins you want to activate.
- Tap OK.
Afterward, you can switch profiles by tapping the button with two overlapping squares and then tapping the center button to access the Profiles.
Private Browsing even more secure
In the interest of privacy, now private browsing windows require secondary authentication to be accessed. This means that even if someone has our phone unlocked, they won’t be able to access our private Safari tabs without additional authentication through Face ID, Touch ID, or the iPhone passcode.
A search engine for private browsing
While in iOS 16, we could already select a default search engine, in iOS 17, we can choose different search engines for standard and private browsing. The available options include Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, and Ecosia. This way, we can opt for a search engine that respects our privacy while entering private browsing mode, such as DuckDuckGo. We can do this by going to Settings > Safari > Private Search Engine.
Search enhancements
In Safari, the search system is now faster and more efficient. The responsiveness has been enhanced, allowing us to obtain search results more quickly. Additionally, favicons have been added to the main website suggestions, and results coming from our bookmarks, tabs, and search history are clearly marked for easy identification.
Removal of tracking through URLs
iOS 17 introduces a feature to remove all tracking information that some sites add at the end of URLs. This function is designed to prevent websites from tracking our browsing using URL identifiers. While this feature is automatically enabled in private browsing mode, it can also be enabled for all browsing in Settings > Safari > Advanced > Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection by choosing “All Browsing.”
Siri reads any article for us
In iOS 17, Siri gains the ability to read aloud the content of a web page, provided that the reader mode is available. This feature is particularly useful when we prefer to listen to the content while engaging in other activities. All we need to do is ask Siri to start the reading with a simple command like “Hey Siri, read this to me.”
iOS 17 brings a series of substantial improvements to Safari. Most of these updates are focused on providing a safer and more personalized browsing experience for users. The introduction of profiles, privacy enhancements, and improved integration with Siri are just some of the advancements that make this version of Safari one of the most advanced to date.
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