Safari extensions: Browser extensions, those cool little applets that let your browser do what you want it to do. Extensions are one of the most useful types of software in anyone’s arsenal. One of the best features of iOS 15 and iPad OS 15 is the ability to add extensions to the Safari browser. Despite the fact that this is a new feature introduced with the most recent iOS version. But there are already a number of useful extensions available for you to install.
What follows is a walkthrough of how to add extensions to your Safari app — while we’ve shown the process on an iPhone, you can follow the same basic steps on an iPad. We’ve also included a selection of extensions for you to try.
HOW TO ADD EXTENSIONS
- Select the Settings app.
- Scroll down to Safari > Extensions and click it.
- Any previously installed extensions will be listed here. If you want to see what’s available in the App Store, click “More Extensions.” (Alternatively, go to the App Store and search for “Safari Extensions.”)
- When you’ve finished installing your first extension, you’ll notice a small “puzzle piece” icon on the left side of Safari’s address bar. When you tap that, a menu will appear that includes your current extensions as well as a “Manage Extensions” option that allows you to toggle your extensions on and off.
TRY SOME EXTENSIONS
This is just a small selection of the extensions that are now available through the App Store. While there aren’t many extensions available yet (in comparison to, say, Chrome), it’s a pretty safe bet that there will be many more in the coming months.
SUPER AGENT FOR SAFARI (FREE)
This useful extension automatically fills out cookie consent forms on websites based on your preferences, saving you a lot of time and aggravation.
WEB INSPECTOR (FREE)
Something for developers: an app that allows you to inspect a website’s HTML coding, modify it, debug it, and perform other necessary tasks.
1PASSWORD (SUBSCRIPTION NEEDED)
1Password is a popular and well-respected password manager. If you use 1Password, there’s no doubt you’ll want to add this one to your mobile Safari app.
NOIR ($2.99)
When you’re browsing at night and have your iPhone or iPad set to dark mode, you’ll frequently come across a website that is bright enough to make your eyes water. Noir lets you enable dark mode for all websites you visit.
AMPLOSION ($2.99)
Google created AMP, which stands for “Accelerated Mobile Pages,” as a web format to optimize search results for mobile browsers. If you don’t want Google to change the pages you upload, you can use Amplosion to convert the AMP links that appear in search results into normal mobile links.
