iOS 17 Safari Features
Apple introduced several improvements to Safari in iOS 17, focusing on privacy, personalization, smarter search, and enhanced browsing convenience. These updates make Safari more secure, organized, and user-friendly across everyday browsing activities.
Safari Profiles
iOS 17 adds a new Profiles feature to Safari, allowing users to separate browsing activity for different purposes such as work and personal use.
Each profile includes its own:
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Browsing history
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Cookies
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Website data
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Extensions
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Favorites
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Tab Groups
For example, users can create:
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A Work profile for professional browsing
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A Personal profile for everyday browsing
This separation helps keep browsing sessions organized and improves privacy between different activities.
How to Create a Safari Profile
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Open Settings
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Scroll to Safari
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Tap New Profile
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Choose:
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Name
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Icon
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Background color
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Customize Favorites and Tabs
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Tap Done
Profiles can be switched directly within Safari using the Tabs menu.
Locked Private Browsing
Private Browsing tabs are now protected with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode by default.
If someone else uses your unlocked iPhone and tries to access your private tabs, Safari requires additional authentication before revealing the content.
This adds an extra layer of privacy for sensitive browsing sessions.
Disable Private Browsing Lock
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Open Settings
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Go to Safari
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Find Require Face ID/Touch ID to Unlock Private Browsing
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Turn the feature off if desired
Separate Search Engines for Private Browsing
Safari now allows users to choose a different search engine specifically for Private Browsing mode.
Available options include:
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Google
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Yahoo
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Bing
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DuckDuckGo
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Ecosia
This gives users more control over privacy and search preferences.
Change the Private Search Engine
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Open Settings
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Tap Safari
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Select Private Search Engine
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Choose a preferred search provider
URL Tracking Protection
iOS 17 improves privacy by automatically removing tracking information from URLs.
Many websites add tracking identifiers to links to monitor browsing behavior. Safari can now strip these identifiers to reduce tracking.
This protection is enabled automatically in Private Browsing and can also be activated for all browsing activity.
Enable Tracking Protection for All Browsing
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Open Settings
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Tap Safari
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Go to Advanced
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Select Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection
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Enable All Browsing
Hide IP Address from Websites
Apple expanded iCloud Private Relay in iOS 17 to provide stronger IP address protection.
Users can now hide their IP address from:
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Trackers only
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Both trackers and websites
This helps prevent websites from identifying a user’s approximate location or online activity through their IP address.
Faster and Smarter Search
Safari search is now faster and more responsive in iOS 17.
Improvements include:
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Quicker search suggestions
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Better search accuracy
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Favicons displayed in suggestions
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Clear labels for results from:
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Bookmarks
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Tabs
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Browsing history
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These changes make finding previously visited websites and relevant information easier.
Listen to Page with Siri
Safari can now have Siri read webpages aloud using the new Listen to Page feature.
This is especially useful for:
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Long articles
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News stories
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Reading while multitasking
How to Use Listen to Page
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Open a webpage in Safari
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Tap the Aa icon in the address bar
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Select Listen to Page
Users can pause and resume playback, and controls remain available even when the screen is locked.
Siri can also start reading by voice command using:
“Read this to me.”
Shared Passwords and Passkeys
iOS 17 introduces secure password and passkey sharing with trusted family members and friends.
Shared groups can store credentials for:
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Streaming services
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Utility accounts
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Shared subscriptions
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Household logins
Everyone in the group can:
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View passwords
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Add new passwords
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Update shared credentials
Set Up Shared Passwords
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Open Settings
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Go to Passwords
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Tap Get Started under Family Passwords
Although this feature extends beyond Safari, it improves the browsing and login experience across websites and apps.
Relocated Privacy Settings
Apple moved several Safari privacy settings into the Advanced section of Safari settings.
This includes:
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Block All Cookies
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Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement
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Apple Pay verification settings
The change helps simplify the main Safari settings page while still keeping advanced controls accessible.
Final Thoughts
Safari in iOS 17 introduces meaningful improvements that focus on privacy, customization, and ease of use. From separate browsing profiles and locked private tabs to smarter search tools and advanced tracking protection, Apple continues to strengthen Safari as a secure and modern web browser for iPhone users.