macOS Safari Cannot Open the Page Error Fix

What Does This Error Mean?

Safari's 'Cannot Open the Page' error means Safari could not load the website you requested. This could be because the website is down, your internet connection dropped, Safari's cache is corrupted, or a browser extension is interfering. Most of the time this is a quick fix.

Affected Models

MacBook Air
MacBook Pro
iMac
Mac Mini
Mac Studio
Mac Pro

Common Causes

The website itself is down or experiencing server problems
Your internet connection is unstable or has dropped
Safari's website data cache has become corrupted
A browser extension like an ad blocker is blocking the page from loading
Your Mac's date and time are wrong, causing SSL certificate errors

How to Fix It

Try loading the page in a private window. In Safari, press Command + Shift + N to open a Private Browsing window. Try visiting the same website.

Private windows do not use cached data or extensions. If the page loads privately, the issue is your Safari cache or an extension.
Check your internet connection. Try opening a different website. If other sites load fine, the problem is with that specific website. If nothing loads, your internet is the problem — restart your router.

Restarting your router: unplug it from power, wait 30 seconds, then plug it back in.
Clear Safari's cache. In Safari, go to Develop menu > Empty Caches. If you do not see the Develop menu, go to Safari Settings > Advanced and check 'Show Develop menu in menu bar.'

The cache stores temporary website data. A corrupted cache can prevent pages from loading. Clearing it forces Safari to download everything fresh.
Disable extensions. Go to Safari Settings > Extensions and turn off all extensions. Reload the page. If it works, turn extensions back on one at a time to find the problem one.

Ad blockers and privacy extensions commonly block parts of websites, causing them to fail to load.
Check your date and time. Go to System Settings > General > Date and Time. Make sure 'Set automatically' is on. A wrong date causes SSL certificate errors that prevent websites from loading.

Every secure website (https://) uses a certificate that is only valid between certain dates. If your Mac's clock is wrong, all secure sites may fail to load.

When to Call a Professional

You should never need professional help for a Safari page error. If the steps below do not work, the website may be down or permanently unavailable. Check downdetector.com to see if others are reporting the same site as down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a website work in Chrome but not Safari?

Safari uses its own web engine (WebKit) which handles some website code differently than Chrome. Some websites are not fully tested with Safari and have bugs that only appear in it. Try reporting the issue using Help > Send Feedback to Apple if many websites are broken in Safari.

What does 'This connection is not private' mean in Safari?

It means the website's security certificate is invalid, expired, or not trusted by macOS. This could mean the site is genuinely insecure, or it could mean your Mac's date is wrong. Do not enter passwords or payment info on a site showing this warning.

Safari worked yesterday and now nothing loads. What happened?

Check if your internet is working by trying a different app that uses the internet, like the App Store or Mail. If those work fine but Safari does not, try clearing Safari's cache and disabling extensions. A macOS or Safari update that installed overnight can sometimes change settings.