Running an iPhone 13 Pro.
Updated to iOS 18.6 and now Safari is running extremely slow.
Tried the hard restart and delete cache etc. Still very slow.
Internet connection is perfect, apps work fine, just seems to be the loading and navigating on websites.
At work, we have experienced noticeable slowness in a few of our internal websites loading on Safari after upgrading to 18.6.
The same website taking multiple seconds to load on the new version whereas on 18.5 it was just fine.
The issue is experienced by users on an iPad and MacOS.
We have checked the same website on other browsers (Chrome and Firefox to give a few examples), and it's fine on those.
On a further test, a coworker was able to test webkit itself on a linux machine and was able to confirm the slowness for the most recent version of webkit, so it's possible that some of the webkit updates included in Safari 18.6 is the reason for the slowness.
At work, we have experienced noticeable slowness in a few of our internal websites loading on Safari after upgrading to 18.6.
The same website taking multiple seconds to load on the new version whereas on 18.5 it was just fine.
The issue is experienced by users on an iPad and MacOS.
We have checked the same website on other browsers (Chrome and Firefox to give a few examples), and it's fine on those.
On a further test, a coworker was able to test webkit itself on a linux machine and was able to confirm the slowness for the most recent version of webkit, so it's possible that some of the webkit updates included in Safari 18.6 is the reason for the slowness.
I’m the original poster here and have found something interesting that I would be keen to hear what others think.
if you open safari and use the Private tabs option, I find that safari operates extremely fast. Just like before.
if you then go back to the normal tab option and try the same website, super slow.
Can others try?
Just to keep folks in the loop, I’ve opened a ticket with the WebKit team and they were able to confirm the issue is coming from it (engine powering Safari).
I imagine that before we see a new Safari version fixing the issue, we’ll probably see a new WebKit version being released.
Feel free to follow the ticket, though that’s going to be more technical:
We were able to find the slowness with our site and report a bug to WebKit, which has been fixed and merged, although it has not made it into an official WebKit or Safari release yet. This issue would affect other sites, so hoping this fix helps a lot of folks.
It's not always the iOS update's fault! Many things can cause phone problems. If you tell people you think it's an iOS update, it might make it harder to fix or find a solution for the real issue.
Remember, the right question often leads to the solution!
Was/Is your device Jailbroken? If that's the situation, please be informed that attributing the issues to iOS updates may not be accurate.
iOS updates aim to enhance user experience, boost security, and fix bugs rather than disrupt core features. The majority of the issues after updates might stem from underlying, unmentioned factors. Updates won't typically alter personal data but may refine settings or features. Backup before major updates for safety. Review Apple's update details and backup advice for a smooth process.
Kindly consider checking your settings and addressing any device issues before attributing the issue to external factors. This could be a pure coincidence that the iOS update affected the iPhone functions.
Before initiating a standard iOS update, it's advisable to create a backup. Have you completed this step? If yes, proceed with the restoration from the backup.
See what each update does: About iOS 18 Updates, About iOS 17 Updates, About iOS 16 Updates, About iOS 15 Updates, About iOS 14 Updates, About iOS 13 Updates, About iOS 12 Updates, and so on...
It surely is not iOS 18.6 because...
I conducted a thorough search of this forum using the term 'Safri after iOS' and uncovered numerous posts detailing similar issues across various iOS updates. This suggests that iOS updates may not consistently be the root cause. Below are a handful of examples extracted from the search results:
If apps work fine but Safari feels slow, it usually means the problem isn’t the raw internet connection but something specific to Safari or how it’s loading web pages.
I appreciate the lengthy detailed responses, but the fact of the matter is…Safari was working perfectly fine. I then updated to iOS 18.6.
Straight away, it was noticeable that Safari was now running extremely slow and has come to used to run slow.
Bad timing, coincidence, all the planets aligned at the same time….I’ve no idea.
Same issue here - also verified a couple coworkers of mine with iPhones are experiencing the same problem - safari is glitchy and slow after 18.6 update while every other app, including chrome is still fast as should be. All happened overnight with the update.
It surely is iOS 18.6 update. It is not a coincidence that the update happened and now after all attempts to resolve fixing Safari in every other way, it still is not working. And it’s happening with multiple iPhone users.
So, no, does not suggest that the update is not the issue
Same here. With iOS 18.6, MacOS 18.6 and even in Safari in Tahoe. I have a MBP that's still on MacOS 18.5 and Safari on it is fast. Pages that take a few seconds in the new Safari 18.6 are a good 10 times slower in some cases.
As soon as the update 18.6 was complete, Safari has not worked at all for me. I open it and it’s frozen, can not click anything and then the screen turns black and Safari crashes. I have done all of the suggested troubleshooting and even did the iOS 18.6.1 update. Still nothing. I have switched my default browser to Chrome in the meantime but the fact of the matter is that the update happened and now something isn’t right.
There are numerous issues with the last iOS update. Safari unresponsive or blanks out the display, unresponsive to touching hyperlinks, touch response issues on device overall... there are too many issues to list but the Safari unresponsive touches on hyperlinks is causing major issues. Allowing a purchase to go thru to Apple Card but not clearing the cart on the purchasing web site. However, going to a Windows pc and using Edge, the cart cleared but now I was charged twice. This is all due to the fact that Apple released an update that tends to create more issues than it resolved. I've been a big Apple customer for years and all I see is their products (hard and soft) going downhill.
I think I have found the problem but not a solution sadly!
I have one extension active on safari which is Topcashback when I disable the extension safari works like a charm but as soon as I enable it again, it is back to the web page not loading etc
just hope this might help someone drill down to the solution!
I have the same issue. Every other app that I use seems to be fine. It’s just safari after the 18.6 update.
very slow to load pages and glitchy.
using iPhone 15 pro max.
safari on iPhone slow after updating to ios 18.6
