Safari Technology Preview lets you try new features in the Safari browser that have not yet been officially released. This tip explains how to install the Safari Technology Preview and what you can do with it next.
- What is Safari Technology Preview?
- Difference with Safari Beta
- to install
- To update
Safari Technology Preview: What is it?
The Safari Technology Preview is a special version of Safari aimed at advanced Mac users. This gives you an impression of future Safari functions. The versions are less stable than the normal Safari browser, but that is not the most important thing for the intended users such as developers. They mainly want to be able to test new functions.
Safari Technology Preview therefore does not replace the normal Safari browser, but is mainly intended for experimentation and testing before anything is introduced in the general Safari browser. Google has something similar with the Chrome Canary browser.
Difference Safari Technology Preview and Safari Beta
In addition to this Technology Preview, Apple has another early version of Safari available, namely in the macOS betas. You can also participate in this as a public beta tester. Here you will find a beta version of the Safari browser. There are improvements for Safari in every new macOS version and you can already try this with the beta.
The difference between Safari Technology Preview and Safari Beta is as follows: in the Technology Preview you will find experimental features that may never make it to the official version. In the beta version you will find functions that are intended to be added in the normal Safari browser, but that must first be tested more extensively.
For the beta version of macOS, you will need to sign up for the beta program and have a developer account (Apple Developer account). Then you only have access to the beta version of the Safari browser. You cannot use the normal Safari browser at the same time.
The Safari Technology Preview is different. Anyone can download it, in addition to the normal Safari browser. So you can continue to use both browsers.
This is how you can install Safari Technology Preview
Take these steps to install the Technology Preview on your Mac:
- Go to the Safari Developer download page (found here).
- Choose the version for Sierra or High Sierra.
- Download the appropriate installation file (.dmg).
- Start the installation and follow the steps on the screen.
- Once installed, you will find the Safari Technology Preview in the normal Applications folder on your Mac.
Safari Technology Preview can be recognized by the purple icon. You can use Safari and Safari Technology Preview side by side. They are different apps.
Update Safari Technology Preview
Apple regularly releases new versions of the Technology Preview. You can find this in the Mac App Store under the Updates section, just like any other app update. Often there are bug fixes and regularly new functions. You can read about it in the release notes that you see when installing and on the aforementioned download page.
