Safari says it can't find the server when it does not reach the website's server, even when the address is typed correctly. Start with the fastest Safari checks, then move through connection, website data, privacy, DNS, and update fixes until the page loads again.
Refresh Safari before changing settings
On Mac, choose View > Reload Page in Safari, or press Command-R.
Quit Safari, then open Safari again.
If Safari will not quit, press Option-Command-Esc, select Safari, then click Force Quit.
If Safari keeps reopening the failed page, quit Safari, then press and hold Shift while opening Safari.
Opening Safari cleanly stops a bad tab from dragging the next session back into the same failed page.
Check the connection when several sites fail
Use this when more than one website shows the same server error, or when Safari fails again immediately after a reload. The goal is to prove the device has a working internet path.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > Wi-Fi, turn Wi-Fi on, tap your network name, and look for the blue checkmark.
Go back to Settings and make sure Airplane Mode is off.
For cellular access, open Settings > Cellular and turn Cellular Data on.
On Dual SIM, tap Cellular Data and confirm the selected line.
Load the page using cellular data.
If cellular data is not available, connect to another Wi-Fi network and load the site again.
For a Personal Hotspot test, open Settings > Wi-Fi, choose the device sharing the hotspot, and enter the password shown on that device under Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot.
On Mac, open the same page from a different browser or another device on the same network.
If other browsers and devices fail too, unplug the router and cable modem, plug them back in, then confirm other devices connect.
Restart the iPhone, iPad, or Mac after the connection comes back.
Clear Safari data for the stuck site
A private-window test separates bad website data from a wider Safari or network problem.
- 1.On Mac, choose File > New Private Window in Safari, or press Shift-Command-N, then load the website.
- 2.If it works privately, choose Safari > Settings > Privacy > Manage Website Data.
- 3.Select the affected website, click Remove, click Done, then reopen the website in a normal Safari window.
- 4.On iPhone, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
- 5.Confirm the timeframe, tap Clear History, then load the page again.
Allow cookies and JavaScript
Some websites require cookies for sessions and JavaScript for buttons, forms, and content. When those are blocked, the page fails before it loads correctly.
On Mac, choose Safari > Settings > Advanced, then deselect Block all cookies.
Open Safari > Settings > Security, then enable Enable JavaScript.
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced.
Turn off Block All Cookies.
Turn on JavaScript.
If Safari still shows the server error, check extensions, content blockers, and pop-up settings next.
Disable extensions and blockers
This fixes pages broken by Safari extensions, content blockers, or a blocked pop-up in the failed flow.
On Mac, choose Safari > Settings > Extensions, then deselect each extension's checkbox.
Refresh or revisit the page.
Return to Extensions and select the extension that caused the problem.
Change its settings, leave it deselected, or click Uninstall.
For content blockers on Mac, choose Safari > Settings > Websites > Content Blockers.
Choose Off for the website.
For a failed flow that opens content in a pop-up, choose Safari > Settings > Websites > Pop-up Windows.
Choose Allow for that website.
On iPhone, open Settings > Apps > Safari > Extensions, then tap a listed content blocker to turn it off.
Bypass Private Relay and VPN filters
Privacy and filtering tools change the route Safari uses to reach a site. Test them after ordinary network and browser settings are ruled out.
On Mac with iCloud+ Private Relay enabled for the network, choose View > Reload and Show IP Address in Safari.
That menu item appears only when Private Relay is on for your network.
On iPhone or iPad, open the website in Safari, tap the Page Menu button, then tap Show IP Address.
If the error happens only on one Wi-Fi network, open Settings > Wi-Fi on iPhone or iPad.
Tap the More Info button next to that network and turn off Limit IP Address Tracking.
On Mac, open Apple menu > System Settings > Network, select the network service, click Details next to the connected network, and turn off Limit IP address tracking.
If a VPN, firewall, filtering, monitoring, or security app is installed on iPhone or iPad, uninstall it, restart the device, then test Safari again.
If removing that software fixes Safari and you need it back, contact the VPN manager or security software provider.
If Safari still can't find the server after Private Relay and VPN checks, repair DNS and proxy settings on Mac or reset network settings on iPhone and iPad.
Repair Mac DNS and proxy settings
Use these Mac repairs when Safari cannot resolve several sites after the browser, network, and privacy checks above.
- 1.Open Apple menu > System Settings > Network, select your active network service, click Details, then open DNS.
- 2.Select any incorrect custom DNS server and click the Remove button, or click the Add button and enter the IPv4 or IPv6 DNS address you want to use.
- 3.Open Proxies, turn off proxy types you do not use or correct the proxy details, then click OK.
- 4.Open TCP/IP and set Configure IPv4 to Using DHCP for automatic addressing. Use Manually only with the IP address, subnet mask, router, and DNS details supplied by your ISP or administrator.
- 5.Create a fresh network location by going to Network > More > Locations > Edit Locations, clicking the add (+) button, typing a name, and clicking Done.
Reset iPhone and iPad network settings
Save this for a mobile device that still fails after Wi-Fi, cellular, Private Relay, and VPN checks. It removes saved Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN/APN settings that were not installed by a profile or device management.
Open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone on iPhone, or Transfer or Reset iPad on iPad.
Tap Reset.
Tap Reset Network Settings.
Reconnect to Wi-Fi afterward and test Safari again.
If the bad network setting came from a profile, open Settings > General > VPN & Device Management.
Select the configuration profile, then tap Remove Profile.
For device management, select the management item and tap Remove Management; removal is restricted on managed devices.
Update Safari through the operating system
Safari updates come through operating system updates on Apple devices, so update the device instead of looking for a separate Safari installer.
On Mac, choose Apple menu > System Settings > General > Software Update.
If an update is available, click Update, Upgrade, or Restart Now.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > General > Software Update.
As of September 2026, Apple lists macOS 26.6.2 as the latest macOS security release and Safari 26.6.1 for macOS Sonoma and macOS Sequoia.
Safari for Windows is not a current fix path. Apple says Safari 5.1.7 for Windows was the last Windows version, released in 2010, and is outdated.
Legacy .safariextz extensions are not a current fix path either. Safari no longer loads those legacy extensions or shows them in Safari settings; current Safari App Extensions come from apps.
If updating does not fix the server error, reload the page in Safari 26 or later on macOS Sequoia 15 or later, click the Page Menu button in the Smart Search field, choose Report a Website Issue, describe the issue, and click Report. When the same page also fails in other browsers or devices, contact the website developer, ISP, or network administrator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Safari work in a Private Window but fail normally?
A Private Window isolates cache, cookies, and website data, and on macOS Sonoma 14 or later it also turns off every extension that requires website access unless you selected Allow in Private Browsing for it. If the site works there, remove the affected site's website data on Mac or clear Safari website data on iPhone, then check extensions and content blockers.
Can I clear Safari cache on iPhone without deleting history?
Yes. Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data > Remove All Website Data, then tap Remove Now.
What does Reset Network Settings remove?
It removes Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN/APN settings not installed by profile or MDM. Profile-installed settings must be handled through VPN & Device Management.
What if the page fails in Safari and every other browser?
Test another device on the same network. If other devices and browsers fail too, contact the website developer, ISP, or network administrator as appropriate.