How to Download and Use Safari on Windows: Installation and Limitations

Safari browser, though integral to the Apple ecosystem, has steadily gained popularity due to its robust privacy features. Its emphasis on user privacy with features like Intelligent Tracking Prevention and strong security measures resonates with privacy-conscious organizations.

Its focus on performance, user-friendly interface, and robust accessibility features also attract a major fan following. In addition, its foundation on the open-source WebKit engine means that developers get access to a massive community and continuous improvement.

Features of Safari Browser

Here is a comprehensive list of Safari Browser features:

• Enhanced Privacy: Prioritizes user privacy with features such as sending out notices to users when they load insecure pages. With the customer intent in mind, Safari also removed the Do Not Track standard that otherwise would have been used as a fingerprinting variable.
• Intelligent Tracking Prevention: Proactive privacy measure that significantly limits the ability of websites and advertisers to track users across the web.
• Stronger Security: Incorporates robust security features like built-in anti-tracking, phishing protection, and a dedicated privacy report, providing users with a more secure browsing experience.
• Picture-in-Picture: Supports Picture-in-Picture mode, allowing users to watch videos in a small, floating window while continuing to browse the web or use other applications.
• Enhanced Video Playback: Offers smooth and efficient video playback with features like hardware acceleration, which improves performance and reduces battery drain.
• AirPlay Integration: This includes AirPlay integration, which allows for seamless streaming of audio and video from Safari to Apple TV, smart TVs, and other compatible devices.
• Offline Reading List: Allows users to save web pages for offline reading, making it easy to access content without an internet connection.

Can you Install Safari on Windows?

The short answer is yes, you can, but not the latest version. One of Apple’s strategic decisions in 2012 was to stop investing in supporting Safari for Windows. This decision was triggered by the need to focus on Safari features for the native iOS ecosystem.

The last stable Safari version that you can use on Windows is Safari 5.1.7. Since Apple no longer officially supports Safari on Windows, you must be cautious about using it only for testing purposes and on staging environments.

How to Download Safari on Windows

Note: Ensure that you are using Safari 5.1.7 for non-production purposes due to exposure to security vulnerabilities.

Step 1. Download Safari 5.1.7 Installer.

Step 2. Locate the downloaded SafariSetup.exe file.

Step 3. Right-click the file and choose Run as Administrator to begin the installation.

Step 4. In the installation wizard, agree to the terms and conditions.

Step 5. Choose whether to install additional components, like Bonjour and automatic updates.

Step 6. Select the installation location.

Step 7. Click Install to begin the process.

The following progress screen appears.

After installation completes, the following success screen appears.

For the best experience, run the Safari browser in Compatibility Mode as follows:

1. Right-click the Safari shortcut on your desktop.
2. Select Properties > Compatibility.
3. Check Run this program in compatibility mode and select Windows version.
4. Apply the changes and try launching Safari again.

Is It Worth Installing Safari on Windows?

Pros of using Safari

• Allows developers and testers to verify how their websites and applications render on Safari.
• Helps check browser-specific CSS rendering, layout issues, or font discrepancies that might occur on Safari.
• Safari 5.1.7 may be required for older web applications that need validation on this specific browser version.

Cons of using Safari

• Since Safari 5.1.7, the last version for Windows, is outdated and doesn’t reflect the current release of Safari for macOS and iOS.
• Might include unpatched vulnerabilities, making it unsafe for general browsing or handling sensitive data.
• Running such an old version on modern Windows systems may result in instability, compatibility errors, or poor performance.

Talk to an Expert

Sync Safari Browsing Data via iCloud for Windows

If you want to maintain continuity between your Safari browser data across devices, you will have to use iCloud for Safari on Windows. iCloud is the Apple cloud service app for backing up data and syncing it between different devices.

The iCloud for Windows app is specifically created by Apple that sets up an iCloud drive that you can see in the Windows File Explorer.

To sync Safari browsing data via iCloud for Windows, complete the following steps:

Step 1. Download and install iCloud for Windows from Apple’s iCloud for Windows page.

Step 2. Click Start and locate the iCloud app. Open the app and log in using your Apple ID and password.

Step 3. Select iCloud Drive, and then click Apply.

Step 4. Open File Explorer and locate the iCloud Drive

If it’s not visible, expand the Quick Access or This PC drop-downs.

Your iCloud Drive files now automatically appear in this folder. To upload files to iCloud Drive, drag and drop them into this folder.

Why choose BrowserStack to test Websites on Safari on Windows?

Whatever your use case, with the steps in this article, you can use Safari 5.1.7 on your Windows machine.

However, the official recommendation is not to open yourself to security vulnerabilities that might pop up due to the browser not being supported.

For such use cases, consider using real device cloud testing tools such as BrowserStack. BrowserStack Live/Automate provides access to more than 3500+ browser-device combinations. As it’s a cross-browser testing tool, you can quickly spin up multiple instances of Safari 5.1.7 on multiple Windows versions without the hassle of setup.

When you use BrowserStack for testing Safari on Windows, you also get access to other compelling features, such as support for multiple languages and frameworks, test run recording, CI/CD integrations, bug reporting tool integrations, observability and accessibility tools, and much more.

BrowserStack offers an option to register for a free trial to try out its line of products without any financial commitment.

Conclusion

While Safari is no longer officially supported on Windows, you can still download older versions for basic use or testing. However, due to its limitations and lack of updates, it’s better to use tools like BrowserStack for accurate Safari testing on real devices without installation hassles.

Try BrowserStack Now