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4 Ways to Refresh Webpages in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Whenever you open a webpage on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, it loads the latest information. But once the page finishes loading, all the information displayed usually remains static, even if it has changed or refreshed in the backend. To access the latest information, you can refresh all those web pages in Safari.

4 Ways to Refresh Webpages in Safari on iPhone iPad and Mac

Refreshing webpages help update the current information on your screen. And while you can use the Cmd + Option + R shortcut to hard refresh (force reload) or clear all the cache in Safari separately, what if you want to reload the page? Is there an option or shortcut? Let’s find out.

How to Refresh Webpages in Safari on iPhone and iPad

When using Safari on your iPhone or iPad, use the Reload icon to reload a page. Or, if your device is updated, use the pull-to-refresh option. You can also use keyboard shortcuts, if available. Or, force the browser to close and restart. Thus, reloading the page in the process. Here’s a step-by-step look for clarity.

1. Using the Address Bar

Step 1: Depending on your device’s settings, go to the address bar at the top or bottom of the page in Safari.

Step 2: Here, tap on the Reload icon.

Tap on Reload icon

Wait for the page to finish reloading. If the address bar is not visible, use your finger to move the page up or down. Once you see it, tap on the Reload icon accordingly. This will reload the page in Safari.

2. Through the Pull-to-Refresh Feature

If your iPhone runs iOS 15 or higher, you can use the pull-to-refresh option. Using this, you can pull the webpage down and wait for it to refresh and reload.

Step 1: Go to the relevant tab in Safari.

Step 2: Now, hold and pull down from the top half of the page. Release the page once you see the reload icon appear.

Pull down to refresh Safari

Once you release the page, it should automatically refresh all the information. If this doesn’t work, check your device’s software version and try again.

3. Using a Keyboard Shortcut

As long as you have a compatible wireless keyboard , you can connect it to your iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth . This can not only aid in typing but also allow you to use keyboard shortcuts on your Apple device. Then, use the Cmd + R shortcut on the wireless keyboard and reload the page without touching the screen.

4. Force Close and Restart Safari

If you can’t use the abovementioned methods, force Safari to close altogether on your iPhone or iPad. This can help solve any glitches with the browser as well. Once the browser reopens, it should refresh the page as well. Here’s how.

Step 1: Swipe up from the bottom of the page to open background apps. Or, if your device has a Home button, double-press it.

Step 2: Once the background apps are visible, hold and swipe up on Safari.

Force close Safari iPhone

Step 3: Now, tap on the Safari app icon to reopen the browser.

Once Safari opens, the page should also reopen in the designated tab. If that doesn’t happen, use the address bar or search history to reopen the page in Safari.

How to Refresh Safari Webpages on Your Mac

Like refreshing Safari webpages on your iPhone or iPad, you can also reload a page on your Mac. To do this, use the refresh button in Safari, menu options, or the keyboard shortcut. Or, if this doesn’t work, force Safari to close and reload. This will not only restart all browser functions but also reload the page. Here’s how to do it.

1. Through the Reload Icon

Step 1: Go to the Safari address bar and click on the Reload icon.

Reload the webpage Safari

Once the page reloads, any related issue should be resolved as your browser fetches a fresh copy of the page.

2. Using Menu Options

Step 1: Once Safari is open, go to the menu bar and click on View.

Step 2: Here, click on Reload Page. Wait for the page to refresh.

Reload page from menu options

3. Using Keyboard Shortcut

While you must connect a keyboard to your iPad or iPhone, your Mac already has one. Taking advantage of this, use the Cmd + R keys to reload the currently open page in Safari quickly. Or, if you want to reload the page without cache, hold down the Shift key on the keyboard and click the Reload icon in Safari.

4. Closing and Reopening Safari

Step 1: Go to the menu options and click on the Apple icon. Then, click on Force Quit.

Open Force quit Settings

Step 2: From the list of apps, select Safari.

Step 3: Then, click on Force Quit. Wait for Safari to close.

Force quit Safari on Mac 3

Step 4: Now, click on the Safari app icon to open the browser again.

If the webpage isn’t open, type the website address in the menu bar or open it from the device history. The web page information should be refreshed.

Reload a Page in Safari

Refreshing the webpages in Safari not only helps deliver the latest information but also aids in resolving certain site glitches and errors like media not loading in Safari . So, we hope this article helped you refresh a Safari webpage on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices.

Last updated on 21 February, 2024

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how to auto refresh safari on mac

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how to auto refresh safari on mac

Ankita Sharma

A writer at heart, Ankita enjoys exploring and writing about technology, especially Android, Apple, and Windows devices. While she started as a script and copywriter, her keen interest in the digital world pulled her towards technology, and with GT, she has found her passion in writing about and simplifying world of tech for others. On any day, you can catch her chained to her laptop, meeting deadlines, writing scripts and watching shows (any language!).

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How can I force Safari to perform a full page reload, without using the mouse?

I'm using Safari to preview web pages as I develop them on my local server. I've got 'Disable Caches' checked in the Develop menu. And yet Safari is still working from a cached version of a stylesheet that's linked from the HTML file being displayed.

I can sometimes override this by Option-clicking the reload button in the location bar, but I want to refresh the page automatically when I save the CSS file. At the moment I'm doing it using an AppleScript that's bound to the Save action in my text editor. I could see using Keyboard Maestro instead. But I need some consistent way to force Safari to do a full reload from the keyboard.

  • browser-cache

Hennes's user avatar

  • Do you have any extensions installed. Had this problem once with Adblock... It messed up one page in particular, thought it was a stylesheet problem too, tried everything... but it was Adblock messing with it. –  unom Jan 8, 2014 at 22:08

9 Answers 9

Enable the Develop menu from Safari menu - Preferences - Advanced .

On Safari version 11.1 and above :

CMD + OPTION + R reloads the page ignoring cache.

On Safari version 9 and above :

CMD + SHIFT + R reloads the page ignoring cache.

Emptying caches seems not to reload the stylesheets everytimes…

On Safari below version 9 :

Empty cache and then reload so full "hot key" would be :

CMD + OPTION + E

CMD + R to refresh the page

Of course probably turning opening and closing a New Private Window from the File would also work but…

Rob Nienburg's user avatar

  • that didn't work for me on Safari 8 –  Brian Tingle Sep 11, 2015 at 5:49
  • 3 Safari version 9.1.1 does not reload the page with Cmd-Shift-R. I have "Show Develop in menu bar" enabled. –  Jason Jun 21, 2016 at 13:46
  • cmd+shift+R didn't work for me in 9.1.3 either –  sfletche Oct 13, 2016 at 17:07
  • 1 Cmd+Shift+R didn't work in Version 10.0.1 (11602.2.14.0.7). –  Snowcrash Feb 14, 2017 at 10:59
  • Checkout @sayan's answer below for a working shortcut –  Vlad May 17, 2018 at 14:35

The shortcut has now changed to OPTION + CMD + R . (Safari 11.1)

sayan's user avatar

  • 1 Works perfectly! –  kerrin Apr 25, 2018 at 4:23

There is an option in the menubar Develop->Disable Caches. This is true for Safari 5.1. I'm not sure for the rest.

Screenshot

  • 2 Please read the second sentence of my question again. –  Gabe Jul 28, 2011 at 17:06
  • 1 Oops, I'm sorry :) –  mist Jul 29, 2011 at 7:01
  • I think the keyboard maestro method be to activate the “disable caches” menu bar item, reload the page, then deactivate it. –  BallpointBen Aug 23, 2023 at 4:42

Turn on Private mode and refresh the page. It won't get it from the cache in private mode.

Jawa's user avatar

Hard refresh was removed as a keyboard shortcut in Safari 5. The old command for that was ⌘ + SHIFT + R

CTRL + F5 May work but I can't test here.

Community's user avatar

  • Yes, that's how to refresh the page, but it doesn't bypass the cache. –  Gabe Sep 9, 2010 at 16:02
  • 2 Control-F5 just selects the location bar, like Command-L. –  Gabe Sep 9, 2010 at 16:45
  • Then it's been disabled completely. I found a number of threads complaining about it. There is an extension that I have NOT tested here: twitter.com/siracusa/status/15683201068 that may do what you want. –  JNK Sep 9, 2010 at 16:47
  • No, that extension just creates a button in the toolbar (which I guess some people prefer to the icon in the location bar). I also found a lot of threads complaining about it—i was wondering if someone on here had any special knowledge. –  Gabe Sep 9, 2010 at 19:37
  • Sorry! :( <15chars> –  JNK Sep 9, 2010 at 19:47

Workaround: in the develop menu, select "start debugging javascript" and it must reload the code properly. You can then stop debugging... I know it's not a clean solution and I'm not sure if it works always or in all versions, but it's working for me now.

Rico's user avatar

I stumble upon this question and apparently the current answers do not work.

Issue is currently CMD + ALT + R opens the Responsive design.

However if the inspector is open via CMD + ALT + I , then the same shortcut does a clean refresh.

Current Safari Version: 12.1.2

Ant's user avatar

CMD + L focus on the address bar SHIFT + ALT + ENTER full reload for the current address

It seems to work on Safari 9

rraallvv's user avatar

  • And how does one click without a mouse? –  qasdfdsaq Oct 23, 2015 at 12:51
  • 1 @qasdfdsaq My bad, edited the question. –  rraallvv Oct 23, 2015 at 13:00

Go to Safari's preferences and tick "Show develop menu". In the develop menu, click disable Caches.

cpast's user avatar

  • 1 Please read the second sentence of my question. –  Gabe Feb 21, 2013 at 11:55

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how to auto refresh safari on mac

IMAGES

  1. How to refresh a webpage in Safari

    how to auto refresh safari on mac

  2. How to refresh Safari on Mac (macOS) using keyboard shortcut

    how to auto refresh safari on mac

  3. How to disable page auto-refresh on Safari Mac

    how to auto refresh safari on mac

  4. How to Hard Refresh in your browser, on a Mac (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Opera)

    how to auto refresh safari on mac

  5. Refresh your cache for Safari 5 on Mac & PC

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  6. Auto Refresh Safari On Mac

    how to auto refresh safari on mac

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COMMENTS

  1. 4 Ways to Refresh Webpages in Safari on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

    On Safari below version 9 : Empty cache and then reload so full "hot key" would be : CMD + OPTION + E. Then. CMD + R to refresh the page. Of course probably turning opening and closing a New Private Window from the File would also work but…. Share.