Safari, the default web browser on Apple devices, not only offers a clean and intuitive browsing experience but also comes packed with some experimental features that can enhance your web surfing. These features are usually not enabled by default as they are still in development or testing phases, but if you're curious to explore what Safari has to offer beyond the basics, tweaking these experimental settings could be worth your while.
One of the experimental features in Safari is the Privacy Report tool. This handy feature gives you a rundown of how websites are treating your privacy while you browse. It shows you the number of trackers that have been blocked, if any, and provides insights into the kind of cross-site trackers each website is using. This can help you stay informed about your online privacy and make more educated decisions about which sites you visit.
Another cool experimental feature is the Webp Image support. Webp is an image format developed by Google that offers better compression than traditional formats like JPEG and PNG. Enabling Webp support in Safari allows you to load websites faster and use less data since these images are smaller in size. While not all websites use Webp images yet, having this feature turned on can future-proof your browsing experience as more sites adopt this efficient image format.
If you're a tab hoarder like many of us, you might appreciate the Tab Preview experimental feature in Safari. When enabled, hovering your cursor over a tab will display a preview of the webpage, giving you a glimpse of what's inside without having to click on it. This can be a time-saver when you have multiple tabs open and can't quite remember what each one contains.
For those who enjoy customizing their browsing experience, the Custom WebKit Fonts experimental feature might pique your interest. This feature allows you to use custom fonts for web content, giving you more control over how websites look on your screen. By enabling this feature, you can choose your preferred font style and size for a more personalized browsing experience.
It's important to note that experimental features in Safari are still undergoing testing and may not be as stable or polished as the standard features. However, they offer a peek into the potential future of web browsing and provide a playground for early adopters and tech enthusiasts to try out new functionalities before they become mainstream.
To access these experimental features in Safari, simply head to the browser's preferences, click on the 'Advanced' tab, and check the box that says 'Show Develop menu in menu bar.' Once you've done that, a new 'Develop' menu will appear in Safari's menu bar, giving you access to a range of experimental features to play around with.
So, if you're feeling adventurous and want to explore what Safari has hidden under the hood, give these experimental features a try. Who knows, you might discover a new favorite browsing tool or stumble upon a feature that revolutionizes the way you interact with the web. Happy browsing!