What To Do If Safari Cannot Find The Server On Your Mac

The very initial browser any iPhone user utilizes and considers to be their default browser is the Safari browser. Apple also provides other browser options for its users, but people often choose Safari over the others like Chrome, Firefox, etc. Safari browsers are fast, have their security intact, and are customizable according to users and that is the real reason why people consider this. The only thing wrong with it is the message that pops up saying, “Safari can’t find the server”.

Safari Cannot Find The Server On Your Mac

The simplest way to fix this issue can be to check the internet connection and restrict the content blocker. You can also make changes to the DNS settings and delete the cache files from the browser to avoid the browser’s data to have malfunctioned.

However, if your issue with Safari Browser is not solved even by following these ideas, there is nothing to worry about, there are several other ways to resolve the problem completely. This article will take you through all the steps which one can follow if their Safari browser can’t find the server.

Here Are Some Ways In Which You Can Fix Safari Can’t Find The Server

The server often is used as software that supplies data to the Web Browser whenever it is needed. The reason why the safari cannot find a server is that:

  1. The Safari browser is not working
  2. Your network card has some technical issues

You can honestly not do anything if the issue is with the browser. You can just sit and wait for it to begin working again. If the device has issues then you can apply one of the below-listed ideas to resolve the issue fully.

1. Wi-Fi Connection Needs To Be Checked

If your webpage isn’t loading or the browser has some problems, first you need to go and check the data connection. The internet connection has to be strong and work continuously to use the webpage properly. Hence, make sure to check the Wi-Fi as issues in this too can disrupt Safari not finding the server. If you detect a problem with the Wi-Fi, then try several of these methods to fix the issue at home itself.

  1. Switch off your Wi-Fi for some time and then switch it on.
  2. Unplug the router connection for a minute or so and replug it.
  3. Remember to check the device is receiving an adequate amount of Wi-Fi network.
  4. For some time, put the device on the Airplane set.
  5. Use your mobile hotspot if the Wi-Fi connection is down.

2. Make Sure To Use The Right Web Page Address

Whenever we are in a rush to get our work done, we often forget to check for the correct URL and this can often lead to messages like “Safari can’t find server messages” Hence, to avoid these errors cross-check the webpage address twice to ensure you have not missed even a single letter or so. Also, whenever you are copy-pasting the URL from other websites like social media, you need to ensure that the webpage address starts from “https:” so that you will be taken to the correct page.

3. Try Reloading Your Webpage

Another way to fix Safari cannot find server issues is by reloading the page. It so happens that the receiver at times is not able to transfer command to open the right page or web address and this is when the problem occurs. Reloading your webpage can also benefit by checking for the correct URL. Try reloading the page twice or thrice, and if still the page doesn’t work properly then it’s time for you to try some other ways.

4. Try Putting The Content Blocker Out Of Action

Everyone knows that we can block content from various sites if we don’t want to receive any advertisements on the screen when we are doing some important work. Luckily there are ways in which you can use a web page without receiving ads, but this doesn’t hold for content publishers as advertisements prove to be a great source of income. Nowadays, several websites can detect ad-blockers that you have on your website and hence they don’t allow you to view the content of the website at all. This is the reason why one can disable the content blocker on Apple divides and try to load the webpage which was earlier having issues. This is how you can disable it.

  1. Go to the Settings section of your smartphone.
  2. Choose Safari browser from the drop-down menu.
  3. Then, select the Content Blocker option.
  4. Finally, turn off all of the options.

5. Shove Off Safari Data And Cache

Generally, a cache helps for loading the content on the page fastly. If a huge amount of cache relating to each content, information, and data is stored from the web pages you visit on the browser, it will not be easy for Safari to load the right server for the content required. Due to all such reasons, if the message pops up stating, “Safari cannot find a server” then it is advisable to use this trick. Follow the instructions below to clean the cache and data in the Safari browser. When you erase the cache and data of the Safari browser, you will delete all of your history, cookies, as well as other surfing data.

  1. Go to the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Scroll down and select Safari from the drop-down menu.
  3. Select Clear History and Website Data from the drop-down menu.
  4. Close all tabs on your device completely.
  5. Open the Safari browser and navigate to the page you wish to see.

6. Put Firewall and Antivirus Out Of Action

One of the reasons why Safari can’t find a server on Apple devices is because you might have had your Firewall and Antivirus turned on. They help by blocking material that consists of viruses like malware. Firewall and antivirus also take the information or the content which is visited by you as spyware. This is the reason why you have to disable it on your Apple devices and then the content will be loaded smoothly. Here is how to turn off Mac’s Firewall and fix Safari can’t find the server.

  1. Activate your Mac laptop.
  2. From the top left toolbar, select the Apple logo.
  3. Then select System Preferences from the drop-down menu.
  4. Select Security & Privacy from the drop-down menu.
  5. After that, choose Firewall.
  6. Lastly, on the left side, choose Firewall: Disable.

7. Reset Your Wi-Fi DNS

The very first thing that the webpage needs to show content is a server. If a message of “Safari can’t find server” pops up, then the DNS (Domain Name Server) is not working properly. Hence, to rectify this problem, change the DNS after proper inspection. Follow these steps to reset the DNS on your Apple devices.

  1.  Go to the iPhone’s settings menu.
  2. Select Wi-Fi from the drop-down menu.
  3. Open your current Wi-Fi connection. You may do this by tapping the little circle “i” symbol next to your Wi-Fi name.
  4. Select Configure DNS from the DNA section.
  5.  Switch it to Manual if it’s still on Automatic.
  6. Then select the Add Server option.
  7.  8.8.4.4 or 8.8.8.8 are the Google DNS servers to use.
  8. To finish, hit Save to save your changes.

Reset Your Wi-Fi DNS

8. Reconstruct The Network Settings

You will get a notification like “Safari cannot find the server” if there is an issue with the network of the device. So to avoid this issue, change the network setting to default. Your smartphone will be unable to connect to mobile data or Wi-Fi due to an incorrect network setup. You will delete all of your stored Wi-Fi if you change your connection on your smartphone.

  1.     First, enter the iPhone Settings to reset network configuration and fix Safari Can’t Find Server.
  2.     Select General from the drop-down menu.
  3.     After that, select Reset Network Settings.
  4.     To confirm, press Reset Network Settings again.

This is how you may restore your iPhone or iPad’s network settings. After you’ve completed the reset, reconnect to the Wi-Fi and see if Safari can’t display a webpage.

9. Distinct SSID Names For 2.4 GHz And 5 GHz Are Required

You will have a connectivity problem if you’re using the SSID (Wi-Fi name) for both your 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. If you see the message “Safari cannot connect to the server,” update the SSID credentials of your 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks.

10. Updation Of Your Device Might Also Help

You will face a problem with the Safari browser if your operating system is not updated. You will also have to note here that even if your Safari browser is updated, the function might not work properly if the OS is of the older version. Another reason for Safari not finding a server might be the presence of bugs in the operating system of the device. Follow the below-listed steps to update your iPhone.

  1. Go to your iPhone’s settings.
  2. Select General.
  3. Then, select Software Update.
  4. Check for an iOS update now. If there even is one, make sure your iPhone OS is up to date. The process of updating and installing a new version of the operating system on your device will take a few times.

How do I manually Reset Safari?

If you notice the error of Safari not detecting the “server on your Mac,” be assured that it could be a temporary website glitch. In that case, the easiest fix would be to reset the Safari browser on your Mac manually.

Here’s what you need to do:

  • Open the Safari browser on your Mac. 
  • Click on the “Safari” menu in the top menu bar and select “Preferences.” 
  • In the Preferences window, go to the “Privacy” tab. 
  • Click on the “Manage Website Data” button. 
  • In the Website Data window, click on the “Remove All” button to delete all stored website data. 
  • Close the Website Data window. 
  • Still, in the Preferences window, switch to the “Extensions” tab. 
  • Remove any unwanted or suspicious extensions by selecting them and clicking on the “Uninstall” button. 
  • Go to the “General” tab in the Preferences window. 
  • Click on the “Safari opens with” dropdown menu and choose your desired option, such as “Homepage” or “Empty Page.” 
  • Below that, click on the “New windows open with” dropdown menu and select your preferred choice. 
  • Close the Preferences window.

That’s pretty much the steps you need to follow to reset Safari on your Mac and get back to using the browser without any hassle.

know more on updating the iOS devices 

FAQs

1. Why does my Mac say Safari can’t find the server?

The primary reason why your Mac isn’t able to find the server is due to obstructions to the internet connection. It is quite common and can be an issue with your Wi-Fi network or your Mac’s network settings that you need to fix with immediate effect. We’d recommend checking the DNS settings too since that causes an issue at times as well.

2. How do you fix Safari Cannot open the page because the server cannot be found?

If the issue with the server is due to network problems, the easiest fix is to check the different network settings (both the router and the system). Once that’s checked, you can restart the Mac to see if the servers and the connections are restored or not. Also, if you have unwanted cookies and cache, you can try deleting them and checking if it restores the connection.

3. How do I fix cannot connect to the server?

There are multiple fixes when your Mac can’t connect to the server. The easiest would be to restart your Mac to fix any software bugs that were causing the issue. Besides that, you can also check your internet connection and cross-check the date and time settings to ensure they are in the best state. If it’s a Wi-Fi issue, we’d suggest restarting the router.

4. How do I connect to a server on a Mac?

Connecting to a server on Mac isn’t that complicated. What we’d recommend you do is navigate to Finder, tap on Go and then tap on Connect to Server. You need to type the network address in the Server address field and tap on entering. Once done, you can also click on Connect to check if it works. 

The Bottom Line

Apple users can smoothly use the Safari browser as default and can trust it widely. The Safari browser is very easy to use and it also maintains privacy regarding your personal information but can lead to disruption sometimes which can ultimately delay your work. Refer to this article if a message stating “Safari cannot find a server” pops up to rectify the errors easily sitting at your home.

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