It might feel a little weird, but since macOS Mojave, Safari extensions are treated like regular apps, appearing in Launchpad and downloaded from the Mac App Store. Navigating how to manage them can sometimes be a bit of a puzzle so let’s sort it out.
Checking your installed extensions
Want to see what extensions you have installed in Safari? It’s pretty straightforward. Start by opening Safari, just like you normally would from your Dock or Launchpad.
Next, click the “Safari” menu in the top menu bar and pick “Preferences” from the drop-down.
In the Preferences window, you will see a bunch of tabs. Click on the “Extensions” tab to view all your installed Safari extensions.
Managing Safari extensions
Managing your extensions means adding new ones or turning off ones you don’t need. Here is how to do both:
Adding a new extension
To get a new extension, open Safari from your Dock or Launchpad again.
Click on “Safari” in the menu bar, and then select “Safari Extensions.” This will take you to the Safari Extensions section of the Mac App Store.
Look through the available extensions, and once you find one you like, click “Get,” or the price button if it is not a free extension. The button will then switch to “Install.” Click that to install the extension.
Disabling an extension
If you want to temporarily disable an extension without removing it completely, go back to the “Extensions” tab in Safari Preferences. Just uncheck the box next to the extension you want to disable, and it’ll be turned off right away.
Removing a Safari extension
Removing an extension is a bit different from just disabling it.
To remove an extension, first, go to the “Extensions” tab in Safari Preferences. Uncheck the extension you want to remove to disable it first. Then, click the “Uninstall” button.
A prompt will show up asking if you want to remove the app containing the extension. Click on “Show in Finder” to find the app.
In the Finder, right-click (or Control-click) on the app and select “Move to Trash” from the menu.
You might need to enter your administrator password to finish deleting the app. After that, the app and its extension will be removed from your system.
