See you later, Safari

I’m done using Safari on macOS for a while. Two features I depend on are seamless tab sync and OS-wide reading list integration, but iCloud sync for both of those features has stopped working for the last few days.

This isn’t the first time this has happened with Safari. I was able to fix it in the past by toggling the Safari checkbox in iCloud settings on my Mac and iPhone, but this time it had no effect. I’ve had other issues with Safari too, like random backwards navigation in Tab Groups, which I can consistently reproduce: Open a Tab Group, load a random website in a second tab, close the tab, undo the tab close, and within 2-3 seconds, Safari will close the tab you just re-opened.

Time to check out some other browsers! Every few years I try to use Firefox as my default, and judging by my post in 2020 about it, looks like it’s time to try it again. My flip-flopping opinions on the browser is a reoccurring theme on this blog. I’m going to use Firefox for at least one day and see how it goes, but I’m not optimistic.

When (or if) I find a show-stopper in Firefox, I’ll most likely go back to Microsoft Edge. I’m annoyed with the many features that you can’t turn off, but other features like vertical tabs, tab groups, and Read Aloud are excellent.

Orion is another browser I considered, but as I mentioned in May, it’s not there yet for me. It’s rapidly improving though, and inherits some cool Safari features, like OS-wide reading list integration. The biggest showstopper for me right now is 1Password support, which needs approval from 1Password.

I’ll give Safari another shot when macOS Ventura comes out, though I doubt things will improve. I think Safari needs a faster release schedule, once or twice a year is just too slow.