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How to Inspect an Element on a Mac

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By Jennifer Allen Jennifer Allen Writer Swansea University, Staffordshire University Jennifer Allen has been writing about technology since 2010. Her work has appeared in Mashable, TechRadar, and many more publications. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 19, 2022 Reviewed by Jessica Kormos Reviewed by Jessica Kormos Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Jessica Kormos is a writer and editor with 15 years' experience writing articles, copy, and UX content for Tecca.com, Rosenfeld Media, and many others. lifewire's editorial guidelines Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Apple Macs iPad

What to Know

In Safari: Right-click on a webpage and select Inspect Element.
In Chrome, you can right-click and click Inspect.To enable the feature in Safari: Safari > Preferences > Advanced > check the Show Develop menu in menu bar box. This article teaches you how to inspect a website's element on Mac. It looks at how to do so via Safari and Google Chrome.

How Do You Use the Inspect Element Feature on a Mac

Before inspecting elements on Mac when using Safari, you need to enable the developer menu within the browser. Here's a look at how to switch it on and what to do to inspect an element.
If you can see Develop between Bookmarks and Window, the Developer Menu has already been enabled, and you can skip to step 4.

Using the Inspect Element Feature in Safari

Here's how to use Inspect Element in Safari, the default browser on Mac computers. In Safari, click Safari > Preferences.
Click Advanced.
Click Show Develop menu in menu bar then close the window.
When browsing a website, right click on the item you wish to inspect.
Click Inspect Element.
You can now view the code behind the website you've inspected.

Using the Inspect Element Feature in Chrome on a Mac

If you use Chrome instead of Safari on your Mac, it's even easier to view an element as there's no need to enable the feature. Here's what to do.
In Chrome, browse to a website.
Right click on the element you wish to inspect.
Click Inspect.
You can now view the code in a side window on Chrome.

Why Can t I Inspect on My Mac

You might not be able to inspect an element on your Mac if you haven't enabled the Developer menu within Safari. Here's a reminder of how to do it.
In Safari, click Safari > Preferences.
Click Advanced.
Click Show Develop menu in menu bar then close the window.

How to Make Website Changes by Inspecting the Element

Besides allowing you to view the code on a website, it's also possible to temporarily change any website element through Inspect Element. Here's how to do so via Safari.
The process is very similar on other browsers. When browsing a website, right click on the item you wish to inspect.
Click Inspect Element.
Double click on the text in the code to make it editable.
Delete it or enter a new string of text.
Tap Enter. The code has now been temporarily changed just for your benefit.

Why Would You Want to Use the Inspect Element Feature

Being able to inspect an element is helpful for many reasons.
To change code on the fly. Website designers can temporarily change things around on a website to see how the changes affect things. To check the code. Both designers and marketing people can check the code to confirm that things like Google Analytics details are there. To view images separately from a site. If a site doesn't allow you to open an image in a new tab or window, viewing the element makes it possible. Tinker. Seeing the code of a web page can help you understand what you see, removing the mystery of what and why of what's up with the site you are on. It's like taking apart an appliance to see how it works, but there are no screws to lose in this case.
FAQ Is it legal to inspect a website? Yes. However, if you plan to use any code or assets from a website, be sure to check with the owner and add a copyright note. How do I copy HTML from a website with inspect element? In Chrome, right-click the page and select Inspect, then go to the top section and right-click the tag (e.g. ). Select Copy > Copy outerHTML, then paste the code into a text or HTML file.
Can I copy CSS from a website with inspect element? Yes. Right-click the element you want to copy and choose Inspect. Right-click on highlighted code and select Copy > Copy styles. How do I see my saved passwords using inspect element? To reveal hidden passwords, right-click on the password text box and select Inspect. In the highlighted section, look for type=”password” and replace password with text. There are easier ways to show all your passwords in Chrome. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire Viewing the HTML Source Code in Safari How to Allow Pop-Ups on a Mac How to Turn Off a Pop-Up Blocker on a Mac How to View the HTML Source in Google Chrome Add More Features by Turning on Safari's Develop Menu How to View Internet Explorer Sites on a Mac How to Activate the iPhone Debug Console or Web Inspector How to View Blurred Text on Websites How to Activate and Use Responsive Design Mode in Safari How to Install, Manage, and Delete Safari Extensions How to Turn on Location Services on a Mac How to Clear Internet Cache in Every Major Browser How to Turn Off AdBlock on Mac How to Clear Cookies for a Specific Site How to Turn on Incognito Mode in Your Browser Allow or Deny Access to Your Physical Location Settings Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies