Why Safari Extensions on iOS Are a Big Deal GA S REGULAR Menu Lifewire Tech for Humans Newsletter! Search Close GO Opinion News > Computers

Why Safari Extensions on iOS Are a Big Deal

Safe, secure, and convenient—it seems impossible

By Charlie Sorrel Charlie Sorrel Senior Tech Reporter Charlie Sorrel has been writing about technology, and its effects on society and the planet, for 13 years. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on August 27, 2021 11:44AM EDT Fact checked by Rich Scherr Fact checked by Rich Scherr University of Maryland Baltimore County Rich Scherr is a seasoned technology and financial journalist who spent nearly two decades as the editor of Potomac and Bay Area Tech Wire. lifewire's fact checking process Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email Computers Mobile Phones Internet & Security Computers & Tablets Smart Life Home Theater & Entertainment Software & Apps Social Media Streaming Gaming

Key Takeaways

iPadOS 15 will allow browser extension in Safari.They’re just like Chrome extensions, but with added security.Extensions require a parent App Store app to be installed. Taras Shypka / Unsplash Safari on the iPad is about to get extensions, just like Chrome, Edge, and Safari on the Mac. And they will totally change how you use the browser. Safari is probably the most important app on your iPhone or iPad. Some folks rarely leave it, other than to post photos to Instagram or reply to a WhatsApp. And yet, it remains quite limited compared to a desktop browser. You can use little bookmarklets, and of course, Safari integrates with the system-wide sharing panel, but it has been almost impossible to extend Safari itself. In iOS 15, that’s about to change. So what's happening? “Thankfully, Apple went for the de-facto extension industry-standard technology called WebExtensions,” app developer Alex Chernikov told Lifewire via email. “Initially, it was Chrome's extension API, but over time, all major browsers have adopted it. Making extensions has become pretty easy these days. You make it once—and it runs in Edge, Firefox, Opera, and Brave.”

Privacy First

Browser extensions are a big security risk. Usually, they have access to all the data loaded into a web page. That’s fine if you’re using an extension from a trusted developer, but things can go wrong, fast. Thankfully, Apple went for the de-facto extension industry-standard technology called WebExtensions. An extension doesn’t just get access to a page when you click to activate it. By default, an extension has access to all pages loaded into your browser. That means your email, your bank, everything. Extensions in iPadOS 15 Safari don’t work like that. "They took an interesting approach that's different to what we can see in other browsers. They let you grant the extension access only to specific pages as well as for a limited amount of time," says Chernikov. "For example, you can let the extension work only on lefigaro.fr and only for one day. Given the fact extensions may now have full access to website contents (that may also include your passwords, credit card details, etc.), it's a good notion." Chernikov’s software company, Gikken, is currently developing an iOS 15 extension for its translation app, Mate. I have been testing it out, and it’s quite neat to pick which sites load the extension. In the case of Mate, you can tie it only to the foreign-language sites you want to translate, and—unlike Safari’s built-in translator—it will load automatically every time you visit one of those sites.

How iOS Safari Extensions Work

Installing a Safari extension is done by installing a companion app, which ensures that it goes through Apple’s App-Store approval process. Then you visit Safari’s Extensions settings. These live in the Settings app, alongside the content blocker settings (which are effectively specialized browser extensions). Developing Safari extensions is easy, but with enough barriers that we probably won’t see a flood of existing Chrome extensions showing up on launch day. For example, when testing an extension, the developer has to recompile the entire wrapper app whenever they make a change instead of just saving a file and reloading the web page. "iOS Safari extensions are little websites, too, but packaged into the parent app. Every time you make changes to the extension code and want to re-run it, you have to re-build (re-compile) the entire Xcode project. How long it takes depends on the project's size," says Chernikov. Another barrier is the entire App Store approval process, which requires a paid subscription and all the usual pain points of submitting an app. And another consideration is look and feel. An extension built for Chrome probably won’t look right in an Apple browser.

Extensions—Worth It

So far, the pain of making iOS Safari extensions is all with the developer. It’s as easy for the user to install an app and activate the extension in Safari’s preferences, although this is a little tricky. iOS Safari extensions are little websites, too, but packaged into the parent app. "You still need to enable the extension separately, and it's pretty hidden away. A few beta users have contacted us saying they couldn't figure out how to start using Mate's Safari extension, for example," says Chernikov. But the benefits are worth it. The Mate translator, for example, is seamless. It’s like the web is all in your own language, and you can even tap on a paragraph to check the original text. It’s better than the built-in version, and that’s been impossible in Safari until now. 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 How to Install, Manage, and Delete Safari Extensions The History of iOS, from Version 1.0 to 16.0 The 15 Best Safari Extensions of 2022 8 Best Free Download Managers (Updated October 2022) What Is the Google Chrome Browser? The Top 10 Internet Browsers for 2022 Can You Get Google Maps for iOS 6? How to Use Safari Extensions on the iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch The iPadOS Versions Guide How to Turn On Private Browsing in Safari for iOS How to Remove Safe Finder From Mac How to Use Firefox for Mac Opera vs. Google Chrome How to View Internet Explorer Sites on a Mac The Best Web Browsers for the iPad How to Install TutuApp on iOS and Android Devices 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