In iOS 15 (and iPadOS 15, for that matter), Apple has significantly reworked Safari extensions on iPhone and iPad. Developers now can offer a much better desktop-like extension experience in mobile Safari. If you heard about Safari extensions on iPhone and iPad but do not know where to start, this article will be useful for you.
Before you start. To add an extension to Safari on iPhone and iPad, you need to update your device to iOS 15 or newer. The latest iOS version supports all previously compatible devices: iPhone 6S, iPad Air 2, and iPod 7 gen or better. To update your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > General > Software Update and tap a notification about iOS 15 availability at the bottom of the screen.
It is also worth mentioning that the current version of the App Store does not offer a dedicated section with Safari extensions for iPhone and iPad (Apple promises to fix that). That means installing extensions on your smartphone is a somewhat cumbersome and unintuitive process. Still, you can spot applications that offer Safari extensions on iPhones without digging too deep.
How to Check Whether an App in the App Store Offers a Safari Extension on iOS?
- Open the App Store app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Navigate to the app you want to install. You can use search, collections, or direct links.
- Scroll down the app’s store listing and find the “Supports” section.
- If the app offers a Safari extension, you will notice the “Safari Extension” badge. That is how you know whether an app supports Safari extensions on iPhone and iPad.
How to Install Safari Extensions on iPhone and iPad?
- Install a program from the App Store that contains a Safari Extension. Note that that does not enable the extension automatically.
- Open the app you have just downloaded and check whether it offers any instructions about how to set up the extensions. If no, proceed to the next step.
- Open Safari and look at tap the button with three dots.
- Safari will show you a menu where you need to tap the “Manage Extensions” button with a counter of new extensions you can enable.
- Toggle on the extension you have just downloaded.
- Now you need to allow your extension to access websites in the browser. Tap Always Allow.
- Next, tap Always Allow on Every Website.
- Safari might prompt you to sign in to your account, follow the initial setup screen, or complete other procedures depending on what extension you want to use.
That is how you add extensions to Safar on iPhone or iPad in iOS 15.