How to Fix Too Many Redirects in Safari
Safari-specific troubleshooting for 'too many redirects occurred' errors on Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Clear website data, check extensions, verify server configuration.
When Safari displays "Safari can't open the page because too many redirects occurred," it means the server is bouncing Safari between URLs in an endless loop. Safari gives up after about 16 redirect hops — fewer than Chrome's 20.
This guide covers Safari-specific fixes for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. If the problem affects all browsers (not just Safari), skip to the server-side section or read the general ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS guide.
Quick Test: Is It Safari-Specific?
Before troubleshooting Safari, determine whether the problem is browser-specific or server-side:
Try another browser
Open the same URL in Chrome or Firefox. If it works there but not in Safari, the problem is Safari-specific (cookies, extensions, or cache).
Try a Private Window
In Safari, press Cmd+Shift+N to open a Private Browsing window. Navigate to the URL. If it works in Private Browsing, the issue is with your stored data.
Private Browsing narrows the cause
Private Browsing in Safari uses a clean session — no cookies, no cache, no extensions. If the site loads in Private Browsing, the fix is almost always clearing website data.
Fix 1: Clear Website Data (Mac)
Stale cookies are the most common cause of Safari-specific redirect loops. A cookie might tell the server you are logged in while the server thinks you are not — and they bounce you back and forth.
Open Safari Settings
Go to Safari > Settings (or press Cmd+,). Click the Privacy tab.
Manage Website Data
Click Manage Website Data. Search for the affected domain.
Remove the domain's data
Select the domain and click Remove. This clears cookies and cached data for that specific site without affecting anything else.
Reload the page
Go back to the URL and try again. In most cases, this solves the problem.
Nuclear Option: Clear All Website Data
If removing individual site data does not work:
- Go to Safari > Settings > Privacy
- Click Remove All Website Data
- Confirm the action
This logs you out of everything
Clearing all website data removes cookies for every site. You will need to log in again everywhere. Only do this if site-specific clearing did not work.
Fix 2: Clear Website Data (iPhone / iPad)
On iOS and iPadOS, you cannot clear data for a single site as easily. Here is the process:
Open Settings
Go to the Settings app (not Safari itself). Scroll down and tap Apps, then tap Safari.
Clear History and Website Data
Tap Clear History and Website Data. Choose the time range — start with "Last hour" if the problem is recent. Confirm.
Test the URL again
Open Safari and navigate to the URL. It should load without the redirect error.
Advanced: Clear Data for a Specific Site on iOS
Starting with iOS 16+, you can clear data per-site:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Advanced > Website Data
- Search for the domain
- Swipe left on it and tap Delete
This is the preferred method — it avoids clearing data you do not need to.
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Fix 3: Disable Safari Extensions (Mac)
Safari extensions can modify requests and responses, sometimes creating redirect loops that do not exist without the extension.
Open Extensions settings
Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions.
Disable all extensions
Uncheck every extension. Reload the page.
Isolate the culprit
If the page loads with extensions disabled, re-enable them one at a time until the error returns. That is your problem extension.
Common culprits include ad blockers, content blockers, privacy extensions, and VPN extensions. These can rewrite URLs or block specific requests that break the redirect chain.
Fix 4: Check Content Blockers (iPhone / iPad)
On iOS, content blockers are the equivalent of browser extensions:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Safari > Extensions
- Disable all content blockers
- Test the URL
- Re-enable one at a time to find the offending blocker
Fix 5: Reset Safari Completely (Mac)
If nothing else works, reset Safari to a clean state:
Clear history
Safari > Clear History and choose "all history."
Remove all website data
Safari > Settings > Privacy > Remove All Website Data.
Disable all extensions
Safari > Settings > Extensions and uncheck everything.
Clear the DNS cache
Open Terminal and run: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
When the Problem Is Server-Side
If the redirect loop persists across all browsers (Chrome, Firefox, and Safari), the problem is not Safari-specific. The server is misconfigured. Common causes:
| Cause | Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| SSL/HTTPS conflict | HTTP and HTTPS redirect to each other | Set Cloudflare to Full (Strict) SSL, or fix .htaccess |
| www/non-www conflict | www and non-www redirect to each other | Pick one canonical form and update all rules |
| WordPress misconfiguration | siteurl and home use different protocols | Set both to https:// in wp-config.php |
| CDN/proxy header issue | Backend doesn't see X-Forwarded-Proto | Check CDN settings and backend redirect conditions |
| Plugin conflict | Two plugins both try to force redirects | Disable plugins one by one to isolate |
For detailed server-side troubleshooting, see the general ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS guide.
Safari-Specific Redirect Behavior
Safari handles a few things differently from other browsers:
Lower redirect limit
Safari follows approximately 16 redirects before giving up. Chrome allows 20. This means Safari may fail on chains that Chrome still follows.
Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP)
Safari's ITP can strip or modify cookies during cross-domain redirects. If your redirect chain crosses domains, ITP may cause failures in Safari that do not appear in Chrome.
HSTS handling
Safari caches HSTS headers aggressively. If a domain was previously accessed over HTTPS with HSTS, Safari will always upgrade to HTTPS — even if you are testing HTTP redirects.
Clear HSTS cache in Safari
If you suspect HSTS caching is causing issues, close Safari completely and delete ~/Library/Cookies/HSTS.plist. Reopen Safari and test again.
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