Unlock Safari's Secret to Smooth Scrolling
Are you an Apple user craving a smoother browsing experience? You might be surprised to learn that your iPhone, iPad, or Mac's ProMotion display is capable of delivering buttery smooth 120Hz animations, but Safari's default settings hold it back. That's right, Apple's beloved browser is locked to 60fps page rendering, leaving some users with a choppy scrolling sensation compared to Chrome or Firefox.
But here's the twist: Safari has a hidden setting that can unleash the full potential of your device's display. By adjusting this setting, you can enable 120Hz rendering, transforming your browsing experience.
At 60Hz, your screen refreshes every 16.7 milliseconds, displaying each frame of a scrolling page for that duration. But when you switch to 120Hz, the refresh interval drops to 8.3 milliseconds, doubling the image updates. This simple change significantly reduces blur and judder as content glides across your screen, making motion appear incredibly fluid and responsive. To see the difference for yourself, check out Blur Buster's Motion Tests webpage (https://testufo.com/) and witness the refresh rate test in Safari.
The impact is most noticeable when scrolling through text-heavy pages or panning across intricate content. However, the improvement varies from person to person. If Safari has always felt smooth to you, you might not notice a drastic change. But for those who've experienced Chrome or Firefox on the same device and felt Safari lag slightly behind, this hidden setting is the missing piece of the puzzle.
Unleashing Safari's 120Hz potential is a breeze on iPhone and iPad, but Mac users have a few extra steps to follow. On iOS devices, you can access the Feature Flags menu without any special mode. But on Mac, you'll need to enable developer features first, a simple process that's worth the effort. Just remember, enabling 120Hz might impact your device's battery life, especially if you're an avid browser.
How to Enable 120Hz Safari Browsing:
iPhone and iPad:
1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll to and tap Apps.
3. Select Safari.
4. Scroll to the bottom and tap Advanced.
5. Tap Feature Flags.
6. Find and toggle off 'Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps'.
7. Force quit Safari and reopen it.
With this simple tweak, Safari will render pages at a buttery smooth 120Hz on ProMotion-equipped devices, including iPhone 13 Pro and later, and iPad Pro models with ProMotion.
Mac:
1. Open Safari and click Safari in the menu bar, then choose Settings.
2. Click the Advanced tab.
3. Check the box next to 'Show features for web developers'.
4. Click the new Feature Flags tab in the toolbar.
5. Search for '60fps' in the search field.
6. Uncheck 'Prefer Page Rendering Updates near 60fps'.
7. Quit and reopen Safari.
This method works on Macs with ProMotion displays, such as the 2021 and later 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. If you have external displays connected that support 120Hz refresh rates, they'll also benefit from this change.
A special thanks to MacStories (https://www.macstories.net/linked/how-to-enable-smoother-120hz-scrolling-in-safari/) for bringing this tip to light, originally shared by developer Matt Birchler (https://birchtree.me/blog/how-to-enable-120hz-mode-in-safari-mac-iphone-and-ipad/).
Now, let's spark some discussion: Do you think Apple should make this 120Hz setting more accessible to all users? Or is it better suited for power users who seek the ultimate browsing experience? Share your thoughts in the comments!
