Chicago (IL) - Safari 4 Beta, which Apple unleashed into the wild yesterday, brings
several new features that are not everyone's cup of tea. Some would like to turn
off the flashy features because they eat up a lot of CPU time
on an average system. Others are simply annoyed by the eye-candy and
want it gone so they can "just browse". Unfortunately, Safari doesn't let you turn new features
on and off through easy-to-use dialogs. However, with a little hackery you can change
hidden preference settings to selectively turn on or off many new features, as well as control how those new features work.
If Safari 4 Beta is any indication of the final product, then we're in for lots of new features
and visual treats rarely seen in a web browser. Safari 4 Beta brings the arrival of Cover Flow mode, which is used for visual flipping through bookmarks and history. In addition, it has a similar visual Top Sites feature which presents up to 24 thumbnails
of sites regularly visited in a stunning 3D wall. But, what if you don't want those CPU- and bandwidth-hogging features? Of course, expecting Apple to provide Safari users
with a way to selectively turn the new features on and off to their
liking is a waste of time. Other browsers also lack such controls as
their respective vendors want you to use the new features, not switch
them off.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't a backdoor to access
preference settings usually hidden from us mere mortals, but one actively used
by programmers during the development phase. In the case of Safari 4 Beta,
we have compiled a list of top ten hacks that allow you to turn off
Cover Flow and Top Sites, two key graphically-intensive new features
that require lots of CPU time. In addition, you will learn how to tweak
the behavior of the address and search fields by turning on/off Google
suggestions, preventing recent searches from auto-populating the list,
and so on...
KILL THE COVER FLOW
Cover Flow technology first appeared in iTunes but was quickly deployed in OS X Leopard's Finder, iPods and iPhones. It also arrives now in Safari 4 Beta where it is used to visually flip through a list of bookmarks and history items. It sure looks nice, but some users out there hate its guts. Fortunately, there is a hack to kill Cover Flow entirely in Safari.Windows and OS X
These hacks work on both the Windows and OS X versions of the browser, and
are invoked in a similar manner -- although the details differ slightly due to
differences between the two operating systems. This article covers both
platforms and provides detailed information for both OS X and Windows
would-be Safari hackers. To change Safari's hidden settings we are
tampering with the com.apple.Safari.plits file, an XML-formatted file
that stores Safari's preference settings. By adding several lines of
new preference values that aren't normally there (but are recognized by
Safari), we can change some settings that aren't normally found in the
Safari preferences dialog.
Changing the com.apple.Safari.plits file won't damage your Safari
installation in any way because Safari will re-create it if it's
missing. Before changing anything, backup the file so you can revert
to your original settings if something goes wrong. As a rule of thumb,
exit Safari when tampering with the preferences file, and then re-launch
it to see how it affects the browser's appearance after editing.
Readers who know their way
around their operating system and have the knowledge of its inner
working can immediately jump to the Top 10 hidden Safari preferences
section. Others are advised to read a little bit of theory that
follows. Happy hacking! Oh, one more thing. If you find a new hack,
make sure you share it with us in the comments section.
Read on the next page: Where to find Safari's preference file, How it is formatted and How to edit it...
How to locate the Safari preferences file OS X
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist on your boot drive.
Windows XPC:\Documents and Settings\ACCOUNT\Application Data\Apple Computer\Preferences\
Windows Vista and Windows 7 BetaC:\Users\ACCOUNT\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\Preferences\
NOTE: Windows users first need to check the Show hidden files, folders and drives option found in the View tab of Folder Options (Windows Explorer's View menu) to be able to navigate the given path. The ACCOUNT part of the path refers to your Windows user account. If
you don't know what it is, find it out in the User Accounts
applet of the Control Panel.
Safari preferences file format
This file keeps your regular Safari preferences, but you can add secret
items that are nowhere to be found in the browser's Preferences
section through default installation. Each hidden preference item needs to be added manually to the
com.apple.Safari.plist file right after the <dict> line. Each
hidden preference item is defined in a form of <key>TITLE</key>,
where TITLE is replaced with a specific preference item name. For
example, the hidden preference setting defining if Safari's tab bar is
kept on the window's title bar is named DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop. As such, it is defined in the com.apple.Safari.plist file by adding the <key>DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop</key> line right after the <dict> statement.
The value of the item is defined in the line immediately following the definition
statement (which ended with the </key> tag). Values for hidden preference
items in this article are all boolean, meaning they can be either TRUE or
FALSE, defined by the <true/> or <false/> line following right after preference item definition in the com.apple.Safari.plist file. The />
part with which the value ends marks end of value statement for this
particular item so that next line is interpreted as another preference
value definition.
While it all sounds complicated, it comes down to
adding the following two lines in the com.apple.Safari.plist file in
order to make the tabs bar appear in a regular position, rather than on
window's top:
PROPERTY LIST EDITOR FOR WINDOWS
Here's how a XML-formatted preferences file for Safari looks like when viewed in a free PC utility called plist Editor for Windows. Each <key> and <value> pair defines a certain preference setting in Safari. The whole wisdom comes down to adding preference items that aren't normally there but are recognized by the browser.Editing the Safari preferences file
Windows
Unlike OS X users which can resort to Terminal commands to update the
content of the com.apple.Safari.plist file, Windows users need to type
in required lines directly into it using one of several so-called
property list editor utilities. We recommend a nifty plist Editor for Windows
that will get the job done and comes free of charge. Simply open the
com.apple.Safari.plist file using the plist Editor tool to add and
change hidden preference items as described in the previous section.
If a preference item is already defined in the file, simply change its value to either true or false.
In most cases a preference item won't be defined in the file, meaning
you will have to type in both its definition and value. To revert
preference item to the default value, simply remove both its definition
and value from the file.
OS X
Users running Safari in OS X are in for a treat because they are not
require to edit the com.apple.Safari.plist file directly. Instead, you
change preference setting with commands invoked in Terminal. For
instance, to move the tabs bar to its regular position, you simply type
the following command in Terminal (NOTE: The text here should be input on one line, it is divided into two lines for display purposes only):
to move the tabs bar back to window's top, you need to change the value
from NO to YES by typing the following command in Terminal.
If
you want to set a preference setting to its default value, simply run
the defaults command with the delete flag for a wanted preference item.
In case of above mentioned tabs bar placement, you would type the
following command in Terminal:
Note: The defaults command doesn't require you to include the -bool NO part.
Read on the next page: Top 10 hidden Safari preferences
(NOTE: The text below should all be input on one line, it is divided into two lines for display purposes only)
1. TABS IN PLACE - Moves the tabs bar from top of the window to its regular position.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
2. BLUE LOADING BAR (OS X ONLY) - Restores the blue loading bar behind the URL in the address field. This trick works only in OS X Safari version.OS XWrite the following in Terminal:
Windows:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeToolbarRedesign item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeToolbarRedesign</key><false/>
3. SPINNER IN TAB - Moves a page loading spinner indicator from the
address field to a tab. This is useful for quickly glancing if a page has loaded
when you have multiple tabs opened.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4LoadProgressStyle item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4LoadProgressStyle</key>
<false/>
4. OLD-SCHOOL URL AUTOCOMPLETE - Reverts to the original design of the URL autocompletion menu.
OS XWrite the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeFancyURLCompletionList item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeFancyURLCompletionList</key><false/>
5. KILL GOOGLE SUGGEST - Turns off Google Suggest search suggestions for queries typed in the search field.
OS XWrite the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeGoogleSuggest item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeGoogleSuggest</key><false/>
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeFlowViewInBookmarksView item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
7. KILL TOP SITES - Removes the Top Sites feature from the browser entirely. Disabling it also removes Top Sites choice from the drop-down list in the General section of Safari
preferences that enables you to choose what should open when you create
a new tab ("New tabs open with..." option).
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
8. NO PAGE DIMMING - Removes dimming effect when you click on a page in the Top
Sites section. When clicked, a page thumbnail zooms into place and
normally remains dimmed until Safari refreshes page content. This hack
simply removes page dimming.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4TopSitesZoomToPageAnimationDimsSnapshot item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
9. CLEAR RECENT SEARCHES - Starts anew a list of recent searches that appear when you
start typing into Safari's search field. Keep in mind that this hack
simply clears a list while searches still remain locally stored on your
computer and can be accessed in your browsing history. All searches
that you do from this point on will re-create Safari's list and will
consequentially appear in the Recent Searches section of the search
field.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
several new features that are not everyone's cup of tea. Some would like to turn
off the flashy features because they eat up a lot of CPU time
on an average system. Others are simply annoyed by the eye-candy and
want it gone so they can "just browse". Unfortunately, Safari doesn't let you turn new features
on and off through easy-to-use dialogs. However, with a little hackery you can change
hidden preference settings to selectively turn on or off many new features, as well as control how those new features work.
If Safari 4 Beta is any indication of the final product, then we're in for lots of new features
and visual treats rarely seen in a web browser. Safari 4 Beta brings the arrival of Cover Flow mode, which is used for visual flipping through bookmarks and history. In addition, it has a similar visual Top Sites feature which presents up to 24 thumbnails
of sites regularly visited in a stunning 3D wall. But, what if you don't want those CPU- and bandwidth-hogging features? Of course, expecting Apple to provide Safari users
with a way to selectively turn the new features on and off to their
liking is a waste of time. Other browsers also lack such controls as
their respective vendors want you to use the new features, not switch
them off.
However, that doesn't mean there isn't a backdoor to access
preference settings usually hidden from us mere mortals, but one actively used
by programmers during the development phase. In the case of Safari 4 Beta,
we have compiled a list of top ten hacks that allow you to turn off
Cover Flow and Top Sites, two key graphically-intensive new features
that require lots of CPU time. In addition, you will learn how to tweak
the behavior of the address and search fields by turning on/off Google
suggestions, preventing recent searches from auto-populating the list,
and so on...
KILL THE COVER FLOW
Cover Flow technology first appeared in iTunes but was quickly deployed in OS X Leopard's Finder, iPods and iPhones. It also arrives now in Safari 4 Beta where it is used to visually flip through a list of bookmarks and history items. It sure looks nice, but some users out there hate its guts. Fortunately, there is a hack to kill Cover Flow entirely in Safari.
These hacks work on both the Windows and OS X versions of the browser, and
are invoked in a similar manner -- although the details differ slightly due to
differences between the two operating systems. This article covers both
platforms and provides detailed information for both OS X and Windows
would-be Safari hackers. To change Safari's hidden settings we are
tampering with the com.apple.Safari.plits file, an XML-formatted file
that stores Safari's preference settings. By adding several lines of
new preference values that aren't normally there (but are recognized by
Safari), we can change some settings that aren't normally found in the
Safari preferences dialog.
Changing the com.apple.Safari.plits file won't damage your Safari
installation in any way because Safari will re-create it if it's
missing. Before changing anything, backup the file so you can revert
to your original settings if something goes wrong. As a rule of thumb,
exit Safari when tampering with the preferences file, and then re-launch
it to see how it affects the browser's appearance after editing.
Readers who know their way
around their operating system and have the knowledge of its inner
working can immediately jump to the Top 10 hidden Safari preferences
section. Others are advised to read a little bit of theory that
follows. Happy hacking! Oh, one more thing. If you find a new hack,
make sure you share it with us in the comments section.
TOP SITES A RESOURCE HOG? KILL IT...
Top Sites, another eye-candy feature of Safari 4 Beta, puts high-quality thumbnails of your most visited sites on a 3D wall. However, calculating thumbnails and rendering the wall can eat up 70 percent or more of CPU time on a 2.0 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo-powered Mac and Windows systems. If you're not willing to pay the cost, kill Top Sites entirely.Read on the next page: Where to find Safari's preference file, How it is formatted and How to edit it...
How to locate the Safari preferences file OS X
~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.Safari.plist on your boot drive.
Windows XPC:\Documents and Settings\ACCOUNT\Application Data\Apple Computer\Preferences\
Windows Vista and Windows 7 BetaC:\Users\ACCOUNT\AppData\Roaming\Apple Computer\Preferences\
NOTE: Windows users first need to check the Show hidden files, folders and drives option found in the View tab of Folder Options (Windows Explorer's View menu) to be able to navigate the given path. The ACCOUNT part of the path refers to your Windows user account. If
you don't know what it is, find it out in the User Accounts
applet of the Control Panel.
Safari preferences file format
This file keeps your regular Safari preferences, but you can add secret
items that are nowhere to be found in the browser's Preferences
section through default installation. Each hidden preference item needs to be added manually to the
com.apple.Safari.plist file right after the <dict> line. Each
hidden preference item is defined in a form of <key>TITLE</key>,
where TITLE is replaced with a specific preference item name. For
example, the hidden preference setting defining if Safari's tab bar is
kept on the window's title bar is named DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop. As such, it is defined in the com.apple.Safari.plist file by adding the <key>DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop</key> line right after the <dict> statement.
The value of the item is defined in the line immediately following the definition
statement (which ended with the </key> tag). Values for hidden preference
items in this article are all boolean, meaning they can be either TRUE or
FALSE, defined by the <true/> or <false/> line following right after preference item definition in the com.apple.Safari.plist file. The />
part with which the value ends marks end of value statement for this
particular item so that next line is interpreted as another preference
value definition.
While it all sounds complicated, it comes down to
adding the following two lines in the com.apple.Safari.plist file in
order to make the tabs bar appear in a regular position, rather than on
window's top:
<key>DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop</key><false/>If you wanted it to be on top:
<key>DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop</key><true/>
PROPERTY LIST EDITOR FOR WINDOWS
Here's how a XML-formatted preferences file for Safari looks like when viewed in a free PC utility called plist Editor for Windows. Each <key> and <value> pair defines a certain preference setting in Safari. The whole wisdom comes down to adding preference items that aren't normally there but are recognized by the browser.
Windows
Unlike OS X users which can resort to Terminal commands to update the
content of the com.apple.Safari.plist file, Windows users need to type
in required lines directly into it using one of several so-called
property list editor utilities. We recommend a nifty plist Editor for Windows
that will get the job done and comes free of charge. Simply open the
com.apple.Safari.plist file using the plist Editor tool to add and
change hidden preference items as described in the previous section.
If a preference item is already defined in the file, simply change its value to either true or false.
In most cases a preference item won't be defined in the file, meaning
you will have to type in both its definition and value. To revert
preference item to the default value, simply remove both its definition
and value from the file.
OS X
Users running Safari in OS X are in for a treat because they are not
require to edit the com.apple.Safari.plist file directly. Instead, you
change preference setting with commands invoked in Terminal. For
instance, to move the tabs bar to its regular position, you simply type
the following command in Terminal (NOTE: The text here should be input on one line, it is divided into two lines for display purposes only):
defaults write com.apple.SafariConsequently,
DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop -bool NO
to move the tabs bar back to window's top, you need to change the value
from NO to YES by typing the following command in Terminal.
defaults write com.apple.Safari
DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop -bool YES
If
you want to set a preference setting to its default value, simply run
the defaults command with the delete flag for a wanted preference item.
In case of above mentioned tabs bar placement, you would type the
following command in Terminal:
defaults delete com.apple.SafariDebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop
Note: The defaults command doesn't require you to include the -bool NO part.
Read on the next page: Top 10 hidden Safari preferences
(NOTE: The text below should all be input on one line, it is divided into two lines for display purposes only)
1. TABS IN PLACE - Moves the tabs bar from top of the window to its regular position.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.Safari DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop -bool NOWindowsChange the value of the DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4TabBarIsOnTop</key><false/>
2. BLUE LOADING BAR (OS X ONLY) - Restores the blue loading bar behind the URL in the address field. This trick works only in OS X Safari version.OS XWrite the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.Safari
DebugSafari4IncludeToolbarRedesign -bool NO
Windows:
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeToolbarRedesign item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeToolbarRedesign</key><false/>
3. SPINNER IN TAB - Moves a page loading spinner indicator from the
address field to a tab. This is useful for quickly glancing if a page has loaded
when you have multiple tabs opened.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4LoadProgressStyle -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4LoadProgressStyle item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4LoadProgressStyle</key>
<false/>
4. OLD-SCHOOL URL AUTOCOMPLETE - Reverts to the original design of the URL autocompletion menu.
OS XWrite the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4IncludeFancyURLCompletionList -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeFancyURLCompletionList item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeFancyURLCompletionList</key><false/>
5. KILL GOOGLE SUGGEST - Turns off Google Suggest search suggestions for queries typed in the search field.
OS XWrite the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4IncludeGoogleSuggest -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeGoogleSuggest item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeGoogleSuggest</key><false/>
TURN OFF GOOGLE'S SEARCH SUGGESTIONS
When you start typing into Safari's search field, it will display a list of the matches from your bookmarks and history and suggestions obtained online from the Google Suggest service. If you want, you can turn Google suggestions from appearing in this list.
6. KILL COVER FLOW IN BOOKMARKS - Removes the Cover Flow feature from the Bookmarks view entirely.When you start typing into Safari's search field, it will display a list of the matches from your bookmarks and history and suggestions obtained online from the Google Suggest service. If you want, you can turn Google suggestions from appearing in this list.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4IncludeFlowViewInBookmarksView -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeFlowViewInBookmarksView item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeFlowViewIn- BookmarksView</key><false/>
7. KILL TOP SITES - Removes the Top Sites feature from the browser entirely. Disabling it also removes Top Sites choice from the drop-down list in the General section of Safari
preferences that enables you to choose what should open when you create
a new tab ("New tabs open with..." option).
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites</key><false/>
8. NO PAGE DIMMING - Removes dimming effect when you click on a page in the Top
Sites section. When clicked, a page thumbnail zooms into place and
normally remains dimmed until Safari refreshes page content. This hack
simply removes page dimming.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4TopSitesZoomToPageAnimation- DimsSnapshot -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4TopSitesZoomToPageAnimationDimsSnapshot item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4TopSitesZoomToPageAnimation- DimsSnapshot</key><false/>(hyphen in the <key>-string denotes continuation, remove and input on a single line)
9. CLEAR RECENT SEARCHES - Starts anew a list of recent searches that appear when you
start typing into Safari's search field. Keep in mind that this hack
simply clears a list while searches still remain locally stored on your
computer and can be accessed in your browsing history. All searches
that you do from this point on will re-create Safari's list and will
consequentially appear in the Recent Searches section of the search
field.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites -bool NO
Change the value of the DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites item in the com.apple.Safari.plist file to false. If this item is missing, add the following right after the <dict> line:
<key>DebugSafari4IncludeTopSites</key><false/>
10. DISPLAY PAGES FASTER - A preset time delay prevents Safari's
WebKit engine from immediately throwing a page on screen in order to give some time for scripts, images and page code to arrive over the network
and catch up with the rendering engine. You can reduce this treshold to
slightly improve page display, which helps the perception of page
loading times.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
Use the plist Editor to add the following two lines to the Defaults.plist file found in C:\Program Files\Safari\Safari.resources folder:
WebKit engine from immediately throwing a page on screen in order to give some time for scripts, images and page code to arrive over the network
and catch up with the rendering engine. You can reduce this treshold to
slightly improve page display, which helps the perception of page
loading times.
OS X
Write the following in Terminal:
defaults write com.apple.SafariWindows:
WebKitInitialTimedLayoutDelay -real 0.25
Use the plist Editor to add the following two lines to the Defaults.plist file found in C:\Program Files\Safari\Safari.resources folder:
<key>WebKitInitialTimedLayoutDelay</key><real>0.25</real>
CLEAR RECENT SEARCHES
While you can always
delete past searches from the browsing history saved locally on your
computer, this hack allows you to clear recent search entries that
automatically populate the search field when you start typing, while
keeping corresponding search items in you browsing history intact.
delete past searches from the browsing history saved locally on your
computer, this hack allows you to clear recent search entries that
automatically populate the search field when you start typing, while
keeping corresponding search items in you browsing history intact.
HELP US EXPAND THE LIST: If you stumble upon cool trick or hack that can alter how Safari works outside the built-in preference settings, don't forget to share it with the rest of us in the comments section. If it's cool enough, we'll put it here and credit you!
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