It can be frustrating when your Safari browser shows “Safari can’t open page because the address is invalid. It sent a message to you that the address cannot be opened. But, why is Safari returning the page can’t be open because the address is invalid even when it is?
Well, in this article, we will walk you through how to fix Safari can’t open page because the address is invalid.
Safari is the most widely used web browser on most iOS devices such as iPhones. So, the chance of seeing the error message at some point stating that Safari was unable to access the website you were trying to open because the web URL was invalid is on the high side.
Although, this is fixable but it can be frustrating before it can be fixed. So, with this guide, you will understand various steps to take to fix your Safari browser when it renders a valid web address as invalid.
Why Safari can’t Open Page because the Address is Invalid?
There are a few reasons why you keep seeing Safari can’t open the page because the website address isn’t valid. This include:
- Invalid connection
- Outdated software
- DNS problem
- Excess cache in your Safari browser
- The web address is truly invalid
The causes aren’t limited to these but these must be first taken into consideration before you conclude that your iPhone is having some kind of glitch.
How to fix Safari Can’t Open Page because the Address is Invalid
Here is the possible solution to fix Safari’s can’t open page error, one of them should work for you if not all. Follow the steps below:
Check your Internet Connection
The most frequent cause of a web page not loading in Safari is a lost Internet connection. Maybe your Wi-Fi network is down, or maybe your cellular data plan ran out. Open different websites with Safari on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad. You can be sure your Internet connection is not the problem if any of them load.
Try loading a page on a different device or in a different browser if Safari consistently reports that the address is invalid for every page you visit. You might find that absolutely nothing loads. In this scenario, your Internet connection most likely has a problem. To fix it, either restart your Wi-Fi router or get in touch with your Internet service provider.
Refresh the Particular Page in Safari
When entering a web URL by hand, mistakes are bound to happen. It’s so easy that occasionally the links you click on other websites were written incorrectly by their creators. Ensure you check the website address once more at the top of Safari.
Watch out for typos and improper punctuation. Be sure not to use anything else, like .com, if you were supposed to use .org or something else.
When you are sure that the website address is spelt correctly, use Safari’s refresh button to attempt loading it once more. This is the circled arrow in Safari that is located to the right of the address.
To try loading that website again on a Mac without utilizing your cached data, click on Option + Cmd + R. If it does, go with the steps below to clear Safari’s cache because you might have a malfunctioning cache.
Open a Website’s Mobile Version
You can use most websites on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch since they constantly adapt to smaller screens. It’s conceivable that Safari is attempting to load the wrong version of a page for your device if a page won’t load in Safari.
- Navigate to Settings >> Safari >> Request Desktop Website on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- Disable the option to Request Desktop Website for all websites.
- Alternatively, if it’s already off, try turning it on.
- Resize the Safari window on a Mac to alter how websites appear.
Ensure that it is large enough to see websites in their desktop form.
Close Safari and try again
If Safari is having issues in the background, it might be because the address is incorrect. Any app will occasionally experience this. Close Safari, then restart it, then try to load the same website.
- To display all of your open apps on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, slide up from the bottom of the screen (or double-click the Home button).
- To close Safari, slide it off the screen’s top.
- If you launch Safari again before going back to the Home screen, your device won’t truly close the program.
- Go to Safari >> Quit Safari in the menu bar on a Mac.
- Alternately, while Safari is your active app, click on Cmd + Q.
- Press Option + Cmd + Escape to force Safari to shut down if it isn’t responding.
That’s it! This should fix Safari can’t open page because the address is invalid error.
Restart your Device
If you haven’t already, you should restart your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod, or other devices before attempting to open Safari once more. It’s a good idea to exit Safari once more before turning off your device.
To turn off an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, follow the steps below:
- Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button while also holding down one of the Volume buttons.
- To shut down a Mac, go to the Apple menu, choose Shut Down, and then confirm your decision.
- To reset your device, reopen Safari, and try loading various pages once more, wait for at least 30 seconds before clicking the Sleep/Wake or Power button.
This should fix the Safari can’t open page because the address is invalid error message, but if not, you can try the next step.
Update to the most recent Software
Whether it’s been a year or a week since your gadget received an update, you should check it again right away for any new releases from Apple. If a software fault is a source of Safari acting up, Apple ought to be working hard to fix it. Follow the steps below:
- Go to Settings >> General >> Software Update on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- Any updates for your device are available for download and installation.
- Check the iPhone XS for an iOS software update.
- Open the Apple menu on your Mac, then select System Preferences > Software Update.
- Finally, ensure that you download and install any new updates.
Clear your Safari Browser Cache
Safari stores a variety of information from various websites to enhance your browsing experience. With so much information, it’s simple for files to become corrupt, which could lead to additional issues with Safari.
To try and fix it, you can delete website data from Safari. This clears the cache for previously visited websites and deletes your browsing history. But don’t worry, it has no impact whatsoever on your saved passwords or bookmarks.
- Go to Settings >> Safari on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- To clear history and website data, scroll down and tap the corresponding option.
- In the pop-up menu that appears, confirm your desire to do so.
- Open Safari on a Mac, then select History >> Clear History in the menu bar.
- Then, select Privacy under Preferences in Safari.
- Select Remove All data from the Manage Website Data window after opening it.
This is all about clearing the cache. This should fix Safari can’t open page because the address is invalid.
Change your Device DNS
Domain Name System (DNS) can be regarded as the address book your device uses to locate specific websites on the Internet. If Safari can’t open page because the address is invalid, there might be an issue with your DNS.
Your device’s default DNS can be easily changed in the settings. There are several alternatives to DNS servers that you can use. We recommend Google Public DNS, but you can follow the instructions below to use other DNS servers also:
- Go to Settings >> Wi-Fi on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
- Click on the “i” button next to your Wi-Fi network then select Configure DNS.
- Input the DNS servers of your choice.
- Open the Apple Menu on a Mac, and go to System Preferences > Network.
- Choose your Wi-Fi network from the sidebar then go to Advanced >> DNS.
- Type the DNS servers of your choice.
- For Google Public DNS, add these servers: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4.