This month, Apple released the first beta of macOS Sonoma, which brings new features such as interactive widgets on the desktop, new tools for editing PDF files, and Game Mode. The update also comes with Safari 17, which brings improvements to Apple’s web browser. But if you don’t want to wait to try out the new Safari, Apple has now updated Safari Technology Preview with some of the features coming with macOS Sonoma.
For those unfamiliar, Safari Technology Preview is an alternative version of Apple’s web browser that adds experimental features. This way, developers can prepare their websites and web apps for the new technologies before they become available to the public.
Safari Technology Preview 173
Safari Technology Preview 173 is the first release based on Safari 17, which comes pre-installed with macOS Sonoma beta. The new version of Safari has several enhancements, including support for JPEG XL and HEIC media formats and Live Text support for vertical text. There are also big updates for web developers.
The Responsive Design Mode has been refreshed to “focus on the responsiveness of a page’s design at any width or height on your Mac.” The Developer menu has also been redesigned to make it easier to find the key tools used for creating and testing websites and web apps.
Apple has also replaced the Experimental Features section, which was rather cluttered, with a new Feature Flags setting. This menu lets users search for specific features to try. Experimental features are now categorized by Stable, Testable, Preview, or Developer.
In macOS Sonoma, Safari 17 also adds Profiles to let users organize and separate their browsing data and web apps, along with improved Private Browsing. However, these features won’t be available for users running the new Safari on macOS Ventura.
Here’s how to install it
Apple’s experimental web browser can be downloaded from the Apple Developer website. Then, all you have to do is follow the instructions to install the app on your Mac. It’s worth noting that this version doesn’t replace the main Safari app.
The new Safari Technology Preview 173 can be installed on both macOS Sonoma beta and macOS Ventura. This means that users running the latest macOS official release can experience the latest Safari changes without having to install beta versions of the operating system.
More details about what’s new in Safari 17 and Safari Technology Preview 173 can be found here.
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