# How to create a profile in Safari on Mac: steps for Safari 17 and later

> How to create a profile in Safari on Mac: open Settings, pick Profiles, name it, choose an icon and extensions. Steps work in Safari 17 or later.

URL: https://www.lazur.app/how-to/create-a-profile-in-safari
Updated: 2026-11-08

To create a profile in Safari on Mac, choose Safari > Settings, click Profiles, then click Start Using Profiles or the add (+) button. Name the profile, pick an icon and color, choose a bookmarks folder, and click Create Profile.

## Quick answer

- Open Safari > Settings (⌘,), click Profiles, then click Start Using Profiles or the add (+) button.
- Name the profile, pick an icon and color, choose a bookmarks folder, and click Create Profile.
- Click Extensions and turn on the extensions this profile needs. New profiles start with extensions off.
- Switch with File > New Window > New [profile name] Window, or use the profile button in the toolbar.
- Profiles need Safari 17 or later. Check the version under Safari > About Safari.

Applies to: Safari 17 or later on macOS Sonoma or later. Time: 5 min. Difficulty: Easy.

## What you need

- A Mac running macOS Sonoma or later
- Safari 17 or later, checked under Safari > About Safari
- Safari turned on under iCloud, only if you want profiles to sync
- Apple Account, only for syncing across devices

## How to Create a new browsing profile in Safari on Mac in Safari on a Mac

1. **Open Safari and check the version.** (Safari > About Safari) Open Safari from the Dock or Spotlight. Choose Safari > About Safari to see the version number. Profiles need Safari 17 or later, so update macOS first if your version is older.
2. **Open Safari Settings.** (Safari > Settings) Shortcut: ⌘,. Choose Safari > Settings from the menu bar. The Settings window opens with its tabs across the top. The keyboard shortcut is Command and comma.
3. **Click the Profiles tab.** (Safari > Settings > Profiles) Click Profiles in the Settings toolbar. You will see the Personal profile already listed. It always exists, and you cannot delete it.
4. **Start your first profile or click add.** (Safari > Settings > Profiles) If this is your first profile, click Start Using Profiles. If you already have profiles, click the add (+) button below the profiles list.
5. **Enter a name.** Type a short name, such as Work, School, or Research. The name appears on the profile button and in the File menu, so keep it easy to read at a glance.
6. **Pick an icon and color.** Choose a symbol and a color for the profile. Pick options you can tell apart quickly, because you will glance at the toolbar to see which profile you are in.
7. **Choose a bookmarks folder.** Pick the bookmarks folder that supplies this profile's favorites. Choose a folder made for the profile if you want its links kept apart from your other lists.
8. **Click Create Profile.** Click Create Profile to save the new profile. Safari adds it to the list on the Profiles pane, where you can edit it later.
9. **Turn on the extensions this profile needs.** (Safari > Settings > Extensions) Click Extensions, then select the extensions this profile should use. New profiles start with extensions off, so nothing runs until you turn it on.
10. **Open a window in the new profile.** (File > New Window > New [profile name] Window) Choose File > New Window > New [profile name] Window. Replace [profile name] with the name you typed. The new window opens in that profile.
11. **Switch with the profile button.** Click the profile button in the Safari toolbar and pick the profile you want. The Switch to [Profile] Window option works only from a start page or an empty page, before you visit another site.
12. **Check the profile list each time you edit.** (Safari > Settings > Profiles) Return to Safari > Settings > Profiles whenever you want to rename a profile, change its icon, color, or bookmarks folder, or review its extensions.
13. **Delete a profile you no longer need.** (Safari > Settings > Profiles) Select the profile in Safari > Settings > Profiles, click the minus button, and confirm. This erases its history, cookies, and website data. Copy any bookmarks you need first, because Apple's two pages describe bookmarks differently.
14. **Confirm the profile works.** Open a new window in each profile and visit one site. Check that the profile button shows the right name and color before you start real work in that window.

A Safari profile is a separate browsing space inside the same app. Each profile keeps its own tabs, history, cookies, and website data. One profile can hold your work logins while another holds your personal ones. Tab Groups are separate as well.

## Check your Safari version first

Profiles need Safari 17 or later. Apple's Use profiles article says so directly. It adds that you need macOS Sonoma or later, or the latest Ventura and Monterey updates. Open Safari and choose Safari > About Safari to see your version number.

If your Mac is older, the Profiles tab will not show up in Settings. An Apple Community thread describes exactly that on Safari 16.6 running macOS Ventura 13.5. The top reply says the answer is Safari 17 or later, and that upgrading to Sonoma brings the tab back. That reply came from another user, not from Apple, so treat it as a clue and check Apple's own requirements.

- **17** Lowest Safari version that supports profiles, according to Apple's Use profiles article ([source](https://support.apple.com/en-us/105100))
- **7.83%** Safari's worldwide desktop browser share in October 2026, across all operating systems, not Mac only ([source](https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide))
- **Sept 14, 2026** Release date of Safari 27, per Apple's security content page for that release ([source](https://support.apple.com/en-us/149039))

## Read the menus before you click

Apple's two profile pages do not agree on the entry point. The Safari User Guide says to open Safari > Settings > Profiles, click the add (+) button, and fill in the form. Apple's Use profiles article also lists Safari > Create Profile as a way in, followed by a Start Using Profiles button for first-time setup.

> **Check your own menu:** This guide could not be checked against every macOS build. Start with Safari > Settings > Profiles. If your menu shows Safari > Create Profile, use that instead. Both lead to the same setup form on most versions.

## Name, icon, color, and bookmarks

The name is the label you see most. It shows on the profile button and in the File menu, so choose something short such as Work, School, or Research. Keep it short enough to read at a glance when you switch windows.

The icon and color give you a second cue. When two windows sit side by side, you can tell them apart before you read a word. Pick a color that is clearly different from the others. Avoid two similar blues.

The bookmarks folder decides which favorites this profile shows. Apple describes it as choosing a bookmarks folder for favorites. If you want work links kept out of your personal list, make a folder for each profile first, then pick it in the setup form.

| Setting | What it changes | A useful choice |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Name | Label on the profile button and in the File menu | Short, such as Work or School |
| Icon | Symbol shown with the profile | A different symbol for each profile |
| Color | Tint that helps you tell windows apart | Colors that are clearly different |
| Bookmarks folder | Which favorites this profile shows | A folder made just for this profile |

_The four choices in the profile setup form, based on Apple's guide._

## Pick extensions for each profile

Extensions are installed for all profiles, but each profile turns them on or off on its own. A new profile starts with its extensions off. That matters for an ad blocker or password helper, since it will not run in a new profile until you turn it on there.

Give each profile only what it needs. A research profile might keep a note tool and a citation helper. A personal profile might keep a password manager and nothing else. Fewer extensions means less to check when a page behaves oddly.

## Worked example: one Mac, three profiles

Say you split one Mac into three profiles. Work gets a Work name, a blue color, and a bookmarks folder that holds your client portals. Personal keeps the default Personal profile, which always exists, with a password helper turned on. A third profile called Research gets a folder of reference sites and the extensions it needs.

Set them up in that order, one at a time. Finish each Create Profile click before you start the next. Then open each profile once and check its toolbar icon, so you know which is which. This small check keeps you from browsing a client site in your personal window.

History works differently from passwords. A search made in Research does not show up in the Personal profile's history. Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain show up in every profile, so a login saved once works everywhere on your Mac.

## Switch between profiles without losing your place

You can switch in two ways. The profile button in the toolbar opens a new window for a profile or switches to one. The File menu does the same job from the menu bar. Choose File > New Window > New [profile name] Window to open one for the profile you want.

One limit catches people. The Switch to [Profile] Window option only appears from a start page or an empty page, before you visit another site. If you have already loaded a site in the window, open a new window first and choose the profile there.

- Click the profile button in the toolbar and choose the profile you want.
- Or choose File > New Window > New [profile name] Window from the menu bar.
- Press ⌘` (Command and backtick) to move between open Safari windows.
- Apple lists no keyboard shortcut for creating, switching, or deleting profiles. Use the menus or the toolbar.

## What stays separate and what is shared

Profiles separate less than many people expect. History, cookies, website data, Tab Groups, and start page settings stay inside each profile. AutoFill, passwords, and security, websites, and privacy settings are shared across all of them.

| Item | Per profile or shared | What it means for you |
| --- | --- | --- |
| History | Per profile | Pages you visit in Work stay out of Personal |
| Cookies and website data | Per profile | A login in one profile does not carry into another |
| Tab Groups | Per profile | Each profile keeps its own groups |
| AutoFill and passwords | Shared | Saved logins appear in every profile |
| Security, Websites, and Privacy settings | Shared | A change applies to all profiles |
| Extensions | Installed for all, on or off per profile | New profiles start with extensions off |

_What Apple says is separate and what is shared between profiles._

The table is the short version. Apple's full list covers start page settings and new tab behavior too. Check Apple's Use profiles article before you assume a setting is local to one profile.

## Sync profiles across your Apple devices

Profiles sync automatically only between devices that meet three conditions. Each device runs Safari 17 or later, is signed in with the same Apple Account, and has Safari turned on under iCloud in Apple Account settings. Apple's article also lists iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later for syncing.

If a profile is missing on another device, check those three conditions on both devices. A mismatch in any one of them stops the sync, so the profile seems to vanish.

## Edit, rename, or delete a profile

Open Safari > Settings > Profiles to change a profile later. Select it, then edit its name, icon, color, or bookmarks folder. The Personal profile always exists, and you can change its name, icon, and color. You cannot delete it or make another profile the default.

> **Deleting erases data:** Deleting a profile erases its history, cookies, and website data, and it closes any open websites in that profile. Copy the bookmarks you need before you start.

Apple's two pages describe bookmarks differently. One says the favorites folder stays unless it is empty. The other says bookmarks and favorites are kept. Treat both as a reason to check first, not as a guarantee.

If you delete every profile except Personal, Safari stops using profiles altogether. You are back to one browsing space.

## Mistakes people make with Safari profiles

1. Creating a profile, then browsing in the old window. Open a new window in the new profile before you sign in.
2. Keeping work tabs in Personal. Profiles only separate what you put in them, so move work browsing into its own profile.
3. Expecting passwords to split. Passwords in iCloud Keychain show up in every profile, as Apple describes it.
4. Forgetting extensions. New profiles start with extensions off, so check them before you rely on one.
5. Deleting a profile to clear one site. Deleting removes the whole profile's history, cookies, and website data.
6. Assuming links from Mail open in the right profile. The Open Links With Profile setting sits in Safari > Settings > Websites.

![MacBook on a desk with a browser open, used for separate work and personal profiles](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/create-a-profile-in-safari/how-to-create-a-profile-in-safari-2-c08819.jpg)

## Safari's place among Mac browsers

Safari is a smaller slice of desktop browsing than many people assume. StatCounter put Chrome at 66.98% and Safari at 7.83% of worldwide desktop browser use in October 2026. That figure covers every operating system, not only Macs, so use it as context rather than a Mac count.

Apple released Safari 27 on September 14, 2026. Its security page lists macOS Sequoia and macOS Tahoe as supported. Apple's Safari 27 guide describes profiles, and the steps on this page follow that guide.

## When the profile option is missing

Start with the version. If Profiles is missing from Safari > Settings, check Safari > About Safari first. Then update macOS through System Settings > General > Software Update.

If the profile button is missing from the toolbar, use the File menu instead. File > New Window > New [profile name] Window reaches the same profile. The toolbar button is a convenience, not the only route.

## What to do after your first profile

Use the new profile for a full day before you judge it. Note which sites you still open in the wrong window. Move those habits into the right profile, then delete any profile you tried and no longer need.

![Man using a MacBook at a table, switching between work and personal browsing](https://images.lazur.app/content-images/howto/create-a-profile-in-safari/how-to-create-a-profile-in-safari-3-17f947.jpg)

Two profiles, one for work and one for everything else, cover most setups. Add a third only when a second context needs its own history and logins. If you want to check where a setting lives, open Apple's Safari User Guide for your version.

## Shortcuts

- Open Safari Settings: ⌘,
- Switch between open Safari windows: ⌘`
- Reopen the last closed window: ⇧⌘T
- Find text on a page: ⌘F
- Create, switch, or delete a profile: None from Apple

## If it does not work

- **The Profiles tab is missing in Safari Settings** Check Safari > About Safari. Profiles need Safari 17 or later. A community thread reports the same missing tab on Safari 16.6 on macOS Ventura 13.5, and the top reply says upgrading to Sonoma brings it back. That reply came from a user, not from Apple.
- **Safari > Create Profile is not in my menu** Apple's older article lists Safari > Create Profile, while the newer guide uses Safari > Settings > Profiles and the add (+) button. Use the Settings route first, then check the menu on your own Mac.
- **The profile button is missing from the toolbar** Use File > New Window > New [profile name] Window instead. The File menu reaches the same profile, so the toolbar button is not required.
- **Switch to [Profile] Window does not appear** That option only shows from a start page or an empty page, before you visit another site. Open a new window, then use the switch option before you load any site.
- **Links from Mail or Messages open in the wrong profile** Go to Safari > Settings > Websites and check Open Links With Profile. That setting applies only to links opened from outside Safari, such as in Mail or Messages.
- **Profiles do not match on another device** Syncing needs Safari 17 or later, the same Apple Account, and Safari turned on under iCloud. Check all three on each device before you assume the profile is gone.

## With Lazur

Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac that lives in the notch. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask; it sees your screen, answers out loud, points at buttons and walks you through apps. Hold fn to dictate. Free for 3 days, then $18/month: https://www.lazur.app/download

- “Where is the Profiles tab in Safari Settings?”: Lazur circles the Profiles tab in Safari Settings and waits while you click. You stay in control of every click. (Walks you through it)

## FAQ

### Can I create a profile in Safari on Mac on an older version?

Not with the profiles feature. Apple's Use profiles article says profiles require Safari 17 or later. Check Safari > About Safari, then update macOS if you need a newer version.

### Where is the profile button in Safari?

After you create a profile, a profile button appears in the Safari toolbar. You can also use File > New Window > New [profile name] Window. Apple's article describes both routes.

### Do Safari profiles share my passwords?

Yes. AutoFill and passwords are shared between profiles, and passwords stored in iCloud Keychain are available in every profile. History, cookies, and website data stay separate.

### Will deleting a profile delete my bookmarks?

Apple's pages do not fully agree. One says deleting erases history, cookies, and website data and keeps bookmarks. Copy the links you need before you delete.

### Can I delete the Personal profile in Safari?

No. The Personal profile always exists. You can change its name, icon, and color, but Apple says you cannot delete it or make another profile the default.

### Do Safari profiles sync to my iPhone or iPad?

Profiles sync only between devices running Safari 17 or later, signed in with the same Apple Account, with Safari turned on under iCloud. Apple's article lists iOS 17 or iPadOS 17 or later for syncing.

### Is Safari a big browser compared with Chrome?

Chrome is much larger worldwide. StatCounter put Chrome at 66.98% and Safari at 7.83% of desktop browser use in October 2026, across all operating systems.

## Sources

1. [Create distinct browsing profiles in Safari on Mac: Apple Support Guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/create-profiles-ibrwf3a9e7d6/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08
2. [Use profiles in Safari on Mac: Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/105100), Apple, checked 2026-11-08
3. [Keyboard shortcuts and gestures in Safari on Mac: Apple Support Guide](https://support.apple.com/guide/safari/keyboard-shortcuts-and-gestures-cpsh003/mac), Apple, checked 2026-11-08
4. [About the security content of Safari 27: Apple Support](https://support.apple.com/en-us/149039), Apple, checked 2026-11-08
5. [Safari Profiles Menu not Shown: Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255091778), Apple Community (user forum), checked 2026-11-08
6. [Desktop Browser Market Share Worldwide: StatCounter](https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share/desktop/worldwide), StatCounter, checked 2026-11-08