Apple Reminds Developers That Safari 14 Supports Extensions Ported From Chrome, Firefox, and Edge

Apple this week reminded developers that they can create web extensions in Safari 14 using the same WebExtensions API used in other browsers, such as Chrome, Firefox, and Edge. A new conversion tool in Xcode 12 beta also allows developers to port existing extensions from other browsers to Safari and make available on the Mac App Store later this year.

safari macos icon banner
Apple says developers have two options for creating Safari web extensions:

• Convert your existing extension into a Safari web extension, so you can use it in Safari on macOS and distribute it in the App Store. Xcode includes a command-line tool to simplify this process.
• Build a new Safari web extension in Xcode using the built-in template. You can then repackage the extension files for deployment in other browsers.

Safari web extensions are available in macOS Big Sur and in macOS 10.14.6 or 10.15.6 with Safari 14 installed.

Not all Chrome, Firefox, and Edge extensions will work in Safari, and developers will be required to pay $99 per year for an Apple Developer Program membership in order to port their extensions to Safari. Apple has a WWDC video and documentation with more details for developers.

Tag: Safari
Related Forum: macOS Big Sur

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Render Front Page Tech

iPhone 17 Pro Launching Later This Year With These 10 New Features

Sunday March 23, 2025 10:00 am PDT by
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices. iPhone 17 Pro's alleged design via Front Page Tech Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of March 2025: Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone...
iCloud General Feature Redux

iPhone Users Who Pay for iCloud Storage Receive a New Perk

Thursday March 20, 2025 12:01 am PDT by
If you pay for iCloud storage on your iPhone, Apple has a new perk for you, at no additional cost. The new perk is the ability to create invitations in the Apple Invites app for the iPhone, which launched in the App Store last month. In the Apple Invites app, iCloud+ subscribers can create invitations for any occasion, such as birthday parties, graduations, baby showers, and more. Anyone ...
iOS 18

Top 5 New Features Coming in iOS 18.4

Friday March 21, 2025 3:26 pm PDT by
We're not getting new Siri Apple Intelligence features in iOS 18.4 as expected, but the upcoming update does have quite a few new additions that will be worth upgrading for. We've rounded up the five best features to look forward to, and if you're not running the beta, you can expect to get access to these in early April. Priority Notifications If you have an iPhone or iPad that supports...
Generic iOS 19 Feature Mock

iOS 19 Coming in June With These New Features

Thursday March 20, 2025 2:04 pm PDT by
While the first iOS 19 beta is still more than two months away, there are already plenty of rumors about the upcoming software update. Below, we recap the key iOS 19 rumors so far. visionOS-Like Design In January, the YouTube channel Front Page Tech revealed a redesigned Camera app that is allegedly planned for iOS 19. According to Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser, the Camera app...
Generic iOS 18

Apple Seeds iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 Release Candidate With Priority Notifications, Ambient Music and More

Monday March 24, 2025 10:07 am PDT by
Apple today seeded the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after Apple released the fourth betas. iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4 can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software Update. With iOS 18.4, Apple is adding the Priority Notifications...
airpods max 2024 colors

Don't Buy Into Apple's Hype About AirPods Max Gaining Lossless Audio

Monday March 24, 2025 4:24 pm PDT by
Apple today announced that AirPods Max with a USB-C port will be gaining support for lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio with a firmware update next month, alongside the release of iOS 18.4, iPadOS 18.4, and macOS 15.4. For context, audio files are typically compressed to keep file sizes smaller. There are lossy compression standards like MP3, and Apple's own Advanced Audio Codec...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Iridescent Search

Foldable iPhone Expected to Launch Next Year, Costing Around $2,000

Monday March 24, 2025 3:43 am PDT by
Apple will launch its long-rumored foldable iPhone next year with a ~$2,000 premium price tag attached, expects well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman. Gurman's comments on Apple's launch plans for its first foldable device appeared in the Q&A section of his latest Power On newsletter. Earlier this month, the reporter said Apple's foldable iPhone could be arriving "as early as 2026,"...
iOS 19 Rounded UI Elements Light

iOS 19: What to Expect From Apple's Dramatic Design Overhaul?

Monday March 24, 2025 9:47 am PDT by
Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Apple is planning "one of the most dramatic software overhauls in the company's history" – an update that aims to bring iOS, iPadOS, and macOS into closer visual alignment. The redesign is said to be "loosely based" on visionOS, the software behind Apple's Vision Pro headset, and will reportedly update the look of icons, menus, apps, windows, and...

Top Rated Comments

Rudy69 Avatar
60 months ago
It's not quite as simple as they make it sound. Lots of restrictions mean that 'real' ad blockers like uBlock Origin can't be ported :/
Score: 27 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jacobweber Avatar
60 months ago
Just like Chrome, except you have to pay $99/year to distribute your extensions!
Score: 17 Votes (Like | Disagree)
trixx Avatar
60 months ago
Except for the good ones. API’s used by ublock origin for example, aren’t implemented in Safari.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JoelTheSuperior Avatar
60 months ago
The biggest issue from what I've heard is the $99 per year they have to pay Apple to port their extensions to Safari. Many extension developers are doing it as a hobby or as part of an open source project, making the $99 a year quite difficult to justify in some cases.

The relatively high fee is part of why RES no longer has a Safari version, for example. To be clear, I think the fee is totally reasonable for iOS / macOS development, but if all you're developing is an extension, it's a bit steep...

Not to mention that many aren't using Macs, and would need to get one to port their extension over.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
nick9191 Avatar
60 months ago
I wish Apple or someone else would (re)introduce a WebKit based browser for other platforms. Google has a stranglehold on the web, Firefox is nearly dead and Microsoft’s answer is a (admittedly rather good) Chrome skin.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
topdrawer Avatar
60 months ago
that's cool. you then just have to cough up 100 bucks
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)