Select three-letter words seem to be crashing Safari on iPhone
The user experience in Safari on iPhones specifically has met a hurdle, as some users are reporting that their browser is crashing when they try to type in three-letter combinations such as “wal”, “bes” or “tar”.
Apple Insider reports that the bug isn’t always easy to reproduce. Sometimes, all it takes is for a user to type out one of the aforementioned combinations, while other times it takes some sort of additional input, like a space for example. Other users, like Nick_Henny, shared via Twitter that the issue happens when Safari suggestions is turned on.
As of now, it’s difficult to speculate if the issue is related to Apple’s services – namely Safari – at all, as it also might be a server-wide issue due to Google changing something about how the search engine works.
After all, these specific letter combinations may relate to ”wallpapers” or “best photos of 2022”, but they also relate to some of the most prominent retail chains, namely Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.
If you are one of the people who are impacted negatively by this oddball of a bug, here’s what you can do:
As of now, this is looking to be a server-wide issue, but reports seem to be decreasing in quantity. We remain hopeful that this is due to a fix being rolled out quietly, courtesy of Google or Apple, so hang tight.
Apple Insider reports that the bug isn’t always easy to reproduce. Sometimes, all it takes is for a user to type out one of the aforementioned combinations, while other times it takes some sort of additional input, like a space for example. Other users, like Nick_Henny, shared via Twitter that the issue happens when Safari suggestions is turned on.
After all, these specific letter combinations may relate to ”wallpapers” or “best photos of 2022”, but they also relate to some of the most prominent retail chains, namely Walmart, Best Buy, and Target.
As such, the issue might be sparked by some sort of preparation regarding the upcoming massive traffic surrounding Black Friday, aiming to ensure that Google’s servers are capable of handling the expected stress.
What can you do if Safari on iPhone is crashing?
If you are one of the people who are impacted negatively by this oddball of a bug, here’s what you can do:
- Download an alternative internet browser from the AppStore
- Change your search engine of choice via Safari’s settings
As of now, this is looking to be a server-wide issue, but reports seem to be decreasing in quantity. We remain hopeful that this is due to a fix being rolled out quietly, courtesy of Google or Apple, so hang tight.
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