Safari Reader mode broken on Sonoma

1

Hey, all. SInce Sonoma 14.1 or 14.2, Safari’s Reader Mode is not working on my Mac. The icon appears, but when I press it, it highlights but nothing happens. I’ve turned off all extensions - no improvement.

The interesting thing is that it does work:
a) If I download Safari Technology Preview
b) In a freshly created account on my Mac.

So there is something in the configuration for this account that’s preventing it from working. Anyone experience this before? Any suggestions as to what to nuke and pave to potentially fix it?

2

For a couple of weeks or so (can’t spot exactly when started) I see same on my iMac (Reader not working) but not on macBook (Reader working).

I have Ventura 13.6.3 and Safari 17.2.1 on both machines?

I also don’t know when it started and I haven’t found anything via internet searches.

Likely something in Safari and not the operating system. But I cannot explain iMac vs. macBook.

Bummer for me as I want to use it and miss it. Probably will switch over the Chrome until something fixes it.

3

I am on Sonoma. No issues with Reader Mode.

If the issue does not persist with a freshly created account, it might be an idea to reset Safari:

https://macpaw.com/how-to/reset-safari-on-mac

EDIT:
The MacPaw article seems to be outdated. Safari’s data folders have changed. Have a look at Michael_Fessler’s post.

It depends on how far you are willing to go in order to resolve the issue (I am referring to the Terminal commands). Macpaw does a good job explaining where stuff is being located at and how to get rid of it in order to start clean.

4

Have you tried the keyboard shortcut?

Shift, command, R

5

I have, yes, tried the keyboard shortcut.

Later today I’m going to run through the Safari reset suggested by the link @Christian provided above, one at a time starting with the items which affect me least, e.g. deleting cookies will be last!

Edit: I deleted the cache, history, and turned off all extensions. I hestitate to do more as I like my cookies and can’t understand why cookies would prevent Reading View, esp. since all well on my Macbook. Problem still exits. Sigh.

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6

So I went through the Macpaws process - but turns out Safari stuff is stored in ~/Library/Containers/Safari, so I had to nuke that - now it’s working.

Interestingly, I had iCloud sync set up for Safari, and my bookmarks synced back over the next few hours.

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7

As I mentioned above only did a few of the Macpaw removals, not doing Caches, Preferences, Pubsub, etc. Without reason but caution, I thought all that might be too destructive.

Being desperate, I did “nuke” ~/Library/Containers/Safari as suggested by @Michael_Fessler (putting a copy into a Desktop folder first, of course along with exporting Bookmarks for “just in case”), and then restarted Safari.

Success. Reading View is back!

Bookmarks and Tool bars were unaffected. I had to re-authorise a couple of Safari extensions and “remembered” logins not remembered but for that no problem as 1Password had everything.

Thanks!

8

Apparently, Apple has changed the location where Safari is storing its data in accordance with their sandboxing efforts (Migrating your app’s files to its App Sandbox container | Apple Developer Documentation). Thank you @Michael_Fessler for pointing that out. I have updated my post above. The MacPaw article seems to be outdated although it implies being current given the date given as “updated”.

Almost everything or everything should be located at ~/Library/Containers/Safari these days.

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