If you recently installed the Mojave Supplemental Update and were surprised to see Safari 14.0 installed, you are not alone.
UPDATE 4/30/21 – This article explained originally how to downgrade from Safari 14.0 to 13.1.2 due to a problem. Apple has pulled the Safari 14.1 Update for both Catalina and Mojave. Users are reporting the error Safari 14.1 = webpage loading errors “a problem repeatedly occurred”. You can attempt to use the same instructions to downgrade from Safari 14.1 to 14.0.3. I’ve included Safari 14.0.3 download links at the bottom
Confirmed the following after reinstall of 10.14.6 over the top of current install (retains user data)
Build Version (18G103) Safari 12.1.2
Software Update shows Security Update 2021-003 & Safari 14.0.3
Good workaround until Apple releases a fix ?
Should be the same for 10.15
You are probably asking yourself, why would anyone want to downgrade from Safari 14 to 13. Safari was offered as a separate download in software update so users could remain on Safari 13 if they wanted. This was fine until the 2020-005 Security Update started to break systems. After issue, Apple re-issued Safari 14.0 but renamed it “Mojave Supplemental Update”. This caught many off guard because they didn’t understand that installing this update was actually installing Safari 14.0.
Readers wrote in and asked me if there is a way to downgrade Safari. Many still needed Flash, others had website compatibility issues. Some just really missed Top Sites. Another big problem was that some users upgraded to Safari 14.0.1 Beta. They are still broke because the supplemental update did not include 14.0.1 as a compatible upgrade version. I recommend that you do anything possible so you don’t need to downgrade. Most users will be just fine with Safari 14. The new version includes user privacy improvements and security fixes.
Supported and Unsupported
I will show you 2 different ways to downgrade from Safari 14.0 to 13.1.2.
- 1. Supported Way – Reinstall (not erase and install) macOS Mojave 10.14.6 (18G103) = Safari 12.1.2
- 2. Unsupported Way – Disable SIP protection > Remove Safari 14.app and Files > Install Safari 13.1.2 > Enable SIP again = Safari 13.1.2
When I say Supported I mean this is what Apple would recommend and is the best path forward. Unsupported is what some users have done the past that might or might not have some compatibility issues. Consider this a warning. I have tested this multiple times and not had an issue, but you might! So please backup before you test this path. You can always install Safari 14.0 again if needed.
The following instructions are only for macOS Mojave.
I did not test this on Catalina or High Sierra, but I’ve included download links below if you would like to try. Readers who have contacted me were only asking about Mojave because of the Supplemental Update naming issue.
Supported Way = Reinstall macOS Mojave
The is pretty cut and dry, you will reinstall macOS Mojave 10.14.6 over the top of your current version of Mojave. An example of this that you are running 10.14.6 (18G6032). This is the latest version of Mojave available and includes all the security fixes in the 2020-005 Update. If you want to see a full listing of macOS versions, take a look at my macOS System Status and Versions Page. After reinstalling macOS Mojave you will be at version# 10.14.6 & BuildVersion number (18G103). Safari will be at 12.1.2.
- 1. Backup all your files (always a good thing just in case)
- 2. Reboot to the Recovery Partition (Command R)
- 3. Click Install macOS
- 4. You are now at macOS Mojave 10.14.6 BuildVersion 18G103 and Safari 12.1.2
- 5. Install Safari 13.1.2 (download link below)
- 6. Install Security Update 2020-004
- 7. NOTE: I did NOT test installing the 2020-005 Security Update after. The Safari 13.1.2 + 2020-004 Security Update install order was offered by Apple when the 2020-005 update was pulled. This was a tested path by them and is supported.
You are back on Safari 13.1.2! Keep in mind you are missing important security updates. I hope that you can fix any compatibility issues that you may have and get on the latest version.
Unsupported Way = Uninstall Safari
As mentioned above, this is an unsupported path. Please backup your files or run a time machine before attempting this. Another thing you could do is run a tmutil localsnapshot /
. You could immediately revert back to before any changes if needed. Remember the localsnapshots only last for 24 hours! I have tested this multiple times and have not found any issues, but you might! Let’s get started.
- 1. Make a backup first!
- 2. Disable SIP
- 3. Boot to the recovery partition > Open Terminal > Type in
csrutil disable
- 4. Reboot
- 5. Download Safari 13.1.2
- 6. Safari 13.1.2 = http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/38/62/061-98246-A_DETHLIXKPC/njpb63acy0z0rgpdpewxts5rfjlkhtdvcy/Safari13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg
- 7. Download AppCleaner v3.5 – https://freemacsoft.net/appcleaner/
- 8. Download Pacifist v3.6.2 – charlessoft.com/cgi-bin/pacifist_download.cgi?type=dmg
- 9. Install both apps
- 10. Use AppCleaner to remove Safari 14.0 – Go to preferences and uncheck “Protect default OS X apps”. Drag safari.app over to the app then select all files. then click remove.
- 11. Install Safari 13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg using Pacifist.app – Drag Safari13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg over to the app. A new window will pop up. Highlight the main pkg in the list then hit install. You will see 2 admin prompts and a prompt to overwrite files, select overwrite all.
- 12. Reboot to recovery and re-enable SIP. Open Terminal > Type in
csrutil enable
- 13. Reboot back to macOS. You are now back to Safari 13.1.2
Download Links
You might need to cut and paste the link in a new browser tab.
Safari 14.0.3 Download for Catalina – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/15/11/071-10831-A_F9U2DK6CTY/iiqyne50g2xt78rc08bnt49yykpo4n3cg7/Safari14.0.3CatalinaAuto.pkg
Safari 14.0.3 for Mojave – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/44/11/071-10830-A_HVHGD91GPY/cr9a8oy39eao60prj4iwtho4s7w7l5cmm7/Safari14.0.3MojaveAuto.pkg
FOR TESTING – Safari 14.1
Safari 14.1 for Catalina
Safari 14.1 for Mojave
- 1. Safari 13.1.2 for Mojave – UPDATE LINK DEAD! added link above. http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/38/62/061-98246-A_DETHLIXKPC/njpb63acy0z0rgpdpewxts5rfjlkhtdvcy/Safari13.1.2MojaveAuto.pkg
- 2. Safari 14.0 for Mojave – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/08/46/001-55225-A_FKPERA412C/z81r8bvj47p12e0pvcz9dj33l43z7h201b/Safari14.0MojaveAuto.pkg
- 3. Safari 14.0 for Catalina – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/00/48/001-50020-A_14M4NE130Q/q4lojf164rqsmp57dawdtgs25ut2d1j44m/Safari14.0CatalinaAuto.pkg
- 4. Safari 14.0.1 Beta Seed 2 – http://swcdn.apple.com/content/downloads/17/19/001-52276-A_BBHPSL2B2P/ymw96wmqb7aaypn8v3wcdv6gcu9fb4o9ug/Safari14.0.1MojaveAutoSeed.pkg
- Mojave 2020-004 Security Update download from Apple.com – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2045
- Mojave 2020-005 Security Update download from Apple.com – https://support.apple.com/kb/DL2054