When you browse the internet using Apple Safari on a Mac, you might notice that the address bar at the top of the window only displays the primary domain name of the website you are visiting (for example, it will simply say “digitash.com” instead of the full, long URL of the specific article you are reading). Apple introduced this minimalist design choice to make the browser look cleaner and less intimidating. However, for web developers, researchers, or anyone vigilant about checking the exact URL structure to spot phishing scams, hiding the full web address is highly frustrating. Fortunately, you can force Safari to reveal the complete URL at all times.
How to Display the Full URL in Safari
Changing this setting requires a quick toggle within Safari’s advanced preferences menu.
- Open the Safari browser on your Mac.
- In the Mac menu bar at the very top-left of your screen, click on the word Safari.
- Select Settings… (or Preferences… if you are running an older version of macOS) from the drop-down menu.
- A new Settings window will appear. Look at the top row of icons and click on the Advanced tab (represented by a gear icon).
- Look for the section labelled “Smart Search Field”.
- Check the box next to Show full website address.
- Close the Settings window by clicking the red ‘X’ in the top-left corner.
The Immediate Effect
The change is instantaneous. Look up at your Safari address bar. Instead of a truncated domain name, you will now see the exact HTTPS protocol, the subdomains, the page path, and any trailing search queries or tracking parameters in the URL.
This is especially critical for cybersecurity. Phishing websites often use incredibly long, complex URLs to hide a fake domain name at the very end of the string. By forcing Safari to show the full web address, you can always verify exactly which server you are communicating with before entering sensitive information.