How to Set Up and Use Profiles in Safari to Separate Work and Personal Browsing

Using the same web browser for both professional duties and personal leisure frequently leads to clutter and privacy headaches. Logging into work email accounts alongside personal social media often mixes autocomplete recommendations, clutters bookmarks, and causes accidental tab closures during presentations. In modern versions of Safari across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, Apple solved this with native Safari Profiles.

Profiles allow you to bifurcate your online activities into separate, self-contained browsing environments—such as “Work”, “Personal”, “School”, or “Research”. Each profile maintains its own completely independent browsing history, cookies, website data, favourites bar, Tab Groups, and enabled extensions. This guide demonstrates how to set up, customise, and seamlessly switch between Safari profiles.

What Stays Separate and What Stays Shared

Understanding the boundaries of Safari Profiles ensures you get the most out of the feature:

• Completely Isolated: Cookies, website logins, active sessions, browsing history, Tab Groups, favourite bookmarks, and custom extension configurations remain strictly confined to each individual profile.
• Centrally Shared: Saved passwords in your iCloud Keychain, AutoFill contact cards, Credit Card details, and Reading List continue to be accessible across all profiles so you never have to re-enter credentials manually.
• iCloud Synchronisation: Profiles automatically sync across all your Apple devices signed into the same Apple Account running macOS Sonoma, iOS 17, or newer.

Creating a New Profile in Safari on Mac

Setting up your first distinct profile on macOS takes under two minutes:

1. Open Safari on your Mac.
2. Click Safari in the top menu bar and select Settings (or press Command + ,).
3. Navigate to the Profiles tab at the top of the preferences window.
4. Click New Profile (or click the + button at the bottom left).
5. Enter a Name for the profile (such as “Work” or “Client Projects”).
6. Choose a distinct Symbol (like a briefcase, graduation cap, or book) and an accent Colour so you can instantly recognize the profile window.
7. Select an existing bookmarks folder under Favorites or allow Safari to generate a new dedicated folder.
8. Click Create Profile.

Managing Extensions and Web Push Notifications per Profile

One of Safari’s most powerful capabilities is granular extension management across profiles:

1. Inside Safari Settings > Profiles, select your newly created profile.
2. Click the Extensions tab within the profile settings view.
3. Check the boxes next to extensions that should remain active for this profile (for example, enabling corporate security and password managers on Work, while keeping ad blockers and price trackers on Personal).
4. Close the Settings window.

Creating and Switching Profiles on iPhone and iPad

Profiles work just as smoothly on touchscreens:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Scroll down and tap Safari.
3. Scroll to the Profiles section and tap New Profile.
4. Pick a name, icon, and colour, then tap Done.
5. To switch profiles while browsing: Open Safari, tap the Tabs icon (overlapping squares), tap the Profile icon at the centre bottom of the tab overview, and tap your desired profile name.

Opening Dedicated Profile Windows on Mac

On macOS, you can have a “Work” profile window and a “Personal” profile window side-by-side simultaneously:

1. Click File in the top menu bar.
2. Hover over New Profile Window and select your desired profile.
3. Notice the subtle visual tint and badge displaying your profile’s name in the corner of the toolbar, ensuring you always know where your active logins reside.