Computer Locks Up When Closing a Tab

Instructions for clearing Safari's history on macOS computers when the computer temporarily locks up or freezes after closing a window or tab.

Issue/Question

Whenever I close a tab or window in Safari, my Mac will freeze temporarily.

Environment

• macOS
  • Safari web browser

Cause

The exact cause has not been identified, but it seems to be related to how Safari caches visited websites. Clearing Safari's history fixes the issue.

Resolution

1. Open Safari.
2. Click Safari in the title menu bar.
3. Select Clear History... .
4. Select all history from the drop-down menu.
5. Click Clear History.