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Safari settings will not activate, when clicking the settings in safari drop down nothing appears.
maybe related, safari is often redirected to the yahoo search engine when searching subjects.
[Re-Titled by Moderator]
MacBook Pro 13″, macOS 13.7
Please determine if the same problems occur in "Safe Mode": Start up your Mac in safe mode - Apple Support. If you can get Safari to operate correctly while in that mode, verify its Settings correctly reflect your preferences.
Then, reboot normally (not "Safe Mode"), report your observations, and await further instructions.
In what amounts to grasping at straws, try running EtreCheck and posting its report in a reply to this Discussion. Instructions: How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting Large Amounts of Text, i.e. an Etrecheck Report - Apple Community. It often reveals some actionable information.
Turn Time Machine off while you're running Sierra. I doubt it will even recognize that backup disk, but you wouldn't want to overwrite it.
I understand Safari is redirecting your search queries to Yahoo, but you are unable to open Safari's Preferences to correct it. You are unable to open Safari's Preferences even in Safe Mode. Finally, reinstalling macOS Ventura didn't help. The EtreCheck report is utterly mundane and reveals nothing actionable.
Minor point but it's not called Settings in Ventura, so if you are in fact seeing a Settings choice in the Safari menu, that would be even weirder.
Something doesn't make sense. Please confirm all the above is correct, and if so, contact Apple for help. Start here: Official Apple Support.
Before you do that, if possible, connect that Mac to a different wireless network, perhaps an iPhone's Hotspot. There could be something external to the Mac affecting its operation. Please let us know what you determine.
Ok thanks. Nothing wrong with that. Please contact Apple and let us know what they determine.
You could try booting macOS Recovery and determine if you can change Safari's Settings using its version of Safari, but any changes you make there won't stick anyway, and the problem will remain unresolved.
Use macOS Recovery on an Intel-based Mac - Apple Support
It might be worth trying, since if it doesn't work even in Recovery then the problem definitely lies beyond the Mac. Besides, those observations will be helpful when you contact Apple.
Thank you for your assistance on this issue.
Opening in safe mode did not correct the safari settings issue. Rebooting again (not safe mode) had no change as well.
This is a 2017 MacBook Pro, 2.3 GHz dual core Intel core i5, macOS Ventura 13.7.1, Safari version 18.1, with no peripherals attached.
I ran EtreCheck these were the issues found and removed.
Malware:
Launchd: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.VirtualToolboxSearch.plist
Executable: ~/Library/Application Support/com.VirtualToolboxSearch/VirtualToolboxSearch r
Reason: Malware pattern match
System Launch Daemons:
[Not Loaded] 37 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 185 Apple tasks
[Running] 166 Apple tasks
[Other] 3 Apple tasks
System Launch Agents:
[Not Loaded] 19 Apple tasks
[Loaded] 187 Apple tasks
[Running] 192 Apple tasks
Launch Daemons:
[Not Loaded] com.adobe.acc.installer.v2.plist (Adobe Inc. - installed 2020-06-27)
Executable: /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/com.adobe.acc.installer.v2
[Not Loaded] com.adobe.agsservice.plist (Adobe Inc. - installed 2024-10-04)
Executable: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/AdobeGCClient/AGSService
[Loaded] com.apple.installer.osmessagetracing.plist (Apple - installed 2019-10-05)
Executable: /System/Library/PrivateFrameworks/OSInstaller.framework/Resources/OSMessageTracer
[Not Loaded] com.autodesk.AdskLicensingService.plist (Autodesk - installed 2024-10-24)
Command: /Library/Application Support/Autodesk/AdskLicensing/Current/AdskLicensingService/AdskLicensingService --run
[Not Loaded] com.autodesk.adskaccessservicehost.plist (Autodesk - installed 2024-06-08)
Executable: /Library/Application Support/Autodesk/AdODIS/V1/Setup/AdskAccessServiceHost
[Loaded] com.google.GoogleUpdater.wake.system.plist (Google LLC - installed 2024-11-11)
Command: /Library/Application Support/Google/GoogleUpdater/Current/GoogleUpdater.app/Contents/MacOS/GoogleUpdater --wake-all --enable-logging --vmodule=*/components/update_client/*=2,*/chrome/enterprise_companion/*=2,*/chrome/updater/*=2 --system
[Not Loaded] com.google.keystone.daemon.plist (Not signed - installed 2023-12-31)
<Empty>
[Loaded] us.zoom.ZoomDaemon.plist (Zoom Video Communications, Inc. - installed 2024-11-04)
Executable: /Library/PrivilegedHelperTools/us.zoom.ZoomDaemon
Launch Agents:
[Other] com.adobe.AdobeCreativeCloud.plist (Not signed - installed 2020-05-22)
Command: /Applications/Utilities/Adobe Creative Cloud/ACC/Creative Cloud.app/Contents/MacOS/Creative Cloud --showwindow=false --onOSstartup=true
[Not Loaded] com.adobe.GC.Invoker-1.0.plist (Adobe Inc. - installed 2024-10-04)
Command: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/AdobeGCClient/agcinvokerutility -mode=logon
[Other] com.adobe.ccxprocess.plist (Not signed - installed 2020-06-24)
Command: /usr/bin/open -a '/Applications/Utilities/Adobe Creative Cloud Experience/CCXProcess/CCXProcess.app'
[Not Loaded] com.google.keystone.agent.plist (Not signed - installed 2023-12-31)
<Empty>
[Not Loaded] com.google.keystone.xpcservice.plist (Not signed - installed 2023-12-31)
<Empty>
[Not Loaded] com.wdc.WD-Discovery.plist (Not signed - installed 2020-06-23)
Command: /Applications/WD Discovery/WD Discovery.app/Contents/MacOS/WD Discovery --autolaunch
[Not Loaded] com.wdc.WDTrashObserver.plist (Not signed - installed 2020-06-23)
Executable: /Applications/WD Discovery/WD Discovery.app/Contents/WDTrashObserver
User Launch Agents:
[Not Loaded] com.VirtualToolboxSearch.plist (Malware - installed 2019-08-12)
Command: ~/Library/Application Support/com.VirtualToolboxSearch/VirtualToolboxSearch r
User Login Items:
[Not Loaded] PhotoStreamAgent (App Store - installed 2038-01-18)
Modern Login Item
/Applications/iPhoto.app/Contents/Library/LoginItems/PhotoStreamAgent.app
Sorry to hear about that issue. It is pretty strange that reinstalling macOS didn't remove the error. Note that reinstalling macOS doesn't remove everything from the mac. User's personal data and system data are stored on separate volumes. So, only the system is reinstalled during that process. What model is your mac? And what OS is it running?
switched to iphone hotspot no change. Safari drop down is indeed setting rather than preferences.
next I will attempt Official Apple Support.
I appreciate the attempts you've made to offer a remedy. I share your frustration.
thank you
John Galt wrote:
Minor point but it's not called Settings in Ventura, so if you are in fact seeing a Settings choice in the Safari menu, that would be even weirder.
Minor correction: Safari did transition from Preferences to Settings in Ventura, so at least that weirdness is resolved.
While you're there, can you click that Safari menu and select About Safari? What version does it report?
I understand you are unable to open Safari's Settings even while operating in Safe Mode. That suggests reinstalling macOS may be justified: How to reinstall macOS - Apple Support
Ok, but please follow Old Toad's instructions, here: How to use the Add Text Feature When Posting Large Amounts of Text, i.e. an Etrecheck Report - Apple Community
I used time machine to back up the computer then reinstalled MacOS Sierra and the Safari settings still will not open.
Can you offer any other suggestions?
Sure, try EtreCheck as I suggested earlier.
Yahoo redirects and Safari settings will not open
