Cannot remove a website in Safari on MacOS Ventura

"[...]I shut down, rebooted and logged in under my old admin user, and cargurus.com is still there.: I deleted the added admin user, retested and cargurus is still there. So the issue is confined to my original user account and not resolved by the software update. Any thoughts on what to do now?"

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👍👍👍 Excellent job troubleshooting this!

Ridding of Items from Safari Settings:

A. Suspicious Safari Extension, Perhaps?

Turn off all of the extensions in Safari and see if this goes away. If so, then you'd have to remove the extension. Restart your Mac, once this is fixed. Go here: Use Safari Extensions on your Mac - Apple Support

B. Scan your Mac with Malwarebytes for Mac:

Malwarebytes searches for malware(short for (malicious software) and spyware. Those make your Mac act in a mislead manor. So scan with it, and remove what is found from the quarantine. It is created by longtime users of these forums making it the only reliable Security Software for a Mac.

Downloads:

1. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Mac
2. Malwarebytes Uninstaller

C. Reinstall the macOS:

Nothing would be lost. It's just that misplaced items would be placed back to where they should be and corrupt system files would be replaced by clean files. Go Here: Reinstall macOS - Apple Support. Use the third bulleted method: [command + r]. To prevent data loss, be sure to back up your Mac with Time Machine, prior to the reinstall.

I'm out of other ideas. You could go into your Safari Setting and turn OFF all actions for cargurus.com, and then just ignore the fact it (cargurus) still appears.

If that is unacceptable I would go back to TheLittles suggestions in the order offered.

-Turn off extensions

-Run Malwarebytes

-Last resort- BACK UP your Mac (Time Machine), then re-install your OS.

All the Best!

"Cannot remove a website in Safari on MacOS Ventura: I am running MacOS Ventura 13.7.2, Safari 18.2, on an iMac 2017. There is one website, cargurus.com, which I have not visited for years, that I cannot remove in Safari --> Settings --> Websites. It shows under all functions (Reader, Autoplay, etc) except Contact Blockers and Notifications.[...]"

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Removing a Web Site from Safari Settings:

If there is an app by this name on your computer, then that may be why it is showing up.

Use Spotlight Search:

[Hold Down +command + Press: spacebar] > Type a file or app name > Press return. Does anything popup?

Learn More Here: Search with Spotlight on Mac - Apple Support

“Thank you! No, I have no cargurus app on my Mac. Checked with Spotlight and in the Apps folder.”

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Single-Out this User:

For troubleshooting purposes, see if you see this when logging into a new Administrator user. If not, then it is an issue with your current user. If not, then it is an issue with the entire MacOS. Go Here: Add a User or Group on Mac - Apple Support

After performing this, log back into your original user, delete this user you’ve just created here. Go Here: Delete a User or Group on Mac – Apple Support

“Nothing related. The only two things that come up are 2 versions of a spreadsheet with a cell containing the text 'cargurus', and a JPEG file not even containing 'cargurus' in its filename. Please see Spotlight screenshot.”

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You are welcome.

Anything peculiar about the dates shown of these files?

Just a WAG, but have you tried updating to Safari 18.3?

I am running still running Ventura on an older (2019) iMac with Safari 18.3.1 and was just able to add & then delete car gurus.com settings (autoplay, reader, etc.) from my Safari settings without issue.

Long shot, but is it possible that Safari somehow did not update to 18.3.1 for your old admin account? If you log in to your old admin account, are there any update options under Settings-->General-->Software Update? IIRC the 2017 iMac won't offer the Sequoia update, but you might see 'more options' (or something similar similar) in blue type. In the past I have forgotten to update Safari along with an OS update but could do so later via one of those small blue type options in the Software Update pathway.

"Re C. I guess MacOS reinstall will have to be the next step, huh. This will require some prep. I intend to follow through as soon as handy. Any other less drastic options in the meantime? Thanks again!"

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Back Up, and then Perform the Reinstall.

Creating a New User:

In the past, there's been times when I've not been able to rid of things, and the way I got around it is by rinstalling the macOS anew. It's a Matter of backing up your Mac with a Time Machine Backup > formatting the drive (to APFS) > Installing the macOS, and then migrating it all back from a Time Machine Backup using Migration Assistant. As for getting app reinstalled, I've contacted the Developer(s) and some are fond enough to acknowledge that the license is MY license, and then they provide me with a new key.

If you use Spotlight search for that website, does anything related show up locally? Apps or whatnot?