Optimizing software or application testing for different browsers is critical to ensuring quality and compatibility. While Chrome, Firefox, and Edge dominate the market, Safari has a large share, particularly among Apple users. Safari is now the default browser for Apple devices, but it was formerly accessible for Windows.
Even though Apple no longer actively maintains the Windows version, software testers face instances in which they must ensure that their applications run properly on the legacy Safari for Windows, as many users still might be using it.
This article offers a complete strategy to optimize your testing for Safari for Windows, ensuring that your website provides a consistent experience across all platforms.
Why test Safari for Windows?
Testing your website on Safari, even from a Windows environment, is critical for several reasons. Let us see why testing Safari for Windows is important in detail:
- Cross-platform compatibility
Although Safari is primarily used on Apple devices, there is a user base on Windows. Ensuring that your website works properly on Safari in a Windows environment is critical for reaching a larger audience and offering a consistent experience across all platforms.
- Unique rendering engine
Safari uses the WebKit rendering engine, which interprets and displays web components differently than other browsers such as Chrome and Firefox. Testing on Safari allows you to identify and resolve compatibility issues caused by the browser’s unique rendering behavior, ensuring that your website looks and performs properly.
- Apple ecosystem integration
Safari on Windows lacks the extensive integration with Apple’s ecosystem present in macOS, but it does share several features and characteristics. Testing on Safari ensures that your website is compatible with these distinct features, preserving consistency for visitors who switch between Windows and Apple devices.
- User experience
Providing a smooth user experience is critical to the success of any website. Testing in Safari therefore helps to uncover such defects that may cause negativity in the user experience as layout inconsistencies or malfunctioning features, therefore, you can fix them well before they start to impact your users.
- Security
Safari’s security features and configurations may differ from those of other browsers. Testing your website on Safari ensures that it remains secure and protected from potential vulnerabilities specific to this browser, protecting both your site and its users.
- Performance
Performance varies by browser and system setup. Testing your website on Safari allows you to find and correct performance issues, such as poor load times or unresponsive elements, delivering a smooth experience for all users, regardless of the browser in use.
Setting up the testing environment
There are two basic techniques for testing your website on Safari while using Windows: virtualization software and cloud-based testing tools. Both alternatives have their own set of advantages and may be customized to meet your testing requirements.
Virtualization Software
Virtualization software enables you to create a virtual environment that runs a separate operating system within your existing machine. Follow these steps for testing through Virtualization Software:
- Installation: To install virtualization software on your Windows system, first install Oracle VM VirtualBox or VMware Workstation. These platforms enable you to run many operating systems within your existing system environment.
- macOS Image: Get the macOS image file. Ensure that you have the relevant licenses to run macOS on non-Apple hardware, as operating macOS without one may violate Apple’s end-user license agreement.
- Virtual Machine Creation: Using the virtualization software, create a new virtual machine with the macOS image you acquired.
- macOS Installation: Follow the instructions to install macOS on your virtual computer. Once installed, you will have a fully functional macOS environment operating alongside your Windows PC.
- Safari Installation: With macOS running, you can install Safari in the same way as you would on a native Mac, allowing you to instantly test the functionality of your website.
Cloud-Based Testing Platforms
Cloud-based testing platforms are gaining popularity as an alternative to virtualization. These platforms eliminate the requirement for a macOS image and the difficult configuration of a virtual environment, making it easier and more reliable to test websites on Safari. Follow these steps to test Safari for Windows using cloud-based platforms:
- Select the platform: You can select platforms like LambdaTest. LambdaTest is a cloud-based AI-driven testing platform that enables you to test your web apps across over 3000 browsers and operating systems, including Safari for Windows. It allows you to test your websites on several versions of the Safari browser online, which runs on real PCs without a Mac.
- Safari version selection: After choosing the cloud-based platforms, choose the Safari version you wish to test your website on. Most cloud-based solutions offer numerous versions, allowing you to ensure compatibility between upgrades.
- Testing: Use the platform’s UI to run your tests. Cloud-based platforms simulate the experience of using the real Safari browser, providing accurate results without the requirement for a physical Mac device.
Challenges for testing Safari for Windows
Testing Safari on Windows might be difficult due to different reasons. Here are some of the major issues you may face:
- Lack of native support
Apple stopped supporting Safari for Windows in 2012, so there’s no official, current version of Safari for Windows users. This makes testing web pages on the latest versions of Safari problematic if one uses a Windows PC.
- Virtualization & emulation
To test on Safari, Windows users frequently employ virtualization or emulation, which can be resource-intensive and difficult to set up. Tools like Oracle VM VirtualBox or VMware Workstation allow you to create a macOS environment on your Windows machine, but this takes significant system resources and technical knowledge.
- Performance and compatibility issues
Running Safari in a virtualized environment can cause performance concerns. These settings may not completely match the performance and behavior of Safari on a native macOS device, resulting in possible inconsistencies in testing findings.
- Security concerns
Using outdated versions of Safari for Windows carries severe security risks. Apple no longer supports these versions, which may include unpatched vulnerabilities that expose your machine to malware and other security concerns.
- Rendering discrepancies
Safari has its rendering engine (WebKit), which might cause changes in how websites are rendered compared to other browsers such as Chrome or Firefox. Identifying and correcting these rendering differences can be tough, especially if you do not have direct access to the most recent version of Safari.
- JavaScript compatibility
JavaScript code may operate differently in Safari than in other browsers. Ensuring compatibility can be challenging, and diagnosing JavaScript bugs in a virtualized or cloud-based environment can add another layer of complexity.
- Media playback and performance
Optimizing media playback and overall efficiency in Safari can be difficult due to differences in how Safari handles media elements and performance enhancements. To ensure smooth playback and performance, this involves comprehensive testing and, in many cases, specific changes.
Understanding these problems allows you to better prepare for testing Safari on Windows and mitigate these issues, resulting in a more seamless and efficient testing process.
Best Practices for Testing Safari for Windows
Although there are several challenges while testing Safari for Windows, you can optimize your testing by following these best practices. Let us see the best practices in detail:
- Test with many versions
As Safari for Windows is outdated, it is critical to test it against multiple versions, particularly the most recent supported version (5.1.7). Testing on previous versions allows you to uncover compatibility issues and guarantee that your website delivers a consistent user experience. Even if newer features are not available, ensuring that key functionalities work properly might satisfy people who continue to use this version.
- Consider screen resolutions
Safari for Windows may run on a variety of screen sizes, particularly if people are accessing it from desktops or laptops with differing resolutions. It is critical to evaluate how your website responds to various screen sizes and resolutions. Making your site adaptable ensures that even viewers on older devices have a decent viewing experience, with elements and layout changing accordingly.
- Regular updates
Although Safari for Windows does not receive updates, keeping your testing environment up to date is still critical. This involves making sure that additional testing tools and platforms are up to date. Regularly upgrading these settings allows you to simulate and discover any compatibility issues that may develop when other software interacts with Safari.
- Utilize Safari developer tools
Even though Safari for Windows is no longer supported, using developer tools to troubleshoot and optimize your website is still crucial. These tools let you inspect elements, analyze performance, and discover problems. Although they are not as advanced as features found in newer browsers, they can nevertheless provide useful information about how your website is produced and where potential problems may exist.
- Prioritize security testing
Security is still an important part of web development, especially for older browsers such as Safari for Windows. Regular security testing helps detect potential weaknesses. Testing your website against typical vulnerabilities protects user data and helps to preserve confidence. Even if Safari for Windows is not commonly utilized, providing security for all users is critical to maintaining the integrity of your website.
- Monitor analytics and user behavior
Understanding how people interact with your website, particularly those who use out-of-date browsers such as Safari for Windows, can reveal possible concerns. Analyzing user data allows you to identify places where these users may be experiencing difficulty. By monitoring how people use your site, you can find usability issues that you might not see during regular testing and, therefore, make adjustments based on real-world use patterns.
- Collaborate and document
To efficiently test Safari for Windows, collaboration and documentation are essential. Multiple team members can bring diverse views and assist in identifying issues that one person may have ignored. Documentation is essential in this process; keeping accurate records of the issues observed and the solutions implemented helps to speed future testing. Well-documented methods and findings guarantee that information is distributed throughout the team, resulting in a more organized and effective workflow.
Conclusion
Although Safari was discontinued for Windows, testing Safari on Windows is still an important practice for ensuring cross-platform compatibility and a consistent user experience. Despite the limitations caused by Safari’s unique rendering engine and the absence of native compatibility on Windows, virtualization and cloud-based testing solutions can effectively bridge the gap. You can improve the efficiency and accessibility of your website for Safari users by following best practices like testing across various versions, emphasizing security, and using accessible developer tools. Comprehensive testing on Safari for Windows helps to maintain your website’s reliability and appeal, serving a wide audience and improving overall site quality.
