Unable to use WordPress.com properly on Safari on Mac
-
WordPress.com site breaks on Safari on Mac.
There are so many issues when opening or using this website on Safari on Mac.
- The pop-up modals where text is to be entered, e.g., background color code, add new page, site title in theme editor, etc. is totally non-responsive to any keystrokes. Keyboard shortcuts work in the editor, even I can type on the webpage directly. But as soon as the pop-up modal is loaded, the key presses are not recognised.
- Several dynamically loaded content is not visible on Safari Mac. For example, on this page, after we enter the question title, some related questions appear for us to go through before publishing this on the forum. That grey colored modal does not appear on Safari on Mac.
Please fix this as this is getting too frustrating that the website breaks on Safari.
-
The issue where modals become non-responsive in Safari is typically caused by ‘Prevent Cross-Site Tracking’ settings or a conflict with Safari Extensions that interfere with the site’s ‘focus’ management. When a modal opens, WordPress uses a script to ‘trap’ your keyboard input inside that window; if Safari’s privacy settings block the script from identifying the modal as a safe interactive element, it simply ignores your keystrokes. To fix this, you should first try disabling ‘Prevent Cross-Site Tracking’ under Safari > Settings > Privacy, as this often blocks the dynamic ‘Related Questions’ modal from loading. If that fails, clearing the HSTS cache for WordPress.com or testing in a ‘Private’ window will reveal if a specific browser extension is ‘hijacking’ the keyboard focus.
-
Hey @james3265166 Thanks for the reply!
Though, I tried disabling the “Prevent Cross-site Tracking” settings and reloaded the WordPress website. But that did not work.
Then I opened a fresh private window and logged in new. (Though I have no extensions installed on main browser) This private window also did not have any extension enabled. And that cross-site setting was already off in this one as well.
And yet, the suggested questions modal did not load and the button did not activate. I think there is something else breaking it.
-
Safari Mac and Safari iOS
What version of iOS and Safari are you using? And on what Apple device?
Using outdated versions of Mac iOS and Safari can cause issues. Make sure they are up to date.
On my iPadMini5, running iPadOS 26.4.2 and Safari 26, the Publish button in the New Forum Topic form is active after filling our the form and ticking both boxes below the form. Noting that in Safari’s settings Javascript is enabled and allows all cookies. Prevent Cross-site Tracking is enabled.
What browser (and version) did you use to post this forum topic?
-
And on what Apple device?
Obviously this bit isn’t relevant since you mentioned on a Mac.
-
I use windows to work on WordPress.
Tried this on Mac Air M4 with Safari 26.4. JavaScript is on for me too. And tried with both cross-site on and off, doesn’t work.
No updates pending on this device.
-
Then I’m out of ideas. I’ll go ahead and add the modlook tag for staff, but unless there are a lot of users with a similar issue, it may not get immediate dev time.
So, summarizing, when using recent Safari on an updated Mac with Javascript and cookies enabled, without extensions or in a private browsing window, the Publish button does not activate for you when trying to post a new forum topic from this page. https://wordpress.com/forums/?new=1
Additionally, the suggested topics normally present after adding the new topic title do not appear. You posted screenshots here https://wp.me/p9CGUU-hdC4
Is this correct?
-
Yes, that is correct. Also, the modals that appear on the Website Theme editor, like Site Title, Size, Color Code, etc. are not working. The typing doesn’t work I mean after those modals are shown. Typing doesn’t work with physical as well as OSK. It is as if key presses are not recognized at all till we close those modals manually through mouse.
-
Hi @meetvekaria,
Thanks for the detailed report here — I believe this is closely related to the issue you described in your other thread about being unable to type in modals and publish forum topics on Safari / macOS Tahoe.
The symptoms you’re describing here — modals not responding to keystrokes, the suggested topics panel not loading, and the Publish button not activating — all point to the same underlying problem: something in your Safari environment is interfering with how our site manages focus and dynamically loaded content inside modals. It’s very likely the same root cause behind both issues.
I’ve posted a set of diagnostic steps in that other thread that should help us pinpoint exactly what’s going wrong. Specifically, I’ve asked for Safari DevTools console and network captures, your Privacy/Security settings, and a quick cross-browser check. Those results will be key to figuring out whether this is a Safari-specific compatibility issue with macOS Tahoe or something else in your setup.
Could you follow the steps I outlined there and post your findings? To keep everything organized, let’s continue the conversation in that thread so all the diagnostic info stays in one place:
Unable to type in modals and unable to publish forum topics on Safari macOS TahoeThanks for your patience.
WordPress.com Forums 