How to Tell What Version of Safari Is on My iPhone

The Safari app is part of iOS, so Apple keeps this mobile browser up to date with your phone's operating system. For the past several iOS releases, the Safari version number has been consistent with the iOS version number: If your iPhone runs iOS 12, you have Safari 12 installed. Look at your iPhone's settings for a general idea of which Safari version you have. If you want more detailed information about your version number and features, use an online tool to detect your browser's version number.

Apple usually references Safari versions in general with a whole number, such as Safari 11 or Safari 12. However, as with the macOS version of Safari, the full version number of mobile Safari can contain periods and sets of numbers that semantically identify minor changes and bug fixes. For example, your computer's version might say Safari 12.01, while your phone might run Safari 12.0.

Because the mobile Safari app is native to iOS, whenever you update iOS, the browser is updated. Often, these updates offer security fixes to keep you safe while browsing, but they can also add new functionality. For example, Safari 12 added features that include an augmented reality model viewer and strong password generator for your iPhone.

You can check your phone's version of iOS to get a general idea of which version of Safari it runs, although this won't tell you the extended version number of Safari you have. Open your iPhone's Settings app, tap "General" and then "About." The phone's iOS version is listed beside "Version" Pay attention specifically to the number before the decimal point. For example, if your phone runs iOS 12.1, then you have Safari 12. Likewise, if you have iOS 11.4, then you're running Safari 11.

Another way to check the iOS version is to connect your phone to your computer. Open iTunes and select your phone in the list of devices to see the version in the information pane on the right.

If you'd rather not dig through your iPhone's menus and want to know the extended version number, there's a way to check your Safari version with the help of websites such as Spiderip and WhatIsMyBrowser. Use your phone's Safari app to visit the home page of one of these sites to see information about your version of Safari, your iOS version and other browser details.

Some sites immediately list the browser version on top to make it easy to find. For others, you need to do some extra work to look for a string of text called the "user agent." This string can be long and is separated with forward slashes. Look for the browser version information near the end, where you see a version identified like "12.0 Mobile" followed by text that mentions Safari. This example means you're running Safari 12.0.

These online tools work because they get information from your browser's user agent, which is a string of text identifying your device that is sent in the request made when you visit a website. Some of these tools can inform you if your browser or iOS version is outdated or whether your browser settings can cause some sites not to work properly.

Getting the latest iOS Safari version is as easy as updating your iPhone to the latest version of iOS. If you set your iPhone to install updates automatically, the phone notifies you when an update is ready and prompts you to install it. Otherwise, open the iPhone's Settings app, tap "General" and then select "Software Update." If you see a "Download and Install" button, tap it to start updating your phone's version of iOS.

If you prefer to use a computer and iTunes for the update process, use your iPhone's USB cable to connect the phone to your computer. After you launch iTunes, click the phone's name under "Devices" in the left pane and then click "Check for Update" in the right pane. If there's an update, iTunes prompts you to download and install it.