All Safari windows do not restore from last session, macOS Ventura 13.1 bug?

[symphony]

Whenever Mac shuts down or quits Safari (excluding closing a Safari window), then Safari will not restore the last session for private windows.

This was not the case before, my setting opens Safari "All windows from last session", not "Non-private windows from last session".

I can't tell if this is a macOS 13.1 bug, can anyone else confirm?

 

[russell_314]

I just did a quick test on my MacBook Air running macOS 12.6.2 Monterey and none of the Safari private windows loaded. The windows opened up but there was no website loaded. My only guess is it's a private window so it's not saving any information so it can't load information it doesn't save.

To be honest I figured this would be the default behavior because if I'm opening something in a private window, it's probably something I don't want popping up when I'm restarting the computer. I can see that would make an interesting office presentation 🤣

 

[jk73]

Seems like a feature rather than a bug. I was always surprised private windows reloaded after a quit and re-launch.

 

[symphony]

I just did a quick test on my MacBook Air running macOS 12.6.2 Monterey and none of the Safari private windows loaded. The windows opened up but there was no website loaded. My only guess is it's a private window so it's not saving any information so it can't load information it doesn't save.

To be honest I figured this would be the default behavior because if I'm opening something in a private window, it's probably something I don't want popping up when I'm restarting the computer. I can see that would make an interesting office presentation 🤣

Haha I get what you’re saying, but thanks for confirming, glad it’s the same behaviour.

Seems like a feature rather than a bug. I was always surprised private windows reloaded after a quit and re-launch.

I’ve come to the conclusion it is a bug with 13.1. I just realized my VM macOS Ventura 13.0 doesn’t experience this.

The real feature you would be looking for is “Open Safari with: All non-private windows from last session”.

With this enabled, the private window does not restore. With the macOS 13.1 bug, it reopens the private window but it is just a standard window with no contents.

Restoring all windows and private tabs on Mac is quite akin to iPhone and iPad when you quit Safari, but private tabs still restore. Though I’m glad Apple has option for folks who don’t wanna take a risk. 🫡

 

[ozthegweat]

Private windows always restored after relaunching Safari in the past. This new option is welcome however, as one could imagine both ways making sense.

I have this bug on my Intel Mac mini, but not on my M2 Air.

EDIT: correction, I have this bug on the Air as well. Private tabs that I have opened with 13.0 restore after relaunch, only those opened since updating to 13.1 don't.

 

[symphony]

Private windows always restored after relaunching Safari in the past. This new option is welcome however, as one could imagine both ways making sense.

I have this bug on my Intel Mac mini, but not on my M2 Air.

EDIT: correction, I have this bug on the Air as well. Private tabs that I have opened with 13.0 restore after relaunch, only those opened since updating to 13.1 don't.

Mine doesn’t even restore new private tabs after relaunch 😭

 

[th4dk]

Safari Technology Preview from http://webkit.org seems to solve this problem. Thanks for helping me confirm it wasn't my imagination or an extension!

 

[g-boac]

I can confirm that Safari 16.4 fixes this issue, and that when I quit Safari, Private Windows again restore correctly after relaunching Safari, as do standard ("non-private") windows.

I am running macOS Monterey 12.6.4, and Safari 16.4, both downloaded as software updates this morning. It is great to have this bug resolved, and this capability back.