SOLVED: all webpages have a wide blank area running down either side of the window in Safari

[pax-eterna]

Been with macOS for about two weeks now, and I am noticing (well I noticed it before but I though it might have been site related) that when on webpages, there is a wide blank strip down either side of the page (in Safari browser).

Is there a setting somewhere I can alter this to have web pages displaying correctly, as in the full width of the browser page?

 

[rm5]

Been with macOS for about two weeks now, and I am noticing (well I noticed it before but I though it might have been site related) that when on webpages, there is a wide blank strip down either side of the page (in Safari browser).

Is there a setting somewhere I can alter this to have web pages displaying correctly, as in the full width of the browser page?

Very obvious question, but is the window in full screen? For me if I put the window in full scree, it displays all text, etc. correctly. Right now on the MacRumors site, I am not experiencing any lines down the sides of pages.

Which version of Safari are you using?

 

[Nermal]

Right now on the MacRumors site, I am not experiencing any lines down the sides of pages.

Really? I do, in every browser (Safari, Firefox, Edge) on both Mac and Windows.

 

[pax-eterna]

Very obvious question, but is the window in full screen? For me if I put the window in full scree, it displays all text, etc. correctly. Right now on the MacRumors site, I am not experiencing any lines down the sides of pages.

Which version of Safari are you using?

15.3

I can use the zoom tool (the A then bigger A icon) but that just makes the text "ginormous" - oh and full screen mode makes no difference.

 

[rm5]

15.3

I can use the zoom tool (the A then bigger A icon) but that just makes the text "ginormous" - oh and full screen mode makes no difference.

Hmmm, I'm using the same Safari version, so I have no idea. I just loaded a bunch more webpages and none of them have the issue.

 

[pax-eterna]

Hmmm, I'm using the same Safari version, so I have no idea. I just loaded a bunch more webpages and none of them have the issue.

Thanks anyway...appreciate you taking the time...I try google searching but it just comes up with reams of totally unrelated crap haha!

 

[fisherking]

using an ad blocker or some other extension? problem not happening here...

 

[Ruggy]

It isn’t an error or a problem it’s because the screen resolution is so high. The first time I had a 24” iMac I was amazed at how text in browsers like Safari only took up a tiny part of the middle. You can easily have 2 tabs open side by side
You can make the window fit the full width but if the resolution is very high on the screen and the size of the text is fixed at say 12 points then it’s going to be tiny and surrounded by space. It’s maths.
So, you can change screen resolution in Displays in settings- which I personally hate to do- or you can use zoom as you’ve discovered (Hold down the Command key and they use + or - keys is the best way) but then as you say the test becomes really large. You are obviously quite young as that ceases to be a problem after a certain age sadly.
If you’ve come from Windows then on Windows you can customize individually all the elements of the screen like headings, text boxes and you may have done that in the past, but Mac OS has never allowed you to do that so you just have to get used to it.
You aren’t actually missing anything. If the text is the right size for you then that’s it.
If something comes along that needs the space it’ll use the space, like multiple columns or a large image.

 

[aevan]

Been with macOS for about two weeks now, and I am noticing (well I noticed it before but I though it might have been site related) that when on webpages, there is a wide blank strip down either side of the page (in Safari browser).

Is there a setting somewhere I can alter this to have web pages displaying correctly, as in the full width of the browser page?

I believe it's just how websites are designed, most of them have a maximum width in pixels. The idea, on a desktop/laptop is to surf in a Window, maybe open content side by side.

Not every website is built this way. For example, try this site:

https://www.artstation.com

The content should be edge to edge.

 

[pax-eterna]

I believe it's just how websites are designed, most of them have a maximum width in pixels. The idea, on a desktop/laptop is to surf in a Window, maybe open content side by side.

Not every website is built this way. For example, try this site:

https://www.artstation.com

The content should be edge to edge.

haha, spot on. Yes indeed that webpage goes full width!

It isn’t an error or a problem it’s because the screen resolution is so high. The first time I had a 24” iMac I was amazed at how text in browsers like Safari only took up a tiny part of the middle. You can easily have 2 tabs open side by side
You can make the window fit the full width but if the resolution is very high on the screen and the size of the text is fixed at say 12 points then it’s going to be tiny and surrounded by space. It’s maths.
So, you can change screen resolution in Displays in settings- which I personally hate to do- or you can use zoom as you’ve discovered (Hold down the Command key and they use + or - keys is the best way) but then as you say the test becomes really large. You are obviously quite young as that ceases to be a problem after a certain age sadly.
If you’ve come from Windows then on Windows you can customize individually all the elements of the screen like headings, text boxes and you may have done that in the past, but Mac OS has never allowed you to do that so you just have to get used to it.
You aren’t actually missing anything. If the text is the right size for you then that’s it.
If something comes along that needs the space it’ll use the space, like multiple columns or a large image.

Thanks. Yes, that and the post from aevan explains it well....just need to accept and move on. It's not really a big issue TBH, I ws probably more curious than annoyed haha!

 

[adamlbiscuit]

Depending on the size of your screen / resolution, for me the best thing to do is open multiple windows on your screen e.g. multiple websites or apps so that you get to take full advantage of the high resolution, without all the blank space.

On my Mac mini with a 27-inch monitor set to 'looks like 1440p', I tend to have Safari on the left side of the screen, then maybe Mail in the bottom right and Music in the top right. But you can use it whatever way you want, there's no right or wrong way.

 

[iCocytus]

So I’m NOT losing my mind over here over this.
A relief..