Safari Autofill Not Working? Here’s How to Fix

If you’re here, it probably means your Safari autofill is not working — and let’s be honest, that’s super annoying.

Whether it’s not saving passwords, forgetting your address, or just refusing to fill in anything at all, Autofill acting up can kill your productivity and seriously mess with your flow. But don’t worry, because today I’m walking you through the ultimate fix-it guide.

I’m Becky Lynn — and in my usual no-fluff, super-actionable style, I’m going to show you exactly how to fix the “Safari autofill not working” problem on your Mac step-by-step.

Let’s do this.

Table of Contents

What is Safari Autofill (And Why It Matters)?

First, quick refresher: Safari Autofill is Apple’s built-in form filler. It saves you time by remembering:

Logins and passwords
Credit card details
Personal info like name, email, phone
Shipping and billing addresses

So if it stops working, that means every time you go to log into a site or fill out a form… you’re typing things out like it’s 2003. Not fun.

Let’s fix that.

Method 1. Check Autofill Settings in Safari

This sounds obvious — but sometimes, Autofill isn’t working because it’s not even turned on.

Here’s how to check:

1. Open Safari.

2. Click Safari in the menu bar > Settings (or Preferences if on older macOS).

3. Go to the Autofill tab.

4. Make sure all options — Using information from my contacts, User names and passwords, Credit cards, and Other forms — are checked.

Boom. If anything was unchecked, tick it, then restart Safari.

Still broken? Let’s keep going.

Method 2. Make Sure iCloud Keychain is Enabled

Safari pulls a lot of its autofill data — especially passwords and credit cards — from iCloud Keychain.

So if Keychain isn’t enabled, Safari has nothing to autofill.

To enable iCloud Keychain:

1. Open System Settings.

2. Click Apple ID > iCloud > Passwords and Keychain.

3. Turn on iCloud Keychain.

Also, check that you’re signed into the same Apple ID on all devices.

Bonus tip: If you’re using multiple Apple IDs, make sure Safari is syncing with the right one.

Method 3. Clear Safari Cache and History

Corrupted cache files can mess with Autofill. Cleaning things up can help.

Here’s how to do it:

1. In Safari, click Safari > Clear History…

2. Choose All History and click Clear History.

Then do this:

1. Click Safari > Settings > Privacy.

2. Click Manage Website Data.

3. Hit Remove All.

Pro tip: This logs you out of most sites — so only do this if you’ve got your logins saved.

Method 4. Update Safari and macOS

Yep, the good ol’ “update your software” move — but seriously, it works.

Sometimes bugs in Safari or macOS itself cause Autofill glitches.

How to update:

1. Go to System Settings > General > Software Update.

2. Install any available updates for macOS and Safari.

After updating, restart your Mac and test Autofill again.

Method 5. Check Contacts App for Personal Info

Autofill pulls your name, phone, and address from your own contact card in the Contacts app.

If that card is blank or outdated, Autofill won’t have the right info.

Fix it by doing this:

1. Open the Contacts app.

2. Find and click your name (should say My Card).

3. Add or update relevant info — phone, email, address, etc.

4. Then go to Safari > Settings > Autofill and ensure “Using info from my contacts” is still checked.

Easy win.

Method 6. Test Autofill in Private Mode

Sometimes extensions or plugins mess with Autofill.

To test this, open a new Private Window (File > New Private Window), then try Autofill on a form.

If it works in private mode but not regular Safari, here’s the fix…

Method 7. Disable Safari Extensions

Some extensions, like password managers or ad blockers, can block or override Autofill.

To disable them:

1. Go to Safari > Settings > Extensions.

2. Turn off all extensions.

3. Restart Safari.

Now test Autofill again.

If it works — one of your extensions is the problem. Turn them back on one by one to find the culprit.

Method 8. Reset Safari (Without Nuking Everything)

This is the digital version of a hard reset — it clears Safari settings without deleting your bookmarks and passwords.

Here’s how:

1. Open Finder > Go > Go to Folder

2. Enter:

~/Library/Safari/

3. Move these files to the Trash:

“Form Values”, “WebpageIcons.db”, “LastSession.plist”

Then restart Safari. Autofill may now behave.

Method 9. Reboot Your Mac

Sometimes… it’s just a temporary bug.

Close Safari. Restart your Mac. Open Safari again. Test Autofill.

You’d be amazed how often this works.

Method 10. Still Not Working? Try These Final Fixes

If none of the above work, you can:

Create a New User Profile

Sometimes the macOS user profile gets corrupted.

Go to System Settings > Users & Groups
Create a new user
Log in to that account and test Safari Autofill

If it works there — your main user profile may be buggy.

Contact Apple Support

If Autofill still isn’t working after all this, it may be a deeper issue. Reach out to Apple Support or visit an Apple Store.

Safari Autofill Not Working: Final Thoughts

Here’s the deal — when Safari autofill is not working, it’s usually a settings issue, a bug, or a plugin conflict.

But now that you’ve walked through this step-by-step guide, you’ve probably already solved it (or are 99% of the way there).

Let’s recap the big ones:

Check Safari Autofill settings
Enable iCloud Keychain
Update Safari and macOS
Clear cache & history
Check Contacts card
Disable extensions
Try a new macOS user profile if all else fails

This wasn’t just another basic tech article. This was your definitive Safari Autofill fix guide — straight to the point, built for results.

If this helped you, share it with a fellow Mac user, or bookmark it for next time Safari acts up. Stay fast. Stay secure. Stay optimized.

Safari Autofill Not Working? Here’s How to Fix

What is Safari Autofill (And Why It Matters)?

Method 1. Check Autofill Settings in Safari