iPhone Tips

[Solved] How to Fix SafeSearch Won't Turn Off on iPhone in 2024

by Sophie Green   Updated on 2024-02-27 / Update for  Fix iPhone

Have you ever felt like your iPhone search results are filtered? The simplest way to tackle this is to turn off the SafeSearch option in the iPhone settings. However, you need to try more advanced ways if you can’t turn it off like many other iPhone users facing the “SafeSearch won't turn off” issue.

iPhones sometimes can become unpredictable and might behave against your expectations despite being equipped with the world’s most optimized operating system, iOS. This guide explains “why won't safesearch turn off” and how to turn it off.

Part 1: How to Turn SafeSearch Off/On on iPhone Step-by-Step

Before we move to the solution part of this guide, let’s first learn how to turn off the SafeSearch on your iPhone to ensure you’ve followed the right way. It might be possible you’re not following the right steps to turn it off. Here’s how to do so:

Step 1. Go to the Settings app and tap on Screen Time.

Step 2. Tap on the Content and Privacy Restrictions option.

Step 3. Tap on the Web Content option.

Step 4. Here, you can find the preferred settings for the web results. Select the Unrestricted Access to search without filters.

how to turn off safesearch

You can also turn off SafeSearch on Safari and Google app. Here is how to turn off SafeSearch on Safari app on your iPhone:

  • Open Safari and input google.com.
  • Navigate to the bottom of the screen and tap on "Settings," then select "Search settings."
  • Within the settings menu, tap on "SafeSearch" and opt to turn it "Off" to view all results, including explicit content.

    turn off SafeSearch on Safari app

And how to turn off SafeSearch on Google app on your iPhone:

  • Launch the Google app and select your profile photo located at the top right corner
  • Tap on the Settings option.
  • Choose the SafeSearch feature.
  • Select the Off option.

    how to turn off SafeSearch on Google app on your iPhone

Part 2: Why Is SafeSearch Not Turning Off?

If you’ve applied the steps above but cannot turn off the SafeSearch results, your device might have a critical issue preventing the filters from turning off. You may be curious to know “why wont safesearch turn off”. The culprits can make SafeSearch not turn off:

1. Parental Control If you’re under 18, your parents might have enabled SafeSearch from the administrative account to filter the search results.

2. Network Restrictions The public Wifi connections have the safe search feature to filter out the search results. If your iPhone is connected to the public wifi network, this could be the reason for “why wont SafeSearch turn off”.

3. Browser Settings The app-specific settings of the browser can also affect your search results. This could be possible when using a 3rd party browser on your iPhone besides Safari.

4. iOS Glitch & Bug The iOS bugs or glitches coming up with the new updates can also activate the SafeSearch feature on the device.

Part 3: How to Fix SafeSearch Won't Turn Off on iPhone with 7 Useful Ways

Following are the 7 ultimate ways to fix “Google SafeSearch won't turn off” on iPhone.

Way 1: Restart Safari or Chrome App

First, start with the basic troubleshooting methods to fix the “SafeSearch won't turn off on iPhone” issue. A minor glitch or a bug may interfere with the browser settings and cause the issue. Try restarting the Safari or Chrome app to see if it fixes the SafeSearch results issues.

  • Provided that you’ve already opened the browser on your iPhone, you’re facing the issue with swiping up from the bottom of the screen to open the recent apps.
  • Find the browser you're using in the recent app's card and swipe it up to close it.
  • Once done, go to the app library, open the app, and see if the issue is fixed.

Way 2: Restart iPhone

If the above solution doesn’t fix the issue, the iOS bugs or glitches could interrupt the browser's features and activities, leading to the “SafeSearch won't turn off” issue. Restarting your iPhone is an effective way to get rid of such issues. It’ll reconfigure the iOS settings and refresh the OS by clearing the memory. Here’s how:

  • Press and release the Volume Down button.
  • Press and hold your iPhone's Power/Side button until the power menu appears.
  • Drag the power off slider to turn it off, then let it shut down.
  • Wait for 15 seconds, then turn it off by pressing and holding the Power button.

    Slide to power off

Way 3: Reinstall Safari or Chrome App

Sometimes, even the best apps, like Apple’s Safari or Google’s Chrome browser app, can be affected by temporary glitches or corrupted data. In such cases, a clean reinstall can work wonders. All you need to do is uninstall the app from your iPhone and reinstall it.

Follow the steps below to reinstall the Safari or Chrome app on your iPhone:

1. Go to the app library, tap, and hold on to the app you want to uninstall.

2. Tap on the Remove App option.

3. Once done, go to AppStore, search the same app in the search bar, and install it.

4. Launch the app and search to check if the issue is resolved.

Way 4: Update Safari or Chrome App

Outdated apps can also be affected by bugs that can cause compatibility issues between apps and iOS. This can lead to unexpected behaviors of the apps like “Google SafeSearch won't turn off”. Ensure you’ve updated the Safari or Chrome app for a bug-free experience.

Steps to update Safari or Chrome app on iPhone:

Step 1: Go to the AppStore on your iPhone. Tap on your profile icon.

Step 2: Scroll down to find the app you’ve installed on your iPhone.

Step 3: Tap on the Update button next to the browser app.

Way 5: Clear App Cache

Sometimes, the app cache files can interrupt the normal functionality of the apps, resulting in unexpected behavior like the “SafeSearch won't turn off” issue. There is no direct way to clear the app caches on the iPhone. However, you can clear the caches in the Safari app settings.

Here are the steps to clear the app cache on iPhone:

  • Launch the Settings app, and scroll down to tap on Safari.
  • Scroll down, and tap on Clear History and Website Data.
  • Confirm it to clear the cookies and caches.

    Clear History and Website Data

Way 6: Reset All Settings

If none of the above solutions are working, you can try resetting all settings on your iPhone. It’s possible your SafeSearch isn’t turning off due to messed-up settings. Performing a reset of all settings will reset them to the default values without wiping the data on the entire data.

Step to reset all iPhone settings:

  • Go to Settings and tap General.
  • Tap on the Transfer & Reset option.
  • Select Reset All Settings and follow the onscreen instructions.

    reset all settings

Part 4: Fix iPhone SafeSearch Won't Turn Off Due to System Glitches without Data Loss

Sometimes, iPhones are affected by critical bugs or glitches, making them behave unpredictably. Update bugs or outdated iOS versions can also cause this. However, these can easily be eliminated using a powerful tool, Tenorshare ReiBoot.

Tenorshare ReiBoot is designed to remove iOS bugs, glitches, and other critical issues such as iPhone stuck on Apple logo, iPhone frozen or black screen, and “safesearch won t turn off”. Here’s how to fix “safesearch won t turn off” with Tenorshare ReiBoot with a one-click solution:

  • Launch the Tenorshare ReiBoot, and connect your iPhone to the computer using the compatible cable. Click on the Start Repair button.

    launch reiboot
  • Click on Standard Repair (Keep Data) to start the repair process.

    fix with reiboot
  • Once the program recognizes your iPhone device, it’ll take you to the downloading page. Click on the Download button to download the firmware package for your iPhone.

    fix with reiboot
  • Tap Start Standard Repair.

    fix with reiboot
  • Wait for the repair process; let it complete without interruption. Once completed, it’ll show a Done message, and your iPhone will automatically reboot.

    repair successfully

Conclusion

SafeSearch is a great feature when you want to filter out the search results of the Google engine when handing an iPhone to your child. It should turn on and off with one tap on the toggle switch. But sometimes, a bug or a glitch can make things worse.

This guide discussed resolving “Google SafeSearch won't turn off” with ultimate ways. The best and ultimate way to fix iOS-related issues on iPhone and iPad is via a Tenorshare ReiBoot, which offers a one-click solution.