When you think of the major web browsers, chances are that Apple’s Safari features somewhere on your list. However, despite its popularity, Safari has never been officially released for Linux – particularly strange considering macOS and Linux both have historical ties to UNIX.
If you’re a Linux user and a web developer and need to provide support for the Safari browser, the good news is that there are some workarounds to get Safari up and running on Linux. Although you’ll be restricted to Safari 5, this version still has everything you need for surfing the Web.
Installing Safari Browser on Linux
There are two potential workarounds for installing Safari on Linux: using WINE (the compatibility layer, not the drink) or using WINE and PlayOnLinux, which provides a graphical user interface (UI) for WINE.
As an added bonus, you can use WINE and PlayOnLinux to install many other Windows applications beside Safari, so after completing this tutorial you’ll have easy access to other applications that were never supposed to run on Linux.
How to Install WINE
WINE is one of the most well-known Linux packages, and it is found in most Software Center/Package managers. In Ubuntu (or Ubuntu-based distro), you can install WINE with the command (for a 32-bit computer):
sudo apt install wine32
or (for 64 bit computer):
sudo apt install wine64
One thing to note is that the WINE version in Ubuntu is pretty outdated. If you want to get the latest stable version of WINE, do the following:
1. Add the WINE key.
wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key sudo apt-key add winehq.key
2. Add the repository.
sudo apt-add-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/ubuntu/ eoan main'
The above command is for Ubuntu 19.10 (eoan). If you are using version other than Ubuntu 19.10, change the name accordingly (like “bionic”, “xenial”, etc.)
3. Update the system.
sudo apt update
4. Lastly, install the stable version of WINE.
sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-stable
WINE will now be installed. For more information, refer to our guide on installing WINE on Linux.
Installing Safari using WINE
Before downloading Safari, we need to create a download and build directory. Open a Terminal window and run the following commands:
mkdir -p ~/build/safari cd ~/build/safari
We can now download Safari, using a wget command:
wget https://appldnld.apple.com/Safari5/041-5487.20120509.INU8B/SafariSetup.exe
Once the download is complete, you can launch Safari Setup using the following:
wine SafariSetup.exe
At this point you may be prompted to download some additional software, such as Mono or Gecko. If prompted, click “Install” and wait for these packages to download.
Once you have all the necessary supporting software, the Safari Installer should launch automatically.
Once you’ve completed the standard Safari setup, the web browser will be installed, and you can start using Safari on Linux!
Installing Safari Using PlayOnLinux
WINE isn’t always the most user-friendly software, so you may want to consider installing PlayOnLinux, which provides a graphical user interface for the underlying WINE code.
To install PlayOnLinux, use the following command:
sudo apt install playonlinux
You can now find PlayOnLinux in your Applications menu.
In the PlayOnLinux window, select “Install a program.”
Enter “Safari” in the search bar.
When the web browser appears, select it and click “Install.” Read the disclaimer, and if you accept it, click “Next -> Next.” Safari will now be downloaded to your computer.
Now that you have WINE installed, you have access to many other Windows games and applications that you can install and enjoy on Linux. If you’re looking to add Razer peripherals, read on to learn how to install OpenRazer on Linux.