How to Subscribe to and Read RSS Feeds With Safari

Macintosh users that want a simple and efficient way to check their favorite blogs, news feeds and podcasts for updated content will often choose to subscribe to and read RSS feeds with the Web browser Safari. Safari uses special programs, sometimes called 'readers' or 'aggregators,' to check your subscribed feeds for new content. If it finds that any of your feeds have updated content, it will automatically retrieve that content and present it to you in the approved format.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Internet Access
• Macintosh computer running OS 10.3 or later

Download Safari

1. Go to Apple's Web site and click on the 'Support' heading (see Resources below).
2. Click on the heading 'Downloads' and type in the word 'Safari' in the search box.
3. Choose the option 'Downloads--Safari 1.2' if your Macintosh is running 0S 10.3 (Panther).
4. Choose the option 'Download--Safari Update 2.0.1' if your Macintosh is running OS 10.4 (Tiger).
5. Read through the system requirements and click on the download icon under 'Download Details'.
6. Install Safari onto your computer.

Subscribe to and Read RSS Feeds Using Safari 1.0

7. Open up the Safari 1.0 Web browser on your desktop.
8. Go to your favorite blog, podcast or online news source.
9. Look for an orange RSS icon on the Web page. Click where it says 'Subscribe to RSS feed.'
10. Choose the type of reader you would like to use.
11. Bookmark the feed by copying the Web address into your 'Toolbar Favorites' section.

Subscribe to and Read RSS Feeds Using Safari 2.0

12. Open up Safari 2.0 on your desktop.
13. Go to a blog, podcast or online news source that you want to subscribe to.
14. Click on the blue RSS icon on the right hand side of Safari's address bar.
15. Click on 'Add Bookmark.'
16. Go to the RSS option under the Safari 'Preferences' section in order to customize how and when Safari will check your feeds for updated content.

Tips & Warnings

• Safari will display a number next to each bookmarked RSS feed indicating the number of new articles or pieces of content that have been uploaded from that feed.
• Try to keep all of your RSS feeds organized in one folder or section of your toolbar for easy access.
• Safari 1.0 requires a computer that is running OS 10.3 or greater, while Safari 2.0 requires a computer running OS 10.4.2.
• For additional help with Safari, go to the 'Safari Help' window or visit the Apple Help Web site (see Resources below).
• This guide applies only to Safari versions 1.0 and 2.0.
• You may want to enable Safari's security feature to accept cookies from sites that offer RSS feeds.
• Increase your security while browsing online by turning on Safari's Private Browsing function.
• Not all Web pages offer RSS feeds. Only Web sites with an RSS icon are set up to allow users to subscribe to their feed.