Safari in macOS 27 Builds Small Extensions From a Prompt

Safari in macOS 27 can build a small browser extension from a sentence you write. I can see this being handy for jobs that are too specific to justify hunting through an extension store: a timer for a short work session, for example, or a button that closes duplicate tabs. The limits are fairly strict, so the useful question is whether your idea can run entirely inside Safari.

A prompt becomes an extension

Apple calls the feature Describe an Extension. From Safari's Page Menu in the Smart Search field, you describe the task, choose a category, and continue. Safari first looks for an existing App Store extension that fits. If it can build your request, you can choose a custom extension instead, create it, try it, and review its details and permissions before saving. Saved custom extensions are enabled automatically; Safari settings let you edit the description, disable the extension, or uninstall it later.

Here's the sort of job I'd start with: “Give me a button that closes tabs showing the same URL.” After creating it, I would open a few duplicate test tabs and check the result before trusting it with a larger session. A narrow request is easier to inspect than an elaborate set of browsing rules. Apple also uses a three-minute focus timer as an example of the feature's scope.

What you need on the Mac

The feature requires macOS 27 Golden Gate and Apple Intelligence. Apple's compatibility guide lists Macs with M1 or later, as well as MacBook Neo with A18 Pro, among supported devices. Availability can vary with language and region. If the menu item is missing, check the macOS version, Apple Intelligence setup, and supported language before assuming Safari is broken.

The boundary matters

These custom extensions cannot load remote content, connect to third-party services, or access files on your Mac. That rules out a lot of tempting requests. An extension that fetches a company dashboard from an API or reads a local CSV is outside the builder's stated capabilities. I'd use it for a focused browser action, then look at a conventional extension or a small script when the job needs external data.

It's also worth opening the permissions view before saving, especially if the extension will work across websites. Start with a disposable page or a few test tabs, confirm the behavior, and disable it from Safari settings if it does something unexpected. The prompt makes the first version quick; it does not remove the need to check what the extension actually does.

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