View Web Site Addresses When You Hover Over a Link in Safari

Questions

  • How can I see the full web address when I hover over a link in Safari?
  • Why doesn't Safari show a link's address when I hover over it?
  • How do I turn on the status bar in Safari?
  • How do I check where a link goes before I click it in Safari?
  • Security training says to hover over a link to see the real address. How do I do that in Safari?

Environment

This article applies to Bowdoin students, faculty, and staff using Safari on macOS. Some security awareness training programs advise hovering over a link to view its "real" address before clicking, but Safari on macOS does not show a link or URL on hover by default. Enabling the status bar restores this behavior.

Resolution

  1. Open Safari.
  2. Click the View menu.
  3. Select Show Status Bar (usually the fifth option in the menu).

Once the status bar is enabled, the full address or hover text appears in the bottom-left corner of the browser whenever you hover over a link.

Additional Help

If you need further assistance, you have several options:

  • Bowdoin Bot: Chat with Bowdoin Bot directly from any KB page for instant answers.
  • Phone: Call the Bowdoin College Service Desk at (207) 725-3030.
  • In person: Visit the Tech Hub in Smith Union during business hours.
  • Submit a ticket: Request assistance through the Service Catalog.

Additional Resources

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