Downloading an early version of macOS 14 Sonoma was the only way to try the new Safari 17. But now users can try the Safari Technology Preview, now at version 173, on the stable version of macOS instead.

Previously, to try the new Safari and its new features, users had to install the beta version of macOS Sonoma on their Mac and accept the risks associated with beta testing. However, now that this preview is available in macOS Ventura, there is no need to install the full beta.

There is no need to register with Apple Developer, let alone a paid developer account. The download link is open to anyone to install, assuming, of course, that you are using macOS Ventura.

Once installed, Safari Technology Preview allows you to try interesting things that are not supported in regular Safari. For example, you can select vertical text from images (the stable version of Safari only recognizes normal horizontal text), enable or disable developer options, and simulate browsing Safari on different devices.

The downside of trying the Ventura version preview is the absence of some major new features. Those who want to try things like profiles and automatic locking of private browsing windows need Sonoma's full beta, at least for now.

It is fair to say that this preview is more for developers to try than for regular users. However, the current stable version of Safari will remain intact and will be offered as a stand-alone app, so we can at least compare and contrast it a bit with the current version of Safari while we wait for more headline updates to appear in the preview builds.

There is more to macOS Sonoma than just Safari's functionality: for the first time, Apple is bringing widgets to the desktop, new visual effects for video calling, and a new set of features to enhance gaming on the Mac.

All of this, including all the changes to Safari, will roll out this fall to the majority of Macs less than five years old. The actual wait isn't that long, but at least now you know where to look if you want to be among the first to try out some of the new Safari.