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220-1201 Practice Question: That their iPad's Safari browser crashes…
A user reports that their iPad's Safari browser crashes immediately upon opening, but other apps work fine. They have already restarted the device. What should the technician do next?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1201 exam often tests the principle of least invasive troubleshooting first, so the trap here is that candidates may jump to a factory reset (Option A) or an iOS update (Option B) instead of trying the simple, app-specific data clear that resolves the most common cause of a single-app crash.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Clear Safari's history and website data in Settings.
Clearing Safari's history and website data removes corrupted cached files, cookies, or local storage data that can cause the browser to crash on launch. Since other apps work fine, the issue is isolated to Safari's stored data, not the entire system. This is the recommended first troubleshooting step for a single-app crash after a restart.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Perform a factory reset on the iPad.
Why it's wrong here
Performing a factory reset is an extreme measure that completely erases all user data, settings, and installed applications from the iPad, restoring it to its original out-of-the-box state. This action is disproportionate for a single application issue like Safari crashing, as it would cause significant data loss and require extensive reconfiguration, making it a last resort for persistent system-wide corruption or device-level malfunctions, not an isolated app problem.
- ✗
Update iOS to the latest version.
Why it's wrong here
While updating iOS can resolve known bugs and improve system stability, it is a significant process that requires time, a stable internet connection, and sufficient battery life. For an isolated app crash, it's not the most efficient or targeted initial troubleshooting step, as simpler, less disruptive actions like clearing app-specific data should be attempted first to address potential corruption within Safari itself, before resorting to a system-wide update.
- ✓
Clear Safari's history and website data in Settings.
Why this is correct
Clearing Safari's history and website data in Settings is a highly effective and standard troubleshooting step for browser instability. This action removes potentially corrupted cached files, cookies, and browsing history that can interfere with Safari's normal operation and lead to crashes, allowing the browser to rebuild these data stores cleanly without affecting other applications or system settings.
- ✗
Disable all Safari extensions.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling Safari extensions would not resolve a crash that occurs immediately upon opening, because extensions load after the browser’s core rendering engine initialises; a crash at launch typically indicates corruption in Safari’s cache, history, or website data, which requires clearing those storage caches via Settings > Safari. This option is tempting because extension conflicts do cause crashes in other scenarios—for example, when a specific extension malfunctions during page rendering after the browser has already opened successfully.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.