Many iPhone and iPad users have reported seeing a strange pop-up message Do you want to download occ? in Safari after updating to iOS 18.
The alert asks if they want to download a file called “occ,” which has many people perplexed and worried.
The problem appears to be with Apple’s Safari browser, and the company has yet to release an official fix.
The “occ” alert is not a new problem. Users have reported similar pop-ups in earlier iOS versions, with variations such as:
The common thread is that these alerts mostly appear when users visit certain websites, particularly news and media outlets like USA Today, Time Magazine, and ESPN.
Do you want to download “occ”?
Despite the concerns that the pop-up could be a sign of malware, experts say it’s likely not harmful.
What happens when you proceed to download occ?
When users click to download the “occ” file, it turns out to be an empty 0kb text document with no real content.
In other words, it’s not malicious software trying to harm your device.
Instead, it seems to be a bug within Safari itself, potentially triggered by how the browser handles ad tracking or certain web tools.
So, what’s the fix?
What can you do if this happens to you? First, Apple recommends backing up your device to iCloud and then resetting all your settings.
This may resolve the issue, though it’s not a guaranteed fix. After resetting, it’s also helpful to clear your web data in Safari.
What worked for us is to turn on the “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” feature in Safari’s settings.
How to turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking on iOS
1. First, open the Settings application from your device.
2. Search for “Safari” via the search bar above and click on the exact result.
3. Scroll down and toggle Prevent Cross-Site Tracking under Privacy and Security.
How to turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking on macOS
1. Open the Safari app from your Mac computer and on the top toolbar, click Preference.
2. From the above menu, click on Privacy.
3. Under Privacy, check the box beside Prevent cross-site tracking.
This setting blocks websites from tracking your browsing habits across multiple sites and may stop the pop-up from appearing.
Fix 2: If it doesn’t work, installing an ad blocker like AdGuard will also work wonder and stop the pop-ups from appearing on your device.
While the issue is mainly affecting Safari users on iPhones and iPads, switching to a different browser like Chrome or Microsoft Edge can also temporarily solve the problem until Apple fixes this issue.
The alerts only seem to appear in Safari, so using an alternative browser may offer a smoother browsing experience until Apple rolls out an official patch.
For now, it’s clear that this pop-up is more of an annoyance than a serious security threat.