Google Maps in browser unusable and laggy

[Nik]

When using Google Maps (maps.google.com) in Safari 26.5.2 on MacOS 26.5.2, zooming and panning is so laggy that it is unusable. I use no plugins and the Mac is newly installed.

Anyone else having this issue?

This issue does not exist on my M1 Max MBP with MacOS 15.7.7 and Safari 26.5.2… so yet another Tahoe issue.

 

[Arran]

Yes, same here. I noticed it first on my M4 iPad pro, but I see it on my M5 mac too.

My guess is that Google's trying to herd us towards using their map app in iOS or their Chrome browser on Mac OS so they can spy on us. I'm inclined to do neither.

Simple solution: Bing Maps or Apple maps. Both of those are still smooth as silk.

 

[BENCHPRESS]

It happens to me once in a while. It's like it's running at 5fps when I pan around. It comes and goes. Just make sure your hardware acceleration is enabled in your browser.

 

[MD1]

I'm still on 26.4, and outa the blue, GMaps started lagging/stuttering for me a few days ago. See:

Google Maps lagging severely after Safari… - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

>M1 Max MBP with MacOS 15.7.7 and Safari 26.5.2
!? 🙂 Did you just copy Saf 26.5 to the older machine??

I'm writing this on OS 12.7, and would love to install a later Saf than 2024!

 

[Nik]

>M1 Max MBP with MacOS 15.7.7 and Safari 26.5.2
!? 🙂 Did you just copy Saf 26.5 to the older machine??

Safari 26.5.2 is the latest version on MacOS 15.7.4. Normal update through software update.

 

[TheCart]

I have the same issue on 27 betas, beta 3 and previous ones.
Feedback Assistant says there is more than 10 reports of this.

 

[MD1]

Safari 26.5.2 is the latest version on MacOS 15.7.4. Normal update through software update.

Oh, ok, thx. Weird that I don't have the option to update Saf on OS26.4, only a 15GB incremental OS update. No thanks.

 

[benholt]

Google Maps' vector renderer runs on WebGL and Safari 26's Metal-backed WebGL path had real regressions early on. Some got patched in 26.5 but the Maps pipeline is still stuttery on my end.

Two things worth trying. First, Safari > Develop > Experimental Features, toggle "WebGPU" off and reload — on my M3 Max that alone dropped Maps stutter from around 5fps back to smooth. Not a proper fix but points the finger at the right thing. Second, pop the same maps.google.com URL into Chrome or Firefox and see if it stutters there too. If those are smooth, it's a Safari-specific WebGL/Metal issue, and there's already a Feedback Assistant report going per what TheCart mentioned above.

 

[Nik]

I complete reset the Mac, even though it was a new machine. Now it works flawlessly. Really strange.

 

[MD1]

Google Maps' vector renderer runs on WebGL and Safari 26's Metal-backed WebGL path had real regressions early on. Some got patched in 26.5 but the Maps pipeline is still stuttery on my end.

Two things worth trying. First, Safari > Develop > Experimental Features, toggle "WebGPU" off and reload — on my M3 Max that alone dropped Maps stutter from around 5fps back to smooth. Not a proper fix but points the finger at the right thing. Second, pop the same maps.google.com URL into Chrome or Firefox and see if it stutters there too. If those are smooth, it's a Safari-specific WebGL/Metal issue, and there's already a Feedback Assistant report going per what TheCart mentioned above.

Sounds like there may be two different (yet related??) problems here, as my stutter started out of the blue, and is much worse a problem than "5 fps". E.g., taking forever to draw anything, especially "starred" places... I'll be trying some of the ideas here ASAP.