In today’s digital world, privacy has become a major concern for smartphone users. With so much of your personal data stored on your iPhone—from messages and photos to financial details—it’s essential to take steps to protect your privacy. Apple offers several built-in settings to help keep your information safe from prying eyes, but not all of them are enabled by default. Here are the essential iPhone privacy settings you should turn on today to safeguard your data.
1. Limit Apps’ Access to Your Location
Many apps request access to your location, but not all of them actually need it. While location tracking can be helpful for apps like maps or ride-sharing services, others may be collecting your location data unnecessarily.
To control which apps can access your location:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services. Review the list of apps and adjust their location access by selecting Never, While Using the App, or Always, depending on the app’s requirements.
For added privacy, you can also toggle off Precise Location for apps that don’t need your exact whereabouts.
2. Disable Unnecessary App Permissions
Your apps may request permissions to access your camera, microphone, contacts, or photos—sometimes without a clear reason. It’s important to regularly review and limit these permissions to protect your privacy.
To manage app permissions:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security, and choose specific categories like Camera, Microphone, or Contacts to see which apps have access. Toggle off permissions for apps that don’t need them or seem suspicious.
3. Turn Off Personalized Ads
Apple uses your data to serve you personalized ads in apps like the App Store and Apple News. While these ads are based on your interests, you might prefer not to have your browsing habits tracked for advertising purposes.
To disable personalized ads:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising, and toggle off Personalized Ads.
This won’t eliminate ads altogether but will prevent Apple from targeting ads based on your data.
4. Hide Your Email with “Hide My Email”
Apple’s Hide My Email feature allows you to use randomly generated email addresses when signing up for apps, websites, or newsletters. This keeps your actual email address private and reduces the risk of spam or phishing attacks.
To use this feature:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Hide My Email. From here, you can create and manage randomized email addresses that forward messages to your real inbox.
This is especially useful when signing up for services that you’re unsure about.
5. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to your Apple ID, ensuring that even if someone gets your password, they can’t access your account without a second verification step.
To enable 2FA:
- Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security, and turn on Two-Factor Authentication. You’ll then receive a code on your trusted device whenever you or someone else tries to sign in with your Apple ID.
This setting is essential for protecting your Apple ID from unauthorized access.
6. Control App Tracking
App tracking allows apps to follow your activity across other apps and websites, often for the purpose of targeted advertising. Apple now gives you the option to limit app tracking across the board.
To block app tracking:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, and toggle off Allow Apps to Request to Track. This prevents apps from asking for your permission to track your activity.
If you’ve already granted apps permission to track, you can review and revoke access from this same menu.
7. Use Safari’s Privacy Features
Safari, Apple’s default browser, offers several privacy features to help you browse more securely. Intelligent Tracking Prevention limits advertisers’ ability to track your online activity, while Hide IP Address prevents websites from identifying your device based on your IP.
To enable these features:
- Go to Settings > Safari, and turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and Hide IP Address under the Privacy & Security section.
These settings help protect your browsing data and reduce personalized ads based on your online activity.
8. Lock Your Photos with Face ID or Touch ID
Your photos may contain some of your most private and personal information. Fortunately, you can secure certain albums, like your Hidden and Recently Deleted albums, with Face ID or Touch ID.
To lock these albums:
- Go to Settings > Photos, and toggle on Use Face ID or Use Touch ID. This ensures that only you can access these sensitive albums.
9. Limit Siri’s Access to Sensitive Data
Siri can be helpful, but it also has access to a lot of your personal data, including messages, contacts, and location. If you’re concerned about Siri listening in on private information, you can limit its access.
To adjust Siri’s settings:
- Go to Settings > Siri & Search, and turn off Listen for “Hey Siri” if you don’t want Siri to always be listening. You can also review app-specific Siri settings and disable Siri’s access to apps containing sensitive information.
10. Review and Delete Old App Permissions
Over time, we tend to download apps that we no longer use, yet these apps may still have access to your personal information. Regularly reviewing and deleting unused apps is a simple but effective way to maintain your privacy.
To see which apps you haven’t used in a while:
- Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Here, you can see a list of apps and the last time they were used. Consider deleting any apps you haven’t used recently.