Apple does a better job than most when it comes to privacy. But not all your iPhone’s default settings are in your best interest. Some prioritize convenience over security, while others assume you’re fine sharing more information than you might expect.

9

Prevent Apple From Collecting Diagnostic Data

Like most hardware companies, Apple collects diagnostic and usage data from your phone. This can include crash reports, the performance of certain features, and general patterns on how you use your device. The idea is to help Apple improve iOS over time. But if you’re not comfortable with your phone quietly sending this information back, it’s easy to turn it off.

Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements. Once you’re there, you’ll see several toggles. Turn off Share iPhone Analytics to stop your device from sending data to Apple.

While you’re at it, you might also want to turn off Improve Siri & Dictation to stop Apple from saving transcripts of your voice interactions. And lastly, disable the Share iCloud Analytics to keep your iCloud activity a little more private. These changes won’t affect how your iPhone works, so there’s really no downside.

8

Turn On Mail Privacy Protection

You probably don’t think twice before opening an email. But what you might not realize is that many of those messages have tracking pixels that quietly let the sender know when and where you opened the email. It’s a go-to tactic for both marketers and spammers.

Thankfully, Apple offers a privacy feature to block tracking pixels, known as Mail Privacy Protection. When enabled, it hides your IP address and prevents senders from knowing if or when you’ve opened their emails. It does this by loading email content remotely through Apple’s servers, rather than directly on your device.

To enable this feature, open Settings > Apps > Mail > Privacy Protection and turn on the Protect Mail Activity toggle. Note that this won’t stop tracking if you tap a link inside the email, so if something feels sketchy, trust your gut and don’t tap.

7

Hide Lock Screen Notification Previews

Even when your iPhone is locked, it can still spill more info than you’d expect. By default, it shows your messages, emails, and all other alerts right on the Lock Screen. Plus, your screen lights up with every new notification, which can catch the eye of anyone nearby.

To keep that information private, head to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and select When Unlocked or Never. That way, your content only shows when the phone is actually in your hands. If you don’t want to do this for all apps, you can also adjust iPhone notification settings for specific apps like WhatsApp or Messages.

6

Enable Automatic App and Software Updates

Apple frequently releases updates that fix security issues, resolve bugs, and occasionally introduce new privacy features without much fanfare. The same goes for apps—many updates include quiet improvements that help safeguard your data. If automatic updates aren’t enabled, you could miss out on important security and privacy improvements for days or even weeks.

To turn this on, head to Settings > General > Software Update > Automatic Updates. Then, go back to the main Settings screen, head to App Store > App Updates, and choose On. It only takes a minute, and you’ll have peace of mind that your iPhone is running the most secure and private versions of everything you use.

5

Turn Off Ad Tracking

If you’ve ever felt like your phone is a little too good at guessing what you’re thinking about, ad tracking might be the reason. Many apps track your activity to create a detailed profile and show you ads that seem a little too specific. The good news is that your iPhone lets you turn that off.

Start by heading to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. Here, you’ll see an option called Allow Apps to Request to Track. If it’s on, apps can ask for permission to track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites. If you don’t want that, simply turn the toggle off and all such requests will be rejected.

While you’re still in the privacy settings, scroll down and tap Apple Advertising. Then, turn off Personalized Ads. Apple claims it doesn’t track you the same way third-party apps do, but turning this off still limits how much of your activity is used to customize ads within Apple’s own apps.

4

Protect Your iCloud Data With Advanced Data Encryption

Backing up your iPhone data to iCloud is incredibly convenient. But have you ever thought about how secure all that backed-up data really is, and who might be able to access the backup copy?

Apple’s Advanced Data Protection adds end-to-end encryption to the data stored in your iCloud account. In simple terms, it means only your trusted devices can decrypt and access that data. Even Apple doesn’t have the keys, so the company can’t see what’s in your account, even if it wanted to.

This feature isn’t turned on by default, though. To enable it, head to Settings, tap your name at the top, then go to iCloud > Advanced Data Protection. You’ll be prompted to set up a recovery method, like a recovery key or a trusted contact, so you’re not locked out if you forget your password.

3

Enable 2FA for Your Apple Account

Two-factor authentication is a must for all your accounts, and your Apple Account is no exception. Just think about how much personal information is connected to your iPhone—photos, messages, location history, payment details, and even your health data. If someone gains access to your Apple Account, they can view all that data. This is one of the areas where security meets privacy.

With two-factor authentication (2FA) turned on, your account stays protected even if someone gets hold of your password. They won’t be able to log in without entering a six-digit code sent to one of your trusted devices. To check if 2FA is enabled, go to Settings > [your name] > Sign-In & Security > Two-Factor Authentication. If it’s off, take the extra minute to set it up.

2

Use a Private Search Engine and Strengthen Safari’s Privacy Settings

Every year, Google pays Apple billions of dollars to remain the default search engine on your iPhone. But if you’d prefer not to have every search tracked and turned into targeted ads, it’s easy to switch to a more privacy-focused search engine.

Head to Settings > Safari > Search Engine. From there, choose DuckDuckGo. It’s a search engine that doesn’t track your queries or build a profile on you.

While you’re in Safari’s settings, scroll down a bit further and turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking. This stops websites from sharing your activity among themselves, which helps limit how much data advertisers can gather about your habits. Also, under Hide IP Address, select Trackers and Websites so both ad trackers and the websites you visit can’t log your IP and use it to fingerprint you.

1

Review App Permissions

Apps on your iPhone need your permission to use data like your location, photos, microphone, camera, and contacts. While some of this access is necessary, many apps ask for permissions that aren’t needed for them to function properly.

To check which apps have access to what, head to Settings > Privacy & Security. From there, tap into each category, like Location Services, Microphone, or Photos. You’ll see a list of apps that have requested access, along with the current permission status for each.

It’s worth taking a few minutes to scan through these. If you see something odd—like a shopping app with microphone access—it’s probably safe (and wise) to turn that off. Also, keep an eye out for any app set to Always track your location. For most apps, While Using the App is a better choice.

Reviewing your iPhone’s privacy settings might not be the most exciting practice, but it’s certainly worth doing. It hardly takes a few minutes, and can give you some well-earned peace of mind.