iPhone Privacy Settings You Should Check Today

By Ammar Aslam · Updated September 29, 2026 · 3 min read

Your iPhone holds your location history, photos, messages and health data. Apple gives you strong privacy controls, but you need to use them. Here are the settings worth reviewing.

Run Safety Check

Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Safety Check. It walks you through who and which apps can access your information and lets you remove access quickly. It's especially useful if a relationship has changed or you think someone may be monitoring you.

Location Services

In Privacy & Security → Location Services, review each app:

Choose While Using the App for most apps.
Choose Never for apps that don't need location.
Turn off Precise Location for apps like weather or news.

Also check System Services → Significant Locations, which keeps a history of places you visit, and clear it if you like.

App Tracking

In Privacy & Security → Tracking, turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track. Apps can then no longer track you across other companies' apps and websites for advertising.

Photos access

Apps can have full or limited access to selected photos. Use limited access for most apps.

Camera, microphone and contacts

Check which apps can use the camera, microphone, contacts and Bluetooth. An orange dot at the top of the screen means the microphone is in use; a green dot means the camera is.

App Privacy Report

Turn on App Privacy Report to see how often apps access your data and which websites they contact.

Lock Screen

In Face ID & Passcode, turn off access to things like Control Center, Wallet and reply with message when locked, so people can't use them without unlocking.

Notification previews

Settings → Notifications → Show Previews → When Unlocked, so message contents don't show on the lock screen.

Safari privacy

In Safari settings, turn on Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and Hide IP Address from trackers.

Hide My Email and Private Relay

With iCloud+, use Hide My Email to create random addresses for sign-ups, and Private Relay to hide your browsing from networks.

Using Android? See Android app permissions.

Extra protection for high-risk users

Journalists, activists and people facing targeted threats can turn on Lockdown Mode (Settings → Privacy & Security). It restricts features like message attachments, some web technologies and incoming connections to reduce the chance of sophisticated spyware attacks. Most people don't need it, as it limits normal functionality.

If you're worried someone is monitoring you

Safety Check was designed for people in difficult relationships. Its Emergency Reset option immediately stops sharing your location and information with everyone, resets app permissions, and helps you review your Apple Account security. Also check:

Devices signed into your Apple Account (Settings → [your name]).
Whether your passcode or Apple Account password might be known to someone; change them.
Find My location sharing and Family Sharing members.
Unknown configuration profiles in Settings → General → VPN & Device Management.

If you are in danger, contact local emergency services or a domestic abuse helpline.

Quarterly privacy review

Every few months: run Safety Check, review location access, delete apps you no longer use, check App Privacy Report, and make sure iOS is up to date. It takes about ten minutes and keeps your iPhone private and secure.

Frequently asked questions

Does turning off tracking remove ads?

No, but ads will be less personalised.

Can someone track my iPhone without me knowing?

Safety Check shows location sharing and connected devices, and iPhones alert you to unknown AirTags travelling with you.

Ammar Aslam
Ammar writes clear, practical tech guides that help everyday users fix problems, stay safe online and get more from their devices.