Let’s be honest: we love our iPhones. They are our cameras, our navigators, our banks, and our primary connection to the world. But because they do so much, they hold a staggering amount of information about who we are, where we go, and what we buy. While Apple is famously pro-privacy compared to many competitors, the default settings on a brand-new iPhone usually lean toward convenience and connectivity rather than maximum security.
You don't need to be a cybersecurity expert or wear a tinfoil hat to want a little more control over your digital footprint. Often, it’s just about drawing a line in the sand. Does a flashlight app really need your location? Does a puzzle game need access to your contacts? The answer is almost always no.
If you have ten minutes to spare, grab your phone. We are going to walk through the essential settings you should change right now to lock down your data without turning your smartphone into a dumbphone.
1. Stop Apps from Stalking You (App Tracking Transparency)
Have you ever looked at a pair of shoes on a website, and then five minutes later, seen an ad for those exact shoes on Instagram? That isn’t magic; it’s cross-app tracking. For years, apps could share a unique ID associated with your phone to build a profile of your interests across different platforms.
Apple introduced a feature called App Tracking Transparency to put a stop to this, but you have to make sure it’s configured correctly. You can choose to handle this on a case-by-case basis, or you can issue a blanket ban on all tracking requests.
Pro Tip: Turning this off doesn't mean you will stop seeing ads. It just means the ads you see will be less personalized because they aren't based on your behavior outside of that specific app.
Here is how to shut down the trackers:
- Open Settings and scroll down to Privacy & Security.
- Tap on Tracking.
- Look for the toggle that says Allow Apps to Request to Track.
- If you turn this OFF, apps are automatically denied permission to track you without even asking. It’s the "do not disturb" sign for data collectors.
- If you leave it ON, you will get a pop-up for every new app asking for permission. We recommend always selecting "Ask App Not to Track."
2. The "Significant Locations" Secret
This is one of the most buried settings in the iPhone, and it surprises almost everyone when they find it. Your iPhone keeps a log of "Significant Locations"—places you visit frequently, like your home, your office, or your favorite coffee shop. It even tracks how long you stayed there and how often you drive there.
Apple states this data is end-to-end encrypted and used to improve Maps and photo memories, but many users feel uncomfortable having a detailed log of their daily movements stored on their device. If someone were to gain access to your unlocked phone, they could see exactly where you live and work.
Here is how to clear your history and stop the logging:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
- Tap on Location Services.
- Scroll all the way to the bottom and tap System Services.
- Scroll down again and find Significant Locations. You will need to use FaceID or your passcode to enter.
- Here, you can see the log. Tap Clear History to wipe the slate clean.
- Finally, toggle the switch at the top to OFF to prevent it from building a new list.
3. Tighten Up Your Location Permissions
While you are in the Location Services menu, it is time to audit your apps. Not every app needs to know where you are, and certainly not all the time. There is a big difference between a navigation app knowing your location (essential) and a weather app knowing your location when you aren't even looking at the weather (creepy).
Furthermore, Apple allows you to distinguish between "Precise Location" and general location. Does a dating app or a local news app need to know the exact square footage of the room you are standing in? Or is knowing just the city you are in enough?
Follow these steps to audit your apps:
- Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
- Scroll through your list of apps. You will see settings like "Always," "While Using," "Ask Next Time," or "Never."
- The Goal: Change as many apps as possible to "Never" or "While Using." Be very skeptical of any app set to "Always."
- Precise Location: Tap on a specific app (like Instagram or Facebook). You will see a toggle for Precise Location. Turn this OFF. The app will still know you are in Chicago, but it won't know you are at 123 Main Street.
4. Block the Invisible Email Spies
Email marketing has become incredibly sophisticated. When you open a newsletter or a promotional email, it often contains invisible tracking pixels. These tiny images load when you open the email, alerting the sender that you opened it, what time you opened it, and roughly where you were located when you did so.
This data helps marketers build a "profile" on you to gauge your engagement. If you value your inbox privacy, you should put a stop to this. Apple’s Mail Privacy Protection hides your IP address and loads remote content privately in the background, making it impossible for senders to know your specific activity.
Did you know? Before this feature existed, marketers could see if you opened an email on your phone or your desktop, helping them target you with different types of ads later.
Here is how to enable Mail Privacy Protection:
- Open Settings and tap on Mail.
- Scroll down to the "Messages" section and tap Privacy Protection.
- Toggle Protect Mail Activity to ON.
- If you don't use Apple's native Mail app (e.g., you use the Gmail app or Outlook), check the settings within those specific apps, as they often have their own version of image blocking.
5. Lock Screen & Stolen Device Protection
Privacy isn't just about digital tracking; it's about physical security. If your phone is stolen, the thief often watches you enter your passcode first. Once they have your passcode, they can change your Apple ID password, access your banking apps, and lock you out of your digital life forever.
To combat this, Apple released a feature in iOS 17.3 called Stolen Device Protection. This adds a layer of security when your iPhone is away from familiar locations (like home or work). If you try to change critical security settings while out at a bar or in a park, the phone will require FaceID or TouchID—no passcode fallback allowed—and enforce a one-hour security delay.
Additionally, you should ensure that your notifications aren't giving away your secrets while your phone is locked on a table.
Let's set up these physical barriers:
- Enable Stolen Device Protection: Go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. Scroll down to Stolen Device Protection and turn it ON.
- Hide Notification Previews: Go to Settings > Notifications. Tap Show Previews and select When Unlocked. Now, when your phone buzzes, it will just say "Message" or "WhatsApp" rather than displaying the text of the message for everyone to see.
- Disable Control Center Access: In Face ID & Passcode, scroll to "Allow Access When Locked." Consider turning off Control Center and Accessories. This prevents a thief from putting your phone in Airplane Mode immediately after stealing it to stop you from tracking it.
Taking control of your privacy doesn't have to be a chore. It is about making your device work for you, rather than for the advertisers. By tweaking these five areas, you have significantly reduced the amount of data leaking from your device. You have stopped apps from talking to each other about you, hidden your exact location, blocked email snoops, and hardened your device against physical theft.
Technology is great, but peace of mind is better. Enjoy your newly secured iPhone!