Are you looking forward to securing your privacy on the go? There are plenty of ways to do this. This article shares some of the best methods for securing your iPhone’s privacy.
In today’s connected world, being constantly reachable isn’t just a blessing — it’s also something that can be used against us and our privacy.
While this sounds dramatic, there are tons of things you don’t want random people to know about you, and there are companies out there whose entire business model relies on knowing as much as possible about you and your phone.
And while some of those other companies help protect your data, Apple doesn’t exactly make things easy when it comes to enabling those protections. But thanks to some new security updates in iOS, protecting your privacy just got a lot easier.
If you’re an iPhone user and you want to learn more about these new security features — as well as how you can use them — then I will share with you all the details.
But before I do, l think I should introduce myself. I am Frankie Caruso. I love helping people feel secure in their everyday lives. My favorite hobbies include playing my guitar and singing, so I guess you could say that music is my lifeblood!
My work has been featured in dozens of online publications so if you’re interested in learning more about what I share, you can subscribe to my weekly newsletter here.
Anyways, back to the topic at hand!
I mentioned earlier that if you’re an iPhone user who wants to protect your personal information from prying eyes, then now is your chance.
Frankie’s Take:
Due to the advancement in technology, this article will help provide protection information for those who own iPhones by giving instructions on the best ways they can protect their privacy.
10+ Practical Tips to Protect Your iPhone Privacy
There are several ways you can use to protect your privacy. These include:
1. Enable two-factor authentication
Authentication is a security feature that protects your account from anyone who tries to access it without a password or verification code. If someone tries to sign in without either of these credentials, they will be asked for a one-time code sent via text message or email.
This extra level of protection is useful because it will stop unwanted people from accessing your phone and ensure hackers cannot get into your account if they steal your password.
To enable two-factor authentication on an Apple device, go to Settings > iCloud > Account Details > Password & Security and toggle the switch next to Two-Factor Authentication ON.
Once activated, you’ll need to enter a digit verification code every time you want to access your iCloud or iTunes account using a new device.
Frankie’s Take:
The two-factor authentication is an important step towards securing your privacy. With 2FA enabled, you’ll rest easy knowing no one can take control of your account without first receiving the necessary codes.
2. Change screen lock accessibility
Screen lock accessibility can be changed by going to Settings > General > Accessibility > Face ID (if available) or Touch ID & Passcode. You can choose between Touch ID, Face ID, or neither at all. You may also set up a passcode to unlock your phone by tapping Turn Passcode On at the bottom of the page.
If selected as your preferred unlocking method, this will have to be used instead of Face ID or Touch ID when the other option has been turned off. For those concerned about their child having access to the information on their iPhone more easily than adults, selecting Neither could be best. To protect your privacy, know how much data you’re willing to share before making any changes.
Frankie’s Take:
I’d recommend changing screen lock accessibility to something less accessible for children. It’s important to think about how much data you’re willing to share with others before changing your settings, though.
3. Audit app permissions
Apps you allow to access your location will be able to track and share where you are in real-time. This can be useful for many reasons, such as if a friend needs to find you or if you want to use an app that helps with travel planning.
However, there are still risks associated with letting apps share your location.
For example, the Uber app shares your location so that it knows where to send a driver, but if you were kidnapped or forced into a car against your will, an app like this could be used against you by finding out exactly where you were taken.
Therefore it’s important not to blindly agree to apps asking for permission to view or change information on your phone – always check what’s being shared before granting permission.
If you’re not happy with an app sharing your information, you can revoke the permission the same way you granted it. When looking at which apps can access certain pieces of information, think carefully about whether it really makes sense for them to do so.
Frankie’s Take:
I’d recommend limiting app permissions to only those that you really need. If you’re not sure which apps have access to information on your phone that they shouldn’t, it’s a good idea to check before letting them have such access.
4. Enable automatic updates
If you want your iPhone to download and install updates automatically, go to Settings > iTunes and App Store. Scroll down to the Automatic Downloads section and turn on Updates.
You can also choose specific categories of updates you want your phone to download by going into the Automatic Downloads section and tapping on Updates in the lower left corner of the screen. These categories include Music, TV Shows, Apps, Books, and more.
Frankie’s Take:
Enabling automatic updates is a quick and simple way to make sure you have the latest version of your operating system, apps, and even content. This prevents the frustration of needing to manually update your software or missing out on exciting content.
5. Block mail tracking
You’ll also want to protect your iPhone privacy by blocking mail tracking. There are a few ways you can do this. The easiest way is to go into Settings -> Mail -> Privacy settings and turn on the fetch new data option in the Fetch New Data tab. Another way is to manually delete the mail from the server that it’s already downloaded.
If you’re going to be leaving your phone unattended for a while, or if you’re going somewhere where someone might get access to your email account, be sure to set an auto-delete rule for all emails older than 1 day old. Sometimes, setting up another account specifically for email might also be wise. It’s more work but more secure in many ways.
If you need sensitive information to send through email, consider using encryption software like Pretty Good Privacy (PGP), which will encrypt the message before sending it over email. PGP is difficult to use, so make sure you know what you’re doing before proceeding with this route.
Frankie’s Take:
Mail tracking only tells the sender that the message was successfully sent to your email address. But because the sender doesn’t know if you opened the email, you remain anonymous. This will help keep your identity private, and protect your iPhone privacy from spying eyes.
6. Swift off iCloud backup for apps that don’t require it
An iCloud backup is a great way to keep your data secure and up-to-date on all your devices. However, there are times when you may want to stop an iCloud backup for certain apps. You can choose this option from Settings > iTunes & App Store.
Just tap Apple ID in the top left corner, then tap View Apple ID. In the window that pops up, you will see iCloud Backup.
Tap it and make sure the toggle switch next to it is set to off. If you turn off this feature, your device won’t back up to iCloud if it’s low on storage space.
Clear out old files before turning off this feature is always a good idea. You can also go into Settings under iCloud and select what types of content should be backed up to iCloud. That way, you don’t have anything erased by accident.
Frankie’s Take:
I’d recommend turning off iCloud backups for apps you no longer use, especially ones that come preinstalled on the iPhone. This ensures you’re saving the most amount of space possible and preventing unwanted iOS updates.
7. Enable Find My iPhone
Losing your phone or having it stolen can be a huge headache.
Thankfully, iOS has its own built-in security system called Find My iPhone that allows you to locate your lost or stolen device. All you need is access to a Wi-Fi network or mobile network connection, which means you’re covered even if your phone gets turned off or goes dead while out of range.
The app works as long as the location services feature on the device is enabled and turned on at least once every one hundred and twenty days. Once you’ve signed in with your Apple ID, Find My iPhone lets you track the device’s location using GPS and provides real-time updates.
You can remotely lock it with a passcode so no one else can access the information on it, wipe it clean, or send messages to help find it. There’s also a button that allows you to play a sound, so if someone leaves their phone somewhere they might not notice, they’ll hear an alarm.
Frankie’s Take:
Keep in mind that once you activate Find My iPhone and lock it, no one will be able to access any of your phone’s contents. Also, ensure you have a back-up of all important information before activating it.
8. Make Safari more private
Safari is an iOS web browsing app and has various settings that you can use to make your experience more private. You can do this by tapping the address bar and scrolling down to the Privacy option.
Here, you can decide whether or not websites are allowed to track you with cookies and other technologies. In addition, you can delete all cookies stored on your device when exiting Safari.
That way, if somebody else were to get access to your device, they wouldn’t be able to see any of the history associated with it. Additionally, if you want Safari to always ask for confirmation before opening websites, then you’ll want to turn Block pop-ups on.
The same goes for Ask websites not to track me, which will stop companies from tracking what you do while browsing their site. When these features are enabled, anyone using your phone won’t be able to view the sites you’ve visited unless they know your Apple ID password.
Frankie’s Take:
Safari has many privacy settings that allow you to browse the internet without fear of being tracked. Just remember, if you enable these options, anyone who uses your phone won’t be able to view the sites you visit without knowing your password.
9. Create a strong passcode (Disable Face ID and Touch ID)
A strong passcode is your first line of defense. You must have a long and unique password to protect your data from anyone who might have physical access to your phone.
Make sure you use both numbers and letters in your passcode. If possible, avoid using words that can be found in the dictionary—even if they’re spelled differently.
You should also disable Face ID or Touch ID because those features may make it easier for an intruder to unlock your phone with just a glance or finger touch.
When setting up your iPhone, choose Face ID or Touch ID as the preferred method of unlocking your device. Then select Require Attention for 15 Seconds before Accessing, which will keep people from being able to enter their password while they are looking away at their screen. You’ll need to look directly at your device whenever you want to enter a new password so that Face ID/Touch ID can work properly.
Frankie’s Take:
I feel that creating a strong passcode is your first line of defense against intruders. My advice would be to create one with a mix of numbers and letters, without any easy-to-guess words in it.
10. Clean up lock-screen widgets
You’ll also want to clean up your lock screen by removing unnecessary widgets. To do this, go into your phone’s Settings and scroll down until you see the Lock Screen.
Tap on Widgets and then tap on the red minus sign in the top left corner of each widget you wish to remove. Once you’ve cleaned up your lock screen, your only information available will be time, date, and battery life.
As an extra precaution, add a passcode lock to your phone so no one can access it without your permission. Additionally, if you’re concerned about someone spying on your texts or listening to your calls, disable call forwarding and voicemail notifications.
Frankie’s Take:
I think that cleaning up your lock screen is important so you don’t show off too much personal information. By deleting all of the widgets on my lock screen, there was nothing but time, date, and battery life shown when I pressed my home button. That made me feel a lot safer!
11. Set messages to auto-delete
When setting up your messages to auto-delete, Apple will only delete them after 30 days. This means that you have 30 days before they are deleted. You can change this by going into Settings > Messages and tapping Keep Messages.
This will allow you to set the number of days you want to keep your messages for between one and 365. If you would like to not save any, select Never Keep Messages from the list of options available.
Frankie’s Take:
I recommend selecting 30 days because it seems like enough time for most people to decide whether or not they want to save their messages. It will give you a chance to back out of saving your old text conversations if you decide later on that it isn’t what you wanted.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I turn on Privacy settings on my iPhone?
Open the Settings app and select Privacy. Scroll down to Location Services and slide the toggle switch to Off. The same setting applies to both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth location services. You can adjust location services for individual apps under Privacy > Location Services > System Services.
2. How can you tell if your phone is being monitored by someone else?
Several signs might indicate that you’re being tracked. One way is using the right mobile phone spy apps, such as mSpy iPhone, that enable call monitoring, text message reading, GPS tracking, and much more.
3. How can I protect my location privacy?
First, you can disable location services from your phone’s Settings. Doing so will prevent apps from being able to pinpoint your exact location. You can also prevent people from tracking you by disabling Wi-Fi and Bluetooth at times when you’d rather not be tracked (like when you sleep).
You should also use a NordVPN service with robust encryption to anonymize your internet traffic and hide where you are browsing from.
Why Nord VPN?
Well, this is one of the best ways to protect your privacy while surfing the web – They don’t store any personal information or credit card details, and they offer a high level of anonymity compared with other competitors. Plus, they have a strict no-logging policy, so you won’t have anything to worry about.
4. Can I Find My iPhone if Location Services is off?
No! If you have turned off location services on your phone, it will not show up in any location finder tool like Apple’s Find My Phone app. However, there are still ways to track your lost or stolen device even if the location service has been turned off:
Conclusion
In a nutshell, privacy settings on iPhone are not difficult to maintain.
If you have an iOS device and want your calls, text messages, and location to remain private, limiting the applications that can access these features is the best way to do this. You can also enable a passcode or Touch ID on your phone.
Doing so will make it more difficult for others to use your device without permission. Furthermore, if you ever find yourself pressured into giving up any of this information, remember: It’s up to you how much personal data about yourself you are willing to share with others!
Do you have any other concern about protecting your iPhone’s privacy? Well, share your thoughts below and we’ll help you figure out the best way to protect your privacy.
Love,
Frankie Caruso
PS – To stay safe, keep up with the latest phishing techniques articles. Safety starts with knowledge, so staying informed is key.
