8 iPhone Privacy Settings You Should Change Today

Your iPhone holds an enormous amount of personal information, and while it is one of the more privacy-focused phones, its default settings are not always as locked down as they could be. A few thoughtful changes put you firmly in control of your data and who can access it. Here are the iPhone privacy settings genuinely worth changing today, each simple and quick.

1. Control App Tracking

Your iPhone lets you decide whether apps can track your activity across other companies' apps and websites. Reviewing this and denying tracking to apps that do not need it is one of the most impactful privacy steps you can take, limiting how much of your behavior is followed for advertising. It is worth checking as you install new apps, since each one may ask, and you are free to say no.

2. Review Location Access

Many apps request your location, but not all of them need it, and some do not need it constantly. Go through your location settings and set apps to access your location only while you are using them, or never, where that makes sense. This limits how much of your movement is shared and, as a bonus, can help your battery, since constant background location use is a drain.

3. Limit What Apps Can Access

Beyond location, apps may request access to your photos, contacts, microphone, camera, and more. It is worth reviewing these permissions and removing access that an app does not genuinely need to function. A game does not need your contacts, for instance. Periodically auditing what each app can reach is a powerful way to keep your personal information from spreading further than necessary.

4. Check Which Apps Access Your Photos

Your photo library is deeply personal, and you can control how much of it apps can see. Rather than granting an app access to your entire library, you can often limit it to only selected photos, or deny access entirely. Reviewing which apps can reach your photos, and tightening those permissions, protects some of the most private information on your phone from apps that do not need the whole library.

5. Manage Lock Screen Access

By default, some information and features may be accessible from your lock screen without unlocking the phone. Reviewing what is available before unlocking, and limiting sensitive information, means that if someone else picks up your phone, they cannot see private details or access certain features. Tightening lock screen access is a simple way to add a meaningful layer of privacy.

6. Use a Strong Passcode

Your passcode is the key to everything on your phone, so making it strong matters. Consider using a longer passcode rather than a short one for meaningfully better security, alongside your phone's face or fingerprint protection. A strong passcode is the foundation of your privacy, since it protects all the other information and settings on the device. It takes moments to strengthen and is well worth it.

7. Review Your Safety and Sharing Settings

Take a moment to review what you are sharing and with whom, including any location sharing with other people and any information shared through your accounts. It is easy to set up sharing and forget about it, so periodically checking that you are only sharing what you intend to, with the people you intend to, keeps your personal information under your control. This is especially worth reviewing after life changes.

8. Keep Your Software Updated

Finally, one of the most important privacy and security steps is simply keeping your iPhone's software up to date. Updates frequently include important security improvements that protect against newly discovered issues. Enabling automatic updates, or checking regularly, ensures your phone has the latest protections. It is one of the easiest and most effective things you can do to keep your device and your data safe.