As you may have noticed, Apps on iPhone request permission to access Contacts, Camera, Microphone, Photos and Location, either during installation or while they are being used.
This often results in users unknowingly providing unwanted Apps with the permission to access Microphone, Camera, Contacts, Photos and other details.
Luckily, the General and Privacy Settings on iPhone can be easily tweaked to improve and protect your privacy on iPhone in much better way.
Suggested Settings to Protect Your Privacy on iPhone
Using Apps with their default settings may not always be the best way to protect your privacy on iPhone. Hence, we are providing below our suggested settings to better protect your privacy on iPhone.
1. Prevent Apps from Asking to Track your Activity
You can totally rule out the possibility of unknowingly allowing Apps to track your activity across other apps and websites by preventing all Apps from asking to track your Activity on iPhone.
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
2. On the next screen, disable Allow Apps to Request to Track option by moving the Slider to OFF position.
Note: If the App is necessary, keep Allow Apps to Request to Track to ON position.
2. Prevent Apps from Tracking Your Location
While the Location Tracking feature on iPhone is useful for Apps like Maps, Weather and Find My iPhone, there might be other unwanted apps have access to your location data.
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
2. On the next screen, select the App for which you want to disable location tracking.
3. On the next screen, select the Never option to prevent the selected App from tracking your location.
3. Prevent Websites from Tracking Your Location
The Safari browser on iPhone provides the option to prevent websites from tracking your location.
1. Go to Settings > Safari > Location.
2. On the next screen, select the Deny option.
4. Prevent Unwanted Apps from Accessing Camera
While Apps like FaceTime, Skype and WhatsApp have a valid reason to access the Camera on iPhone, you may have unknowingly allowed other unwanted apps with access to the Camera on your iPhone.
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Camera.
2. On the next screen, move the toggle next to unwanted Apps to OFF position.
This ensures that only the necessary or required Apps have access to Camera on your iPhone.
5. Prevent Apps from Accessing Microphone
Similarly, you may have unknowingly provided unwanted Apps with the permission to Access the Microphone on your iPhone.
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone.
2. On the next screen, you can disable all unwanted Apps by moving the toggle to OFF position.
Note: If you need turn-by-turn audio directions, you need to provide Google Maps with access to Microphone.
6. Prevent Unwanted Apps from Accessing Photos
Make sure that only the trusted and necessary apps are provided with access to the photos on your iPhone.
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos.
2. On the next screen, you can unwanted Apps from accessing the Photos on your iPhone.
7. Prevent Apps from Accessing Contacts
Follow the steps below to prevent unwanted Apps from accessing your Contacts on iPhone.
1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts.
2. On the next screen, move the toggle next to Unwanted Apps to OFF position.
With these steps, you have disabled Facebook Messenger from accessing your Contacts on iPhone.
8. Disable Access to Notification Center from Lock Screen
While being able to access Notifications from Lock Screen is convenient, it can also allow someone else to take a look at your Message notifications.
1. Go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode.
2. On the next screen, disable Notifications Center and Today View by moving the slider to OFF position.
Once access to Notification Center and Today View is removed, no one will be able to View or Access Notifications on your iPhone, without knowing its Lock Screen Passcode.
9. Disable Message Previews on iPhone Lock Screen
Message Previews appearing on the Lock Screen of iPhone can be read by others around you. If required, you can prevent Message Previews from appearing on the Lock Screen of your iPhone.
1. Go to Settings > Notifications > Messages > Show Previews.
2. On the next screen, you can select When Unlocked or the Never option is selected.
Note: If you select Never, Message Previews will be removed both on Lock Screen and Control Center.
10. Turn OFF Live Photos
The Live Photos feature on iPhone can end up recording your private conversations and the voice of people around you. Hence, you may want to disable this feature on your iPhone.
1. Open the Camera App on your iPhone.
2. Tap on Live Photo Icon and then tap on OFF.
3. You should now see the Live Photos Icon appearing with a strike mark.
11. Protect Voicemail Messages
Make sure that you lock the Voicemail on your iPhone with a strong Password.
1. Go to Settings > Phone > Change Voicemail Password.
2. On the next screen, type a strong Password to make sure that it cannot be guessed or broken.