iPhone privacy and security settings

An iPhone is well protected out of the box, but the settings that matter most when it is stolen or shared are off until you turn them on.

The paths are for iOS 17 and iOS 18. Open Settings; you can also pull down on the Settings screen and type a setting's name in the search box.

1. A strong passcode

Settings › Face ID & Passcode › Change Passcode › Passcode Options. Use six digits at least; a custom alphanumeric code is stronger. A thief who watches you type a short passcode and then takes the phone can change your Apple Account password with it, which is why the next setting exists.

2. Stolen Device Protection

Settings › Face ID & Passcode › Stolen Device Protection › On (iOS 17.3 and later). When the phone is away from familiar places such as home and work, sensitive actions need Face ID or Touch ID with no passcode fallback, and changing the Apple Account password or passcode has a one-hour delay. Choose Always under "Require Security Delay" for the strictest setting.

3. Find My

Settings › your name › Find My › Find My iPhone: turn on Find My iPhone, Find My network and Send Last Location. A lost phone can then be located, marked as lost or erased from icloud.com/find or another Apple device, and Activation Lock keeps it tied to your account so that a thief cannot set it up as his own.

4. What works when the phone is locked

Settings › Face ID & Passcode › Allow Access When Locked. Turn off Control Centre, Wallet, Accessories and Reply with Message at least. With Control Centre off, a thief cannot switch on flight mode from the lock screen to stop you tracking the phone.

Settings › Notifications › Show Previews › When Unlocked hides OTPs and messages until Face ID recognises you.

5. Two-factor authentication for your Apple Account

Settings › your name › Sign-In & Security. Two-Factor Authentication should be on, with trusted phone numbers you still own. Add a Recovery Contact you trust. Under Devices at the bottom of the main account screen, remove any device you no longer use.

6. Tracking by apps

Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking: turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track. Apps are then refused the advertising identifier without asking you each time.

7. Location, photos, contacts, microphone, camera

Settings › Privacy & Security lists each kind of data and the apps that asked for it.

• Location Services: choose While Using or Never for most apps, and turn off Precise Location for apps that only need your city.
• Photos: give Limited Access to apps that need one picture, not the whole library.
• Contacts, Microphone, Camera: remove apps that have no reason to be there.
• App Privacy Report: turn it on to see how often apps use these permissions and which internet addresses they contact.

A green dot at the top of the screen means the camera is on; an orange dot means the microphone.

8. Safety Check

Settings › Privacy & Security › Safety Check (iOS 16 and later) shows who and what has access to your information and lets you review or reset it in one pass. It is designed for people who need to cut off access they once gave to a partner or family member, and has a Quick Exit button.

9. Safari and passwords

Settings › Apps › Safari on iOS 18 (Settings › Safari on iOS 17): keep Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and Fraudulent Website Warning on. Saved passwords are in the Passwords app on iOS 18 (Settings › Passwords on iOS 17); its Security section lists reused and leaked passwords to change. See strong passwords.

10. Updates, and Lockdown Mode

Settings › General › Software Update › Automatic Updates: turn on all the switches, including "Security Responses & System Files". Lockdown Mode (Settings › Privacy & Security) is an extreme setting for the few people who may be personally targeted by sophisticated spyware; it limits many features and is not needed by most users.

Before selling or giving away an iPhone

Back up, then Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone › Erase All Content and Settings. This signs you out, turns off Activation Lock and wipes the phone.