Help CenterYour privacy is more important than ever, and Safari, Apple’s browser, offers a variety of tools to keep you safe while browsing. While these features are great, many people don’t know how to use them effectively. No worries! Here’s a simple guide to understanding why each setting is crucial and how to adjust them to enhance your privacy without getting bogged down in techy details. Let’s dive in!
1. Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP): Stop the Stalkers
Why it’s important: Ever feel like the internet is watching your every move? Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) helps stop creepy companies from tracking your browsing across different websites. It manages how long cookies (small pieces of data that websites store on your device) stick around, stopping advertisers from knowing too much.
How to adjust it:
- Open Safari and go to Preferences > Privacy.
- Make sure Prevent cross-site tracking is checked. This tells Safari to block third-party cookies and stop shady tracking.
Pro Tip: Safari automatically limits cookies from well-known trackers to just 24 hours!
2. Navigation-Based Tracking: Cutting Out the Cookie Crumbs
Why it’s important: Some sneaky websites use URL tricks to track you, even adding unnecessary redirects between pages to keep tabs on you.
How to adjust it:
- Under Privacy settings, ensure Prevent cross-site tracking is enabled. Safari handles the rest by detecting and blocking trackers hidden in URLs.
3. Fingerprinting Prevention: Hide Your Device’s ‘Fingerprint’
Why it’s important: Even without cookies, websites can try to track you by creating a unique ‘fingerprint’ based on things like your device, browser, and settings. Safari helps block this.
How to adjust it:
- Go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy and ensure Hide IP address from trackers is enabled. This adds an extra layer of protection to prevent advertisers from building a profile based on your device.
4. Referrer Removal: Keep Your Clicks Private
Why it’s important: When you click on a link, the website you’re visiting can usually see where you came from (the ‘referrer’). This can reveal more than you’d like.
How to adjust it:
- Safari already does most of the work here by default. If you’re extra cautious, double-check that Prevent cross-site tracking is turned on in the Privacy tab, which helps keep your referrer data minimal.
5. Smart Search: Stop Sharing Your Every Thought
Why it’s important: Most browsers (looking at you, Chrome) send every letter you type in the search bar to a search engine, which is like giving them a peek into your mind. Safari doesn’t do this!
How to adjust it:
- Open Preferences > Search and check that Search engine suggestions and Safari Suggestions are turned off if you want to limit data sharing with third parties.
6. Extensions: Choose Wisely
Why it’s important: Extensions can be handy, but some can collect personal data without your knowledge.
How to adjust it:
- Go to Safari > Preferences > Extensions and check which ones you have installed. Disable or delete any you don’t trust. Safari will also warn you if an extension is asking for access to too much information.
7. Website Security Indicators: Know When It’s Safe
Why it’s important: Before you hand over sensitive information (like credit card numbers), it’s crucial to know whether the website is secure.
How to adjust it:
- Keep an eye on the URL bar. If you see a lock icon (🔒) next to the web address, the site is using a secure connection (HTTPS). No lock? Be cautious about entering personal data.
8. Private Browsing: Keep Secrets Safe
Why it’s important: Planning a surprise party? Want to keep some searches away from prying eyes? Private browsing prevents Safari from saving your history or cookies for that session.
How to adjust it:
- Click File > New Private Window. You’ll see a dark-gray search bar, which means Safari won’t save your activity.
9. Deleting Your Browsing History: Clean Up Your Tracks
Why it’s important: Maybe you don’t want others to know which sites you’ve visited. Deleting your history keeps your browsing private.
How to adjust it:
- Click History > Clear History. You can choose to clear the last hour, today, or everything from all time.
10. Passkeys and Secure Payments: Keep It Easy, Keep It Safe
Why it’s important: Tired of memorizing dozens of passwords or typing in credit card details? Safari can securely handle both for you.
How to adjust it:
- For Passkeys, just sign in to any supporting service with Face ID or Touch ID. No more worrying about passwords!
- For Secure Payments, you can use Apple Pay directly through Safari, which makes transactions faster and safer.
Final Thoughts: Your Privacy is in Your Hands
Safari is already loaded with privacy features to help keep you safe, but knowing how to tweak these settings puts you in control. Regularly checking your settings and being mindful of the sites you visit will ensure a safer, more private browsing experience.