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2 Critical iPhone Settings To Adjust Immediately For Better Privacy And Security

January 10, 2025 by Lisa Cupido

 
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You don’t have to leave your iPhone’s privacy and security up to chance. While it’s true that sometimes bad things (like hackings) happen to good people, it’s also true that the more steps you take to beef up your security and protect your data, the better equipped your phone will be to safeguard against these threats.

Hackers are savvy. They’re always developing new, innovative ways to break through your passcodes and access personal data like bank account information, social security numbers, and more. There are two critical iPhone settings you can adjust immediately for better privacy and security. Don’t wait—follow these tips ASAP for a more secure phone.

1. Face ID/Touch ID

Face ID and Touch ID, which is fingerprint recognition, rely on something so much more difficult to break into than a random code you create: your physical characteristics. Whereas passwords can be stolen, with biometric identification there is nothing to steal — plus this data is processed and stored on your data, and not on an Apple server.


Overall, it’s a safer, more secure way to access your phone and various accounts. To set up Face ID, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Set Up Face ID and allow the phone to scan your face. Set up Touch ID by going to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode > and tap “Add a Fingerprint.” Place your finger on the Home button and allow your phone to scan it.

2. App Tracking Transparency

If you let them, most apps will track every single thing you do, including your activity across other websites and while you’re browsing Safari. They will then use your data to enhance their own app by offering you more of what they determine you’re searching for AND sell your data to third-party advertisers to turn a profit.


If this doesn’t sound good to you, there are steps you can take to reduce the amount of power apps have on your data. A feature on iPhone called App Tracking Transparency lets you control whether an app can track your activity or not. You can choose to allow tracking or ask the app not to track you — it’s that simple.


Go to Settings > Privacy > Tracking. Here you’ll be able to manage tracking preferences for individual apps.

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