Let us know how to prevent websites from tracking you in the Safari browser. Are you aware that when you visit any website, you get tracked? I mean, your internet usage behavior gets tracked by ad companies. Then, you keep seeing advertisements for the products and relevant items online.
This happens when you search for a product using Google. Normally, websites have cookies that track you. Usually, when you permit through the pop-up on the site asking you to comply with the cookie settings of that website, this is okay, and there is no harm in it.
However, seeing excessive ads for irrelevant products due to ad networks can be irritating. Also, once you allow cookies to track you, you never know where your user data regarding browsing details is going.
You can prevent websites from tracking you in Safari on your iPhone. You can block all cookies from any website you visit. Otherwise, you can allow cookies but prevent them from tracking your iPhone IP address. Let’s check out how to enable that.
1. Prevent Websites from Tracking You in Safari on iPhone
Here are the steps you should follow.
- Open the Settings app.
- Navigate to Safari and tap on it.
- Then enable Prevent Cross-site Tracking. Tap the switch beside it to activate it.
Additionally, you can see a few more options. You can enable them as well. Enable Fraudulent Website warning to let Safari make you aware of scam websites that have bad reports from other users.
When you enable Check for Apple Pay, websites that accept Apple Pay can check whether the facility is available on your device. If you do not use Apple Pay or don’t want sites to know, you can disable it.
1.1 Hide the IP Address of your iPhone from being Tracked on Safari
It is important that when you enable the option to prevent cross-site tracking, you also be sure to hide your IP address from trackers. The trackers collect your user pattern data and provide it to the advertising companies. After that, these companies track your device and its internet use to serve you with relevant ads.
To hide your IP address, follow the steps below.
- Go to Settings.
- Then, scroll to Safari and tap on it to access its settings.
- Next, tap on the option Hide IP Address.
- Select From Trackers.
1.2 Understanding Block All Cookies Options in Safari
Now, there is the option to Block All Cookies. If you enable it, you will notice that the Prevent Cross-Site tracking option gets grayed out. This means that as all the cookies have been blocked from every website you visit through Safari, there is nothing to track. Hence, no requirement to prevent the tracking.
Remember that most modern websites may not work when you block all cookies. Enabling the option to block all cookies is not ideal. Simply preventing cross-site tracking options and hiding the IP address from trackers should be sufficient.
1.3 Prevent a Website on Safari from Tracking Your Location
We learned how to successfully avoid trackers on Safari and hide the iPhone IP address from them. Let’s examine how to prevent websites from knowing our device’s location.
- Open the Settings app
- Tap on Safari.
- Navigate to Location and tap on it.
- Tap on the option Deny.
Disabling the location access will stop those pop-ups on websites that ask for your location. There is no harm if it is a legitimate website. If it is a website dealing with phishing, it can track you; worse, it may try to scam you in any way.
If you want to allow a few websites, such as food delivery or cab booking, you can set the Ask option. This means the website will not automatically access your location; it will ask for your permission first.
Wrapping Up
This rounds up my article on how to prevent websites from tracking you in Safari on an iPhone. To control your privacy, you must ensure that no scam websites track you. Thankfully, Safari offers features that limit cross-site tracking. So, please make the most of it to protect your privacy.
