Sinisa Markovic, Assistant Editor, Help Net Security

February 19, 2025

iOS 18 settings to lock down your privacy and security

Enhancing your security and privacy on iOS 18 involves configuring various settings to control access to your personal data and device features. Here are 12 essential settings to consider.

iOS 18 privacy security settings

Enable two-factor authentication (2FA)

Using 2FA authentication adds an extra layer of security to your Apple ID. When it’s on, the account password and the six-digit verification code are required to access the account. The verification code is sent to the phone number associated with the Apple account. How to enable 2FA:

Open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name at the top, then go to Sign-In & Security.

Tap turn on Two-Factor Authentication, then tap Continue.

You’ll be prompted to enter a phone number to receive the verification codes. After entering your phone number, tap Next.

A verification code will be sent to your trusted phone number. Enter the code when prompted.

After completing these steps, 2FA will be active on your Apple ID.

Control app tracking permissions

The App Tracking Transparency on iPhone allows you to control which apps can track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites. To control app tracking permissions on your iPhone:

Go to Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security, and tap Tracking.

You’ll find a toggle for Allow Apps to Request to Track. To stop apps from asking for tracking permission, simply turn off this toggle.

Below, there’s a list of apps that have requested tracking permissions, and you can toggle the permission on or off for each app individually.

Review app permissions

You can control which apps can access your data, location, camera, and microphone, and manage safety protections. How to review app permissions:

Open Settings, then go to Privacy & Security, select each category (e.g., Camera, Microphone) to see and adjust app access.

If your preferences change over time, you can always adjust the settings to control how much information you want to share with each app.

Set up Find My iPhone

Find my iPhone helps you locate your device if it’s lost or stolen. How to enable Find My iPhone:

To turn it on, go to Settings, tap your name at the top to access your Apple ID settings, then select Find My.

Tap Find My iPhone and switch it on.

You can also enable Send Last Location, which sends your device’s last known location to Apple if the battery runs low.

Configure face ID

Face ID provides an added layer of security through biometric authentication. It can be used to unlock your iPhone, approve purchases and payments, and log into various third-party apps. How to set it up:

Open Settings on your iPhone, then scroll down and tap Face ID & Passcode.

Enter your passcode when prompted, then tap Set Up Face ID and follow the on-screen instructions.

Manage location services

Location Services allows Apple and third-party apps and websites to gather and use information based on the current location of your iPhone to provide a variety of location-based services. How to disable Location Services:

Open Settings on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.

Tap Location Services at the top of the screen. Toggle Location Services off. This will disable location access for all apps.

Enable automatic lock

Automatically locking your phone prevents others from accessing personal information when you’re not around. A short Auto-Lock time limits the window in which someone can try to bypass your passcode or Face ID/Touch ID. You can choose a time interval from 30 seconds to 5 minutes. How to customize the Auto-Lock time:

Open Settings and tap Display & Brightness.

Then, select Auto-Lock and choose your preferred time interval.

Safety Check on iPhone

Safety Check on allows you to review and manage the information you’re sharing with others, such as location or account access, and control which apps or people can access your data. How to use Safety Check:

Open Settings on your iPhone, tap Privacy & Security, then scroll down and select Safety Check.

After selecting Safety Check, you will see two options:

Emergency Reset: This feature is useful in emergency scenarios, such as when you want to immediately revoke access to your data for safety reasons.

Manage Sharing & Access: Unlike Emergency Reset, which immediately revokes all access, Manage Sharing & Access gives you more control over what and with whom you share information.

Disable Lock Screen Notifications

Disabling Lock Screen Notifications prevents messages, alerts, and sensitive information from appearing when your iPhone is locked. If you want to completely disable notifications from appearing on your Lock Screen, follow these steps:

Disable for all apps: Open Settings and go to Notifications.

Under Display As, choose Count to hide notifications unless tapped.

Under Show Previews, select Never to prevent message content from showing.

Disable for specific apps: Open Settings and go to Notifications.

Scroll down to select an app (e.g., Messages, WhatsApp, Mail), then toggle off Lock Screen under Alerts to stop notifications from appearing when your phone is locked; optionally, turn off Sounds and Badges for no visible alerts.

Activate automatic updates

Keeping your iPhone updated ensures you have the latest security patches, bug fixes, and new features. Enabling automatic updates saves you the hassle of manually checking for updates and helps protect your device from security vulnerabilities. How to enable automatic updates:

Open Settings and tap General, then select Software Update.

Tap Automatic Updates and toggle on Download iOS Updates to allow your device to download new updates when available.

Toggle on Install iOS Updates to automatically install updates overnight when your device is charging and connected to Wi-Fi.

Set a strong passcode

Unlike the default 4-digit passcode, a strong passcode is harder to guess and prevents unauthorized access to your iPhone. How to set a strong passcode:

Open Settings and tap Face ID & Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode if using Touch ID).

Tap Turn Passcode On, enter a 6-digit passcode (or choose a Custom Alphanumeric Code for a stronger passcode), and re-enter it to confirm.

Regularly back up your data

Backing up your data is necessary to ensure that you don’t lose important information, such as photos, contacts, messages, and app data. By regularly backing up to iCloud or a computer, you can restore your data if your device is lost, stolen, or damaged. How to back up to iCloud:

Open Settings and tap your name at the top.

Then, tap iCloud, select iCloud Backup, toggle on Back Up This iPhone to enable automatic backups, and tap Back Up Now to start an immediate backup.

If your device has insufficient storage, it may struggle to back up to iCloud. Ensure you have enough space on your device and iCloud to complete the backup.

These 12 privacy and security settings will help you protect your personal information and keep your iOS device secure.

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