How to customize Safari for private browsing on iOS
Apple’s Safari browser includes several features aimed at enhancing privacy while browsing the web. Two of the most notable privacy features are Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) and Private Browsing mode.
Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP)
Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) is a feature built into Safari to prevent advertisers and websites from tracking your browsing activity across different sites. It works by limiting the ability of trackers (like cookies) to follow you across websites.
ITP is enabled by default in the latest versions of Safari, so you are automatically protected from cross-site tracking, but you can check or adjust its settings.
Open Safari on your iPhone.
Go to Settings and select Privacy.
You’ll see a section called Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and ensure this option is enabled.
This will block trackers across different websites.
You can also see which trackers Safari has blocked by using the Privacy Report, located in the address bar.
The Privacy Report gives you a detailed list of all the trackers that Safari has blocked in real-time during your browsing session.
Private Browsing mode
Private Browsing mode allows you to browse the web without leaving traces on your device, like history, cookies, or cache. It’s useful for sessions where you don’t want to be tracked or don’t want websites to retain any information about your browsing.
To enable Private Browsing, open Safari and tap the Tabs button (two overlapping squares) at the bottom of the screen.
Tap Private in the lower-left corner, then tap + to open a new private tab.
After you tap +, a new Private Browsing tab will open, allowing you to browse without Safari saving your history, search records, or autofill information.
The background will remain dark, indicating that Private Browsing Mode is active.
By utilizing these features, Safari users can browse the web with enhanced privacy, knowing their personal information is being actively managed by the browser.
Read more:
- How to use iCloud Private Relay for enhanced privacy
- How to use Hide My Email to protect your inbox from spam
- How to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to monitor data tracking
- How to create verification codes in Apple Passwords app
- How to use the Apple Passwords app
- How to lock and hide iPhone apps in iOS 18
- How to setup passkeys in Apple Passwords app