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Everything You Need To Know About iOS8 Privacy Settings

By Paul Liu
Tuesday, November 11th, 2014

iOS8 is the latest operating system for iPhones and iPads. It is packed with tons of new features including several features designed to protect your privacy. So before you install new apps or surf the internet on your iPhone (or iPad), make sure to tweak the privacy settings given below to learn more about the iOS8 Privacy Settings.

1) Location Based Settings

iOS8 includes a lot of features that are tied to one’s location. Here is how to tweak them:

a) Geo-Tagging For Photos – iOS8 can automatically append location information to newly clicked photos but if you do not want this to happen, simply tap on Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> Camera -> Never.

b) Disable Collection of Frequently Visited Locations – If you do not want your iPhone (or iPad) to keep track of the locations that you visit frequently, tap on Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> System Services -> Frequent Locations and disable the option. The “System Services” menu also shows other services that track and use your location information but it is best to disable options like “Location Based Alerts” and “Location Based iAds”.

c) Disable Tracking By Apps – Many apps can track your location even if you are not using them. Unfortunately, there is no generic setting available to disable this kind of behavior. So whenever you see the message that a particular app wants to use your location, simple select “Don’t Allow”.

d) Disable Sharing Of Location – iOS8 allows you to share your location with others but if you want to keep it private, simply tap Settings -> Privacy -> Location Services -> Share My Location and disable the option.

e) Disable Location Based Ads – If you do not wish to see location based ads, simply head to Settings -> Privacy -> Advertising and enable the “Limit Ad Tracking” option.

2) Expiry Date For Messages

iOS8 includes a cool new feature that allows you to set an expiry date for messages sent through iMessage. By default, the messages never expire but if you wish to change this setting simply tap on Settings -> Messages -> Keep Messages and then specify the time period after which the message should get deleted.

3) Privacy Settings For Web Browsing

iOS8 now supports DuckDuckGo search engine in addition to Google, Bing and Yahoo. DuckDuckGo does not track users or searches so it is a good choice for those who want to keep their search history private. To change the default browser, go to Settings -> Safari -> Search Engine and then select DuckDuckGo. Through the Safari Settings windows, you can also enable “Do Not track”, “Block Cookies” and “Fraudulent Website Warning” options to keep your online activities secure and private. In addition, you can manage how iOS manages your passwords and other data by tapping on “Passwords & AutoFill”.

4) Security For Locked Screen

There are a number of things that you can do to protect your data from being accessed while your iPhone screen is locked:

a) Enable Biometric Security – For maximum security, you should enable Touch ID through Settings -> Touch ID & Passcode.

b) Set a strong passcode – The default 4 digit passcode used by iPhone can be cracked easily but you can set a stronger alphanumeric passcode via Settings -> Touch ID & Passcode and then deselecting the “Simple Passcode” option.

c) Disable Previews For Messages and Emails – While your iPhone can show previews of new messages and emails even when the screen is locked, it is best to disable the feature. To change the preview settings, tap on Settings -> Notifications -> Messages (or Mail for emails) and then disable the “Show Previews” options.

d) Limit Information And Features – For maximum security, you should limit personal information that gets displayed when the screen is locked. In addition, you should also disable certain features like Siri since snoopers can misuse it to steal your information even when your phone is locked. To change these settings, simply go to Settings -> Touch ID & Passcode and review the information that should be available on a locked screen as well as disable Siri within “Allow Access When Locked” option. Speaking of Siri, iOS8 has introduced a new feature called “Hey Siri” that allows you to activate Siri without touching your device. To disable this feature, go to Settings -> General -> Siri and then disable the “Allow Hey Siri” option.

5) Turn off Sending Of Data

Your iPhone can automatically send usage data to Apple but you can turn off this feature through Settings -> Privacy -> Diagnostics and Usage and then by choosing “Don’t Send” option. In addition, you can also prevent apps from uploading your personal data to their servers by tapping Settings -> Privacy and then granting data access to apps individually.