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How to Turn Off Ad Tracking on Your iPhone (Privacy Settings Guide)

Stop apps from tracking you across other apps and websites. Step-by-step iPhone privacy settings for ad tracking, personalized ads, location, and Safari.

2026-10-14 · 4 min read · Phone Tips Daily

Illustration of a phone beside a shield with a crossed-out eye, representing privacy

Your iPhone has some of the strongest privacy controls of any phone, but many of them aren't turned on as strictly as they could be. If you're tired of ads that seem to follow you from app to app, this guide shows you exactly which settings to change and what each one does.

What "tracking" actually means

On iPhone, tracking means an app linking information it collects about you with data from other companies' apps and websites, usually for targeted advertising or sharing with data brokers. Since iOS 14.5, Apple has required apps to ask your permission before they track you this way, through a feature called App Tracking Transparency.

Step 1: Stop all apps from asking to track you

  1. Open Settings.
  2. Tap Privacy & Security.
  3. Tap Tracking.
  4. Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track.

With this off, apps can't even show you the tracking prompt, and any app that asks is automatically told you've declined. You'll also see a list of apps that previously asked; you can switch off any you'd allowed.

Step 2: Turn off Apple's personalized ads

Apple shows ads in places like the App Store, Apple News, and Stocks. These are based on Apple's own data, not cross-app tracking, but you can still opt out of personalization.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
  2. Scroll down and tap Apple Advertising.
  3. Turn off Personalized Ads.

You'll still see ads, but they won't be tailored to you.

Step 3: Review location access

Location data is valuable to advertisers. Limit which apps can see where you are.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services.
  2. Tap each app and choose Never or While Using the App instead of Always.
  3. Turn off Precise Location for apps that only need a rough area.
  4. Tap System Services and turn off Location-Based Alerts, Location-Based Suggestions, and iPhone Analytics, if you don't need them. (Many people also review Significant Locations here.)

Step 4: Turn off analytics sharing

Your iPhone can send diagnostic and usage data to Apple and app developers. It's anonymized, but you can still turn it off.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements.
  2. Turn off Share iPhone Analytics and Share With App Developers, along with any other toggles you don't want.

Step 5: Tighten Safari privacy

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Safari (or Settings > Safari on older versions).
  2. Make sure Prevent Cross-Site Tracking is on.
  3. Under Hide IP Address, choose From Trackers (or Trackers and Websites if you subscribe to iCloud+ with Private Relay).
  4. Turn on Fraudulent Website Warning.
  5. Under Advanced, consider turning on Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection for All Browsing.

Step 6: Use Mail Privacy Protection

Marketing emails often contain hidden "tracking pixels" that tell the sender when and where you opened a message.

  1. Go to Settings > Apps > Mail > Privacy Protection.
  2. Turn on Protect Mail Activity.

Step 7: Check the App Privacy Report

Your iPhone can show which apps accessed your data and which web domains they contacted.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
  2. Scroll to the bottom and tap App Privacy Report.
  3. Tap Turn On App Privacy Report.

After a few days, come back to see which apps are accessing your camera, microphone, location, and contacts, and which domains they connect to. If something looks unusual, remove that app's permissions or delete it.

Step 8: Run Safety Check

Safety Check is a built-in tool that reviews who and what has access to your information.

  1. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check.
  2. Tap Manage Sharing & Access and follow the steps to review apps, people, and permissions.

Step 9: Review per-app permissions

Apps often ask for more access than they need. Go through the main categories in Settings > Privacy & Security, such as Contacts, Photos, Microphone, Camera, and Bluetooth. Turn off access for any app that doesn't clearly need it. For Photos, you can choose Limited Access so an app only sees the pictures you pick.

Step 10: Check privacy labels before downloading

Every app in the App Store has an App Privacy section showing what data it collects and whether that data is linked to you or used for tracking. Scroll down on any app's page to see it before you install.

What these settings won't do

These changes reduce tracking, but they don't make you invisible. Apps can still use the data you give them directly, such as what you do inside the app or information in your account. Websites you sign in to can still recognize you. For the most privacy, combine these settings with good habits: use fewer apps that need accounts, review permissions regularly, and use Sign in with Apple with Hide My Email when it's offered.

Quick checklist

  • Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track
  • Turn off Personalized Ads
  • Limit Location Services and Precise Location
  • Turn off analytics sharing
  • Enable Safari tracking protection and Hide IP Address
  • Turn on Protect Mail Activity
  • Enable App Privacy Report and review it

It takes about ten minutes, and your iPhone will share a lot less about you from then on.

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