The article provides tips for enhancing privacy when using Apple’s Safari browser. It outlines features like Private Browsing mode, Intelligent Tracking Prevention, and the option to block cookies. Additional recommendations include using DuckDuckGo as a search engine, employing a VPN for anonymity, regularly clearing browsing history, hiding IP address trackers, avoiding risky extensions, favoring HTTPS websites, and disabling location services. These measures collectively aim to protect users from being tracked online.
If you want to keep your online activities private and prevent websites and advertisers from tracking you, utilizing specialized privacy features in your browser is essential.
While Apple’s Safari is not specifically designed as a privacy browser like Tor, it has several built-in tools that promote anonymous browsing. This article will detail these features and how to effectively leverage them.
Activate Private Browsing Mode
The simplest way to enhance your privacy in Safari is by enabling ‘Private Browsing’ mode. When this feature is active, Safari won’t save your browsing history or form data during your session. Additionally, it blocks websites from using cookies to follow your online movements across different sessions.
To enable private browsing on macOS, follow these steps:
- Open Safari on your Mac.
- Click on ‘File’ and then select ‘New Private Window.’
You can now browse without leaving many traces behind.
Always Browse Privately in Safari
If you prefer to browse in private mode all the time, go to ‘Safari’ and then ‘Preferences.’ Under the ‘General’ tab, find ‘Open Safari with’ and choose ‘New Private Window.’
For iOS devices, open Safari and tap the ‘Tabs’ button in the bottom right corner. Switch to ‘Private’ to open a private browsing window. In this mode, the search field will appear darker than in regular browsing.
Block Web Trackers
Safari features Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), which helps block cross-site tracking, stopping advertisers from monitoring your online behavior closely. When enabled, this option limits what third parties can learn about you.
On macOS, to activate this feature, open ‘Safari,’ go to ‘Preferences,’ and then select ‘Privacy’ and check ‘Prevent cross-site tracking.’
For iOS, access the settings on your iPhone or iPad, scroll down to ‘Safari,’ and enable ‘Prevent cross-site tracking.’
Turn Off Cookies
Cookies are small files saved by websites on your device to remember your preferences and browsing habits. While some cookies enhance your experience, others are used by advertisers to track behavior.
To disable cookies on your Mac, navigate to ‘Preferences,’ then ‘Privacy,’ select ‘Block all cookies,’ and confirm by clicking ‘Block all.’
For iOS, go to ‘Settings,’ tap ‘Safari,’ and turn on ‘Block all cookies’ to inhibit sites from installing cookies.
Set DuckDuckGo as Your Default Search Engine
Many mainstream search engines, such as Google, collect data on your search activities. By switching to a privacy-centric search engine like DuckDuckGo, you can minimize the data being gathered.
DuckDuckGo does not track your searches, keep a search history, or display personalized ads, and it integrates effortlessly with Safari.
To adjust your default search engine in Safari on macOS, open the browser, go to ‘Preferences,’ click on the ‘Search’ tab, and choose DuckDuckGo from the menu next to ‘Search engine.’
On iOS, open ‘Settings,’ select ‘Safari,’ and pick DuckDuckGo under ‘Search Engine.’
Utilize a VPN for Added Security
A VPN encrypts your internet connection and masks your IP address, making it seem as if you are browsing from a different location. This helps prevent websites, ISPs, and other entities from tracking your true whereabouts.
Many reliable VPNs, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN, and Surfshark, are compatible with Apple devices. Once you download a VPN app on your Mac or iOS device, connect to a server to encrypt and anonymize all activity in Safari and beyond.
Regularly Clear Your Browser History
Even with private browsing and cookie blocking, some data might still linger on your device. Regularly clearing your browsing history, cache, and cookies will ensure any leftover data is removed.
To delete browser data on macOS, open Safari, click ‘Safari’ in the menu bar, and select ‘Clear History’ from the dropdown.
On iOS, tap the book icon to access your history, choose ‘Delete,’ and opt for the time frame to clear: ‘Last hour,’ ‘Today,’ ‘Today and yesterday,’ or ‘Entire history.’