iOS 11 not only brings a redesigned control center or screen recording, but also some new security settings to iPhone and iPad. It’s worth taking a look at yourself. With a few clicks you can increase the security of your smartphone or tablet and better protect your privacy.
A completely new feature of iOS 11 is the ability to configure access to the location data for each app. In the settings under “Privacy -> Location services” you can define for each individual app whether it is always allowed to access the GPS data, only when it is used or never.
Block Advertising And Data Collection
Next you should go to Safari‘s settings. New safety functions can also be found there. Since iOS 11, the browser can “block pop-ups”, “prevent cross-sitetracking” and “reject website tracking”. While blocking pop-ups keeps annoying ads off your screen, the other two features make it difficult for advertising networks to collect data about you.
If Face ID and Touch ID are not secure enough for you, you can deactivate them at any time in the settings under “Touch ID & Code” or “Face ID & Code”. The PIN for unlocking the device should then be at least six digits. Speaking of the PIN, you might want to renew it on that occasion. But your own birthday is a bad choice.
Notifications of incoming emails or chat messages are convenient, but can be read even on a locked iPhone with the wrong settings. To check this, check the settings under “Messages” to see which option is selected under “Show preview”.
“Always” is the worst choice for your privacy, “If unlocked” is the compromise and with “Never” for example, messages on WhatsApp are really only readable for you – provided you have secured the app with a PIN. In addition, you can also define for each app whether it may display messages at all, in which form they appear and keep them away from the lock screen and define exceptions to the standard rule.
Under “Display & Brightness” you can define after which period iOS 11 automatically locks the display of your iPhone or iPad. This function not only protects the battery, but also your data if you leave your device unlocked. Times between 30 seconds and five minutes as well as “Never” are available, whereby the basic rule applies: the shorter, the safer.
Protect Apple ID And Don’t Let Siri Hear Everything
To protect the Apple ID, it is worth activating two-factor authentication under Settings -> Apple ID -> Password & Security. Even if someone has access to your credentials, they can only log in with the confirmation code that appears on your iPhone.
If “Hey Siri” is active so that the voice assistant responds to a call and you don’t have to press the home button to activate, the iPhone listens to its surroundings all the time. If you don’t want to, you have to deactivate “Hey Siri” under “Siri & Search”. There you can also define if Siri can make suggestions in apps or when searching. For the suggestions to make sense, the wizard will of course need to save more data about you. You can also customize the selection for each app individually.
It is worth taking a look at the “Accounts & Passwords” section. Under “App and website passwords” you will find all stored access data. Access is secured once again with Touch ID or Face ID, but after this hurdle passwords and account names can be read in clear form. Regular cleaning should be mandatory.
If you don’t want to be pressured by read receipts in iMessage, you can disable them. To do this, uncheck “Read Acknowledgements” in Settings -> Messages.