This iOS 26 Feature Can Give You More Privacy in Safari
Apple released iOS26 in September, and the update introduced a handful of new features to your iPhone such as call screening And new ringtones. The update also included improved privacy measures against digital fingerprinting. Everyone can benefit from these advanced privacy measures on their device.
Since we do most things on digital devices these days, we can leave our digital footprints everywhere. CNET senior editor Attila Tomaschek told me that fingerprints are made up of information about your device and browser, like your IP address, device type, and even your screen resolution. He said fingerprinting can be used to detect fraud as well as improve website performance, but it can also be dangerous, which is what makes this iOS privacy feature so useful.
“Advertisers can create detailed profiles of users for targeted advertising, and companies can use fingerprinting to discriminate prices based on a user’s location and other perceived demographics,” he said. “Even worse, an authoritarian government could exploit fingerprints to surveil its population, and fingerprints can help cybercriminals commit fraud and identity theft.”
Businesses can also sell these profiles to data brokerswhich can extract offline information from public records and other sources and attach it to your digital footprint. According to cybersecurity company Avast, brokers could then sell this information to advertisers to target you more effectively.
Apple wrote online that these protections are enabled by default on all browsing. But here’s where to find the setting to ensure you get the most privacy when using Safari or if you want to adjust the feature.
Note that your digital fingerprint is different from and not linked to your biometric fingerprint.
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Where to find advanced tracking and fingerprint protections
1. Open Settings.
2. Faucet Applications near the bottom of the menu.
3. Faucet Safari.
4. Faucet Advance near the bottom of the menu.
5. Faucet Advanced tracking and fingerprint protection.
The Advanced Tracking & Fingerprinting menu will have three options: Disabled, Private browsing And All navigation. For optimal protection, make sure All Navigation is selected: this is indicated by a check mark.
“Advanced fingerprint protection, which was previously limited to private browsing, now protects all browsing in Safari,” Apple wrote online. “This hides browser and device data that can be used to create a digital footprint of users.”
It’s important to note that this setting only applies to Safari. Therefore, if you use another browser application, you may not benefit from the same level of protection.
Although fingerprint blocking can help protect your data, it has some drawbacks. Tomaschek said fingerprinting can help websites remember your personal settings, so blocking this feature could lead to a less convenient online experience. If blocking fingerprints on all navigations is causing you too much inconvenience, follow the steps above and tap one or the other. Disabled to disable the feature completely or Private browsing it is therefore only activated during private browsing.
Why are these protections important now?
Digital privacy and the security of your information are always important, but Google changed one of its policies regarding digital fingerprinting in December 2024.
Google wrote at the time that it was updating its digital fingerprinting policy for two reasons. First, advances in privacy-enhancing technologies “give people the privacy protections they expect.” The company said these advancements present “new ways for brands to securely manage and activate their data.”
The second reason Google wrote that it was updating its policy is the “rise of new ad-supported devices and platforms,” like streaming services.
“With this update, we can help businesses large and small seize opportunities in the evolving digital landscape, while meeting user expectations around privacy,” Google wrote.
But not everyone was convinced it was a good idea. The UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office wrote at the time that fingerprinting would likely reduce people’s choices and control over their data. The office called Google’s change “irresponsible” and, citing Google’s 2019 stance on fingerprinting, “wrong.”
Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Other ways to combat digital fingerprinting
Tomaschek told me that while a VPN can hide your IP address and use ad and tracking blockers, it’s not a complete solution to combating digital fingerprinting. He suggests using a combination of different tactics. This could mean using a privacy-focused browser like Mullvad Browser or a privacy-focused extension like Privacy Badger from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, in conjunction with a VPN.
While they can’t stop a company from collecting your digital footprint, a data deletion service could help delete data already available. So you can use one of these services to delete your data before using a combination of other tools to try to protect your digital footprint.
To learn more about iOS 26, here my opinion on the operating systemhow to reduce the effects of Liquid Glass in the update and how to activate call And text screening on your iPhone. You can also view our iOS 26 Cheat Sheet.
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