Technology
Your iPhone can block websites tracking you across the internet for ads – here’s how to do it
MANY of us don’t realise just how much advertisers and app vendors can learn about us from our phone use.
Luckily, Apple has ways you can minimise ad tracking and the amount of data you’re unknowingly sharing.
Apple has settings that can help you block ad tracking[/caption]
How to stop ad tracking on Safari
If you’re an iPhone user you probably use Apple’s Safari browser.
You may want to turn on a feature that stops advertisers and other third parties tracking which websites you go to in order to create targeted adverts.
Go to your Settings and then scroll down till you see “Safari”.
Advertisers sometimes track your website searching so they can create more personalised adverts[/caption]
Click on “Safari” and then scroll down to the “Privacy & Security” section.
You’ll see a line which says “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking”.
Make sure the toggle next to this is turned on so it looks green.
You can also turn on “Block All Cookies”, which can prevent your data being collected from websites.
Bear in mind that some sites will refuse you entry if you don’t use cookies.
Cookies can be helpful to remember what you last searched for like clothing items you might want to go back and buy or a particular playlist you enjoy.
How to turn off personalised adverts on iPhone
You can also turn off personalised ads on your iPhone.
Go to Settings and then click ““Privacy” and then scroll all the way down to “Apple Advertising”.
Turn the toggle next to “Personalized Ads” off.
How to turn off location-based adverts on iPhone
If you don’t want to see adverts based on your location on your iPhone then go to Settings and click “Privacy” and then “Location Services”.
Make sure the “Location Services” toggle is switched off.
You can turn off location access on a lot of apps or only have it turned on when you’re using the app.
This option usually appears when you download a new app.
iPhone tricks to try today
Here are some of the best…
- Typing cursor – When typing, hold down the space bar to turn your keyboard into a trackpad, letting you move around words and sentences more easily
- Close all Safari tabs – To do this in one go, simply hold the overlapped squares in the bottom right-hand corner, and press close all tabs
- Delete lots of photos quickly – Hold down on a photo and then drag your finger diagonally in Photos to select lots of images at once, then hit delete
- Convert currency quickly – Swipe down from the top of your Home screen (or swipe left to right on an iPhone X or later model), then tap in the bar and type a currency (like $200) and it will automatically covert to your local currency
- Check if you’re due a battery upgrade – Batteries inside smartphones degrade over time. Just go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health, and check out the Maximum Capacity reading. Generally a battery is considered worn when you’re down to 80% capacity. If you’re below, you can buy a battery swap from Apple
- Move apps around faster – Hold an app until it starts wiggling, then (while still holding) tap other apps, causing them to stack so you can move them around easier
Most read in Phones & Gadgets
In other news, Apple has just released “important” updates for iPhone, iPad and Mac users.
Apple is quietly working on a “mixed-reality headset” to launch next year, insiders have claimed.
And, a new feature for the Apple Find My app could let you know if someone is stalking you.
Have you had any iPhone issues recently? Let us know in the comments…
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