Take back your privacy with this new iPhone safety feature

Jenna RoachFebruary 1, 202355K views

Did you know someone could be using your iPhone to track your precise location without your knowledge or permission? Fortunately, Apple now provides a feature called Safety Check for us to discover and stop these unauthorized trackers.

What’s great about this new tool is that it automatically detects what you have shared, like your location or photos, and with whom and how to immediately disable access and information.

It’s a game-changer when it comes to your safety. It can mean the difference between life and death, especially if someone’s in a domestic abuse situation.

Be sure to follow our steps below to change your iPhone privacy settings. (if you’re an Android user, follow these privacy setting steps)

You’ll need to have updated your iPhone to the latest iOS 16 software before you’ll be able to see the new Safety Check feature. It was created by Apple for users who feel that their personal safety is at risk, whether it be a case of stalking, harassment, or those at risk of domestic abuse or similar situations. .

When Safety Check is enabled, it allows users to choose with whom they are sharing their information, restrict Messages and FaceTime to their iPhone, reset system privacy permission for apps, change passcodes, change their Apple ID password, and more.

Where can I find Safety Check on my iPhone?

Go to your Settings app
Scroll down and select Privacy & Security
Scroll down and select Safety Check

What apps use Safety Check when it is enabled?

The following apps will stop sharing information with people whom you have restricted once Safety Check is enabled:

Health
Home
Shared Calendars
Shared Location using Find My
Shared Notes
Shared Photos (including Shared Library and Shared Albums)

When enabled, what information stops being shared with Safety Check?

When Safety Check is enabled, it will remove any data gathered by the following apps, networks, and features:

Bluetooth
Calendars
Camera
Contacts
Files and Folders
Health
Local Network
Location Services
Media and Apple Music
Microphone
Motion & Fitness
Photos
Reminders
Research
Speech Recognition

What features are available in Safety Check?

Safety Check comes with three main features.

1. Emergency Reset

The first feature to take a look at within Safety Check is Emergency Reset. This is available for anyone who wants to immediately reset access for all people and apps, as well as review and reset all settings associated with your Apple ID.

Your location will no longer be shared in Find My
your privacy permissions for all apps will be reset
and Messages and FaceTime will be restricted only to your iPhone

2. Manage Sharing & Access

If you only want to restrict sharing with certain people, you can select Manage Sharing & Access. This will allow you to customize which people and apps can access your information.

Once you start this process, you’ll note you can review a variety of privacy features including:

Step 1 – After reviewing what you’ve been sharing with whom, if it makes sense for you, click on individuals and follow the prompts at the bottom of the screen to revoke access.

Step 2 – Review which apps have access to your information – select the apps you no longer want accessing your information

Step 3 – Review your account security

Review the devices that are currently signed in with your Apple ID.
Select devices you may choose to remove from your account
Update Apple ID password – this can help maintain the security of your account if you choose to update
Set your Emergency SOS contact – this contact is notified if you use Emergency SOS and are in a severe car crash or take a hard fall
Option to update device password

3. Quick Exit

Finally, in case you need to quickly conceal the information that you’re setting up within your Safety Check app, all you have to do is tap the Quick Exit button and it will save any changes you’ve made and immediately bring you back to the Safety Check homepage. No one will be able to access what changes you’ve made in the meantime essentially covering up your tracks.

Once you click on Manage Sharing & Access, it will take you to lists of your contacts, apps, and other devices (Mac laptops, iPads, etc.) and you will then be allowed to pick and choose who and what you want to share your information with. All your actions will be saved, and you can always go back into Safety Check later on and change your work.

If you’re on social media platforms, be sure to change your privacy settings there, too.

More privacy settings to adjust: