Improving Security and Privacy on Apple Devices — Practical Steps I Recommend
Hello everyone,
I wanted to share a few security and privacy settings that I regularly review on my own Apple devices.
Apple already includes many strong security features in iPhone, iPad, and Mac. But some of the most useful protections still depend on us enabling them, keeping our software current, and occasionally checking whether our settings still make sense.
This is not meant to suggest that everyone faces the same level of risk. Most people will never encounter a highly targeted cyberattack. However, a few simple precautions can make everyday problems such as phishing, stolen credentials, account takeovers, or a stolen iPhone much harder to exploit.
Here are the steps I consider most important.
1. Keep your devices updated
This is probably the easiest security improvement you can make.
Apple regularly fixes security vulnerabilities in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Safari, watchOS, and its other operating systems. I therefore keep automatic updates enabled whenever possible and periodically check whether all of my devices are still running supported software.
Apple publishes current security releases here:
Apple security releases — Apple Support
If Apple releases an important security update for a device you use, installing it promptly is usually a good idea.
2. Protect your Apple Account with two-factor authentication
Your Apple Account can provide access to a large amount of personal information, including iCloud data, photos, backups, passwords, and devices.
Two-factor authentication adds another layer of protection if someone manages to obtain your password.
Apple explains how to set it up here:
Two-factor authentication for Apple Account — Apple Support
I also recommend periodically checking the trusted devices associated with your Apple Account and removing anything you no longer recognize or use.
3. Use a strong device passcode
Face ID and Touch ID are convenient, but the device passcode remains an extremely important part of iPhone and iPad security.
I avoid simple or easily guessed passcodes and make sure nobody else knows mine unless there is a very specific reason they need it.
This becomes especially important because someone who has both your iPhone and your passcode may otherwise be able to make sensitive account changes.
4. Enable Stolen Device Protection
For supported iPhones, Stolen Device Protection is one of the security features I strongly recommend reviewing.
It adds additional biometric authentication requirements for sensitive actions and, in certain situations, a security delay before important account or device settings can be changed.
You can find it under:
Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Stolen Device Protection
More information:
About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone — Apple Support
For me, this is one of those settings that is easy to overlook but can provide meaningful additional protection if an iPhone is ever stolen.
5. Review app permissions
Over time, apps can accumulate permissions that we may no longer need or even remember granting.
Every so often, I review:
Settings > Privacy & Security
and check access to things such as:
- Location
- Photos
- Contacts
- Camera
- Microphone
- Bluetooth
- Local Network
- Calendars
- Reminders
I ask myself a simple question:
Does this app still need this permission?
If the answer is no, I remove it.
Apple provides more information about its privacy protections here:
6. Take a look at App Privacy Report
Another feature worth knowing about is App Privacy Report.
You can find it under:
Settings > Privacy & Security > App Privacy Report
It can show how apps use permissions you have granted and which network domains they contact.
This does not automatically mean that unusual-looking activity is malicious, but it can be useful when you want to better understand what an app is doing.
About App Privacy Report — Apple Support
7. Use passkeys when available
Whenever a service supports passkeys, I generally prefer them over traditional passwords.
Passkeys are designed to be resistant to phishing because there is no reusable password that can be entered into a fake website and stolen.
On Apple devices, they work together with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode.
Apple explains the technology here:
About the security of passkeys — Apple Support
For accounts that still require passwords, I use unique passwords rather than reusing the same one across multiple services.
8. Be skeptical of unexpected messages
For most users, phishing and social engineering are probably more realistic everyday threats than sophisticated technical exploits.
I am especially cautious when a message, call, or website:
- Creates a sense of urgency.
- Claims that my Apple Account has been locked or compromised.
- Asks me to provide a verification code.
- Requests my device passcode or Apple Account password.
- Tells me to disable a security feature.
- Asks me to install software unexpectedly.
- Provides a phone number and tells me to call immediately.
- Asks me to copy commands into Terminal.
If I receive something suspicious, I avoid using the links or contact information in the message itself.
Instead, I open the official Apple website or the relevant app independently.
Apple has a useful guide here:
For U.S. users, the Federal Trade Commission also provides useful information:
How To Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams — FTC
9. Check whether your email address has appeared in a data breach
Data breaches happen regularly, and stolen login information may continue circulating for years.
A useful service for checking whether an email address has appeared in known breaches is:
If an account has been compromised, I would recommend:
- Changing the affected password.
- Changing the password anywhere else it was reused.
- Enabling two-factor authentication.
- Reviewing recovery information.
- Checking active sessions and trusted devices.
- Moving to a passkey where the service supports one.
U.S. users dealing with identity theft can also visit:
10. Know about Safety Check
Apple's Safety Check feature can be especially useful if you want to review who and what currently has access to your information.
It can help you review sharing permissions, connected devices, app privacy access, and account security.
Apple provides a detailed Personal Safety User Guide here:
Personal Safety User Guide — Apple Support
Even if you never need its emergency features, it is worth knowing that Safety Check exists.
11. Lockdown Mode is for exceptional situations
You may also have heard about Lockdown Mode.
It is important to understand what it is — and what it is not.
Lockdown Mode is an extreme optional protection intended for the relatively small number of people who may be personally targeted by highly sophisticated cyberattacks.
It is not a setting that everyone should automatically enable.
Because it intentionally limits certain features, attachments, websites, invitations, and connections, it can affect normal device use.
Apple explains when it may be appropriate here:
About Lockdown Mode — Apple Support
12. Take Apple Threat Notifications seriously
Apple sometimes sends threat notifications to users it believes may be individually targeted by mercenary spyware.
These attacks are rare and highly targeted.
Most Apple users will never receive such a notification.
But if Apple sends you a genuine threat notification, I would take it seriously and follow the instructions Apple provides.
About Apple threat notifications and protecting against mercenary spyware — Apple Support
13. Macs are well protected — but not invulnerable
macOS includes several important security technologies, including:
- Gatekeeper
- App notarization
- XProtect
- Sandboxing
- System Integrity Protection
These protections make a real difference.
At the same time, I would not assume that owning a Mac makes malware impossible.
My basic approach is simple:
- Keep macOS updated.
- Install apps only from sources I trust.
- Avoid pirated or modified software.
- Be suspicious of unexpected installers and configuration profiles.
- Do not blindly paste Terminal commands from websites or messages.
- Maintain reliable backups.
Apple explains its built-in malware protections here:
Protecting against malware in macOS — Apple Platform Security
Whether additional third-party security software is useful depends on the individual situation. I see it as an additional tool in some environments, not as a replacement for updates, safe browsing habits, strong account security, and backups.
My personal security checklist
If I had to reduce everything above to a short checklist, mine would look like this:
👉 Keep all devices updated
👉 Use two-factor authentication
👉 Use a strong device passcode
👉 Enable Face ID or Touch ID
👉 Turn on Stolen Device Protection
👉 Use passkeys whenever possible
👉 Never reuse important passwords
👉 Review app permissions occasionally
👉 Be skeptical of unexpected links and calls
👉 Maintain backups
👉 Know where Safety Check is
👉 Use Lockdown Mode only when there is a genuine reason to do so
None of these measures can guarantee perfect security.
But security is usually about layers. Each additional sensible protection makes it harder for someone to compromise your device, account, or personal information.
That is the main reason I wanted to share this.
I hope it helps someone take a few minutes to review their own Apple security settings.
Stay safe. 🌺