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Yúbal Fernández @Yubal_FM

We bring you a series of tips with which you will be able to fully protect the privacy of your iPhone using several of the functions that you will find in iOS 15, both new ones and others from previous versions of the operating system . Thus, if you are new or inexperienced in the world of iOS, you will have this guide to help you.

The idea is that you have all these options at your disposal, and then you decide which of them to use depending on the level of privacy you want to achieve. There are some basic and essential ones, such as app permission management, and other more hidden ones, such as the ability to send photos by removing their location metadata.

And as we always say at Xataka Basics, if you are an expert and you think we have failed to mention an important option, I invite you to share it with everyone in the comments section. Thus, all users with little experience will be able to help themselves with the extensive knowledge of our community of xatakeros.

Set up Face ID

Face ID is Apple's facial recognition system, and it is used to unlock your phone with your face. You will be able to configure it when you are in the initial configuration of a new iPhone, but you can also configure it again or adjust its options from the system settings. You can do it by entering the iOS Settings and clicking on the Face ID and code option.

Once inside, you can decide what you want to use Face ID for. Ideally, you should protect as much as you can with facial recognition, since it is a very convenient way to verify your identity without having to use passwords. If recognition is failing you, you can tap Reset Face ID to set it up again, or tap Set up an alternate look to add a second face, either someone you trust or yours in an outfit they don't recognize you in.

In all other options, it is important to activate the Require attention option for Face ID and Attention-aware features. With this, the camera sensors in the iPhone notch will make sure that you are looking at the screen before unlocking it, so that no one can take your phone and unlock it when you look away or while you sleep.

Apple Watch to Unlock

Since we're at the Face ID setup, a little detail. Whether it's wearing a mask or something else, there are times when Face ID doesn't work and we have to deal with the PIN to unlock the iPhone. This can make the lazy ones tempted to expose their privacy by removing the PIN to make the process faster, but if you have an Apple Watch there is a very simple alternative.

In the Face ID & Passcode options, you can turn on the Unlock with Apple Watch option. With it, if you have an unlocked Apple Watch on your wrist, if Face ID fails, that Apple Watch will be used to unlock your iPhone. It is something quite comfortable, although it only works to unlock the mobile, not to make payments or any other operation.

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Hide elements from the lock screen

When you receive notifications while you have your mobile locked, the content of these can display on the screen when you turn it on, before you unlock it. You will also be able to access the iOS control center, Siri, or answer messages and return calls. If you want more privacy with the locked screen so that no one you don't want can see the messages, go back to the iOS Settings and click on the Face ID and code option.

Once you're in the Face ID settings, scroll down to the Allow access when locked section. Here you can manage what elements you want to be visible or not when you have the locked screen. The less you have activated, the more privacy you will have, since you will have to have unlocked them for them to be shown. They are not things that you are going to lose, but data that other people will not be able to access. This is what it is:

Configure notification previews

In addition to all those items from the previous point, you can also configure notifications and what you want to be displayed in them when they appear to you in the lock screen. To do so, enter your iPhone settings, and click on the Notifications option that you have in the second block of options, and from where you will be able to configure everything related to them.

Once inside the Notifications section, you now have to click on the Show previews option. Inside you can configure the content that you want iOS notifications to display.

On the screen you enter, you can decide when iOS will display the content of notifications. You will have two types of notification, those that show a preview with the text of the messages or the content of the notification, and others without a preview in which you will only see the Notification text. You will have three options to configure the previews:

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Make some apps not show notifications

If not you want a specific application to show any type of notification, or if you simply want it not to show them on the lock screen, notification center or pop-up windows, you should know that this can be adjusted application by application. To do this, enter the mobile settings and click on the Notifications option that you have in the second block of options.

In the notifications menu, scroll down to the Notifications Style section. Here you will see a list with all the applications that you have installed on the device, and what you have to do is click on the applications in which you want to configure notifications and what will be displayed in them.

You will be able to change two things. First, go to Notifications and turn off the type of notifications you don't want the app to send (1). You can also make notification banners temporary. In addition, you can also disable previews (2), which is the content of the notification on the lock screen. You can make them appear always, never, or only with the mobile unlocked.

Set when an app accesses your location

When you install an app and open it for the first time, if the app needs to access your location, you'll have several options. You will be able to choose if you want to always allow it to access it, just once, not allow it to do so, or make it only access the location when the app is used. In theory, this system should prevent apps from tracking you when they're in the background.

If you're not happy with the settings you've set, this is something you can change whenever you want. To do this, go to the iOS settings, and there go to the Privacy section. Inside, click on the Location option. With this, you will enter the screen where you can manage the GPS of your mobile and the applications that have access to this data.

At the beginning of the screen you enter you can completely deactivate the GPS of your mobile by removing the location, or configure the location alerts that we will talk about right away. You will also have the options to share your location with specific people or with the function of finding the phone, but this is not the important thing now.

Below these options, you have a list of all your installed apps and their permissions regarding how they can access your device's location. There you will see how you decided to configure each of them when you were asked to open them the first time.

If you click on any of the applications, a screen will open where you can change the permissions to access your location. You can choose between never allowing access, asking the next time you enter, only when using the app and in some cases also always allowing access. There are even apps that you can give access to only once and you can decide whether to give them an exact location or only an approximate one.

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Clips of apps and location notices

< p> If you enter the configuration of the location notifications that we have talked about before within the location settings, you can do that when iOS notifies you that an app has used your location many times. When doing so, it will also show you a map indicating where it has been locating you.

And at the top of the list of apps you have the option of App Clips. These clips are like little parts of an app for doing specific tasks quickly, like renting a bike, paying for parking, or ordering food. In this option, you can configure if these clips are going to be given access to the location or you will have to use the full apps to access it.

Turn off calling on other devices

Your iPhone has an option that allows you to make calls with your phone through other devices where you're signed in with your iCloud account, as long as they are near you or connected to the same Wi-Fi. It's not something you should be concerned about, but if you don't want someone to take your iPad or Mac and make a call for you, you might want to turn it off. For that, enter the settings and click on the Phone option.

You will enter to configure the options of the call functions of your device. Here, click on the option Calls on other devices. which you will see in the Calls block in the third place. You will see that it is set to Nearby.

When you enter inside, you will see an explanation of how this system works, and you only have to deactivate the function when you do not want calls to be made with your mobile from other nearby devices. In addition, you can also activate or deactivate it independently on each device linked to your account. If you later change your mind, whenever you want you can reactivate it.

Silence calls from unknown numbers

Okay, this is not a privacy option, but it will make your life easier without spam calls, because it is used to add a Filter calls from unknown numbers. It is not 100% effective, but blocking a few will make your life better. To do this, enter the settings and click on the Phone option to configure what is related to calls.

Once inside the Phone settings, all you have to do is activate the option to Silence strangers. When you do this, any numbers not in your contacts, haven't called recently, or not in Siri Suggestions will be sent directly to voicemail so their calls won't ring, but you'll still see them on the screen. recent calls list.

You can also tap on the Blocked Contacts option to add numbers to a blacklist, in which members will not be able to make phone calls, send SMS or emails, or start FaceTime conversations . Here, the idea would be to write down the numbers of switchboards or advertising that call you, and add them to your blocking list.

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Control application access permissions

We arrived at the most important part of the article. You will be able to determine which applications can access your mobile data, from contacts to location, through bluetooth and other elements and data that iOS collects. To do so, enter the iOS settings, and once inside, click on the Privacy option that you have at the end of the third block of options.

You will enter a screen with some options at first, but then you have a list with all the types of data that applications can access. Before we have talked about location, but there are many other types of data to access. Here, click on the type of data or access that you want to limit in the applications you have installed.

When you click on one of the types of data that can be accessed, you will see a list of installed applications that can access it. Here, simply deactivate all the apps that you do not want to be able to access this specific type of data or element of your mobile, such as the camera, Bluetooth or the rest of the previous list. The next time you use that app and it needs that data to do something, it will ask for your permission again.

The option to control access to photos is a bit different, or at least more specific. In it, applications can have more than one type of access, since you can decide if you want them to access all your photos or only a few chosen by you. You may want to use an app that needs to access photos, but this way you can choose which specific photos you want it to be able to access, leaving it apart from the others.

Manage permissions app by app

Instead of accessing the list of permissions to manage them, you can also directly manage permissions for individual apps. For that, you just have to enter the iOS settings, and click on the application you want in the list that is there as soon as you scroll down a bit.

When you click on any of the applications, you will enter a screen in which you will see the permissions that it can access. Here, you just have to click on each type of permission to configure or deactivate it. There will be some that only have an on and off button, and others that you will enter to specify how to act or the different specific secondary permissions.

It is important to keep in mind that each application may have different types of permissions, which means that the options you find in each one may vary depending on your specific needs. The permissions range from access to your photos or microphone to access to your camera or the possibility of being able to continue updating and working in the background.

Ask apps not to track you

When you first enter an app that can track what you do in other apps or the Internet, Apple has built in an option to ask them please not to do it. You can manage this permission in the Privacy options, by clicking on the Tracking option that will appear at the beginning next to the location options.

You will enter a list where you can see the apps that have asked you to track you and which you have given permission to track you. Here, the ideal way to maintain your privacy to the maximum is to deactivate the permission for all of them. Take a good look, because it is always possible that you have accidentally given it to someone.

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Do not send analysis data to Apple

Like any other operating system, iOS it also collects data with how you use the system and applications, analysis data that it uses to improve its functions and detect failures. And like the rest of the systems, you will be able to limit or block access to this data so as not to share with them how you use your mobile or the assistant. To do so, enter the iOS settings, and once inside, click on the Privacy option that you have at the end of the third block of options.

Once you are in the Privacy options, scroll all the way down. There you will see two last options under the list of permissions, and you have to click on the Analysis and improvements option that will appear first.

You will enter a screen where you can simply turn off the Sharing option to avoid sending any data. But if you have this activated, you will be able to choose each of the types of data that you will want to send to Apple. In my case, I have everything disabled, but this is up to you.

Spy How Much Apps Are Spying On You

Have you ever wondered how much apps use the access to your data you've given them? Well, Apple has a function to find out. It's in the Privacy options, and it's called Record app activity. You'll find it at the very bottom, below the list of types of access you can grant.

You will enter a screen where you simply have to activate the option to Record app activity. By doing so, iOS will record how much apps spy on you or how much your data is used, and if you click on Saving the activity of the apps will download a report with the information of the last 7 days with which you may be able to discover some anomalous activity.

Control Apple advertising

Also in the Privacy section, at the bottom you have an option called Apple Advertising. In it, you will be able to deactivate Apple's personalized ads. Here, the company ensures that they protect your privacy and do not spy on you through the apps, but if you do not trust them, deactivating personalized ads always prevents your personal tastes from being taken into account.

Clear Siri Conversation History on iOS

If you don't want data on your phones about how you use voice features like Siri or dictation, you can clear from their servers the data that they already have from them. To do so, go to the iOS settings and click on the Siri and Search option. It is not at the top, but in the third block of options, the one that begins with the general configuration.

You will enter the section where you can configure everything related to Siri and voice dictation. Here, now you have to click on the Siri and Dictation History option, which will appear almost at the bottom, which will appear in the Consult Siri section.

Now, all you have to do is click on the Delete Siri and Dictation history option and that's it, all the history of your interactions with Siri or with the functions of Siri will be deleted from Apple's servers. voice dictation. Perhaps this means that if you use it often, it loses a bit of precision when it understands you.

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Make Siri not learn how you use apps

Siri tries be useful and make suggestions, and for that check how you use all the applications you have installed. If you want to limit the suggestions or make Siri not spy on what you do in certain apps, you have to enter the settings and click on the Siri and Search section.

You will enter a screen where you will be able to do two things. First of all, above you can deactivate the types of suggestions that Siri will make you. Further down, you will have a list of your installed applications, and you have to click on the app that you do not want Siri to spy on to learn how you use it.

When you tap on one of these apps, you can turn off Learn from this app so that Siri won't analyze how you use that particular app. You can also turn off suggestions related to this app or its shortcuts. And you can do this with all the applications you want.

Check the devices where you are signed in

Another interesting option is to be able to see which devices have signed in to your iCloud account, and to be able to delete those that you want to unlink to force to have to re-enter your credentials. With this, you will be able to detect any strange devices that indicate that they may have accessed your account from another site. In these cases, you will have to change your password on the iCloud website, and then sign out of the devices you want. To do this, tap on your Apple ID name at the top of the iOS settings.

When you're in the Apple ID options, scroll all the way down until you reach a list of all the devices from which you're signed into your Apple account. Here, click on the name of the device whose access you want to control to access its data.

You will enter the tab of the device you have chosen, with information about it so you can identify it. If you think it's not yours or you're not sure, you can click the *Remove from account*** button to revoke access to it. Now, on that device they will have to log in again with your credentials.

Save your photos without location

When you share photos, it's important to be aware that metadata from the device you took them with can reveal things like location where you were, which in some cases may be where you live. Fortunately, iOS offers the option to share photos by removing your location. To use it, when you are in a photo that you want to share, you must press the Share button in the photos app or the preview of the camera app.

You will enter the screen where you decide to whom or through which application you want to share your photo. Here, click on the Options button that you have at the top, the one that appears next to the indicator of the selected photos.

You will enter an options menu in which you can change some conditions for sending the photos. Here, turn off the Location option to tell it that you want to remove it from your photos when you're going to share them. Thus, the person receiving the photo will not have access to the GPS data printed on the original.

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Login with Apple

And finally, remind you that iOS has its own system to log in that allows you to hide your data and improve privacy when registering on a website. A login that hides your real email when you go to register on a website or application. All you have to do is open an application, and if it is compatible you will see that you can click on the Sign in with Apple button to proceed with the registration.

When you click Sign in with Apple, you'll go to a second screen where you can decide what personal data to hide from the web or app when you sign up. For example, you can hide your email, although in exchange it will create a unique and temporary account that will forward the app emails to yours so that the experience is the same as if you had your real email registered.

Share Privacy in iOS 15: how to configure your iPhone to protect it as much as possible

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