iPhone Privacy Settings to Change Today (iOS 27)

Updated 26 October 2026

You do not need an app for most of this. Ten minutes in the Settings app on iOS 27 closes the biggest gaps. Check who you share with, which apps see your photos and location, and what is locked.

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What do I need to know?

Start with Safety Check. It shows in one place what you share with people and apps.
Photos and location are the big two. Most apps ask for them, and few need full access.
Settings protect against apps, not people. Anyone who knows your passcode can change them back.

Which settings should I change first?

Work down this list. Every step is from Apple's iPhone User Guide for iOS 27.

Run Safety Check. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Safety Check, tap Manage Sharing & Access, and follow the steps. It covers location in Find My, shared Photos, Notes and Calendar, and app permissions. (Apple)
Trim photo access. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Photos. Give each app the least it needs. See Limited Photos Access.
Trim location access. Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services. Tap each app. Turn off Precise Location where a rough area is enough. (Apple)
Stop the camera tagging places. Location Services → Camera → Never. New photos then carry no GPS position. (Apple)
Turn off tracking requests. Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking. Turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track. (Apple)
Turn on App Privacy Report. Settings → Privacy & Security → App Privacy Report. Check it in a week to see what apps actually used. (Apple)
Keep Hidden and Recently Deleted locked. Settings → Apps → Photos. Leave Use Face ID on. Turn off Show Hidden Album if you want it out of sight. (Apple)
Lock Private Browsing. Settings → Apps → Safari. Turn on Require Face ID to Unlock Private Browsing. (Apple)

Which security settings matter for privacy?

Stolen Device Protection (iOS 17.3 or later). Settings → Face ID & Passcode. Away from familiar places, key changes need Face ID and a one-hour delay. (Apple)
Advanced Data Protection (iOS 16.2 or later). It adds end-to-end encryption to iCloud Photos and iCloud Backup. Without it, Apple holds the keys to those. (Apple)
Locked apps. Touch and hold an app, then tap Require Face ID. Good for Messages, Photos or a banking app. (Apple)

In the share sheet, tap Options and turn off Location. The share sheet then shows Location Not Included. More on what a photo carries: what is EXIF data.

Should I turn on Lockdown Mode?

Probably not. Apple describes it as an extreme protection for people who may face sophisticated, targeted attacks. It limits apps and features and is not a general privacy switch. See does Lockdown Mode protect your photos.

What this doesn't protect against

None of these settings stop someone who knows your passcode. They can open Photos, unlock Hidden and switch permissions back. Settings also cannot pull back photos you have already shared or backed up.

Do it with Cryptile

For photos that must stay private even from someone with your passcode, keep them in a vault with its own key. Cryptile encrypts each file with AES-256-GCM under a key made on your phone from a pattern. There is no account and no server.

Cryptile is free for up to 2 vaults, 100 photos and 10 videos. Plus removes the limits for $19.99 a year (7-day free trial) or $39.99 once. The price is the same every day.