This IPhone Tool Lets You Quickly Stop Sharing Your Information

Almost everything you do online is tracked or recorded and used to create a database about you. Most companies claim they need this information to serve you targeted advertising, while others sell it.

Your iPhone has built-in privacy and security settings that you should check. You can browse privately, stop third-party tracking, filter messages from strangers and more. Tap or click here for five iPhone security settings you need to change right now.

You can easily share various pieces of information with others through your iPhone, such as your location, photos, and calendar. But there may come a time when you want to stop. Here’s how.

Quick check

With iOS 16, Apple introduced Security checkwhich lets you quickly stop sharing or review and update sharing with people and apps.

Security Check can be used to change information associated with your Apple ID. You can use Safety Check to:

Review and remove devices signed in to your account.
Review and update trusted phone numbers.
Change your Apple ID password.
Update your emergency contacts.
Update your device passcode and Face ID or Touch ID information.

Another useful security control tool is Manage Sharing and Access. Use this when you want to examine sharing in more detail. It helps you review and reset information you share with people, review and reset the information apps have access to on your device, and Apple ID security.

Here’s how to use Safety Check to review the information you share:

Go to Institutions > Privacy and security > Security check.
Type Manage sharing and access. Progress is saved as you go.
To stop sharing information with other people, do one of the following:
- Type Peopleselect people in the list, review the information shared with people, and then decide what information you want to stop sharing with selected people.
- Type Informationselect apps in the list, review the information shared with people, and then decide what information you want to stop sharing with selected people.
To stop sharing information with other apps, do one of the following:
- Type Applicationsselect apps in the list, review the information shared with them, and then decide what information you want to stop sharing with the selected apps.
- Type InformationSelect the information shared in the list, review the information shared with apps, and then decide what information you want to stop sharing with the selected apps.
Type Continuethen do any of the following:
- Review and remove devices signed in to your account.
- Review and update trusted phone numbers.
- Change your Apple ID password.
- Update your emergency contacts.
- Update your device passcode or Face ID or Touch ID information.
Click finished.
When you’re done, make sure you’ve stopped certain sharing and reset specific settings. See verify you have stopped sharing.

When you should stop sharing right now

Emergency reset is another tool within Safety Check. Use it to immediately stop sharing everything. It also allows you to review and reset settings associated with your Apple ID.

Here’s how to use Emergency Recovery:

Go to Institutions > Privacy and security > Security check.
Type Emergency recovery, then follow the on-screen instructions. Progress is saved as you go.
When you’re done, make sure you’ve stopped all sharing and reset specific settings. See verify you have stopped sharing.

Are you locked out of your Apple ID account? Tap or click here for instructions to restore it.

Get out of Safety Check quickly

The Safety Check menu features a Quick exit button that crashes the Settings app and returns to the home screen. Anyone who opens the Settings app after that will go to the default page. It covers your tracks if you used Safety Check.

Look for the Quick exit button at the top right of the screen in Safety Check.