iOS 7 privacy tips and tricks!

1. Clear Frequent Locations

On iOS 7, Apple can track your location and retain a history of everywhere you have used your iOS 7 device. To opt out of location tracking, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services > Frequent Locations. In addition to disabling this option, you can choose not to provide Apple with your location information “to improve Maps.”

2. Block callers in your contacts

Its surprising that this feature has only just been introduced by Apple but with the new iOS update, you can now block a people from contacting you. You can block numbers and email addresses from calling, messaging or using Facetime and it’s really simple to do!

Go to your phone log and fine the contact you wish to block.

Select the ‘i’ icon next to the contact name/number.

Scroll down to find ‘block this caller’, then you will be asked to confirm > ‘block contact’.

If the number is saved in your contacts you can also do this by selecting the contact you wish to block and then following the steps above.

When the blocked called rings you, it will simply take them to answerphone but any message they leave will not be delivered to you. Any messages they send, will not reach you and all Facetime attempts will fail. There will be no traces of their attempts to contact you as you won’t even get a missed call – it’s like they never called at all.

3. Enable Do Not Track, and block cookies in Safari

To activate Do Not Track in Safari, open Settings and choose Safari. Press the Do Not Track toggle to turn it on. To block cookies in Safari, select Block Cookies in Safari’s settings and choose either Always, or “From third parties and advertisers”.

Scroll down Safari’s settings to find two other privacy-enhancing options: Clear History and Clear Cookies and Data.

4. View a link’s URL before you click

Press and hold a link to open a half-window that shows the link’s URL and four options: Open, Open in New Page, Add to Reading List, Copy.

5. Fingerprint Scanner

The fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S, called Touch ID, makes it easier to unlock the iPhone compared to using a 4-digit PIN code. You can also purchase apps/music etc from iTunes and the App Store using Touch ID. If you already use a 4-digit PIN, you’ll likely find Touch ID to be more convenient as it saves constantly entering your pin, simply press your finger on the home button to unlock. If you don’t use any security at all, Touch ID might finally be the security measure you’ve been looking for.

Setting up Touch ID is easy, just go to Settings > General > Touch ID & Passcode > Touch ID, then follow the fingerprint enrolment procedure.