Are you concerned about the security and privacy settings of your iPhone? If so, this article will provide you with tips on how to make your data safer and to keep away from prying eyes, especially apps that require too many unwarranted permissions.
So, without further ado, here are 7 iOS 13 privacy settings every user should take advantage of.
1. Set a Powerful Passcode
A passcode is one of those security features that limit the number of people who can access the contents of your phone. The stronger the passcode, the better. Refrain from setting a passcode that can easily be guessed. It should not be based on a phone number, a familiar place, or a name that can be easily deduced. The longer the passcode, the better as well.
To set a powerful passcode on your iOS 13 device, navigate to Settings > Face ID & Passcode. After entering your current passcode and tapping on the passcode options, choose between Custom Alphanumeric and Custom Numeric Code as the two are the most secure. You can also choose a 4-digit numeric code, which is a little less secure.
But whatever your choice of passcode is, make sure that it makes you and your data more secure. It should, in other words, be nothing like the password “password” which is apparently very common.
2. Enable Automatic Updates
To make sure that your iPhone is fully patched against any zero-day attacks, or other vulnerabilities, always make sure that you are running the most up-to-date software system on your phone.
To set up automatic updates, navigate to Settings > General > Software Update, and enable Automatic updates. That way, you will never miss out on a security patch or something like that.
3. Reduce the Lock Screen Timeout
It is not uncommon for someone to leave their phone on the office table, coffee table with a friend, at home, or to forget it entirely at some place.
In such situations, the shorter the lock screen timeout time, the better. Your iPhone should require authentication at most after 30 seconds because that is not enough time for someone to go through your messages, photos, or anything else that you deem private.
4. Set-up Two-Factor Authentication
Two-factor authentication is a popular way of making it harder for hackers to get access to your private information. This is because even if the hacker has your email address and password, Apple will still send an authentication code to your device. Two-factor authentication is a tested way of making cloud-based accounts safer and more secure, and you should adopt it.
To set up two-factor authentication on your iOS 13 device, go to Settings > Password & Security and choose Two-factor authentication.
5. Install an Anti-malware
Apple devices rarely suffer from malware attacks, but that does not mean that you should feel safe. In the software business, it is better to be safe than sorry, especially considering the gross privacy violations that any successful hack would occasion. Malware can also delete your files so there is also that to contend with.
You should have at least a cleaner app similar to cleaner apps for Android on your iOS 13 device. Cleaner apps work the same way as PC repair software because they ward off malware, clean cache, and optimize the performance of your device.
6. Determine What Touch ID/Face ID is Used to Authenticate
You can determine what iOS apps can be accessed with the help of Face ID or Touch ID on your iOS 13 device. Say you don’t want people listening to your iTunes without your explicit permission, then you can use Face ID to make sure that whoever has access to your phone will come looking for you, should they be interested in your music collection.
To enable this feature, just navigate to Settings > Face ID and Passcode, enter your existing passcode, and proceed from there.
7. Control Notifications Data Leakage
Have you ever been able to read an SMS even when the phone was locked? If so, you understand the need to prevent the leakage of sensitive information.
All you have to do is navigate to Settings > Notifications > Show Previews and change the settings. You can either choose when Unlocked or Never.
Author Bio: Mathew Ngatia is a computer scientist who currently works as a content specialist at Softwaretested.com. He writes on topics related to tech, VPN, digital marketing, gaming, SEO and more. Outside of work, Mathew is interested in artificial intelligence and programming in general and is an avid book reader.
