How to Set Up Safari Privacy Features

Step by step

1. Enable Intelligent Tracking Prevention

   Open Safari and go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy. Check the box next to 'Prevent cross-site tracking' to block trackers from following you across websites. This feature uses machine learning to identify and block tracking scripts while preserving website functionality.

   Note: Enable 'Hide IP address from trackers' for additional protection against fingerprinting techniques.

2. Configure cookie settings

   In the same Privacy tab, click 'Manage Website Data' to view stored cookies and website data. Click 'Remove All' to clear everything, or select specific sites and click 'Remove' for targeted deletion. Set cookies to 'Block all cookies' for maximum privacy, though this may break some websites.

   Note: Choose 'Allow from websites I visit' as a balanced option that blocks third-party tracking cookies while preserving essential site functionality.

3. Set up Private Browsing

   Press Cmd+Shift+N to open a Private Browsing window, or go to File > New Private Window. In Private Browsing mode, Safari doesn't save your browsing history, search history, or AutoFill information. Close all Private Browsing windows to completely clear the session data.

   Note: Private Browsing automatically enables stricter tracking protection and blocks known trackers more aggressively than regular browsing.

4. Manage website permissions

   Go to Safari > Preferences > Websites to control permissions for camera, microphone, location, and notifications on a per-site basis. Select each category from the left sidebar and set global defaults, then customize permissions for specific websites. Choose 'Deny' as the default for maximum privacy.

   Note: Review the 'Downloads' section to prevent websites from automatically downloading files to your computer.

5. Configure search engine privacy

   In Safari > Preferences > Search, select a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo from the 'Search engine' dropdown. Uncheck 'Include search engine suggestions' and 'Include Safari Suggestions' to prevent your search queries from being sent to external services.

   Note: Enable 'Preload Top Hit' only if you trust your search engine provider, as this sends your queries in real-time.

6. Enable fraudulent website warnings

   In Safari > Preferences > Security, check 'Warn when visiting a fraudulent website' to enable Safari's built-in phishing protection. This feature checks websites against a database of known malicious sites and displays warnings before you enter sensitive information.

   Note: Keep 'JavaScript' enabled unless you have specific security concerns, as disabling it will break most modern websites.

7. Clear browsing data regularly

   Go to Safari > Clear History to remove browsing history, cookies, and cached files. Choose a time range from 'the last hour' to 'all history' depending on your privacy needs. For ongoing privacy, go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy and click 'Manage Website Data' then 'Remove All' to clear stored data.

   Note: Set up automatic clearing by using third-party tools or manually clearing data weekly for optimal privacy maintenance.