Safari in IOS 26 Is More Private Than Ever.
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The internet isn’t private, but that doesn’t mean you have to voluntarily reveal all your information to use it. By default, trackers steal a significant portion of your data while you browse the web, but simple settings can block many of them. As it turns out, with the iOS 26 update, your iPhone gets an updated tracking protection tool.
A feature called Advanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection is a Safari option that hides certain browser and device data commonly used by trackers to create a digital “fingerprint” of a user . A fingerprint, in this case, is a profile that companies use to track your movements online. Your fingerprint can consist of data such as your device’s IP address, the device itself, your browser, fonts, plugins, and screen resolution. All this data combines to create a unique picture of your identity; the more unique your fingerprint, the easier it is to track you , since the likelihood that someone else will have the same data is slim.
Digital fingerprints have many uses online, but perhaps the most popular is targeted advertising. It’s thanks to digital fingerprints that many of the ads you see are so tailored to your interests and browsing history. Trackers know your online habits and can identify and show you ads you’re more likely to click or engage with. Companies can also sell these digital fingerprints to brokers and advertisers, profiting from both your interactions with ads and your original data.
Enhanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection simplifies the management of each Safari user’s data, making our fingerprints less unique. This makes it more difficult for trackers to identify users, allowing for more private browsing.
This feature was already available on iPhone prior to iOS 26. However, by default, it was limited to “Private Browsing” mode. If you didn’t use Private Tab for the entire browser, you likely lost some of these privacy protections unless you knew how to manually change the settings to apply them to the entire browser. The same applies to iPadOS and macOS. Most of us probably haven’t changed this setting, as it’s buried quite deeply in the settings of each OS.
However, after updating your iPhone, iPad, or Mac to the latest OS version, these additional tracking protections will be enabled by default. Whether you browse the web in a private or regular window, trackers will have a hard time identifying your device.
How to check your Enhanced Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection settings
This setting should be enabled by default when you update your device. But if you want to make sure it’s enabled, here’s where to find it. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings and select Apps > Safari > Advanced . On Mac, open Safari, press Command + to open Safari preferences, then select the Advanced tab.
Here, make sure Tracking and Fingerprinting Protection is set to All Browsers (iOS/iPadOS) or All Browsers (macOS).