iOS 16 added several important security and privacy features to compatible iPhone models.
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Using iOS 16, you can now protect private photos and notes on your iPhone with Face ID biometric security.
A new Safety Check audit tool can summarize all the people, apps, and devices with access to data on your iPhone.
Lockdown Mode is a new tool in iOS 16 for journalists and activists that can insulate you from spyware attacks.
Apple’s iOS operating system for the iPhone has long been security and privacy focused, though the new iOS 16 update adds a number of significant new features and capabilities on this front.
Your iPhone can now protect private photos with Face ID, lock private notes, assess who your phone might be sharing data with, and more. Here are seven of the most important security and privacy features in iOS 16.
Protect private photos with Face ID
Your iPhone has long given you the option to hide private photos in a “hidden” folder. These images won’t show up in your photo roll — you need to specifically navigate to the Hidden folder on the Photos app’s Albums page to see them. But starting in iOS 16, your iPhone protects these photos (and anything in the Recently Deleted folder) with Face ID by default. This way, if someone gets physical access to your phone, they can’t see your private photos.
To use this feature, start the Photos app and tap Albums. Scroll down and tap Hidden or Recently Deleted. You’ll need to use Face ID (or Touch ID) to see the contents of these folders. If this isn’t currently enabled for you, start the Settings app and tap Photos. Turn on Use Face ID (or Use Touch ID) by swiping the button to the right.
Be sure to enable Face ID in Settings to lock unauthorized people out of your hidden photo album.
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Protect private notes with Face ID
You may know that it’s been possible to lock notes you want to keep private, but you had to use a passcode to gain access. Starting in iOS 16, you can now use Face ID or Touch ID, which is much more convenient. To lock a note, start the Notes app and then tap and hold the note you want to lock — then choose Lock Note in the pop-up menu.
If this is the first time you’re locking a note after upgrading to iOS 16, your iPhone should automatically offer you the opportunity to enable Face ID for your locked notes. If you don’t see that, or you skipped that step, you can enable it now. Start the Settings app and tap Notes. On the Notes page, tap Password. Tap the Notes account you want to use — iCloud or notes stored locally on your phone — and then enable Use Face ID by swiping the button to the right.
Use Safety Check to audit who has access to your data
Over time, you might have given various friends and family members access to data on your iPhone. You might be permanently sharing your location, for example, or sharing photo folders in the Photos app. And until iOS 16, there was no central place to assess who has access to what aspects of your phone. The new Safety Check feature can quickly perform a privacy audit and show you who can see what.
To perform your own audit, start the Settings app and tap Privacy & Security. Tap Safety Check. Then tap Manage Sharing & Access. You’ll probably need to unlock the feature with Face ID, then tap Continue. Then step through the wizard to see exactly what people, apps, and other devices have access to your data. You can revoke access as you go, or tap Skip on each page to see the data without changing any permissions.
Each page of the Safety Check shows what people, apps, and devices are currently able to access your iPhone.
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Revoke everyone’s access to your phone’s data
The iPhone’s Safety Check dashboard also has an Emergency Reset button. This feature will instantly revoke all access to your iPhone’s data from any people, apps, and data which previously had permission. You might use this if you suspect your personal safety is in jeopardy from a stalker or domestic abuser, or if you think your phone has been hacked.
To perform an emergency reset, start the Settings app and tap Privacy & Security. Tap Safety Check. Tap Emergency Reset and follow the instructions to perform the reset.
Give permission to apps to copy from the clipboard
Because some iPhone apps have been found to grab information stored in the clipboard without permission, iOS 16 steps up the security of the clipboard by requiring you to grant permission if an app tries to copy its contents. Now, anytime an app tries to read the contents of the clipboard — which contains whatever you recently copied there — you’ll see a pop-up asking you to grant that app permission to read the clipboard. If you deny permission, the app can’t read the clipboard. And you can’t grant permanent permission to the app; it’ll ask permission each time it tries to read the clipboard.
Whenever an app tries to copy data from the clipboard, you’ll see a request like this.
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Automatically install security updates
Security updates are often critical, so sometimes time is of the essence. Previously, security updates were generally integrated into large updates that took time to download and install. Starting with iOS 16, Apple can now send out small security patches that don’t have to wait for larger, more expansive and time-consuming updates. These will install automatically, keeping your phone more secure.
To make sure this is enabled by default, start the Settings app and tap General. Tap Software Updates, then Automatic Updates, and make sure Security Responses & System Files is enabled by swiping the button to the right.
Lock down your phone from hackers or government intervention
Most users won’t find much reason to use Lockdown Mode, but journalists, political activists, and even some government officials may be thankful for this new iOS 16 feature that provides protection from spyware and state-sponsored hackers.
This is something of a nuclear option, since it disables many common iPhone features — it is designed to head off spyware attacks by disabling some website features in Safari, blocking email attachments, preventing most FaceTime calls, blocking shared photo albums, and more. If you need to take immediate action to protect yourself, though, you can enter lockdown by opening the Settings app and choosing Privacy & Security. Tap Lockdown Mode and then tap Turn on Lockdown Mode.
You can enable Lockdown Mode to erect a highly secure firewall around your device.
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