Category: Quick Guide / Technology

⚡ Understanding Privacy & Security Settings

Privacy settings control what information your device, apps, websites, and other people can access.

Security settings help prevent someone from entering your device or accounts without permission.

Use this guide to review the most important settings without accidentally turning off protections or locking yourself out.

Before Changing Settings

Make sure you know your device passcode.
Confirm that your recovery email and phone number are current.
Save any account recovery codes securely.
Change one setting at a time.
Read each option before selecting it.
Take a screenshot of the original setting if you may need to restore it.
Ask for help if you do not understand what a setting controls.

Do not turn off security features simply because an app, website, pop-up, or stranger tells you to.

Helpful Resources: Browse Device & Account Security for products, equipment, services, or supplies related to this section.

Where to Find the Settings

Look for Settings, Account, Privacy, Security, or Permissions.

You may need to review settings in several places:

The device’s main settings
Individual apps
Your web browser
Your email account
Social-media accounts
Cloud-storage accounts
Your Wi-Fi router
Smart-home devices

Changing a setting in one place may not change it everywhere else.

Review Your Screen-Lock Settings

Your phone, tablet, or computer should lock when you are not using it.

Check:

Whether a passcode or password is required
How quickly the screen locks automatically
Whether a fingerprint or facial recognition is enabled
What information appears on the lock screen
Whether the device can be found or locked remotely

Use a passcode that other people cannot easily guess.

Do not use your birthday, address, phone number, or a simple pattern.

Protect Your Account Sign-In

For important accounts:

Use a long, unique password.
Turn on multifactor authentication.
Review the recovery email and phone number.
Save recovery codes securely.
Check recent sign-ins.
Remove devices you do not recognize.
Sign out of devices you no longer use.
Turn on alerts for new or unusual logins.

Do not approve a login notification you did not initiate.

Review App Permissions

Apps may request access to:

Location
Camera
Microphone
Photos and videos
Files
Contacts
Calendar
Bluetooth
Notifications
Health information
Nearby devices

Ask whether each permission is necessary for the app to work.

For example:

A navigation app may need your location.
A video-calling app may need the camera and microphone.
A photo-editing app may need selected photos.
A calculator probably does not need your contacts or precise location.

Remove permissions that do not make sense.

Choose the Least Access Needed

Your device may offer options such as:

Never
Don’t Allow
Ask Next Time
Only While Using the App
Allow Once
Selected Photos
Approximate Location
Precise Location
Always Allow

Choose the least amount of access that allows the feature to work.

“Always Allow” may let an app collect information even when you are not actively using it.

Check Location Settings

Location information can reveal where you live, work, shop, travel, and spend time.

Review:

Which apps can access your location
Whether access is allowed all the time
Whether precise location is necessary
Whether photos save location information
Who can see your shared location
Whether family or friend tracking is still needed
Whether old devices are still sharing location

Turn off location access for apps that do not need it.

Do not turn off emergency location features unless you understand how the change may affect your safety.

Review Camera and Microphone Access

Check which apps can use your camera and microphone.

Remove access from:

Apps you no longer use
Apps that do not need these features
Apps you do not recognize

Some devices display a small colored dot or symbol when the camera or microphone is active. Learn what that indicator looks like on your device.

Investigate if it appears when you are not using an app that needs the camera or microphone.

Limit Access to Photos, Contacts, and Files

An app may not need access to everything stored on your device.

When available, choose:

Selected Photos instead of All Photos
Specific files instead of all storage
No contact access unless it is necessary
Limited calendar access

Review previously granted access because an app’s purpose or your use of it may have changed.

Review Notification Privacy

Notifications may display private information on a locked screen.

Check whether previews show:

Text messages
Email subjects
Verification codes
Medical reminders
Banking alerts
Calendar appointments
Social-media messages

You can often choose to:

Hide notification content
Show previews only after unlocking
Turn off notifications for specific apps
Allow only important alerts

Keep security and account alerts enabled unless they create a specific problem.

Review Social-Media Visibility

For each social-media account, check:

Who can see your posts
Who can see your friends or followers
Who can find you by phone number or email
Who can send messages
Who can tag or mention you
Whether tagged posts require approval
Whether your location is included
Whether search engines can show your profile
Whether your activity status is visible
Whether old posts are still public

Remember that other people can save or share anything they can see.

Check Connected Apps and Accounts

Some websites allow you to sign in using another account. Apps may also connect to your email, social media, calendar, cloud storage, or fitness information.

Review lists labeled:

Connected Apps
Third-Party Access
Authorized Apps
Linked Accounts
Sign in With
Devices
Active Sessions

Remove access for services you do not recognize or no longer use.

Disconnecting an app does not always delete the separate account or information it already collected.

Review Browser Privacy Settings

Your browser may let you control:

Cookies
Website tracking
Location access
Camera and microphone access
Pop-ups
Notifications
Saved passwords
Autofill
Browsing history
Personalized advertising

Blocking unnecessary tracking can reduce the information collected about your browsing.

Private or incognito browsing usually prevents the browser from saving some activity on your device after the session ends. It does not make you anonymous to websites, your internet provider, an employer, a school, or the network owner.

Review Cookies and Tracking Choices

When a website presents a cookie notice, look for options such as:

Accept All
Reject All
Necessary Only
Manage Preferences

Necessary cookies may be required for the website to function. Advertising and tracking cookies may be optional.

Choose the option that matches your comfort level rather than automatically selecting Accept All.

Review Advertising Settings

Your phone, browser, and online accounts may provide controls for:

Personalized advertising
Activity used for advertisements
Advertising identifiers
Tracking across apps or websites
Sharing data with advertising partners

Turning off personalized advertising may reduce tracking used to choose ads. It does not necessarily remove all advertisements or prevent every type of data collection.

Turn On Automatic Security Updates

Check whether your device and apps can install security updates automatically.

Updates may correct weaknesses that could expose your device or information.

Use official device settings and app stores. Do not install an update from an unexpected pop-up, email, or text message.

Review Backup and Device-Recovery Settings

Check whether:

Important files are backed up
Photos are synchronized or backed up
The backup account belongs to you
The device can be located if lost
You can remotely lock or erase it
Your emergency contact information is current

Understand whether a cloud service is creating a backup or synchronizing files. With synchronization, deleting an item from one device may delete it from other connected locations.

Watch for Settings That Reduce Security

Stop if an app, website, or person tells you to:

Disable your firewall
Turn off security software
Ignore a security warning
Allow installation from an unknown source
Turn off multifactor authentication
Approve an unfamiliar device
Share your screen
Install remote-access software
Give them a password or verification code

These requests may be signs of a scam.

If a Setting Causes a Problem

Return to the setting you changed.
Restore the previous option.
Close and reopen the affected app.
Restart the device.
Check whether the app still has the permissions it needs.
Ask a trusted person or qualified technician for help if necessary.

Do not reset every privacy or security setting at once. This can create new problems and make the original issue harder to identify.

Quick Privacy and Security Review

Check these areas:

Screen lock
Passwords
Multifactor authentication
Recovery information
Recent account activity
App permissions
Location sharing
Camera and microphone access
Photo, contact, and file access
Notification previews
Social-media visibility
Connected apps and devices
Browser tracking and cookies
Automatic security updates
Backup and device-recovery settings

Review these settings when you get a new device, install a new app, notice unusual activity, or change who has access to your information.

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