Stop App Tracking on iPhone: Full Guide

This guide shows you how to stop apps from tracking your activity across other apps and websites on your iPhone. You’ll learn the main settings to turn off, how to handle new tracking requests, and how to check which apps have asked to track you. No special tools are needed—everything is built into iOS.

What You’ll Need

• An iPhone running iOS 14.5 or later (most modern iPhones have this).
• Your Apple ID password or Face ID/Touch ID to change certain privacy settings.

Step-by-Step

1. Open Settings. Tap the gray gear icon on your home screen.
2. Go to Privacy & Security. Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security (on older iOS versions it’s just Privacy).
3. Tap Tracking. This is near the top of the Privacy screen.
4. Turn off “Allow Apps to Request to Track.” Toggle the switch at the top so it turns gray. This stops all apps from even asking for permission to track you. Any apps that already had permission will be blocked from tracking you further.
5. Review the list of apps below. Under the main toggle, you’ll see a list of apps that have requested tracking. Each has its own switch. If you want to be extra careful, turn off any that are still on (green).
6. Check per-app settings. Some apps have their own tracking controls inside their settings. Open the Settings app, scroll to the specific app, and look for a “Tracking” or “Allow Tracking” option. Turn it off if present.
7. Reset the Advertising Identifier. Go to Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising and tap “Reset Advertising Identifier.” This gives you a new random ID that apps can’t easily link to your old one.
8. Turn off personalized ads (optional). In the same Apple Advertising section, turn off “Personalized Ads.” This doesn’t stop tracking, but it stops Apple from using your data for targeted ads.

Common Mistakes

• Only turning off the main toggle and not checking the list. Some apps may have been granted permission before you turned off the main toggle. They still have that permission, but they won’t be able to use it if the main toggle is off. However, it’s safer to also turn off each app individually.
• Thinking this blocks all data collection. Turning off tracking only stops cross-app and cross-website tracking. Apps can still collect data about your activity within their own app, and they can still use that for their own purposes (like analytics).
• Forgetting about Safari. This guide covers app tracking, but Safari has its own tracking prevention. Go to Settings > Safari > Prevent Cross-Site Tracking and make sure it’s on.
• Not restarting apps after changing settings. Some apps may not apply the new setting until you fully close and reopen them.

Tips

• Use “Ask App Not to Track” when prompted. If you leave the main toggle on, you’ll see a pop-up when an app wants to track you. Tap “Ask App Not to Track” to deny that specific app.
• Check your privacy report. Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > App Privacy Report to see how often apps have accessed your location, photos, camera, and more. This helps you spot apps that are overreaching.
• Use a VPN or private DNS. These can add another layer of privacy by hiding your IP address and encrypting your traffic, but they don’t replace the tracking settings.
• Keep iOS updated. Apple regularly improves privacy features in new iOS versions, so staying up to date gives you the latest protections.

Troubleshooting

• The Tracking option is grayed out. This can happen if you have restrictions enabled. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and make sure “Privacy” is not set to “Don’t Allow Changes” for Tracking.
• You don’t see the Tracking section at all. Your iPhone may be running an older iOS version. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to update to the latest iOS.
• An app still shows tracking after you turned it off. Try deleting and reinstalling the app. This resets its permissions. When you reinstall, it will ask again, and you can deny it.
• You want to re-enable tracking for a specific app. Go back to Privacy & Security > Tracking and turn on the main toggle, then turn on the switch for that app. You may need to restart the app.
• You’re not sure if a particular app tracks. Look at the App Store listing for the app. Under “App Privacy,” it will list what data it collects and whether it’s linked to you or used for tracking.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does turning off tracking stop all ads?

No. You’ll still see ads, but they’ll be less personalized. Ads may be based on your current app content or general context rather than your past behavior across apps.

Will this break any apps?

Generally no. Most apps work fine without tracking. Some free apps rely on ad revenue, but they will still function; you might just see less relevant ads.

Can apps track me through my IP address?

Yes, IP address can be used for tracking, but the App Tracking Transparency framework requires apps to get permission before using tracking that includes your IP address for cross-app tracking. Turning off tracking prevents this.

Does this affect my Apple ID or iCloud?

No. This only affects third-party apps. Apple’s own services (like the App Store) have their own privacy policies, and you can manage personalized ads separately in Apple Advertising settings.

What if I already gave permission to an app before turning off tracking?

If you turn off the main toggle, that permission is effectively revoked. The app won’t be able to track you anymore. You can also manually turn off each app’s switch in the Tracking list.

Is there a way to see which apps have asked to track me?

Yes, the list in Privacy & Security > Tracking shows all apps that have requested permission, along with their status.

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