Privacy and security features are added in every update of the mobile operating system. Apple has added tools to make it easier to apply security updates, new face ID capabilities, improvements to photo security, and more, with details on all of the new privacy and security options outlined below.

Apple Privacy Yellow

Safety Check

The "Safety Check" feature in the settings app is designed to make it easy for people to quickly reset all of the data and location access that they have granted to other people. According to Apple, safety check is for people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations.

To get to Safety Check, you need to open the settings app and tap on Privacy and Security. You can scroll down to safety check. An Emergency Reset is one of the options included in the Safety Check.

If you're in danger of being caught using it, Safety Check has a button that will take you to the home screen of the phone.

Emergency Reset

With Emergency Reset, you can protect your device with just a few taps. Emergency Reset stops sharing things with everyone when you use it.

Your home data, photo albums, location information, and more are just some of the things you might be sharing with people.

Emergency Reset allows you to remove all emergency contacts and reset your Apple ID and password to prevent anyone from logging into your account.

Manage Sharing

You can see an overview of what you're sharing in Manage Sharing and Access if you're not in an emergency situation.

You can see which apps have access to your data and who you are sharing it with. The "Stop Sharing" option will turn off sharing immediately.

You will be able to see a list of all the third-party apps that you have installed and what data they have access to. You can see which permissions an app has by looking at data such as location, contacts, and more.

You will be able to log out and reset your Apple ID and password if you use Manage Sharing.

Locked Hidden and Recently Deleted Photo Albums

The hidden and recently deleted albums can't be opened without a password or Face ID.

Landscape Face ID

Face ID can be used in landscape mode on the 13 models. This allows Face ID to be unlocked even if the phone is held in a landscape orientation.

Rapid Security Response

It will be easier for Apple to distribute security updates with the new version of the operating system.

Automatic updates can be turned off under the General section of the software update.

Important security improvements to your devices will be made more quickly. There are improvements that can be applied automatically.

Pasteboard Permissions

Users need to be given explicit permission before accessing the clipboard. Similar to how apps need permission to access the microphone, camera, location, and other sensitive data, the copy and paste feature will need to be asked for.

Passkeys

PassKeys are designed to replace traditional passwords when signing into a website or app. Passkeys are more secure than passwords according to Apple. Passkeys will be introduced later this year, but they aren't implemented in the current version of the operating system.

Passkey work through a key system The public and private keys are stored on the website server. Face ID or Touch ID can be used to authorize the passkey on the iPhone and other devices.

Since the device key is private and only available to the user, it cannot be stolen, leaked, or phished, the key from the website must match.

Two-factor authentication is required for PassKeys to use. PassKeys can be used to sync across all of a user's devices through the cloud.

If an Apple device is lost and the passkeys along with them are lost, Apple created an iCloud Keychain function to recover passkey information. Users can either set up a person to serve as an account recovery contact or they can go through a multi-step process to recover an iCloud Keychain with pass keys.

Touch ID or Face ID can be used to create a passkey that can be used to log in.

Passkeys can be used with non-Apple devices, and Apple has been working with members of the FIDO Alliance to make that happen. Passkeys requires support from other companies and needs to be adopted across the tech world on non-Apple devices.

Lockdown Mode

Lockdown Mode has an "extreme" level of security for people who are targeted by cyberattacks. Lockdown Mode restricts the functions of many of the iPhone's features as well as locking down websites.

Lockdown Mode blocks most attachment types in Messages, blocks FaceTime calls from non-contacts, restricts web browsing functions, prevents configuration profiles from being installed, and more.

Lockdown Mode isn't for the average user and most people shouldn't use it. The privacy and security section of the app's settings can be used to disabled the feature.

Guide Feedback

If you have questions about the new security and privacy features in Apple's mobile operating system, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide, please contact us. We'd love to receive an email here.

Security and Privacy

Landscape Face ID, Security Check, faster security updates, Passkeys, and more are some of the security and privacy focused updates that can be found in the newest version of the mobile operating system.

Every new feature you need to know about is highlighted in the security and privacy guide.