7 macOS privacy settings you should enable now

Your Apple computer knows a lot about you. Depending on your privacy settings, it may know significantly more than you’re aware of. 

People are rightly concerned about privacy on their mobile devices — after all, smartphones are basically a location-tracking, microphone-enabled gadget following your every move. Desktop and laptop computers, however, don’t always receive the same level of privacy-focused scrutiny as their more compact brethren. 

But just because Apple brags about privacy being core to its products doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Read on for a few simple macOS tweaks that will ensure your computer is only sharing what you want it to share. 

1. Lock it down

Password-protecting your computer is an incredibly basic first step. You should go even further to protect the contents of your Mac. Specifically, encrypt the computer’s contents so that even if it does fall into the wrong hands, the data on it stays safe. Thankfully, Apple makes this incredibly easy to do with something call FileVault. 

Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > FileVault. Once you’re there, turn the future on. 

“FileVault secures the data on your disk by encrypting its contents automatically,” Apple tells us.

This is a good thing. 

2. Location matters

Did you know that your macOS computer is tracking your location? Well, unless you’ve disabled a few settings, it likely is. One of those aforementioned settings would be “Significant Locations” (something you should also switch off on your iOS device). 

But what is “Significant Locations,” exactly? According to Apple, the feature “[allows] your Mac to learn places significant to you in order to provide useful location-related information in Maps, Calendar, Photos, and more.”

If that “and more” sounds overly broad and you’d like to squash that bit of tracking, head to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Location Services. Next, hit “Click the lock to make changes” (and then enter the device’s password) in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen. Next, select “Details” from the menu on the right, and uncheck the box next to “Significant Locations.” 

While you’re at it, go ahead and uncheck the box next to “Location-Based Apple Ads.” Or, if you’re feeling really bold, turn off location services altogether — although that means the Find My Mac feature will be unavailable to you should you ever misplace your computer. 

3. Limit that ad tracking

Did you know Apple gives you the option to limit ad tracking on your computer? Well, it does! But you need to make sure you have the correct settings in place. It’s breeze to turn on as long as you know where to look. 

Click your way to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Advertising. 

Next, go ahead and check the box next to “Limit Ad Tracking.” This will opt you out of receiving targeted ads. 

Wasn’t that easy?

4. Your contacts

Your contact list is an incredibly personal thing. Just think about the people it includes: doctors, friends, maybe your accountant, and even (probably) your exes. It’s totally normal to want to keep that information to yourself. 

However, you may have inadvertently shared it in the past with third parties. Make sure you’re not doing so anymore. Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Contacts. On the right, you may see a list of apps that have requested access to your contacts. 

See anything weird there? For example, maybe you don’t want Microsoft Word to have access to your contacts. Uncheck those boxes. 

5. Peeping eyes

You have a webcam cover, right? Because you definitely should. But putting a physical sticker or cover over your computer’s built-in camera isn’t the only precaution you should take to ensure third-parties aren’t seeing what they shouldn’t.

Find your way to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Camera for a list of apps that have requested — or, if the boxes next to them are checked, already have — access to your camera. 

Some of them probably make sense. See Google Chrome on there? Well, do you use the video feature on Google Hangouts via your Chrome browser? Nothing to worry about there. However, if you see something weird or unfamiliar, go ahead and deny that app access to your camera. 

If you realize later that the app was legit, you can always grant it access again. 

6. Sharing that data with whom, exactly?

If you let it, Apple collects and transmits data on how you use its products. What’s more, in some cases Apple will also share this information with third-party developers. 

Don’t want your data being handed over to unknown app developers? Disable that setting by going to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Analytics and ensuring that the box next to “Share with App Developers” remains unchecked. 

While Apple insists that the shared information “is in a form that does not personally identify you,” it’s becoming less and less difficult to de-anonymize data. Play it safe and keep that information to yourself. 

7. Say “goodbye” to Siri

While Siri on a desktop computer has plenty of valid accessibility uses, there’s a good chance you never use it. 

Meanwhile, Siri, Apple’s voice assistant, collects and sends tons of information to Apple. 

“When you use Siri and non-Enhanced Dictation the things you say and dictate will be recorded and sent to Apple to process your requests,” explains the company. “Your device will also send Apple other information, such as: your name and nickname; the names, nicknames, and relationship with you (e.g., ‘my dad’) of your contacts; music you enjoy; HomeKit-enabled devices in your home (e.g., ‘living room lights’) and the names of your and your Family Sharing members’ devices; and the names of your photo albums and Apps installed on your device.”

That’s a lot. 

It’s totally reasonable to think Apple doesn’t need to know the relationships between you and your contacts. If that’s the way you feel, go ahead and turn Siri off. 

Open up System Preferences > Siri and then uncheck the box next to “Enable Ask Siri.”

But wait, there’s more

The above steps are just a few actions you can take to make sure your macOS device is a little more secure and private. There’s plenty more — like making sure your computer requires a password to use after it goes to sleep — to keep your private info private.

So don’t stop here. Use Tor. Use Signal. Lock your computer down, and luxuriate in the knowledge that you’ve done more than the bare minimum.