3 settings every iPhone user must turn on to avoid getting tracked online

Stop advertisers from tracking you across websites
Cross-site tracking is a widely used — and often abused — advertising technique that follows your activity across multiple websites. While some targeted ads may be helpful, most tracking relies on invasive data collection practices that are difficult to detect.
Apple’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention limits this behaviour by using machine learning to stop websites from following you, while also masking your IP address. This ensures your browsing habits remain private.
Although it’s enabled by default, the feature can sometimes be turned off during updates or app changes. To check:
Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security and make sure ‘Prevent Cross-Site Tracking’ is switched on.

Block hidden email trackers
It’s not just websites — even emails can include invisible trackers that reveal when, where, and how often you open a message. Some can even build a detailed profile of your habits based on how you interact with newsletters and promotional emails.
Apple’s Protect Mail Activity feature stops these trackers by hiding your IP address and loading remote content privately in the background.
To activate it, go to Settings > Mail > Privacy Protection and enable ‘Protect Mail Activity’.

Control what’s visible from the lock screen
Face ID and passcodes offer solid protection, but your iPhone’s lock screen may still expose sensitive tools to a thief. For instance, if someone gains physical access to your device, they can pull up Control Centre and disable network connections — making it harder to track or remotely lock the phone.

To tighten access:
Open Settings > Face ID & Passcode, enter your passcode, and scroll to ‘Allow Access When Locked’. From here, disable anything you don’t want available unless the phone is unlocked — such as Control Centre, USB accessories, and more.