How to Set Up Safari Privacy Features

Configure Safari's privacy settings including Intelligent Tracking Prevention, private browsing, and website permissions for maximum protection.

1. Enable Intelligent Tracking Prevention. Open Safari and go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy. Check the box next to 'Prevent cross-site tracking' to block trackers from following you across websites. This feature uses machine learning to identify and block tracking scripts while preserving website functionality.
2. Configure cookie settings. In the same Privacy tab, click 'Manage Website Data' to view stored cookies and website data. Click 'Remove All' to clear everything, or select specific sites and click 'Remove' for targeted deletion. Set cookies to 'Block all cookies' for maximum privacy, though this may break some websites.
3. Set up Private Browsing. Press Cmd+Shift+N to open a Private Browsing window, or go to File > New Private Window. In Private Browsing mode, Safari doesn't save your browsing history, search history, or AutoFill information. Close all Private Browsing windows to completely clear the session data.
4. Manage website permissions. Go to Safari > Preferences > Websites to control permissions for camera, microphone, location, and notifications on a per-site basis. Select each category from the left sidebar and set global defaults, then customize permissions for specific websites. Choose 'Deny' as the default for maximum privacy.
5. Configure search engine privacy. In Safari > Preferences > Search, select a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo from the 'Search engine' dropdown. Uncheck 'Include search engine suggestions' and 'Include Safari Suggestions' to prevent your search queries from being sent to external services.
6. Enable fraudulent website warnings. In Safari > Preferences > Security, check 'Warn when visiting a fraudulent website' to enable Safari's built-in phishing protection. This feature checks websites against a database of known malicious sites and displays warnings before you enter sensitive information.
7. Clear browsing data regularly. Go to Safari > Clear History to remove browsing history, cookies, and cached files. Choose a time range from 'the last hour' to 'all history' depending on your privacy needs. For ongoing privacy, go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy and click 'Manage Website Data' then 'Remove All' to clear stored data.