How to Disable Cross-Site Tracking on Safari iPhone – guide 2023

Are you having concerns about your privacy on the internet? Then let me show you how to prevent cross-site tracking in the Safari browser on iPhone.

When you visit any website or search for any product, the trackers from these websites make you see relevant product advertisements on your PC.

When you land on a site, it has trackers, which are one kind of tag. Remember the prompt on a website that asks if you are okay with accepting the cookies settings of that site? You allow the trackers to follow your internet usage pattern when you comply. Hence, you see ads for products you searched through the internet or visited a related website.

Apple iOS has options to stop this tracking from making your internet usage data remain safe. Unfortunately, it is only limited to the Safari browser.

Related: How to Enable Privacy and Security Settings in Safari iOS/iPadOS?

While seeing relevant advertisements is good, getting ads for irrelevant stuff can be annoying. This happens due to third-party trackers. It often results in you coming across obscene ads or scam pop-up ads.

Stop Cross-Site Tracking

The website often tracks the user information, hence disabling the cross-site tracking helps in protecting privacy.

Here are the steps to prevent cross-site tracking on Safari iPhone:

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Please navigate to the Safari app and tap on it.
3. Go to the Privacy & Security section.
4. Enable the switch Prevent Cross-Site Tracking toggle button.
   
5. Open the Hide IP Address option.
6. Please set it to From Trackers to hide your iPhone’s IP address from the trackers.
   

Also additionally, you can enable the Fraudulent website warning and Privacy-Preserving Ad Measurement Options.

It will stay aware of possible fraud websites in case you access them without prior knowledge. The second option enables advertisers to check the effectiveness of the ads they serve. The ads should not trigger a privacy concern for the users.

Related: How to Block a Website on Safari iOS or iPad?

Check Privacy Report

When you enable cross-site tracking prevention, you also activate the privacy report in the Safari browsing app.

In simple words, Safari keeps a record of websites that tried to track you when you accessed them(through the Safari browser). This option is exclusively available on the Safari browser for iOS/iPadOS only. You won’t find such an option on other browser apps.

Here are the steps to access the Privacy Report on Safari iPhone:

1. Launch Safari on your iPhone and open any website.
2. Get to the URL bar, and tap on the AA icon.
3. From the menu that shows up, select the Privacy Report option.
   

Under the Privacy Report option, you will see a mention of how many trackers have been prevented since your last website visit using the Safari browser. Tapping upon the Privacy Report will redirect you to a detailed list of which website tried to track you and the total number of trackers.

Having the cross-site tracking enabled will also stop the trackers from profiling your data. This means a cluster of data that details your browsing habits and the websites you frequent. Trackers collect this information and send it to ad companies. That’s why you keep seeing ads about products or services you looked up on the internet.

Related: How to Check Privacy Reports for Websites on Safari?

Option Grayed Out

Often users complain that the cross-site tracking option has been grayed out. Hence, they cannot enable or disable it. This is good if you are pretty concerned regarding your privacy.

Usually, when you have blocked all the cookies on your Safari, there is no way any tracker can track your internet usage. Hence, there is no need to enable the cross-site tracking option separately. Thus, it appears grayed out.

Disable the Block All Cookies option to prevent cross-site tracking and customize which website can track you through cookies.

Bottom Line: Disable Cross-Site Tracking

Ultimate privacy cannot be guaranteed every day you present yourself on the internet. Still, you can control how your data will be processed online. You, as a user, reserve all the rights to your privacy.

Related: How to Clear History, Cookies, and Cache from Safari iOS/iPadOS?

Thankfully, on iOS with Safari browser, you can prevent Cross-Site Tracking. So, use it and do not let malicious websites track your internet activity.