There is no user guide for your new phone. Although you may find tutorials online for Apple and Android devices, you shouldn’t put your trust in Big Tech to give you the inside scoop on how to stay safe.
The firms who provide default settings often care more about themselves than you do. To learn about the 10 factory-default iPhone settings that need your attention, tap or click here.
The new option to delete sent texts has received more attention than previous improvements. Learn the truth about what happens when you try to retract a sent text message by tapping or clicking the button below. The surprise twist: it’s not as stealthy as you may expect.
Please take out your iPhone, and I’ll teach you how to make some security settings.
Delete all of the unwanted text messages
Spam calls can be prevented rather reliably by the carrier, but spam messages are a different story. If your phone is overwhelmed with bogus delivery alerts and other trash, take a few measures to stop them.
Just blocking the number is the quickest and easiest way to stop receiving spam SMS. The steps for doing so in Messages are as follows:
Choose the contact at the top of a Messages thread by tapping their name or number.
Get more details by selecting the info button, then blocking the number.
You may even go a step further by screening communications from unknown senders. Texts from anybody not in your contact list will be routed to the Unknown Senders tab in the Messages list. Here’s the procedure:
Navigate to Settings > Messages.
Switch on Filter Unknown Senders.
Extra tip: If you receive a message from an unknown number tagged as spam or garbage, you may report it to Apple. Choose Report Junk, then Delete, and finally Report Junk from inside the message.
What happens if you get an unexpected verification code? That could be nothing, but it might be a fraud. Here are some helpful suggestions that you may access with a tap or click.
2. Disable all tracking
There are trackers that follow you from website to website, recording your clicks and other actions.
Anybody may get information about your clicks, likes, shares, ad interactions, and shopping cart contents. This data may be sold to third parties or used for targeted advertising.
Third-party cookies and data are restricted in Safari. Fortunately, this is enabled by default; nonetheless, you should double-check that it is active. Here’s how:
Choose Preferences > Safari.
Choose Block Cross-Site Tracking from the Privacy and Security menu. There’s no need to turn it on again if it’s already turned on.
There are probably several trackers on your computer’s browser. With your finger or mouse, you may quickly and easily eliminate hundreds of them.
TECH TIP: WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU UNSEND A TEXT ON YOUR IPHONE
3. Shut off the stalker who won’t go away
On a regular basis, listeners of my nationally syndicated radio program and podcast come to me for advice on how to deal with an ex, an abusive family member, or an old acquaintance who just can’t take a hint. If you’re weary of their calls and messages, block them.
Intercepting a person via their Contacts:
To block a contact, go to your phone’s Contacts list and touch on their name.
Choose Block Contact after selecting to Block this Caller.
Eliminate communication with someone using the Messages app block:
Launch the Messages app and choose an ongoing thread.
Choose the contact by tapping their name, phone, or profile picture.
Use the “More” option under the contact’s name for further details.
Please scroll down and press Refrain from Communicating with This Caller > Block This Contact
Browse privately
Safari’s incognito feature, dubbed “Private Browsing,” is essentially the same thing. Although it may not guarantee complete anonymity, it does provide a few benefits:
We don’t track your activity between devices or keep information about the sites you visit.
When you disable Safari’s history feature, the browser will no longer keep track of the sites you visit, the searches you do, or the information you enter into AutoFill.
If you want to browse the web privately while using your iPhone, follow these steps:
Launch Safari by touching the two squares icon in the bottom right of your iPhone screen.
If you have a lot of tabs open, you can access the Tab Groups menu by tapping [number] Tabs at the bottom of the screen.
Start Page may be accessed from the bottom of the screen if you just have one tab open, revealing the Tab Groups menu.
Choose the Personal option and then the Done button.
The lock screen should be secured, as #5.
Widgets, media controls, the camera, and Control Center are among the functions that may be accessed directly from the locked iPhone screen.
In order to safeguard your personal information, you may choose to modify the settings of your lock screen. Anybody else who has access to your phone will have the same view as you.
If you want to maintain anonymity, try the following:
To enable Touch ID or Face ID on your iPhone, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode (on an iPhone with a Home button).
When asked, type in your four-digit PIN.
Check out the list of choices under the Allow Access While Locked heading, and choose those you want to be shown on the lock screen. Notification Center, Control Center, and more options are available. If you want to prevent others from seeing your alerts, turn off Notification Center.
My podcast, “Kim Komando Today,” is quite well-known. It’s a whole half an hour of tech news, advice, and listeners just like you calling in with questions about technology. Try looking for it on your favorite podcast app. Just click the link down below to see the most current episode.
Pick of the Podcasts: Social Media Traffickers, Meta-Meltdown, and Facebook Privacy Advice
Apple AirTag creeping you out? Find out how to identify stalkers by following these tips. In addition, there is a TSA fraud you should be aware of, you can conceal your phone number and email address on Facebook, your charging problems may be resolved, and Meta is melting down for a reason. Moreover, traffickers are utilizing social media apps like Snapchat and TikTok to find drivers willing to transport migrants across the border into the United States.
