How to block cookies and stop websites from tracking you in iOS 7 Safari

By Allyson Kazmucha
last updated

The Do Not Track policy exists to prevent social networks, analytics, and online advertising from following you around the internet and recording your browsing patterns. Browsers that respect Do Not Track - like Apple's Safari - and websites that respect it, will allow you to surf the web in peace and privacy. Cookies - the way many sites and networks identify and track you - can likewise be blocked in several ways, including just those used by advertisers and third parties, and completely.

How to block cookies in iOS 7 Safari

  1. Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad running iOS 7.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Safari.
  3. Under Privacy & Security, tap on Block Cookies.
  4. Choose between Always, From Third parties and advertisers, and Never.

Blocking "Third parties and advertisers" is a good compromise. It won't prevent the website you're actually on from functioning the way it should, but it will prevent other websites from getting their hooks into your surfing.

How to enabled Do Not Track in iOS 7 Safari

  1. Launch the Settings app from the Home screen of your iPhone or iPad running iOS 7.
  2. Scroll down and tap on Safari.
  3. Under Privacy & Security, turn On the option for Do Not Track.

That's all there is to it. iOS 7 Safari will now obey the settings you've selected regarding your privacy for each time you browse going forward.

How to get more help with iOS 7 Safari

If you have specific questions about Safari or iOS 7 in general, check out our iOS 7 help and discussion forum. For more on Safari in specific, check out our ultimate guide:

Allyson Kazmucha
Allyson Kazmucha

iMore senior editor from 2011 to 2015.

9 Comments
  • Looks like your visuals repeated.
  • Whoops, pasted the wrong thing. Thanks! Fixed!
  • Private Browsing does the same thing, right, but does Private Browsing in iOS7 only affect the active tab or all of Safari? Sent from the iMore App
  • Awesome! Love the visual instructions. Sent from the iMore App
  • Of course, dedicated trackers can use other means to circumvent cookie storage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evercookie which so far can only be cleared on a jailbroken device:
    http://singe.za.net/blog/archives/1016-Killing-the-Evercookie-Part2-Mobi...
  • This is great! I typical set this up on my desktop, so now I will add on my iOS devices as well. Thanks for the tip! Sent from the iMore App
  • And if you are really concerned about your privacy, you should use apps to hide your IP address while browsing like Onion Browser.
  • I always have my Safari's Do Not Track option enabled. That and most of the time I use Private Browsing. I just feel more comfortable browsing this way.
  • is there an updated version of this for iOS 9?