How to use the Safety Check feature to prevent others from tracking you.

Today, the world is becoming a place where sharing almost everything has become the default. We share our location on Find My for convenience, photo albums with loved ones, passwords for streaming services, etc. But relationships change, and sometimes, they can become something we want to get rid of as soon as possible.

 

The solution is Safety Check, a quick fix feature that lets you instantly revoke access to your data, stop location sharing, and reset privacy settings for all apps and users in one go.

What is a Safety Check? When do you need to use it?

Safety Check is a separate section of iPhone settings specifically designed for people whose personal safety is at risk. Unlike typical privacy settings, which are often designed to manage data for advertising or app functionality, Safety Check is designed to protect you from others, especially those who may have access to your device and passcode.

 

You should use this feature if you're ending a relationship and need to ensure your ex can't track your location. If you've shared your Apple ID password with someone, use this feature to lock them out immediately.

The Safety Check feature is very convenient because it organizes all the sharing permissions on your phone into a single dashboard, so you don't need to remember whether you've shared your Location or Health data; it will block everything.

How to use Emergency Reset for immediate protection

The Emergency Reset option assumes that everything has been compromised and resets all sharing permissions to their safest and most private state. To activate it, open Settings.

Scroll down and tap Privacy & Security . Then scroll down to find Safety Check and tap Emergency Reset .

 

You will see a screen explaining what this operation will do. Then, click Start Emergency Reset .

Unlike a factory reset, this operation doesn't delete your personal data (like photos, contacts, apps). Instead, it targets any potential sharing capabilities.

This includes turning off location sharing with everyone on Find My . Additionally, it removes all apps from accessing the Camera , Microphone , Location , and Bluetooth .

Next, it resets your privacy settings for Photos , Contacts , and Calendars . Finally, this feature allows you to sign out of your Apple ID on all other devices that the other person can access.

Use Manage Sharing & Access to set up controls.

If you're not in immediate danger but want to check these access permissions, perhaps after a breakup or just for peace of mind, you should use the Manage Sharing & Access option . This is a slower process that lets you see exactly who has access to what, allowing you to remove specific people while maintaining connections with others.

Review who you are sharing data with.

The first screen will show a list of people you're sharing data with. Tap on a person's name to see what they can view. You might be surprised to see they have access to things like health or shared notes.

 

Select the specific data points you want to stop sharing and click Stop Sharing . You will then be notified that the first step is complete.

Review the applications

The second stage will examine your installed apps. Safety Check will list any apps that have access to Location , Microphone , Bluetooth , Photos , Health , Contacts , and Camera . If you see an app you don't recognize or one that shouldn't have those permissions, revoke their access immediately.

 

Tip : If you suspect a malicious application, you should learn how to monitor and identify unauthorized remote access to ensure it doesn't penetrate deeper into your system.

Account security

The final step focuses on securing your account. This is where you double-check Emergency Contacts . If you previously set up a partner or family member as an emergency contact, they will be notified if you use the emergency SOS feature by holding down the side buttons or if Emergency SOS is activated. In the event of being tracked, you don't want the intruder to know your location when you call the police.

The screen will display your current Emergency Contacts list. Tap the red minus (-) button next to any contact you want to delete. Tap Delete to confirm. Once the list only contains people you trust, tap Continue .

Use the Quick Exit button to protect yourself immediately.

The Quick Exit button is the most important element in this menu. Apple understands that if you're in an unsafe environment, you could be interrupted while using your phone. If someone walks into the room while you're changing these settings, you need a way to instantly hide what you're doing.

 

To find it, check the top-right corner of each screen in the Safety Check menu, and you'll see it.

After you tap Quick Exit , it will immediately save any changes you've made up to that point and instantly close the Settings app, returning you to the home screen.

To an observer, it will simply look like you're looking at your home screen. It allows you to prioritize physical safety without losing sight of the progress you've made.

Note : Screen time will still show that you were in Settings for any length of time you spent there.