This week, the US National Security Agency (NSA) published recommendations for its employees on how to reduce leaks of information about the geolocation of their devices. This was apparently done to prevent the dissemination of classified information and the location of those working for the NSA. We have gained access to this document and have already familiarized ourselves with it - and there really are some interesting tips that will be useful to anyone who would like to limit access to their geolocation to just anyone.
Advice from those who specialize in tracking and wiretapping
Apple Suggestions in Spotlight Search
When you swipe down on the home screen, you'll see the Spotlight search screen. Under the usual search bar there are numerous offers that some people do not use at all.
To disable them, just go to Settings → Siri and Search and disable the three “Siri Suggestions” items: In Search, In “Find”, On the Lock Screen and In the “Share” function (disables recommended contacts in the Share menu).
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What do the location icons mean?
It is very likely that when you went into these sections described above in your iPhone's settings, you found a legend with this information. It indicates what the location icons that appear at the top of your iPhone's screen mean. However, you can disable the ability for this warning icon to appear, although this will not prevent services that are allowed to access your location, as they will simply do so without displaying a corresponding warning on the screen.
Reduced motion (parallax effect)
You've probably noticed the presence of a three-dimensional effect on the iOS home screen, in which application icons seem to float against the background of the wallpaper. This is called the parallax effect.
If the lack of signature iOS visual effects is not critical for you, turn on the Reduce Motion option under Settings → Accessibility → Motion.
This action will reduce the load on the processor and therefore extend the battery life of the iPhone.
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Setting #5: Limit ad tracking (ad tracking)
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If you enable the option to disable ad tracking (this restriction is disabled by default), advertisers will not be able to track your target interests, and advertisements will be delivered randomly. The phone will not collect detailed information about you or your interests. If this option is disabled, targeting works according to movement and sends relevant advertisements to the user.
Sequencing:
Settings - Privacy - Apple Ads - turn off the Personalized ads option.
Setting No. 6. Downloading data from email to phone
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With the Push setting, your phone is continuously connected to the mail server. With the Fetch setting, you can select the period of time after which the smartphone will contact the mail server. It is optimal to choose a period of 15 minutes. The advantage of Fetch mode is battery saving.
Sequence of actions: Settings - Mail - Accounts - Data download - Fetch (check every 15 minutes) - disable Push - change data download from your mail account from the Push setting to the Fetch function.
The mailbox in the Mail will be updated every 15 minutes. In case of urgency, you can check your mail manually.
Notifications from some applications
One of the most important points that affects the user’s productivity during the working day, as well as the battery consumption of the smartphone. When installing a new application, do not rush to give permission to send notifications, otherwise the iPhone screen may turn on very often, for example, when receiving messages from instant messengers.
If you are already receiving too many incoming notifications, open Settings → Notifications, go to the noisy application settings and set the Notification Allowance switch to Off.
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Handoff
Let us remind you that this function allows you to start using the application on one Apple device and continue on another. For example, open a video on YouTube on iPhone and return to what you started on iPad or Mac and vice versa.
This feature can only be very useful if you have multiple Apple devices. If you only have an iPhone from apples, then feel free to disable Handoff along the path: Settings → General → AirPlay and Handoff.
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Auto correction
Tired of the crooked automatic corrections of words when typing on the iOS keyboard, disable the Auto-correction option along the path: Settings → General → Keyboard.
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Raise to activate
A feature that turns on your iPhone's screen whenever you pick it up. This will work even if you just took the smartphone from the table to put it in your pocket. Disabled along the path: Settings → Screen and brightness → Raise to activate.
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Screen time
Starting with iOS 12, the iPhone introduced a feature that monitors the activity of applications and how often they are used. It's called Screen Time . The purpose of this feature is clear - it allows users to find out which applications they use most often or abuse.
This option seems useful at first glance, but this is only in theory. Surveys of iOS users consistently show that they rarely use this feature. But it remains turned on on many iPhones, putting a lot of strain on the battery. In many cases, it is “Screen Time” that is to blame for the rapid discharge of the smartphone. To disable this feature, go to Settings → Screen Time.
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Siri
How often do you communicate with the virtual assistant Siri? If your answer is: “a couple of times a year” or “very rarely,” then feel free to turn it off (you can turn it on at any time if necessary). To turn off Apple's voice assistant, go to Settings → Siri & Search and turn off all three options: Listen to “Hey Siri,” Call Siri with the side button, and Siri with screen lock.
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System tactile signals
In our subjective opinion, system tactile signals in iOS are also an unnecessary source that consumes iPhone battery power. If the lack of slight vibration when working with iOS elements is not critical for you, disable this function along the path: Settings → Sound, tactile signals → System tactile signals.
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Setting #3: Important Privacy Settings for Your Geolocation
This option tracks your movements using a GPS navigator, which are saved in your smartphone. When the function is turned off, ad protection works and battery power is saved .
Disabling the option is easy:
— open the Settings ;
- scroll down to Privacy ;
- find the section Geolocation services , having entered the section, scroll down to the end to the section System services , then find the option Important geolocations and disable it.
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Sequencing:
Settings - Privacy - Location services - System services - Important geolocations - disable the option of important geolocations.
Now the gadget does not track movements and time spent in certain places.
Setting No. 1. iPhone “Analytics” option
Disabling this option will not only preserve battery life, but also increase its battery life. Including disabling the option will give you more privacy. iPhone Analytics sends data from your smartphone to Apple, which further drains your device's battery. The feature may also pose privacy concerns when using a smartphone.
Developers are constantly updating the operating system. Although the function of collecting information from different devices makes it possible to improve the platform, collecting and sending data from the iPhone to Apple wastes battery and processor resources. This is of no use to us as users.
How to disable the option:
— open the settings menu ( Settings );
— scroll down to the item Confidentiality by clicking on it, then go to the Analytics and Improvements ;
— disable the item Share iPhone analytics .
A nice bonus: this action will simultaneously disable data collection from the Apple Watch.
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Sequencing:
Settings - Privacy - Analytics and improvements - Share iPhone analytics.
Keyboard Clicks and Lock Sound
If you often find yourself typing on your iPhone in front of people, you might be annoying them with your keyboard clicks. In order not to draw attention to yourself, disable them along the following path: Settings → Sound, tactile signals → Keyboard clicks. Here you can also turn off the Lock Sound.
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Create a backup in iCloud
This option has several negative aspects, the main one of which is clogging the cloud storage with unnecessary backups. This is most relevant if you have multiple Apple devices and a free iCloud plan that is constantly running out of space.
When you disable iCloud backup, you don't have to worry about your contacts, notes, reminders, calendars, etc., as well as files stored in iCloud Drive, they won't be lost and it's all very easy to restore it on your new iPhone or iPad . The backup copy has nothing to do with it.
To disable iCloud backup creation, follow the path: Settings → Apple ID (your name) → iCloud → iCloud Backup.
We talked in more detail about the difference between an iCloud backup and synchronization with iCloud (iCloud Drive) in this material.
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Transparency (background blur effect in iOS)
This is the same background blur effect that gives a special shine to the “Apple” software shell. Thanks to transparency, iOS elements stand out against the “retouched” background, which really “refreshes” the interface design. The effect is present everywhere from the Control Center to the status bar with a clock.
Disabling the transparency effect in iOS has a positive effect on device performance and battery life.
If you're willing to sacrifice beauty for the sake of performance and increased battery life on your iPhone, turn on the Reduce transparency option in Settings → Accessibility → Display and text size.
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