Not all permissions are in the Privacy<\/em> menu; you\u2019ll need to go to other settings sections to configure some of them. For example, you can disable mobile data transfer for apps in the Mobile<\/em> section, and permission to use the Internet in the background is configured in the Background App Refresh<\/em> section.<\/p>\n Now you know where to look for what. Next, we\u2019ll go into more detail about all of iOS\u2019s permissions.<\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to access your location. This permission isn\u2019t just about GPS; apps can also navigate using mobile network base stations, Bluetooth, and the coordinates of Wi-Fi hotspots you are connected to. Access to location services is used, for example, by maps to plot routes and show you nearby businesses.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> Having location access enables apps to map your movements accurately. App developers can use that data for marketing purposes, and cybercriminals can use it to spy on you.<\/p>\n You may not want to give this permission to an app if you don\u2019t fully trust it or don\u2019t think it needs that level of information. For example, social networks can do without location access if you don\u2019t add geotags to your posts or if you prefer to do so manually.<\/p>\n In case you need an app that needs location access to work properly, here are two ways to protect yourself from being tracked:<\/p>\n What\u2019s more, iOS has long had an indicator that lets you know that an app is requesting access to your location. With iOS 15, that indicator has become much more prominent, appearing as a bright blue icon with a white arrow at the top of the screen.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Location Services<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to access a unique device identifier \u2014 the Identifier for Advertisers, or IDFA. Of course, each individual application can track a user\u2019s actions in its own \u201cterritory.\u201d But access to IDFA allows data matching across apps to form a much more detailed \u201cdigital portrait\u201d of the user.<\/p>\n So, for example, if you allow tracking in all applications, then a social network can not only see all of your records and profile information in it, but also find out what games you play, what music you listen to, the weather in cities you are interested in, what movies you watch, and much more.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> Tracking activity in apps enables the compilation of a much more extensive dossier on the phone\u2019s owner, which increases advertising efficacy. In other words, it can encourage you to spend more money.<\/p>\n Starting in iOS 14.5, users gained the ability to disable tracking requests in apps<\/a>.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Tracking<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to access your address book \u2014 to read and change existing contacts and to add new contacts. Data an app can get with this permission includes not only names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses, but also other information from your list of contacts, including notes about specific contacts (although apps need separate approval from Apple to access the notes).<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> Databases of contacts \u2014 with numbers, addresses, and other information \u2014 can, for example, be used to attack an organization, send spam, or conduct phone scams<\/a>.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Contacts<\/em><\/p>\n\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to view, change, and add calendar events.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> The app will receive all of your personal calendar information, including past and scheduled events. That may include doctor\u2019s appointments, meeting topics, and other information you don\u2019t want to share with outsiders.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Calendars<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to read and change existing reminders and add new ones.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> If you have something personal recorded in your Reminders app, such as health data or information about family members, you may not want to share it with any app developers.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Reminders<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> This permission allows the app to view, add, and delete photos and videos in your phone\u2019s gallery. The app also can read photo metadata, such as information about where and when a photo was taken. Apps that need access to Photos include image editors and social networks.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> A personal photo gallery can say a lot about a person, from who their friends are and what they\u2019re interested in to where they go, and when. In general, even if you don\u2019t have nude photos, pictures of both sides of your credit card or screenshots with passwords in the gallery, you should be cautious about giving apps access to yours.<\/p>\n Starting with iOS 14, Apple developers added the ability to give an app access to individual files without giving them the entire gallery. For example, if you want to post something on Instagram, you can choose precisely which images to upload and keep your other photos invisible to the social network. In our opinion, that\u2019s the best option for providing access to your images.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Photos<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to connect to other devices on your local network, for example, to play music with AirPlay, or to control your router or other gadgets.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> With this type of access, applications can collect information about all of the devices on your local network. Data about your equipment can help an attacker find vulnerabilities, hack your router<\/a>, and more.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Local Network<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to use Ultra Wideband<\/a> (UWB), which the iPhone 11 and later support. Using UWB lets you measure the exact distance between your iPhone and other devices that support the technology. In particular, it\u2019s used in Apple AirTag to find things you\u2019ve tagged.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> A malicious app with UWB access can determine your location extremely accurately, to an exact room in a house or even more precisely.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Nearby Interaction<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to access your microphone.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> With this permission, the app can record all conversations near the iPhone, such as in business meetings or at a medical appointment.<\/p>\n An orange dot in the upper right corner of the screen indicates when an app is using a microphone (the dot becomes red<\/a> when you turn on the Increase Contrast<\/em> accessibility feature).<\/p>\n When an app is using the microphone, iOS 15 shows an orange dot<\/p><\/div>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Microphone<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to send voice-command recordings to Apple\u2019s servers for recognition. An app needs this permission only if it uses Apple\u2019s speech recognition service. If the app uses a third-party library for the same purpose, it will need another permission (Microphone) instead.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> By and large, asking for this permission is indicative of an app developer\u2019s honest intentions \u2014 by using Apple\u2019s proprietary speech recognition service, they are following the company\u2019s rules and recommendations. A malicious app is much more likely to ask for direct access to the microphone. Nevertheless, use caution granting permission for speech recognition.<\/p>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Speech Recognition<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to take photos and videos, and to obtain metadata such as location and time.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> An application can connect to the phone\u2019s cameras at any time, even without your knowledge, and obtain access to photos\u2019 metadata (the time and location where they were taken). Attackers can use this permission to spy on you.<\/p>\n If an application is currently accessing the camera, a green dot lights up in the upper right corner of the screen.<\/p>\n When an app is using the camera, iOS 15 shows a green dot<\/p><\/div>\n Where to configure it:<\/strong> Settings \u2192 Privacy \u2192 Camera<\/em><\/p>\n What it is:<\/strong> Permission to access data you keep in the Health app, such as height, weight, age, and disease symptoms.<\/p>\n What the risks are:<\/strong> App developers may sell your health information to advertisers or insurance companies, which can tailor ads based on that data or use it to calculate health insurance rates.<\/p>\n\n
Location Services<\/h2>\n
\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nTracking<\/h2>\n
Contacts<\/h2>\n
Calendars<\/h2>\n
Reminders<\/h2>\n
Photos<\/h2>\n
Local Network<\/h2>\n
Nearby Interaction<\/h2>\n
Microphone<\/h2>\n
![\"When](\"https:\/\/media.kasperskydaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/102\/2021\/12\/02183431\/iOS-15-permissions-guide-amber-dot.png\")
<\/a>Speech Recognition<\/h2>\n
Camera<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Health<\/h2>\n