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5 Mac Settings You Should Turn Off to Keep Your Data Safe and Your Battery Lasting Longer
You probably trust your Mac to be secure right out of the box. And for the most part, it is. Apple locks down the system in smart ways.
But if you haven’t spent time digging through your Mac’s privacy settings, you’re missing some easy wins.
Some settings leave your location wide open. Others let apps keep listening when you think they’re off.
A few make it easier for third parties to build profiles around your activity. None of it is dramatic. However, if you care about keeping your Mac secure, these are the settings worth adjusting.
Here are five privacy and security options you should check. Even if you’re a longtime Mac user, there’s a good chance you haven’t changed them.
Limit Which Apps Know Where You Are
Some apps need your location. Maps, sure. Maybe Find My. But most don’t. And the more apps that have access, the more information you’re leaking that you didn’t mean to share.
Here’s what you can do about it:
- Go to System Settings.
- From the sidebar, select Privacy & Security.
- Then, select Location Services.
You can turn off location sharing entirely or just select which apps have access. If something doesn’t need it, cut it off.
Stop Your Mac From Auto-Joining Wi-Fi Networks
By default, your Mac tries to connect to known Wi-Fi networks automatically. That includes public networks you’ve used once and forgotten. That’s a problem if those networks are open and unsecured.
Go to System Settings > Wi-Fi > Known Networks. Click the three dots next to any network, and disable auto-join.
Then scroll down and make sure Ask to join networks is turned on. This gives you control over where your Mac connects.
If you do need to connect to a public network, use a VPN to encrypt your traffic and reduce the risk of interception.
Block Unnecessary Mic and Camera Access
Apps like Zoom or FaceTime obviously need your mic and camera. But if something random from the App Store asks for permission, it’s worth questioning why.
In Privacy & Security, scroll down and select Microphone. You’ll see a list of apps that requested access.
Turn off anything that doesn’t need to be on. If an app breaks later, you can always turn it back on.
Opt Out of Personalized Ads
Apple tracks some of your activity to serve personalized ads across its services. It’s less aggressive than what happens on the web, but it’s still happening, and it’s still optional.
Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Apple Advertising and turn off Personalized Ads. You’ll still see ads, just not ones based on your data.
Decide If Siri Should Be Listening
Siri is always on standby. Some of that voice data stays on your device, but Apple still sends a portion back to its servers to improve accuracy. That might include snippets of private info.
If you don’t use Siri much, just turn it off. Head to System Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri and toggle it off. You’ll still be able to type queries and use Spotlight.
The Bottom Line
These are quick changes. You can undo them at any time. But once you’ve flipped the switches and taken a closer look, you might find that you like keeping tighter control over your Mac’s behavior. Apple gives you the tools. You just have to use them.