iOS 16 Security and Privacy Features: Everything You Need to Know

Every iOS update adds new privacy and security features, and iOS 16, available now, is no exception. Apple has added tools to make it easier to apply security updates, new Face ID capabilities, improvements to photo security, and more, with details on all of the new privacy and security options outlined below.

Apple Privacy Yellow

Safety Check

The Settings app houses a new "Safety Check" feature that is designed to make it easy for people to quickly reset all of the data and location access that they have granted to other people. According to Apple, Safety Check is aimed at people in domestic or intimate partner violence situations.

You can get to Safety Check by opening up the Settings app and tapping into the Privacy and Security section. From there, scroll down to Safety Check. Safety Check has two options, including an Emergency Reset and a checklist of all your data sharing options.

Note that Safety Check has a "Quick Exit" button that takes you right to the iPhone's Home Screen in case you're in danger of getting caught using it.

Emergency Reset

Emergency Reset is a one-tap option that lets you protect your iOS device with just a couple of taps. When you use Emergency Reset, it immediately stops sharing everything with all people and apps.

ios 16 safety check emergency reset
That includes anything you might be sharing with people, such as location information, your home data, photo albums, and more.

Emergency Reset also lets you remove all emergency contacts and reset your Apple ID and password so no one can log into your account.

Manage Sharing

For less of an emergency situation, there's a Manage Sharing and Access walkthrough that lets you see an overview of what you're sharing so you can't be secretly tracked or monitored using location sharing, shared albums, or other ‌iPhone‌ features.

ios 16 manage sharing
You can see exactly who you're sharing data with and what data those people have access to, along with which apps have access to your data. You can select people or apps and choose the "Stop Sharing" option to turn off sharing right away.

You will also see a list of all the third-party apps that you have installed and what data they have access to, along with tools to disable that access. You can see which permissions an app has on an individual basis, or by data such as Bluetooth, Location, Contacts, and more.

ios 16 manage sharing 2
Manage Sharing will tell you exactly which devices your iCloud account is logged into, giving you the option to log out, plus it will let you reset your ‌Apple ID‌ and password as well as deactivate Emergency contacts.

Locked Hidden and Recently Deleted Photo Albums

In the iOS 16 Photos app, the Hidden and Recently Deleted albums are not able to be opened up without biometric authentication through ‌Face ID‌, Touch ID, or a passcode.

Landscape Face ID

On ‌iPhone‌ 13 models, ‌Face ID‌ works in landscape mode after iOS 16 has been installed. This allows ‌Face ID‌ to unlock the ‌iPhone‌ regardless of whether it's held in portrait or landscape orientation.

Rapid Security Response

With iOS 16, Apple can send out security updates without needing to update the entire operating system. in iOS 15, security updates are tied to iOS updates and require a full update, but iOS 16 will make it easier for Apple to distribute security updates, and it will make them quicker to download.

ios 16 security updates
When you update to iOS 16, Apple will set your device to install security updates automatically, but the feature can be turned off under General > Software Update > Automatic Updates.

Get important security improvements to your devices even faster. These improvements can be applied automatically between standard software updates.

Pasteboard Permissions

Apps in iOS 16 need explicit user permission before accessing the clipboard to copy and paste content. Apps will need to ask to use the copy and paste feature, similar to the way apps need permission to access the microphone, camera, location, and other sensitive data.

Passkeys

With iOS 16 and its sister updates, Apple is adding Passkeys that are designed to replace traditional passwords when signing into a website or app. Apple says that Passkeys are more secure than passwords, protecting users from phishing, malware, and other attacks that attempt to gain account access. Passkeys were not implemented in the iOS 16 beta, but will be introduced later this year.

passkeys ios 16 2
Passkeys work through a key system. One key is public and stored on the website server, while the second key is private and kept on-device. On the ‌iPhone‌ and other devices with biometric authentication, ‌Face ID‌ or ‌Touch ID‌ is used to authorize the passkey to authenticate the user to a website or app.

The key from the website and the key from the Apple device must match to allow for a login, and since the device key is private and only available to the user, it cannot be stolen, leaked, or phished.

Passkeys use ‌iCloud‌ Keychain, which requires two-factor authentication for further protection. Passkeys sync across all of a user's devices through ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Keychain, which is end-to-end encrypted with its own cryptographic keys.

Passkey synchronization across devices offers redundancy in case an ‌iPhone‌ is lost, but should all of a person's Apple devices become lost and the passkeys along with them, Apple created an ‌iCloud‌ keychain escrow function to recover passkey information. There is a multi-step authentication process to go through to recover an ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Keychain with passkeys, or users can set up a person to serve as an account recovery contact.

Passkeys sound complicated, but in practice, it will be as simple as using ‌‌Touch ID‌‌ or ‌‌Face ID‌‌ to create a passkey to go along with a login.

Apple has been working with members of the FIDO Alliance, including Google and Microsoft, to ensure that passkeys can also be used with non-Apple devices and across platforms. On non-Apple devices, Passkeys will work through QR codes that will authenticate using the ‌‌iPhone‌‌, but it will require support from other companies and needs to be adopted across the tech world.

Lockdown Mode

iOS 16 adds Lockdown Mode, which has an "extreme" level of security for activists, journalists, and others who are targeted by sophisticated cyberattacks. Lockdown Mode strictly limits or disables the functionality of many of the ‌iPhone‌'s features as well as locking down apps and websites.

Lockdown Mode Feature
Lockdown Mode blocks most attachment types in Messages, blocks FaceTime calls from non-contacts, limits web browsing functions, prevents configuration profiles from being installed, and more, with a full list available in our Lockdown article.

Lockdown Mode is not for the average user and most people should not turn it on given how restrictive it is. The feature is disabled by default and can be activated in the Privacy and Security section of the Settings app.

Guide Feedback

Have questions about the new security and privacy features in iOS 16, know of a feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.

Related Forum: iOS 16

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro Lower Logo Feature 1

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 14 New Features

Monday June 30, 2025 1:08 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are less than three months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max in September this year. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models:Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an...
A18 Pro Chip

New MacBook With A18 Pro Chip Spotted in Apple Code

Monday June 30, 2025 8:05 am PDT by
Apple is developing a MacBook with the A18 Pro chip, according to findings in backend code uncovered by MacRumors. Earlier today, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip. The machine is expected to feature a 13-inch display, the A18 Pro chip, and color options that include silver, blue, pink, and yellow. MacRumors...
iPhone Car Key WWDC 2025

Apple Announces 13 Automakers Planning to Offer iPhone Car Keys

Friday June 27, 2025 11:42 am PDT by
In 2020, Apple added a digital car key feature to its Wallet app, allowing users to lock, unlock, and start a compatible vehicle with an iPhone or Apple Watch. The feature is currently offered by select automakers, including Audi, BMW, Hyundai, Kia, Genesis, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, and a handful of others, and it is set to expand further. During its WWDC 2025 keynote, Apple said that 13...
maxresdefault

Five Features Coming to AirPods Pro 3

Friday June 27, 2025 10:52 am PDT by
Apple hasn't updated the AirPods Pro since 2022, and the earbuds are due for a refresh. We're counting on a new model this year, and we've seen several hints of new AirPods tucked away in Apple's code. Rumors suggest that Apple has some exciting new features planned that will make it worthwhile to upgrade to the latest model. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. Heal...
macbook air spacegray purple

Apple Planning to Launch Low-Cost MacBook Powered By iPhone Chip

Monday June 30, 2025 3:20 am PDT by
Apple is planning to launch a low-cost MacBook powered by an iPhone chip, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In an article published on X, Kuo explained that the device will feature a 13-inch display and the A18 Pro chip, making it the first Mac powered by an iPhone chip. The A18 Pro chip debuted in the iPhone 16 Pro last year. To date, all Apple silicon Macs have contained M-series...
anker power bank recall

PSA: Anker Recalls Multiple Power Banks Due to Fire Risk

Friday June 27, 2025 4:16 pm PDT by
Popular accessory maker Anker this month launched two separate recalls for its power banks, some of which may be a fire risk. The first recall affects Anker PowerCore 10000 Power Banks sold between June 1, 2016 and December 31, 2022 in the United States. Anker says that these power banks have a "potential issue" with the battery inside, which can lead to overheating, melting of plastic...
Chase Sapphire Reserve Apple Perk Feature

Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Introduces New Perk for Apple Customers

Wednesday June 25, 2025 2:08 pm PDT by
Chase this week announced a series of new perks for its premium Sapphire Reserve credit card, and one of them is for a pair of Apple services. Specifically, the credit card now offers complimentary annual subscriptions to Apple TV+ and Apple Music, a value of up to $250 per year. If you are already paying for Apple TV+ and/or Apple Music directly through Apple, those subscriptions will...
replay all time playlist apple music

Apple Music Debuts All-New Personalized Playlist

Monday June 30, 2025 7:16 am PDT by
As part of its 10-year celebrations of Apple Music, Apple today released an all-new personalized playlist that collates your entire listening history. The playlist, called "Replay All Time," expands on Apple Music's existing Replay features. Previously, users could only see their top songs for each individual calendar year that they've been subscribed to Apple Music, but now, Replay All...

Top Rated Comments

JayAgostino Avatar
38 months ago

Is there a lockdown mode against Apple? ?
Yes, all you have to do is not purchase Apple products. Problem solved! :)
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
eliteoOSX27 Avatar
38 months ago
How about Face ID for the files app? Kinda blows my mind that apple has yet to implement that.
Score: 8 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Apple_Robert Avatar
38 months ago
Really looking forward to iOS 16.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
gund1234 Avatar
38 months ago

People really have to be dumb to believe Apple cares about your privacy. Lets see: 24/7 tracking of cell phone even when off, CSAM spying on all devices, Apple in cahoots with the NSA, and much more.
you forgot to add China and other governments, looks like you have solid proof because you sound confident about this.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Love-hate ? relationship Avatar
38 months ago
Passkey looks damn sweet but if we're forced to use it I'm afraid it might be even more painful to get out of the apple ecosystem
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
1557750 Avatar
38 months ago

Passkey looks damn sweet but if we're forced to use it I'm afraid it might be even more painful to get out of the apple ecosystem
This is the ecosystem you’re looking for

Attachment Image
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)