
Safety Check for an iPhone with iOS 16 or later
Safety Check—a feature available through the Settings app on an iPhone with iOS 16 or later—allows you to quickly review, update and stop sharing your information with individual people and apps. Safety Check has two options:
Manage sharing and access options to review and make individual changes.
Use Emergency Reset to immediately stop sharing all information.
To access Safety Check, use your iPhone to go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check.
IMPORTANT: Before making changes or deleting information, consider potential impacts to your safety and privacy.
Requirements
Have an iPhone with iOS 16 or later.
To find your iOS version, go to Settings
> General > About.
To update from iOS 15.8.3 or earlier: Settings
> General > Software Update. See Update your Apple software for additional options.
Have an Apple Account that uses two-factor authentication.
Be signed in to Settings > [Your Name] on your iPhone.
Note: You may notice differences in Safety Check if your iPhone has Stolen Device Protection turned on. For more information, see the Apple Support article About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone.
Alternative: Checklists
If you’re using a different device (iPad, Mac) or having trouble using Safety Check, you can adjust sharing and access manually using the following checklists:
Overview
Safety Check on iPhone allows you to quickly stop sharing your information, or to review and update sharing with individual people and apps. You can:
Check whom you’re sharing information with
Review and change devices connected to your Apple Account
Reset system privacy permissions for apps
Change your iPhone passcode
Change your Apple Account password
Make additional changes
To view a 5-minute overview video on how to use Safety Check on your iPhone, select the Play button.
Safety considerations before you begin
IMPORTANT: Plan for your safety.
Before making changes or deleting information, consider potential impacts to your safety and privacy.
Quick Exit helps you quickly protect your privacy. Tap Quick Exit to immediately close the Settings app and return to the Home Screen (top-right corner on all screens in Safety Check). Any changes you made before using Quick Exit are saved.
To restart sharing with someone after using Safety Check, open the app or service you’d like to share information from and share that content again. Some apps or services notify you that you’ve resumed sharing information.
You can use Safety Check to check whom you’re sharing information with, restrict Messages and FaceTime to your iPhone, reset system privacy permissions for apps, change your passcode, change your Apple Account password, and more.
If you want to restart sharing with someone after using Safety Check, open the app or service you’d like to share information from and share that content again.
If you have Stolen Device Protection turned on, Safety Check may work a little differently. To learn more about Stolen Device Protection, see the Apple Support article About Stolen Device Protection for iPhone.
Note: If your iPhone has Screen Time restrictions turned on or has a mobile device management (MDM) profile installed, you can still use Safety Check but some options may not be available.
What do I need to use Safety Check?
Safety Check is available only on an iPhone with iOS 16 or later. To use Safety Check, you must have an Apple Account that uses two-factor authentication. You must also be signed in to Settings > [your name] on your iPhone. (To find the software version installed on your device, go to Settings > General, then tap About.)
To access Safety Check, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Safety Check. (You may need to scroll down.)
Note: If you donʼt have access to Safety Check or youʼre having trouble using the feature, you can manually adjust your sharing settings and access to your device and accounts. See Checklist 3: Manage content.
Find out how: To view a task below, select the plus button next to its title.
Beyond Safety Check
Safety Check can’t review or change some types of shared information, including:
Non-Apple accounts and passwords.
Social media sharing.
Devices where you’re signed in to a different Apple Account.
An iPad or Mac with information sharing settings turned on for other apps.