Guard your privacy on Mac
Privacy is an important concern when using apps that exchange information across the internet. macOS includes security features to enhance your privacy and control the amount of information that’s exposed about you and your Mac over the internet.
Use Screen Time
You can use Screen Time to monitor your children’s computer use and limit their access to websites. See What is Screen Time?
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Screen Time in the sidebar. (You may need to scroll down.)
Use the privacy features in Safari
Safari provides numerous features to help you control your privacy on the internet. You can browse privately, so Safari doesn’t keep a record of websites you visited or items you downloaded. You can view a Privacy Report to see who was blocked from tracking you. You can allow or block pop-up windows, clear cookies on your Mac, and more.
Control the personal information you share with apps
Location Services lets apps, such as web browsers, gather and use information based on your location. You can turn off Location Services completely, or you can select which apps can see information about your location.
Some apps may gather and use information from your contacts, photos, calendar, or reminders. Some apps may access the microphone or camera on your Mac.
See the following topics:
Choose whether to share analytics information
You can help Apple improve the quality and performance of its products and services. macOS can automatically collect analytics information from your Mac and send it to Apple for analysis. The information is sent only with your consent and is submitted anonymously to Apple. See Share analytics information from your Mac with Apple.
To choose whether analytics data is sent to Apple, use Privacy & Security settings.
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Privacy & Security in the sidebar, then click Analytics & Improvements. (You may need to scroll down.)
Set up a firewall
You can use a firewall to protect your privacy by blocking unwanted network communications with your Mac. If the firewall is on, you can also use “stealth mode,” which prevents your Mac from being discovered by others on the web. See Block connections to your Mac with a firewall.
To set up and customize your firewall, use Network settings.
Choose Apple menu > System Settings, click Network in the sidebar, then click Firewall. (You may need to scroll down.)