Browse privately in Safari on iPad

You can use Private Browsing Mode, view the Privacy Report, and adjust settings in the Safari app to keep your browsing activities private and help protect yourself from malicious websites.

A webpage is open in Private Browsing mode. The Page Settings menu is selected on the left side of the search field. From top to bottom, the menu includes Text Size, Show Reader, Hide Toolbar, Request Mobile Website, Show IP Address, Turn Off Content Blockers, Website Settings, and Privacy Report.

Visit sites privately

You can use Private Browsing Mode to open private tabs, which don’t appear in History on iPad or in the list of tabs on your other devices.

Tap , then tap Private.

While Private Browsing Mode is on, the Safari background is gray and sites you visit don’t appear in History on iPad or in the list of tabs on your other devices. You can open multiple private tabs in the Private Tab Group.

To hide the sites and exit Private Browsing Mode, tap , then switch to a different Tab Group. The tabs reappear the next time you use Private Browsing Mode.

View the Privacy Report

Safari helps prevent trackers from following you across websites and from seeing your IP address. You can review the Privacy Report to see a summary of trackers that have been encountered and prevented by Intelligent Tracking Prevention on the current webpage you’re visiting. You can also review and adjust Safari settings to keep your browsing activities private from others who use the same device, and help protect yourself from malicious websites.

To view the Privacy Report, tap on the right side of the search field, then tap Privacy Report .

Use iCloud Private Relay to browse the web with more privacy

When you subscribe to iCloud+ on iPad, you can use iCloud Private Relay to help prevent websites and network providers from creating a detailed profile about you. When iCloud Private Relay is turned on, the traffic leaving your iPad is encrypted and sent through two separate internet relays. This prevents websites from seeing your IP address and exact location while it prevents network providers from collecting your browsing activity in Safari. See Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay on iPad.

See Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay on iPad to learn how to:

Turn iCloud Private Relay completely on or off for your iPad.
Turn iCloud Private Relay on or off for a specific Wi-Fi or cellular network.
Turn iCloud Private Relay off temporarily.
Set the specificity of your IP address location.

Temporarily allow a website to see your IP address

If a website relies on IP filtering, monitoring, or rate-limiting, it might require your IP address to be visible. You can turn off iCloud Private Relay temporarily for that website only.

Note: iCloud Private Relay isn’t available in all countries or regions. See the iOS and iPadOS Feature Availability website.

In Safari, tap on the left side of the URL field.
Tap Show IP Address (if available).
Your IP address remains visible to that website until you leave the website or close its Safari tab. iCloud Private Relay remains on for other websites.

To turn off or pause iCloud Private Relay for all websites, see Protect your web browsing with iCloud Private Relay on iPad.

Control privacy and security settings for Safari

Go to Settings > Safari, then below Privacy & Security, turn any of the following on or off:

Prevent Cross-Site Tracking: Safari limits third-party cookies and data by default. Turn this option off to allow cross-site tracking.
Hide IP address: Safari automatically protects your IP address from known trackers. For eligible iCloud+ subscribers, your IP address is protected from trackers and websites as you browse in Safari. If this option is off, your IP address isn’t hidden.
Block All Cookies: Turn this option on to prevent websites from adding cookies to your iPad. (To remove cookies already on iPad, go to Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.)
Fraudulent Website Warning: Safari displays a warning if you’re visiting a suspected phishing website. Turn this option off if you don’t want to be warned of fraudulent websites.
Privacy Preserving Ad Measurement: This prevents websites from viewing your personal information to serve you targeted ads.
Check for Apple Pay: Websites that use Apple Pay can check to see if you have Apple Pay enabled on your device. Turn this option off to prevent websites from checking if you have Apple Pay.

When you visit a website using Safari that isn’t secure, a warning appears in the Safari search field.

Helpful?

iPad User Guide