Put it in flight mode. If it’s not communicating then it’s not leaking information.

You have many options:

First things first, disable biometrics and turn on lockdown.

Turn on automatic updates and stay up to date. The 26.3 update had significant security fixes in it!

Install your privacy respecting VPNs app and mdm shim. Use their dns (especially if it has an adblocker (mulvad)).

Figure out how to keep a backup code on paper and use that to turn on advanced data protection (adp). This will allow you to have e2ee with no backdoor on your iCloud stuff.

Go to settings > privacy and security and do a security checkup. It’ll walk you through which apps have access to what and when.

Don’t install extra shit. There’s good sandboxing in iOS but every app is another tracking vector.

Turn off location services unless you need it.

Turn off siri, also in Face ID and passcode scroll to the bottom and turn off access control center when locked (or just remove the airplane mode control). That keeps someone from turning on airplane mode and defeating stolen device protection when they snatch your phone.

Settings > privacy > all the way at the bottom: wired devices allow when unlocked

There’s probably more I’ll remember later. It’s easier if I know what you’re trying to get privacy from. Big difference between 4th amendment stuff and the advertisers you unknowingly invite into your home.

Is this for work? Then only use it for work. Don’t out anything private on it. No exceptions.

1. Disable Siri for literally everything.
2. Most stuff here.

I recently set up pi-hole on my home network and was shocked to see my SO’s iPhone have the most network usage out of all our home devices and my GrapheneOS the least 😅

1. Don’t sync anything to icloud you wouldn’t want the government being able to get it or generally want to keep private.
2. Go through privacy settings, especially location settings and check what you’re allowing including system services, adjust as you feel comfortable while still meeting your needs.
3. Pay attention to what apps you’re installing. Most profiling data is not sold by say Google directly off your phone but based off ad-networks incorporated in third party apps you install. The app store has a scorecard on all apps showing you how much if at all they profile and spy on you, make use of it, make wise choices, don’t install bad apps.
4. Install a privacy respecting adblocker to help limit tracking while using the web browser
5. Limit permissions for apps. If you must use an app that has location tracking consider only allowing it while you’re using the app, this may have implications for some extended functionality like updating while in the background or via Apple’s little info tiles.
6. Disable siri or limit it, turn off “hey siri” mode in settings.
7. Enable lock-down mode (this is an extreme step and will result in some loss of functionality, Apple details the implications themselves so take a look at their page on it before doing so)
8. Disable radios such as bluetooth and wifi while outside your house to prevent any possibility of their use in tracking you. You can actually make a “Shortcut” using app of the same name from Apple to automate this anytime you leave home and I believe there are existing ones you can find if you search around.

Apple phones are fairly private as long as you don’t use icloud for anything sensitive, apply common sense privacy settings, and pay attention to what apps you install and what permissions you give. Also don’t send them crash or debugging data as that can contain personal info potentially so uncheck that option.

Don’t put anything personal in it. That’s what I sued to do using my iPhone and what I still do now, using an Android.

You can change whatever settings you like but ultimately it’s closed software so you can’t trust it. Do what you need to practice privacy with the intent of getting a Graphene phone when possible for you

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