Safari privacy settings on Mac: Relaxed level

What for: So cybercriminals do not get your data by fraudulent means.

Scammers often make copies of popular websites to steal user data. If you fail to spot a fake in time, your credentials or bank card details could wind up in cybercriminals’ hands.

By default, Safari protects against fake sites and warns users if a page is not genuine. Check the settings in case you or someone else in your family has disabled this feature.

1. Click Safari in the upper left corner of the screen;
2. In the drop-down menu, select Settings;
3. Go to the Security tab;
4. Make sure that the box next to Warn when visiting a fraudulent website is checked.

What for: Anonymous browsing.

The browser usually saves information about the pages you visit, the passwords you enter, the permissions you give, and some website data. If you want to hide these — for example, when using someone else's computer — browse in private mode. In this case, Safari won’t save your browsing and download history. Additionally, a separate session is created for each page, which means advertisers won’t be able to sniff out your online activity through trackers in other tabs.

To open a private window:

1. Click File in the upper left corner of the screen;
2. Select New Private Window.

What for: So advertisers do not know which websites you visit.

Some websites use third-party cookies. They are placed by ad networks to track your online activity. You can ban websites from sharing this data with third parties.

1. Click Safari in the upper left corner of the screen;
2. In the drop-down menu, select Settings;
3. Go to the Privacy tab;
4. Check the box next to Prevent cross-site tracking.

What for: So no one can eavesdrop or spy on you.

Websites can request permission to access your computer’s camera and microphone. For example, a technical support page can request such permission to enable voice chat with an expert. However, malicious websites can trick you into giving them this permission and then spy on you. To protect yourself, restrict access to your camera and microphone:

1. Click Safari in the upper left corner of the screen;
2. In the drop-down menu, select Settings;
3. Go to the Websites tab;
4. Open the Camera section and select Ask or Deny under the When visiting other websites option;
5. Open the Microphone section and select Ask or Deny under the When visiting other websites option.

What for: To protect against hacking.

When you sign in to a website, Safari prompts you to save your password. This lets you automatically enter your credentials on subsequent visits. In your browser settings, you can check the strength of saved passwords, and replace duplicate or weak ones.

1. Click Safari in the upper left corner of the screen;
2. In the drop-down menu, select Settings;
3. Go to the Passwords tab and enter your computer password;
4. If you use the same password for multiple sites, or the password you use is not strong enough, the browser will flag the corresponding resource with a warning icon;
5. Click the warning icon and follow the link to replace the vulnerable password with a unique and strong one.

What for: To avoid distractions while web surfing or working.

Websites can send you in-browser notifications about new messages or posts etc. It is convenient, yet multiple notifications may distract you from work. Moreover, some dishonest developers may also use notifications for ads and spam. You can revoke previously given permissions to send notifications and stop websites from requesting them in the future:

1. Click Safari in the upper left corner of the screen;
2. In the drop-down menu, select Settings;
3. Go the Websites tab and open the Notifications section;
4. Find all the websites that are authorized to display notifications in the list and revoke the permission;
5. To prevent websites from asking you for permission to display notifications, uncheck the box next to Allow websites to ask for permission to send notifications.