{"id":103905,"date":"2026-08-21T00:13:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T07:13:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/?p=103905"},"modified":"2026-08-21T04:31:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T11:31:07","slug":"how-do-i-stop-websites-from-tracking-me-on-safari","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intego.com\/mac-security-blog\/how-do-i-stop-websites-from-tracking-me-on-safari\/","title":{"rendered":"What are trackers on Safari? How to stop websites from tracking you"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

Open Safari’s Privacy Report and you might see a line telling you how many trackers it’s prevented from profiling you in the last seven days. It’s natural to wonder if your Mac’s been infected, or if someone’s watching what you do online, but it\u2019s almost always neither. What it means is that Safari has spotted and blocked some code trying to follow you from one site to the next.<\/p>\n

Advertisers, analytics companies, and social media platforms use these trackers to piece together a picture of what you’re interested in, based on where you’ve been browsing.<\/p>\n

Here’s how Safari’s privacy features work to limit tracking, and how to fine-tune them on your Mac and iPhone.<\/p>\n

What Safari trackers actually are<\/h2>\n

Trackers are small digital tools embedded in websites to follow what you do online. They\u2019re rarely built by the website you\u2019re visiting. Instead, they\u2019re usually provided by outside advertising networks, social media platforms, or analytics companies that have partnerships across thousands of different sites.<\/p>\n

For instance, if you spend a few minutes looking at a specific laptop on an online store, you might notice ads for that exact laptop appearing on a news site you visit later. This happens because a shared tracker recognized your device on both pages and connected the dots to show you a targeted ad.<\/p>\n

When Safari blocks a tracker, that doesn’t mean the site is unsafe. Most trackers belong to normal, everyday sites like your favorite local news outlet or a recipe blog. They\u2019re not malware<\/a>, and their presence is just an ordinary part of how the modern web is funded and measured.<\/p>\n

What does “trackers prevented from profiling you” mean?<\/h2>\n

A line like “In the last seven days, Safari has prevented X trackers from profiling you” can read like a warning, but it’s just a status update.<\/p>\n

The Privacy Report<\/a> is letting you know that Safari noticed trackers trying to map out your interests, and blocked them from doing so. It means Safari\u2019s built-in defenses are working as they should, not that your device is at risk.<\/p>\n

The number of blocked trackers isn’t a danger score, it’s just a count. It reflects how many sites you’ve visited and how many trackers happened to be on them. Browse a lot in a week, and that number likely goes up, that’s all it means.<\/p>\n

If you want to see this for yourself, open Safari<\/em><\/strong> on your Mac, then click Safari<\/em><\/strong> in the top left corner of your screen and choose Privacy Report<\/em><\/strong>. This shows you a list of websites that contacted trackers and the specific trackers Safari stopped on each one.<\/p>\n

How Safari helps block trackers<\/h2>\n

Safari has a few built-in features that cut down on how much websites and outside companies can learn about your browsing.<\/p>\n

The primary tool is a setting called Prevent Cross-Site Tracking<\/strong>. Some websites load pieces of content like videos, maps, or comment sections that are run by other companies. Normally, these outside providers can track you as you move between sites and use that activity to target you with ads.<\/p>\n

This setting limits that kind of cross-site tracking. Unless you visit and interact with the third-party provider directly, Safari periodically deletes its cookies and website data.<\/p>\n

Safari also defends against a more subtle method called browser fingerprinting. When websites can\u2019t use cookies, they sometimes try to identify your device by looking at unique details like your screen size, the fonts you have installed, and your system settings.<\/p>\n

To reduce this, Safari presents a simplified version of your device\u2019s technical details, making it harder for trackers to uniquely identify your device.<\/p>\n

Safari can also hide your IP address<\/a> from trackers, so it’s harder for them to pin down your device or link your activity back to your location. It won’t stop every kind of tracking, but it closes off one more way sites can keep an eye on you. If you have an iCloud+ subscription, you can extend that same IP protection to websites (not just trackers) when you turn on iCloud Private Relay<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How to stop websites from tracking you in Safari on Mac<\/h2>\n

If you want to make sure these protections are turned on, you can find them in your browser’s settings by following these quick steps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Open Safari<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  2. In the menu bar at the top-left of your screen, click Safari<\/em><\/strong>, then choose Settings<\/em><\/strong>.<\/li>\n
  3. Go to the Privacy<\/em><\/strong> tab.<\/li>\n
  4. Make sure the box next to Prevent cross-site tracking<\/em><\/strong> is checked.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"Safari<\/p>\n

    While you’re there, check Hide IP address <\/em><\/strong>and choose from Trackers only<\/em><\/strong>. If you use iCloud+ with iCloud Private Relay, you can choose from Trackers and Websites<\/em><\/strong> instead.<\/p>\n

    How to reduce Safari tracking on iPhone<\/h2>\n

    Safari on iPhone has most of the same privacy features as the Mac version. Here’s where to find them:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Open the Settings<\/em><\/strong> app.<\/li>\n
    2. Scroll down and tap Apps<\/em><\/strong>, then tap Safari<\/em><\/strong>. On iOS 17 and earlier, scroll down and tap Safari<\/em> directly.
      \n\"Apps<\/li>\n
    3. Scroll to the Privacy & Security<\/em><\/strong> section.<\/li>\n
    4. Make sure Prevent Cross-Site Tracking<\/em><\/strong> is turned on. It’s on by default, so it probably already is.
      \n\"Safari<\/p>\n
        \n
      1. If you\u2019re using iOS 15 or later, check for the Hide IP Address<\/em><\/strong> setting and select From Trackers<\/em><\/strong>. If you have an iCloud+ subscription and have turned on iCloud Private Relay, you may see an option for Trackers and Websites<\/em><\/strong>, depending on where you\u2019re located.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        You\u2019ll also see a switch for Fraudulent Website Warning<\/em>. It\u2019s a good idea to keep this active. Even though it doesn\u2019t block tracking directly, it warns you if Safari suspects you\u2019re visiting a phishing website.<\/p>\n

        Should you clear trackers, cookies, or website data?<\/h2>\n

        Once you start thinking about trackers, the most logical next step is wanting to delete them. But it doesn’t work quite like that. Trackers aren’t actual files saved on your Mac or iPhone that you can track down and drag to the trash. Three different actions get mixed up here:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n