iCloud Private Relay is one of Apple’s latest privacy features.
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iCloud Private Relay can help protect your privacy by hiding your identity and location when browsing on Safari.
This feature is currently in beta, only available in iOS 15 or macOS Monterey or later, and requires a subscription to iCloud+.
If you meet the requirements, you can enable it from iCloud settings in the iOS Settings app or System Preferences on a Mac.
Apple is increasingly focused on protecting your privacy online, and a new feature, iCloud Private Relay, is designed to let you hide your identity and the websites you’re visiting when you use Safari on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Note: To use iCloud Private Relay, you need to be running iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey, or later and have an active subscription to iCloud+.
What is iCloud Private Relay?
When you browse the web normally, various elements such as your IP address and DNS records are visible to the network provider and the websites you visit. While generally not harmful, this data can be used to construct a picture of your web browsing history.
If you are concerned about your privacy, you can enable Apple’s iCloud Private Relay, which hides data like your IP address and DNS records so no one (not even Apple) can see your identity, location, or search history.
To use iCloud Private Relay, you need to enable the feature on the device you are browsing from, such as your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, and you need to use the Safari web browser — this feature will not work if you use browsers like Chrome or Firefox. Once enabled, your DNS records are encrypted and a temporary IP address is generated each time you go to a website, ensuring your privacy.
How to turn on iCloud Private Relay
It only takes a few taps or clicks to set up your iCloud Private Server, though the process varies depending on whether you’re on an iPhone, iPad, or a Mac.
On your iPhone or iPad, start the Settings app and tap your Apple ID username at the top of the page. Tap iCloud and then Private Relay. On the iCloud Private Relay page, turn on Private Relay by swiping the button to the right.
You can turn on the iCloud Private Relay on your iPhone in iCloud settings.
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If you’re using a Mac, click the Apple menu in the menu bar and choose System Preferences. Click Apple ID. On the Apple ID page, click to check Private Relay. To turn on the iCloud Private Relay on your Mac, go to your Apple ID settings in System Preferences.
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When you turn it on, you can choose whether you want to Maintain general location or Use country and time zone. The first option is more accurate and can be handy for letting localized content in Safari have a better idea of where you are located.
What to do if iCloud Private Relay doesn’t work
In general, your iCloud Private Relay should work without any effort on your part. There are times, though, when it will not work the way you expect.
If you are traveling to a location where iCloud Private Relay does not work, your operating system will automatically disable iCloud Private Relay and then turn it back on again when you leave that area, so as a general rule you should not need to change the settings manually.
If you try to access a website and it fails to open, your current Wi-Fi network may be incompatible with iCloud Private Relay. You can disable iCloud Private Relay just for the Wi-Fi network you are currently connected to.
On your iPhone or iPad, start the Settings app and tap Wi-Fi. Tap the i icon to the right of the network and then turn off Limit IP Address Tracking by swiping the button to the left. This will disable iCloud Private Relay for this network. Troubleshoot iCloud Private Relay on your iPhone by limiting IP address tracking in Settings.
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If you’re using a Mac, click the Apple menu in the menu bar and choose System Preferences. Click Network. On the Apple ID page, click to check Private Relay. Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking by clearing the checkbox.If iCloud Private Relay isn’t working on your Mac, clear Limit IP Address Tracking in System Preferences.
Dave Johnson