Apple is enhancing the security of Safari in iOS 17, and private browsing now requires Face ID authentication or a passcode to access. If you open up a private browsing window in Safari, you will need to authenticate with Face ID. That means someone who has access to your unlocked phone and opens your Safari browser won't be able to get to your private browsing history without secondary authentication. Face ID or a passcode can be used to access the Safari private tabs.

Private browsing also completely blocks known trackers from loading on pages and removes tracking added to URLs as you browse, improving privacy. Websites are prevented from tracking or identifying your device with these new additions, plus Apple also offers improved extension control.

In private mode, extensions with website access are turned off, and you will need to manually re-enable them. iCloud Private Relay also uses IP address locations based on country and time zone rather than a general location.

Safari in iOS 17 is also gaining a Profiles feature so you can keep your personal browsing and work browsing separate, with different histories, Tab Groups, cookies, and favorites.

Article Link: iOS 17 Locks Your Safari Private Browsing Behind Face ID

Need a section in setting with the option to toggle on FaceID for each app.

This needs to be an option. Sometimes I just go into private mode to test issues that we have with internal websites not loading or test login issues. FaceID will just slow it down.

What about photo albums? That’s why I never let anyone use my phone 😖

MacRumors said:

Apple is enhancing the security of Safari in iOS 17, and private browsing now requires Face ID authentication or a passcode to access. If you open up a private browsing window in Safari, you will need to authenticate with Face ID.

That means someone who has access to your unlocked phone and opens your Safari browser won't be able to get to your private browsing history without secondary authentication. Face ID or a passcode can be used to access the Safari private tabs.

Private browsing also completely blocks known trackers from loading on pages and removes tracking added to URLs as you browse, improving privacy. Websites are prevented from tracking or identifying your device with these new additions, plus Apple also offers improved extension control.

In private mode, extensions with website access are turned off, and you will need to manually re-enable them. iCloud Private Relay also uses IP address locations based on country and time zone rather than a general location.

Safari in iOS 17 is also gaining a Profiles feature so you can keep your personal browsing and work browsing separate, with different histories, Tab Groups, cookies, and favorites.

Article Link: iOS 17 Locks Your Safari Private Browsing Behind Face ID

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fel10 said:

Porn watchers unite

antiprotest said:

Need a section in setting with the option to toggle on FaceID for each app.

Yes, yes and YES!!!!


Next up WatchOS ... a FULL lock mode - return to unlocking the watch when FaceID with retina focus has been done! Apple got rid of this some 3 versions back.

Those of you that are single and date as free spirits and are safe and honest with your partners - EVEN if not partaking (yet) into full private 1 on 1's .... having a sleep-over or trip and sleeping ... a VERY nosy or even a person with jealousy tendency's can read your SMS and iMessages off your Watch while you sleep! Pure invasion of privacy and has a sound sleeper you'll NEVER know!

This is a VERY bad move by Apple to remove this a few versions ago.

And yet you have to enter your pin code/icloud code, or double tap on side button when you download a free app or game from App Store...
When your Face id is activated and should take care of it...

Wow, I missed the mention of Safari profiles before. That's huge, I was using Chrome for work because of this feature, but would like to stay in Safari.

Huh? Why is there history on private browsing?

MacRumors said:

won't be able to get to your private browsing history without secondary authentication

And I thought, private browsing is about not to have a browsing history at all. That’s why I use private browser tabs.

Between this and 3D VR they’re really knocking it out of the (Apple) park for adult content viewers.

ghostface147 said:

This needs to be an option. Sometimes I just go into private mode to test issues that we have with internal websites not loading or test login issues. FaceID will just slow it down.

It’s a setting.

Edge for iOS had this feature first - but safari will be privacy oriented.

Microsoft Edge already does this. Noticing a significant trend while looking at the new features Apple has with 17. A lot of hardware/software companies are already doing it & some have done it for a long time.

Not that this is bad. What’s bad is Apple not able to feature the gimmick properly until 8 months after public release.

This looks promising. Another feature for ‘private’ browsers would be for you to be able to set certain profiles to only use certain wifi networks. No accidental ‘private’ traffic on the work network because the wrong tabs were left open…

Does this work when you're always on private browsing? As go to the Home Screen and need Face ID when opening Safari back up?

Good to have this feature. Photos app should also get this. Current workaround of using shortcuts is not very convenient.

Let’s hope that it is a different passcode than the phone unlock passcode (optional) for those that care about security. And that if someone with the phone unlock code adds their face to the Face ID recognition list, that locks out Face ID authentication until that separate passcode is entered.

Otherwise Apple is continuing their silly tradition of securing the entire digital kingdom with a single passcode, basically the definition of NOT secure.

marvin_h said:

Let’s hope that it is a different passcode than the phone unlock passcode (optional) for those that care about security. And that if someone with the phone unlock code adds their face to the Face ID recognition list, that locks out Face ID authentication until that separate passcode is entered.

Otherwise Apple is continuing their silly tradition of securing the entire digital kingdom with a single passcode, basically the definition of NOT secure.

It’ll be the same passcode. Having lots of different passcodes does not make your phone more secure.

mrochester said:

It’ll be the same passcode. Having lots of different passcodes does not make your phone more secure.

Tell that to people that have their screen lock code hacked.

It’s the same principal as using a different password on different web sites. Keep people from getting to everything if they get to one thing.

The fact the screen lock code also unlocks the keychain which unlocks everything was a design flaw, but the fact that hasn’t been corrected with at least the option to use a separate code is insane.

If they really use the screen unlock code to also unlock private browsing with no option to separate the two then the utility of the “protection” is greatly diminished.

marvin_h said:

Tell that to people that have their screen lock code hacked.

It’s the same principal as using a different password on different web sites. Keep people from getting to everything if they get to one thing.

The fact the screen lock code also unlocks the keychain which unlocks everything was a design flaw, but the fact that hasn’t been corrected with at least the option to use a separate code is insane.

That's the way it's designed to work.

People need to make sure they keep their device passcode safe.

Most people don't use different passwords on different sites because they can't remember them. There'd be the same issue here.

mrochester said:

That's the way it's designed to work.

People need to make sure they keep their device passcode safe.

Most people don't use different passwords on different sites because they can't remember them. There'd be the same issue here.

Sure and people need to stop getting into car accidents. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore using a seatbelt. Right now Apple doesn’t even give users the option to use separate passcodes. That’s a shortcoming of iOS security, and no, expecting no one’s screen lock passcode will ever be stolen is not a good security practice.

marvin_h said:

Sure and people need to stop getting into car accidents. But that doesn’t mean we should ignore using a seatbelt. Right now Apple doesn’t even give users the option to use separate passcodes. That’s a shortcoming of iOS security, and no, expecting no one’s screen lock passcode will ever be stolen is not a good security practice.

Using seatbelts evidently increases safety with almost no downside to the seatbelt user.

What is the impact of using different passcodes for different functionality on your device?

I use private browsing 100% of the time. I personally don’t need history, so the only thing history does for me is increase my risk factor. Remember a few years ago there was a bug in Safari that allowed any website to view your full browsing history. No thanks.

If this can’t be toggled, my life is going to become extremely painful. I really, really, really don’t want to have to authenticate every time Safari opens.

This did not make it to macOS 14 Sonoma it seems. That isn't very reassuring. You should also be able to use Touch ID / Password to lock Private Browsing on macOS. I don't particularly appreciate how Safari on iOS/iPadOS and macOS is starting to separate on features. It makes it less cohesive when you can no longer feel confident about things like Private Browsing behaving the same when using the same browser between Apple products.