Safari Do Not Track Settings Explained

Safari’s Do Not Track (DNT) setting is a privacy feature that sends a request to websites asking them not to track your browsing activity. However, it is important to know that this is only a request—websites are not legally or technically required to honor it. In fact, Apple has not included the Do Not Track setting in recent versions of Safari for iOS and macOS, replacing it with more robust privacy tools like Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) and App Tracking Transparency.

What Do Not Track Does (and Doesn’t Do)

Do Not Track is an HTTP header field that your browser sends with every request to a website. When enabled, Safari adds the header DNT: 1 to your web traffic. This header is meant to signal to the website that you do not want to be tracked across sites for advertising, analytics, or other purposes.

However, DNT is not a standard enforced by any regulatory body. It was originally proposed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission in 2010, but it was never adopted as a formal standard. As a result, many websites ignore the header entirely. Major advertising networks and analytics providers often do not honor DNT requests, and some sites may even use the header to identify users who are privacy-conscious.

In practice, enabling Do Not Track in Safari does not stop most tracking. It is a voluntary signal, not a technical block. If you are looking to genuinely limit tracking, you need to use Safari’s other privacy features, such as Intelligent Tracking Prevention, or use a content blocker.

Where to Find Do Not Track in Safari

The location of the Do Not Track setting has changed over the years, and it has been removed entirely in recent versions. Here is a breakdown by platform:

• macOS (Safari 12 and earlier): Go to Safari > Preferences > Privacy and check the box next to “Website tracking: Ask websites not to track me.”
• macOS (Safari 13 and later): The Do Not Track option was removed. Instead, you will see “Prevent cross-site tracking” under Safari > Settings > Privacy.
• iOS/iPadOS (Safari 12 and earlier): Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security and toggle “Ask Websites Not to Track Me.”
• iOS/iPadOS (Safari 13 and later): The Do Not Track toggle is gone. You will see “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” under Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security.

If you are using a very old version of Safari, you might still see the DNT option, but Apple has deliberately phased it out because it was ineffective and often misled users into thinking they were protected when they were not.

Why Apple Removed Do Not Track

Apple removed the Do Not Track setting starting with Safari 13 on macOS and iOS 13. The company explained that DNT was not being honored by most websites, so it gave users a false sense of privacy. Instead, Apple introduced and expanded Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP), which actively blocks cross-site tracking by using machine learning to identify trackers and limit their ability to collect data.

ITP works by:

• Isolating cookies and website data so trackers cannot follow you across domains.
• Limiting the lifetime of cookies that are set for cross-site purposes.
• Blocking third-party cookies by default in newer versions of Safari.
• Providing a privacy report that shows which trackers have been blocked.

This shift from a passive request (DNT) to active blocking (ITP) reflects a broader trend in web privacy: browsers are now taking responsibility for enforcing privacy, rather than relying on websites to comply with a voluntary signal.

How to Enable Prevent Cross-Site Tracking

Since Do Not Track is no longer available, the closest equivalent in modern Safari is “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.” Here is how to turn it on:

1. On macOS: Open Safari, go to Safari > Settings (or Preferences in older versions), click the Privacy tab, and check the box next to “Prevent cross-site tracking.”
2. On iOS/iPadOS: Open the Settings app, scroll down to Safari, then under Privacy & Security, toggle on “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking.”

This setting actively blocks third-party cookies and limits the ability of trackers to follow you across different websites. It is a much stronger privacy measure than the old Do Not Track header.

You can also enable “Block All Cookies” for even stricter privacy, but this may break certain website features like login sessions or shopping carts. A more balanced approach is to use “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” and add content blockers for specific trackers.

Common Misconceptions About Do Not Track

There are several myths about Do Not Track that persist even after its removal:

• “DNT stops all tracking.” It does not. It only sends a request, and most sites ignore it.
• “DNT protects me from ads.” It does not block ads; it only asks not to be tracked. You will still see ads, just possibly less targeted ones.
• “DNT is a legal requirement.” It is not. There is no law that requires websites to honor DNT.
• “DNT is the same as Incognito Mode.” No. Incognito Mode prevents your browser from saving history and cookies locally, but it does not prevent websites from tracking you during the session.

Understanding these misconceptions helps clarify why Apple moved away from DNT and why you should rely on more effective privacy tools.

Comparing Safari’s Privacy Features

If you are concerned about tracking, Safari offers several layers of protection. Here is a comparison of the most relevant ones:

• Prevent Cross-Site Tracking: Blocks third-party cookies and limits cross-site tracking. This is the default in recent Safari versions.
• Block All Cookies: Prevents all cookies from being stored, but may break functionality.
• Private Browsing Mode: Does not save history, cookies, or form data locally, but does not hide your activity from websites or your ISP.
• Content Blockers: Extensions that actively block trackers, ads, and other unwanted content. These are more customizable and effective than DNT ever was.
• Hide My Email (iCloud+): Generates random email addresses to keep your real email private when signing up for services.
• App Tracking Transparency: Requires apps to ask permission before tracking you across other apps and websites.

For most users, keeping “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking” enabled and using a reputable content blocker provides a strong privacy baseline.

What to Do If You Want More Privacy

If you want to go beyond Safari’s built-in settings, consider these steps:

• Use a content blocker like AdGuard or Ghostery (available in the App Store or Mac App Store) to block trackers and ads.
• Disable JavaScript on sites that do not need it (though this can break functionality).
• Use a VPN to hide your IP address from websites and your ISP.
• Regularly clear your browsing history and website data.
• Use a privacy-focused search engine like DuckDuckGo.

Remember that no single setting can make you completely anonymous online. Privacy is a layered approach, and you should combine multiple tools and habits to achieve the level of privacy you want.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Do Not Track illegal if ignored?

No. Do Not Track is a voluntary signal, and there is no law that requires websites to honor it. Some countries have data protection laws (like GDPR) that require websites to disclose tracking, but they do not specifically mandate honoring DNT headers.

Does Safari still have Do Not Track?

No. Apple removed the Do Not Track setting starting with Safari 13 on macOS and iOS 13. It was replaced by “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking,” which actively blocks third-party cookies and cross-site tracking.

Will enabling DNT in Safari affect my browsing experience?

In the versions that had it, enabling DNT typically did not affect functionality because most websites ignored it. However, some sites might have limited features if they mistakenly interpreted DNT as a request to disable cookies. With the current “Prevent Cross-Site Tracking,” you might notice some sites asking you to log in again or requiring you to re-enter preferences, but this is a trade-off for increased privacy.

What is the difference between Do Not Track and Private Browsing?

Do Not Track is a request sent to websites asking not to be tracked. Private Browsing (Incognito) prevents your browser from saving history, cookies, and form data locally. Private Browsing does not stop websites from tracking you during the session; it only ensures that your local device does not retain the data.

Can I still use the DNT header in Safari if I want to?

In current versions of Safari, there is no user-facing toggle for DNT. However, you can manually add the header using a content blocker or a custom script, but this is not recommended because it is ineffective and may cause compatibility issues.

Does Safari block all trackers by default?

No, but it blocks many. Safari’s Intelligent Tracking Prevention (ITP) blocks third-party cookies by default and uses machine learning to identify and limit trackers. However, some trackers may still work, especially if they use fingerprinting or other techniques. For complete protection, you should use a content blocker.

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