Apple Private Relay - Find out how this may impact your online experience

SeanD — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 14:23:11 GMT

iCloud Private Relay

iCloud Private Relay is a new service being offered as part of an iCloud+ subscription that will allow any customer with a device on iOS 15, iPadOS 15 or macOS Monterey to connect and browse the web more privately.

It works by ensuring traffic leaving your device is encrypted so that no one can intercept and read it, including mobile and wi-fi networks and Apple.

How can I turn iCloud Private Relay on?

To use iCloud Private Relay, you must be on iOS 15 or newer and have an iCloud+ subscription.

To turn it on you can either go to:

Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Private Relay > On

OR:

Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > iCloud Private Relay > On

There are also specific controls for Safari:

Settings > Safari > Hide IP Address > Provides 3 options (Trackers and Websites, Trackers Only, Off)

Trackers and Websites - full Private Relay functionality where all traffic makes it through PR
Trackers Only - only let the tracker traffic go through Private Relay, and all other Safari traffic will not go through Private Relay
Off - turn off any Private Relay proxying for Safari

How can I turn iCloud Private Relay off?

To turn it off, you can either go to:

Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Private Relay > Off

OR:

Settings > Mobile Data > Mobile Data Options > iCloud Private Relay > Off

To turn off specific controls for Safari, go to:

Settings > Safari > Hide IP Address > Off

Will I still be able to use Parental Controls?

iCloud Private Relay will protect Safari traffic from being visible to anyone. This means that we can’t prevent access to Strict or Moderate content for customers with these settings with Parental Controls set up.

Will BT Web Protect still work?

BT Web Protect won’t work on iOS devices with iOS 15 or later when browsing on Safari and for some app traffic when iCloud Private Relay is enabled.

Will the iCloud Private Relay only impact me when I use 4G/5G?

No, this will work in the same way for Mobile networks and Wi-Fi connections