Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
Safari in iOS 17 has secret private browsing feature to better hide searches
In This Article
iOS 17 has been out for a week now, but not even the keenest-eyed observers spotted this new Safari web browser feature.
An Apple executive, speaking during the Google antitrust trial in the United States last week, revealed a newiOS 17feature that allows users to choose a default search engine when in Private Browsing Mode.
A great deal on the iPhone 14 just got even better
Not satisfied with already having a highly recommended deal on the iPhone 14, Mobiles UK has made its offer even better by reducing the upfront cost by £10.
The news comes from aBloomberg reportquoting Apple executive John Giannandrea, once of Google, who revealed a “second setting, so you could choose between two different” engines.
While you’ve always been able to set a search provider in Safari, the tweak enables iOS 17 users to set a different one when in Private Browsing mode.
Users can head, to Settings > Safari and select Private Search Engine to scan options. The existing setting adheres to your default search engine, but you can specify Google, Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo and Ecosia.
The feature might be handy if you’re perhaps seeking an extra layer of privacy within your private browsing.
Apple hasn’t acknowledged why it added the feature, but there are obvious potential reasons. For example, you may feel more comfortable using DuckDuckGo when in private mode, but want the power of Google for your main searches.
Private Browsing Mode in Safari in iOS 17 had already been boosted significantly because tabs have been placed behind a Face ID shield.
Apple also has thelong-standing Private Relay feature, which is part of an iCloud+ subscription. It ensures that no third parties can see both your location and the sites you’re visiting. That prevents advertisers and others from building a picture of your location and browsing history.
You might like…
Chris Smith is a freelance technology journalist for a host of UK tech publications, including Trusted Reviews. He’s based in South Florida, USA. …
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
