Online privacy tips you can set up in one afternoon: browser settings, tracker blocking, DNS choices and a VPN, ranked by how much privacy each one buys.
There is no shortage of online privacy tips, and most lists are either too vague to use or so extreme that nobody follows them. This is the practical middle. Each step below takes a few minutes, and together they cover how to protect your privacy online without turning it into a hobby.
start with your browser
Your browser is where most tracking happens, so it is the best place to begin.
- Switch to a browser with strong privacy defaults, such as Firefox or Brave.
- Add a blocker like uBlock Origin to stop trackers and ads before they load.
- Set third party cookies to blocked, and clear your cookies now and then.
change your search engine
Search engines that profile you keep a detailed record of what you look for. Switching to one that does not, like DuckDuckGo or Startpage, removes a large source of tracking and costs you almost nothing in results.
hide your connection with a VPN
Your browser settings do not stop your internet provider from logging the sites you visit, and they do not hide your location. A VPN does both. It encrypts your traffic and replaces your visible IP address, which is the single biggest step most people can take. If you want the detail, see our guide on how to change your IP address.
tidy up app permissions
Phones leak more than browsers in some ways. Go through your app permissions and switch off location, microphone, and contacts access for apps that have no reason to need them. Most do not.
share less by default
Every field you fill in is data that can be lost or sold later. Skip the optional ones. Use a secondary email for signups. The less you hand over, the less there is to protect.
the short version
Good online privacy is a handful of small defaults, not a fortress. A private browser, a tracking free search engine, a VPN, tight app permissions, and a habit of sharing less will protect your privacy online better than any single tool on its own.
Related reading: how to stay safe online, why your data is not as private as you think, and how websites track you online.
