Under-looked iOS 18 feature praised as 'huge privacy upgrade' for millions of users

An overlooked iOS 18 feature is a game-changer for the privacy of millions of iPhone users.

Apple urged iPhone owners to update to iOS 18.5 as it reportedly fixes 30 security vulnerabilities. But, among the underrated time-saving features, the redesigned Photos and Mail app, remote phone access, and message customisation that came with iOS 18, there is a subtle yet huge upgrade to user privacy.

iPhone and iPad users may remember that it was pretty much an all-or-nothing decision when you granted an app access to your contacts. To consent meant handing over your entire contacts list rather than a select few, giving zero control to the user.

Now, with iOS 18, Apple is finally changing that.

iOS 18 means users won't have to share their entire contact list when a third party app requests it (Tim Robberts / Getty)

Thanks to the update, iPhone users no longer have to give third-party apps access to all their contacts by default. Instead, whenever a third-party app asks for permission to access your contacts, you’ll now see a screen that lets you pick and choose exactly which contacts you want to share.

Apple introduced a similar feature a few years ago when sharing your Photos library with third-party apps.

The tech giant wrote in its official iOS 18 user guide: "Redesigned Privacy and Security settings help you manage how much information you share with apps, and you can decide specific contacts you want to share with an app instead of your entire contact list."

While sharing all your contacts may not seem like such a big deal in the grand scheme of things, the concerning part is that you might be allowing access to more than you think. This is because it was pretty regular for apps to upload your entire contacts list, including addresses, phone numbers, emails, and birthdays, to their database.

It was pretty usual for apps to upload your entire contacts list to their database (Nico De Pasquale Photography / Getty)

And even if you later removed the permission, the data was already collected and couldn't be reversed.

Worse still, with more data being collected, the more easily it is for apps to build a digital profile around certain people, which they could then sell to data brokers. Apple's new update in iOS 18 allows users to ensure apps only see exactly what they want them to see.

The tech corp added: "The first time an app wants to access your contacts, you receive a request from the app, along with an explanation.

"For example, a messaging app may ask to access your contacts in order to find friends who are using the same app. After you grant or deny the app’s request, choose which contacts the app can access."

What's important to remember, though, is that you can always change your settings later.

To change the app's access, simply go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Contacts. Next, tap on the app and choose the level of access you want to give. If you select Limited Access, tap Edit Selected Contacts to only pick specific people. Then, hit Done to save your choices.