macOS · Privacy & Security
Manage personalized Apple ads
Turn Personalized Ads on or off to control whether Apple uses your activity within its own apps, like the App Store and News, to show more relevant advertising.
How to open Apple Advertising
- Open System Settings
- Select Privacy & Security, then Apple Advertising
- Toggle Personalized Ads off or on
What you should know
- Located under Privacy & Security → Apple Advertising
- Only affects ads shown within Apple's own apps, not third-party ads
- Turning it off shows generic rather than interest-based ads
- Separate from third-party app tracking permissions
Why it matters
Apple Advertising settings determine whether your on-device activity within Apple's own apps, such as searches in the App Store, is used to tailor the ads you see there. Because this setting is scoped narrowly to Apple's advertising network, it does not control broader third-party ad tracking across the web, which is a common point of confusion. Disabling it is a quick privacy improvement with no functional downside for most users.
Best practices
- Turn off Personalized Ads if you prefer Apple not use your activity for ad targeting
- Understand this doesn't block ads entirely, only personalization
- Pair with browser tracking prevention settings for broader ad privacy
Common problems and fixes
- Still seeing ads after disabling Personalized Ads
- This is expected; the setting removes personalization, not the ads themselves.
- Confusion with third-party app tracking prompts
- Those are controlled separately under each app's own tracking permission, not this setting.
Tips and tricks
- Check this setting once after setting up a new Mac since it's on by default
- Review it again after signing into a new Apple ID
Frequently asked questions
Does this affect ads on websites I visit in Safari?
No, this setting only covers ads within Apple's own apps like the App Store and News.
Will turning this off remove App Store search ads?
It removes personalization of those ads but they may still appear in a generic form.
Related settings
- Analytics & ImprovementsAnalytics & Improvements controls whether your Mac automatically sends crash reports and usage analytics to Apple, and optionally to third-party app developers, to help them find and fix bugs. It's separate from location services and general privacy settings, focused specifically on diagnostic and usage data.
- Privacy & SecurityThe Privacy & Security settings pane is the central hub for controlling app permissions, FileVault encryption, Gatekeeper protections, Lockdown Mode, and analytics sharing — essentially every major security and data-access decision on your Mac in one place.
More Privacy & Security guides for macOS
- FileVault Disk EncryptionFileVault encrypts the entire startup disk on your Mac, so your data stays protected even if the device is lost or stolen. Only someone with your password or recovery key can unlock and read the disk.
- Camera & Microphone PrivacyPrivacy & Security settings let you review and control exactly which apps are allowed to use your Mac's camera and microphone, so you always know what has access to audio and video.
- App PermissionsBeyond camera and microphone, macOS tracks separate permissions for things like Full Disk Access, Files & Folders, Automation, Accessibility, and Local Network — each controlling exactly what a specific app is allowed to see or control on your Mac.
- Activation Lock (Find My Mac)Activation Lock automatically protects your Mac the moment Find My Mac is turned on, requiring your Apple Account password or device passcode before anyone can turn off Find My, erase the Mac, or reactivate it after an erase — making a lost or stolen Mac far less useful to whoever has it.
- Location ServicesManage system-wide Location Services and grant or deny individual apps and system features permission to use your Mac's estimated location.
- Full Disk AccessAuthorize specific apps, usually backup, security, or automation tools, to read protected locations across your entire disk that are normally off-limits.