How to fix privacy warning on iPhone

Are you getting an iPhone Wi-Fi privacy warning? Here's how to fix and make this privacy warning disappear.

You're sitting there, minding your own business, connecting to your Wi-Fi network so you can doomscroll through social media, when you see a message giving you an iPhone Wi-Fi privacy warning. At this point, you're probably wondering what this message means, and whether it is cause for alarm.

Privacy and security issues are key considerations for anyone interacting online, which is why many opt to use one of the best VPNs to ensure their safety.

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Before you start to panic, and for some reason start buying all the fuel and toilet roll you can get your hands on, ready to hunker down for the end of days, read this article. We'll explain exactly what the iPhone Wi-Fi privacy warning is, and what you can do if you see it.

What Is The iPhone Wi-Fi Privacy Warning?

Let's start by calming those nerves. This isn't a warning that your network is under attack, so don't panic. And unlike a message from the government, when we say don't panic, we mean it.

Since iOS 14 was introduced, this warning has appeared to let users know that their Wi-Fi network isn't using the most up-to-date security standard. It isn't warning you that your network has been compromised, or that you are about to lose all your personal data to a hacker.

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As a brief primer: Wi-Fi networks use security protocols, most commonly WPA2 at the moment. There is, however, a new gold standard known as WPA3. This is the most secure security protocol available at the moment. But not all routers are able to support it, and WPA2 hasn't suddenly become useless. But your iOS device can tell the difference.

It can also appear if you aren't using a Private Address. A Private Address is a feature Apple added to iOS 14, to mask your MAC (media access control) address. Using the same MAC address across all networks and providers allows a profile of the user to be built up over time. A Private Address uses a different MAC address for each Wi-Fi network, reducing this privacy risk.

Read More:Does Apple Slow Down Old Phones: Which iPhones Have Apple Throttled?

Step 3. Reconnect to your Wi-Fi Hotspot in any way: either by temporarily putting your device to Airplane mode or by disabling and re-enabling the Wi-Fi.

P.S. sometimes I have to wait or repeat the steps until the Wi-Fi “Privacy Warning” notification disappears.

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Tell us in the comments, how the things are on your iPhones/iPads with iOS 14/iPadOS 14 Beta. Thank you in advance.

Update: in September 2020, immediately after the release of iOS 14, many users encountered the Weak Security warning on their devices.