{
  "slug": "safari",
  "name": "Safari",
  "maker": "Apple",
  "category": "browsers",
  "verdict": "y",
  "answer": "Yes. Only you can read the passwords, history and open tabs Safari syncs through iCloud. Bookmarks are the exception: they're only sealed if you turn on Advanced Data Protection.",
  "title": "Is Safari encrypted? History, passwords and bookmarks",
  "description": "Only you can read the passwords, history and tabs Safari syncs. Bookmarks are sealed only with Advanced Data Protection. Checked at the source.",
  "parts": [
    {
      "key": "globe",
      "status": "y",
      "words": "Only you and the site",
      "note": "Since Safari 18.2, Safari tries a secure connection first and falls back to an unsecured one only if that fails.",
      "sources": [
        2,
        3
      ],
      "label": "Connection to sites"
    },
    {
      "key": "pass",
      "status": "y",
      "words": "Only you",
      "note": "Saved passwords sync through iCloud Keychain, sealed by default.",
      "sources": [
        1,
        4
      ],
      "label": "Saved passwords"
    },
    {
      "key": "hist",
      "status": "y",
      "words": "Only you",
      "note": "Apple seals Safari history, Tab Groups and iCloud Tabs by default.",
      "sources": [
        1
      ],
      "label": "History and open tabs"
    },
    {
      "key": "mark",
      "status": "o",
      "words": "Only you, once you turn it on",
      "note": "Bookmarks are sealed only with Advanced Data Protection, which new users in the UK can't turn on.",
      "sources": [
        1,
        5,
        6
      ],
      "label": "Bookmarks"
    }
  ],
  "extra_parts": [],
  "keys": "Your devices hold the keys to your passwords, history and tabs; Apple holds the keys to your bookmarks unless you turn on Advanced Data Protection.",
  "can_see": "Your bookmarks under standard protection, and even with Advanced Data Protection on, Apple keeps the keys to a few bookmark details, such as when one was last changed and whether it's in Favorites.",
  "business": null,
  "fix": {
    "title": "Seal your bookmarks too, once",
    "steps": [
      "Update your iPhone, iPad and Mac to current software.",
      "Open Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud.",
      "Scroll down, tap Advanced Data Protection, then tap Turn on Advanced Data Protection.",
      "Follow the steps to check your recovery contact or recovery key."
    ],
    "after": "Takes a few minutes and covers all your Apple devices at once. Keep your recovery key or recovery contact safe: Apple can't get this data back for you. New users in the UK can't turn it on."
  },
  "fix_line": "Turn on Advanced Data Protection: Settings › your name › iCloud › Advanced Data Protection.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "id": "is-safari-history-encrypted",
      "q": "Is Safari history end-to-end encrypted?",
      "a": "Yes. Apple lists Safari history, Tab Groups and iCloud Tabs among the iCloud data that's always end-to-end encrypted, even with standard protection [1]. Apple doesn't have the keys, so it can't read them or help you recover them [1].\n\nThe same goes for passwords you save in Safari. They sync through iCloud Keychain, which Apple says passes through its servers sealed, so Apple can't read them [4]."
    },
    {
      "id": "are-safari-bookmarks-encrypted",
      "q": "Are Safari bookmarks encrypted?",
      "a": "Only with Advanced Data Protection. With standard protection, Apple encrypts your bookmarks but keeps the keys in its data centers [1]. Turning on Advanced Data Protection moves the keys to your devices [1][5].\n\nEven then, Apple keeps the keys to a few details, like when a bookmark was last changed [1]. New users in the UK can't turn on Advanced Data Protection, so their bookmarks stay under standard protection [6]."
    },
    {
      "id": "does-safari-use-https",
      "q": "Does Safari use HTTPS automatically?",
      "a": "Yes. Since Safari 18.2, Safari prefers secure connections by default and falls back to an unsecured one only when the secure one fails [2].\n\nTo be warned before Safari opens a site without a secure connection, open Settings on your iPhone, tap Apps, then Safari, and turn on Not Secure Connection Warning under Privacy & Security [3]."
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "iCloud data security overview",
      "publisher": "Apple",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/102651",
      "read": "2026-10-25"
    },
    {
      "title": "Safari 18.2 Release Notes",
      "publisher": "Apple",
      "url": "https://developer.apple.com/documentation/safari-release-notes/safari-18_2-release-notes",
      "read": "2026-10-25"
    },
    {
      "title": "Get a warning when you visit websites that use HTTP on iPhone",
      "publisher": "Apple",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/iphfba2ed790/ios",
      "read": "2026-10-25"
    },
    {
      "title": "iCloud Keychain security overview",
      "publisher": "Apple",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/guide/security/icloud-keychain-security-overview-sec1c89c6f3b/web",
      "read": "2026-10-25"
    },
    {
      "title": "How to turn on Advanced Data Protection for iCloud",
      "publisher": "Apple",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/108756",
      "read": "2026-10-25"
    },
    {
      "title": "Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection in the United Kingdom to new users",
      "publisher": "Apple",
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/en-us/122234",
      "read": "2026-10-25"
    }
  ],
  "changes": [
    {
      "date": "2026-10-25",
      "text": "First published."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "chrome",
    "firefox",
    "brave",
    "apple-passwords",
    "icloud"
  ],
  "url": "https://isitencrypted.com/safari/",
  "checked": "2026-10-25"
}