iOS 17 has a feature designed to offer some protection against being sent unsolicited nudity. It won’t stop those pictures or videos arriving, but the Sensitive Content Warning feature can spot them and censor the image before you have a chance to lay eyes on it. If you decide to look at it anyway, well that’s on you.
Sensitive Content Warning doesn’t turn on by default, you’ll need to jump into the settings to do so. In this article, we will explain how to set up Sensitive Content Warning in iOS 17.
How to set up the Sensitive Content Warning in iOS 17
This feature is only available on iOS 17, so be sure to read up on how to download and install the iOS 17 if you haven’t done it already.
1. Go to the iPhone’s Settings app, then scroll down and tap Privacy & Security.
2. Scroll down that page and tap Sensitive Content Warning. It’s right below Safety Check and above Analytics & Improvements. It’s off by default, and you’re going to want to change that.
3. At the top of the page you’ll see a toggle to turn the Sensitive Content Warning on and off. You’re going to want to tap it and make sure the feature is switched on.
4. Choose which apps to apply it to: Sensitive Content Warning can be applied in four different circumstances right now. Your options are for AirDrop, Contacts, the Messages and Video Messages.
You can choose between toggling them all on, off or picking and choosing which circumstances will see sensitive imagery censored. We recommend you switch them all on, just to be safe.
5. Once the settings are switched on, iOS will be able to scan and detect incoming images and video messages for signs of nudity. If nudity is present, the image will be blurred out in gray, like the image from Apple on the left.
You can tap the Show button in the bottom right to view the image. Alternatively, tap the triangular icon in the top right and then click on Block Contact to block the person sending the image, or to find resources to help should it be necessary in the circumstances.
