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Three things you can do today — for free.

No tech experience needed. These three steps cover the biggest privacy gaps most households have.

01

CHECK FOR DNS LEAKS

Run a quick test to see if your internet provider can see everything you browse — even in private mode.

Run the test →

02

SWITCH TO PRIVATE EMAIL

Gmail reads your email to serve ads. Proton Mail is free, encrypted, and built in Switzerland with zero ad tracking.

Try Proton free →

03

LOCK DOWN YOUR ROUTER

Your router's default password is publicly known. Change it and disable remote management in under five minutes.

Read the guide →

New Device Setup

Just Got an iPhone? Top 10 Settings to Turn Off

The 10 tracking, ad, and location settings to change in the first five minutes on a new iPhone.

New Android Phone: Settings to Change First

Delete the ad ID, shut off Google activity logging, and fix permissions on a new Android phone.

New Windows 11 PC: Privacy Setup

Advertising ID, diagnostic data, activity history, and Edge tracking, all dialed down on a new Windows 11 PC.

New Mac: Privacy Settings to Change First

FileVault, analytics, Spotlight, and Safari tracking, all sorted on a new Mac in five minutes.

Big Tech Accounts

05 — BIG TECH

Stop Google From Tracking You

Turn off Web & App Activity and Location History in one place, then delete what's already stored.

06 — BIG TECH

Lock Down Your Facebook and Instagram

Disconnect off-Meta web tracking, cut ad targeting, and tighten who can see you on Facebook and Instagram.

07 — BIG TECH

Stop Amazon From Tracking You

Opt out of interest-based ads, stop Alexa keeping recordings, and clear your browsing history.

08 — BIG TECH

Apple Privacy Settings That Matter

The handful of Apple switches worth flipping, plus Advanced Data Protection and the iCloud+ privacy tools.

09 — BIG TECH

Microsoft Account Privacy

Clear the Microsoft privacy dashboard, turn off ad targeting, and reduce Windows telemetry.

10 — BIG TECH

Lock Down TikTok

Go private, turn off personalized ads, and cut TikTok's location, contacts, and mic permissions.

11 — BIG TECH

Stop LinkedIn Selling Your Data

Turn off LinkedIn's ad data, research, and AI-training use, and control who can see and find you.

59 — BIG TECH

Is Google Chrome Private?

What Chrome collects, the settings that reduce it, and when switching browsers makes sense.

Money & Finance

Protect Your Banking Privacy

Turn on alerts, opt out of bank data sharing and prescreened offers, and shut down account takeover.

Make Venmo and Cash App Private

Make Venmo's public feed private, lock the apps with 2FA, and avoid the common payment scams.

Freeze Your Credit

Freeze your credit at all three bureaus (plus the ones people forget) in about fifteen minutes, for free.

Freeze the Bureaus You Forgot

Freezing the big three is half the job. Freeze ChexSystems, NCTUE, Innovis, and LexisNexis too, all free.

What Is Plaid and Is It Safe to Link Your Bank?

How bank aggregators work, what they can see, and the risks of linking an account.

How to Budget Without Linking Your Bank Account

Four ways to budget without handing your bank credentials to any app.

Mint Alternatives That Do Not Need Your Bank Login

What to look for in a budgeting app that does not connect to your bank.

How to Set Up Bank Transaction Alerts

Turn on purchase alerts for fraud protection and budgeting.

How to Revoke Bank Access From Apps Like Plaid

Find and remove apps that can still read your bank data.

Health & Medical

Who Can See Your Medical Data

The real limits of HIPAA, who is actually selling your health data, and how to keep symptom searches private.

Health and Fitness App Privacy

Choosing safe period and fitness apps, locking down Apple Health, and taming Fitbit, Garmin, and Oura.

How to Fax Medical Records Securely

What to check before faxing health information, and how to send it with less exposure.

Smart Home & AI

17 — SMART HOME

How Smart Devices Track You

Your TV, thermostat, and doorbell are constantly phoning home. Here's what they collect.

18 — SMART HOME

Stop Your Smart TV From Spying

Turn off ACR viewing-data tracking on Samsung, LG, Vizio, and Roku, plus the ad ID and voice settings.

19 — SMART HOME

Alexa Privacy Tips and Tricks

Delete recordings by voice, stop Alexa saving audio, lock down purchasing, and prune skill permissions.

20 — SMART HOME

Google Home and Nest Privacy

Stop voice and audio logging, delete history by voice, and tighten Nest camera access and retention.

21 — SMART HOME

AI Assistants and Your Privacy

What LLM assistants send to the cloud, how to turn off training and history, and what never to tell a chatbot.

22 — SMART HOME

Smart Home Network Tips

Segment IoT devices, block their telemetry, keep firmware current, and set them up the secure way.

Kids, Teens & Seniors

Kids' Online Privacy

What apps collect from your kids, how filtering works, and Harbor Kids — DNS-level protection for children's devices.

Protecting Older Adults From Scams

The scams that target seniors, how to block the calls, and a simple family plan to stop fraud before it starts.

Set Up a Parent's Phone Safely

A calm, private, scam-resistant phone setup for an older relative that stays simple to use.

Teens and Social Media Privacy

Private-account settings, what not to post, account security, and how to handle strangers and sextortion.

Your Teen's First Phone

A privacy-first first-phone setup, with parental controls that protect your teen without spying on them.

Block Gambling and Dating Apps on a Kid's Phone

Age gates are mostly a checkbox. Three real ways to actually block them, without spying on your kid.

Stop Your Kid From Turning Off Screen Time

The default Screen Time setup isn't locked. Here's how to actually secure it so restrictions can't be turned off.

Email Privacy

How to Filter Junk Email

Gmail, Yahoo, and Xfinity filters, hidden tracking pixels, and the safest way to unsubscribe.

Why You Should Switch to Proton Mail

End-to-end encrypted email that Gmail can't read, with a free plan that covers most households.

Email Aliases Explained: Hide Your Real Address

How email aliases limit spam and breach damage, and the options available.

DNS & ISP

What Is DNS Privacy?

Why your ISP can see every website you visit and what you can do about it.

How Your ISP Tracks You

What Comcast, Verizon, and AT&T can legally collect and sell about your browsing.

Unbound & Recursive DNS

Why Harbor Privacy uses Unbound to resolve DNS directly from root servers — no middleman.

Your Pi-hole DoH Guide Is Broken Now

Cloudflare killed the cloudflared feature almost every Pi-hole encrypted-DNS tutorial depends on. Here's the fix.

AdGuard Home vs Pi-hole

The honest breakdown: encrypted upstream support, family controls, and the upkeep neither one advertises.

Does the NSA Track You?

Mass surveillance is real and documented, but most of what exposes you day to day is commercial, not the NSA.

How to Block Ads on Every Device at Home

Block ads and trackers on phones, laptops, TVs and smart devices with DNS blocking. No app on each device.

How to Set Up Private DNS on iPhone and Android

Encrypt DNS lookups and block ads and trackers on iPhone and Android. Step-by-step setup.

DNS Ad Blocker vs VPN: What Each One Protects

What a DNS ad blocker and a VPN each protect, and when to use both.

What Is a DNS Leak and How to Test for One

How a VPN can leak your lookups, how to test for it, and how to fix it.

Best DNS Servers for Privacy and Security

Compare popular DNS resolvers on privacy, filtering, and speed.

DoH vs DoT: Which Encrypted DNS Should You Use?

How DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS differ, and which fits your devices.

How to Change the DNS on Your Router

Set DNS once on your router and cover every device on your home network.

Everyday Privacy

33 — EVERYDAY

Stop Spam Texts and Robocalls

Block, report to 7726, turn on built-in filters, and reduce future spam calls and texts for free.

34 — EVERYDAY

Is Public Wi-Fi Safe?

What is actually risky on public Wi-Fi, what to turn off, and when you really need a VPN.

35 — EVERYDAY

Prep your devices, handle border searches, stay safe on hotel Wi-Fi, and avoid trackers and oversharing.

36 — EVERYDAY

How to Delete Your Old Accounts

Find your forgotten accounts, close them for good, and revoke the logins connected to them.

37 — EVERYDAY

Do You Need a VPN?

What a VPN really does and doesn't, when it's worth it, and how to choose one without getting scammed.

46 — EVERYDAY

Lock Down Your Mailbox

Claim USPS Informed Delivery before a scammer enrolls your address and watches your incoming mail.

53 — EVERYDAY

Why Harbor VPN Has Limits

30 Mbps and 100 GB a month per device. What the limits are, why they exist, and what they do not mean.

56 — EVERYDAY

Is a VPN Worth It?

What a VPN protects you from, what it does not, and who actually benefits. Threat by threat.

58 — EVERYDAY

How to Send a Fax Online Without an Account

Send a fax from your phone or computer with no machine and no account. What to check before you upload.

54 — EVERYDAY

VPN Blocked on Wi-Fi? Why It Happens and What Works

Why some Wi-Fi networks block VPNs, how they detect them, and what gets through.

62 — EVERYDAY

WireGuard vs OpenVPN vs IKEv2: Which VPN Protocol Should You Use?

Speed, battery, and reliability compared, plus which protocol to pick for each situation.

63 — EVERYDAY

What a No-Logs VPN Really Means (and How to Check)

What VPN logs are, what no-logs really promises, and how to check a provider.

65 — EVERYDAY

Are Free VPNs Safe? What They Cost You

How free VPNs make money, what they can do with your data, and safer options.

66 — EVERYDAY

Why Is My VPN Slow? 8 Fixes That Work

The real causes of a slow VPN and the fixes in the order worth trying.

67 — EVERYDAY

VPN Won't Connect? How to Troubleshoot It

A short checklist for a VPN that will not connect, from the simple fixes to blocked networks.

68 — EVERYDAY

How to Set Up a VPN on iPhone, Step by Step

Install, import, connect, and set a VPN to turn on automatically on iPhone.

70 — EVERYDAY

How to Hide Your IP Address (and What It Really Hides)

What your IP address reveals, the ways to hide it, and what hiding it does not cover.

71 — EVERYDAY

VPN vs Proxy vs Tor: Which Should You Use?

How the three differ on privacy, speed, and everyday use.

72 — EVERYDAY

What Is a VPN Kill Switch and Do You Need One?

What a kill switch does, when it matters, and how to get the same effect on iPhone and Android.

73 — EVERYDAY

VPN Split Tunneling Explained

Send some apps through the VPN and others outside it, and when that is a good idea.

77 — EVERYDAY

How to Stop Targeted Ads on Your Phone and Browser

Settings and tools that cut personalized ads on iPhone, Android, and the web.

78 — EVERYDAY

Private Wi-Fi Address: What It Is and When to Turn It Off

How MAC randomization limits tracking across Wi-Fi networks and when it causes problems.

79 — EVERYDAY

How to Send a Fax From Your Phone Without a Fax Machine

Send a fax from an iPhone or Android phone using a document or a photo.

81 — EVERYDAY

Fax Cover Sheet: What to Include (Free Template Text)

What goes on a fax cover sheet, what to leave off, and text you can copy.

82 — EVERYDAY

Online Fax vs Fax Machine: Which Is Better?

Cost, privacy, and convenience compared, and who each one suits.

83 — EVERYDAY

Fax Not Going Through? Why It Fails and What to Do

Why faxes fail, how to fix the usual causes, and what happens to your payment.

84 — EVERYDAY

How to Find a Fax Number for a Doctor, Insurer, or Agency

Reliable ways to find and confirm a fax number before you send.

94 — EVERYDAY

How to Stop Cookie Tracking and Cookie Banners

What cookie banners really do, and the settings that block trackers automatically.

Security

38 — SECURITY

Spotting Phishing & Malware

How to identify dangerous emails, fake links, and malicious sites before they get you.

39 — SECURITY

Router Security Basics

Default passwords, firmware updates, and guest networks — the three things most people skip.

40 — SECURITY

Password Managers & 2FA

Why reusing passwords is the number one way accounts get hacked, and how to fix it for free.

41 — SECURITY

Browser Fingerprinting

Advertisers track you without cookies using your browser's unique fingerprint. Here's what that means.

42 — SECURITY

Data Broker Opt-Outs

Companies sell your name, address, and phone number. You can make them delete it — here's how.

43 — SECURITY

Remove Your Info From Google Search

Use Results About You and removal requests to pull your phone, address, and personal data out of Google.

44 — SECURITY

How to Browse the Web Privately

Choose a private browser, block trackers, fix the settings, and learn what incognito actually hides.

47 — SECURITY

Stop SIM Swap Attacks

Turn on your carrier's free number lock so a thief cannot steal your number and your text login codes.

57 — SECURITY

How to Remove Yourself From People-Search Sites

Find your listings, request removal, and keep your name off people-search sites. Free steps and what to expect.

60 — SECURITY

How to Check If Your Email Was in a Data Breach

See whether your email appeared in a breach, what to change if it did, and how to get warned next time.

61 — SECURITY

Are Browser Extensions Safe?

Extensions can read every page you visit. How to audit what you have and which permissions to avoid.

90 — SECURITY

What Are Passkeys and Should You Use Them?

How passkeys work, why they resist phishing, and how to start using them.

91 — SECURITY

What to Do After a Data Breach: A Step-by-Step Checklist

A checklist for the days after a breach notice: what to change, freeze, and watch.

92 — SECURITY

Two-Factor Authentication Methods Compared

SMS, authenticator apps, push approvals, security keys, and passkeys ranked by strength.

Tools We Trust

Privacy Tools Harbor Privacy Actually Uses

These are tools we recommend to every customer — not because we get paid to (and we'll tell you when we do), but because they're the ones the privacy community consistently agrees on. No bloatware, no free VPNs that sell your data, no gimmicks.

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Email · Referral

Proton Mail

End-to-end encrypted email based in Switzerland. Free plan available. Gmail alternative that doesn't read your email to serve ads.

Try free → proton.me

* Harbor Privacy earns a referral fee on paid upgrades.

Passwords · Free

Bitwarden

Open source password manager. Free for individuals. Independently audited. The top recommendation from r/privacy for years running.

Get free → bitwarden.com

No referral — just the best free option.

Messaging · Free

Signal

End-to-end encrypted messaging and calls. No ads, no data collection, open source. The gold standard for private communication.

Get free → signal.org

No referral — recommended because it's the best.

Browser · Free

Brave Browser

Chrome-compatible browser with built-in ad blocking, fingerprint randomization, and tracker blocking. No setup required — just download and use.

Get free → brave.com

No referral — consistently recommended by privacy researchers.

Search · Free

DuckDuckGo

Search engine that doesn't track your queries or build a profile on you. Good results for everyday searches. Set it as your default in 30 seconds.

Try → duckduckgo.com

No referral.

DNS · Harbor Privacy

Harbor Privacy

DNS-level privacy for your whole home network. Blocks ads, trackers, phishing domains, and telemetry on every device — automatically. Built on the South Shore.

Get started → harborprivacy.com

This one's ours — we're obviously biased, but it works.

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