By Apple’s iCloud Private Relay, a privacy feature that encrypts Safari browsing data, is presently encountering problems. The service, designed to shield users from tracking by directing internet traffic through multiple servers, is sluggish or inaccessible for some users. The disruption appears to be persistently affecting Safari’s performance for those impacted. Apple has acknowledged the ongoing issue with the service on its System Status support page.
How This Issue Is Impacting Users
- Some iPhone users experiencing issues with the Safari browser may be affected by this outage.
- Numerous reports on social media indicate that people are encountering problems with Safari freezing when they type in a search request or website.
- A user named Madhu Singh shared a video on the micro-blogging site X (formerly Twitter) demonstrating the issue with Safari on iPhone.
- The extent of the problem is unknown, but some affected users have reported success in resolving the issue by toggling iCloud Private Relay off and on or restarting their iPhones.
- This is not the first outage for iCloud Private Relay, with a previous incident affecting the entire iCloud suite in 2022.
Apple’s Explanation on iCloud Private Relay
- Apple explains: “Your IP address is visible to your network provider and to the first relay, which is operated by Apple. Your DNS records are encrypted, so neither party can see the address of the website you’re trying to visit.”
- A second relay generates a temporary IP address, decrypts the name of the website users are trying to visit, and then connects them to the site.
- This security feature is part of Apple’s ongoing efforts to make Safari a private browser on its iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
