How to stop iCloud Private Relay notifications on iPhone, iPad and Mac

To stop iCloud Private Relay notifications, open Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Private Relay, turn off Private Relay, and tap Turn Off Private Relay.

This guide covers the full switch-off on iPhone, iPad and Mac, the per-network switch for one Wi-Fi or cellular network, the one-day pause, and fixes for the unavailable and system settings alerts.

How to turn off iCloud Private Relay on iPhone or iPad

Private Relay sends a notice when it becomes unavailable and another when it is active again. Turning the feature off ends those status changes on that device.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap your name at the top of the list.
3. Tap iCloud, then tap Private Relay.
4. Tap the Private Relay switch to turn it off.
5. Tap Turn Off Private Relay to switch it off completely.

Private Relay is set separately on each device. Repeat these steps on your iPad and your Mac if they show the same alerts.

Which Private Relay setting stops the alert you keep seeing

What you see or want	Change this	What happens
You never want Private Relay alerts again	Turn Off Private Relay in iCloud settings	The feature stays off on that device until you turn it back on
A message says one network is not compatible	Limit IP Address Tracking for that Wi-Fi or cellular network	Private Relay is off on that network only, across your devices
You need a quiet day on a hotel or work network	Turn Off Until Tomorrow	Private Relay turns itself back on within 24 hours
One website blocks you or keeps asking you to sign in	Show IP Address for that site in Safari	Only that site sees your real IP address, for now
Mac says system settings prevent Private Relay from working	Turn off or uninstall the VPN or filtering app	Private Relay can run again, or you turn it off for good
Alerts appear when you travel abroad	Nothing, or turn Private Relay off	It turns off in unsupported regions and back on when you return

Turn off iCloud Private Relay on a Mac

1. Choose the Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click your name at the top of the sidebar.
3. Click iCloud, then click Private Relay.
4. Turn off Private Relay.
5. Click Turn Off Private Relay to switch it off completely.
6. Click Done.

If you do not see your name in the sidebar, click Sign in and enter your Apple Account details first. Private Relay only appears for a signed-in account.

Turn off Private Relay for one Wi-Fi network on iPhone

Use this when a message says a network is not compatible with Private Relay, such as a school, office or hotel network. Private Relay keeps working everywhere else.

1. Open Settings and tap Wi-Fi.
2. Tap the More Info button next to the network you are on.
3. Scroll down to Limit IP Address Tracking.
4. Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking.

This network setting applies to every device signed in to the same Apple Account that has Private Relay turned on. On older versions of iOS, the switch is labelled iCloud Private Relay instead.

Turn off Private Relay on cellular data on iPhone

1. Open Settings and tap Cellular.
2. With one line, tap Cellular Data Options.
3. With two lines or Dual SIM, select the line under SIMs.
4. Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking.

The cellular setting belongs to that physical SIM or eSIM. If you use Dual SIM, change each line separately.

Turn off Private Relay for Wi-Fi or Ethernet on a Mac

1. Choose the Apple menu > System Settings.
2. Click Network in the sidebar.
3. For Wi-Fi, click Wi-Fi, then click Details next to the network name.
4. For a wired connection, click the Ethernet connection, then click Advanced.
5. Turn off Limit IP address tracking.

In macOS Monterey, open System Preferences > Network, select the network, and clear the checkmark next to Limit IP Address Tracking.

Turn off Private Relay until tomorrow

The pause suits a short stay on a network that will not cooperate. Private Relay turns itself back on within 24 hours, so you do not have to remember.

1. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings > your name > iCloud > Private Relay.
2. On a Mac, open System Settings > your name > iCloud > Private Relay.
3. Turn off the Private Relay switch.
4. Choose Turn Off Until Tomorrow.

Show your IP address to one website in Safari

Sites that rely on IP filtering or rate limits sometimes block Private Relay users. You can let one site see your IP address without turning the feature off.

1. Open the website in Safari.
2. On iPhone or iPad, tap the Page Menu button, then tap Show IP Address.
3. On a Mac, choose View > Reload and Show IP Address.

Your network provider can also see which site you are browsing once you do this. If the option is missing, update to the latest iOS, iPadOS or macOS.

What iCloud Private Relay does and is it worth keeping on

Question	Answer
What it protects	Safari browsing: your IP address and DNS lookups
How it works	Traffic passes through two relays; Apple runs the first, a third-party provider runs the second
Who sees what	Apple's relay sees your IP address but not the site; the second relay sees the site but gives it a temporary IP
What you need	An iCloud+ subscription, yours or one shared through Family Sharing
Where it works	iPhone, iPad and Mac, in countries and regions where Apple offers it
Known side effects	Some sites ask for extra sign-in steps, and speed tests can show lower numbers
What turning it off means	Network providers and websites can monitor your Safari activity again

Keep it on if you browse in Safari on public or shared networks. Turn it off, or off for one network, if the alerts and blocked sites cost you more than the privacy gain.

How to check iCloud Private Relay is off

1. Open Settings > your name > iCloud on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings > your name > iCloud on a Mac.
2. Look at the Private Relay row and confirm the switch is off.
3. For a per-network change, open the network's More Info or Details page and confirm Limit IP Address Tracking is off.
4. Open a website in Safari that blocked you before and confirm it loads normally.

How to turn iCloud Private Relay back on

1. Open Settings > your name > iCloud > Private Relay on iPhone or iPad.
2. On a Mac, open System Settings > your name > iCloud > Private Relay.
3. Turn on Private Relay, then click Done on a Mac.
4. To restore it on one network, turn Limit IP Address Tracking back on in that network's Wi-Fi, Cellular or Network settings.

Private Relay not working or unavailable: fixes by symptom

"Private Relay is unavailable" or "temporarily unavailable"

You are in a country or region without Private Relay, or the current network does not support it.

1. Check whether you are travelling; Private Relay turns off automatically in unsupported regions.
2. Wait until you return, and it turns back on by itself.
3. If the alert names the network, turn off Limit IP Address Tracking for that Wi-Fi or cellular network.

Private Relay keeps turning off

Travel, a per-network setting, or a pause set with Turn Off Until Tomorrow.

1. Open the Wi-Fi network's More Info page and check Limit IP Address Tracking.
2. Turn it on if you want Private Relay on that network again.
3. Check the main Private Relay switch in iCloud settings and turn it on if a pause ended.

Private Relay not working on Wi-Fi

Business, school and filtered networks need to audit traffic, so they are often incompatible.

1. Open Settings > Wi-Fi and tap More Info next to the network.
2. Turn off Limit IP Address Tracking for that network only.
3. Ask the network administrator to follow Apple's Private Relay network guidance if you want it to work there.

"Some of your system settings prevent Private Relay from working" on Mac

A VPN or internet filtering app installed settings or extensions that conflict with Private Relay.

1. Note which VPN or filtering apps run on your Mac.
2. Turn off or uninstall the app if you want Private Relay.
3. Keep the app and turn off Private Relay instead if you need the app.

Can't find Private Relay in Settings

Private Relay needs iCloud+ and a signed-in Apple Account, and it is not offered in every region.

1. Open Settings and confirm your name appears at the top.
2. Tap your name > iCloud and look for Private Relay.
3. If it is missing, check that you or your Family Sharing group has iCloud+.

iCloud Private Relay notifications FAQ

How do I disable Private Relay?

Go to Settings > your name > iCloud > Private Relay on iPhone or iPad and turn off Private Relay. On a Mac, use System Settings > your name > iCloud > Private Relay. Choose Turn Off Private Relay to keep it off.

Where do I find Private Relay in Settings?

Private Relay sits under your Apple Account in the iCloud section. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, then tap Private Relay. On a Mac, the same path starts in System Settings.

Should Private Relay be on or off?

Keep Private Relay on if you want websites and network providers kept from building a profile of your Safari browsing. Turn it off, or off for one network, when it blocks sites or a network you depend on.

Why does Private Relay keep turning off?

Private Relay turns off automatically in countries or regions where it is not offered, and turns back on when you return. It also stays off on any network where Limit IP Address Tracking is switched off.

Why is Private Relay unavailable?

Private Relay is unavailable when your region does not support it or the network you are on is not compatible. Business, school and filtered networks commonly block it because they need to inspect traffic.

Is Private Relay worth it?

Private Relay is worth keeping if you already pay for iCloud+ and browse in Safari on public networks. It hides your IP address from websites and your browsing from the network provider. It does not cover other browsers.

Does Private Relay work with other browsers?

Apple describes Private Relay as protection for browsing in Safari. If you use another browser, Private Relay does not change how that browser connects to websites.

Can I turn off Private Relay for one network only?

Yes. Open the network's More Info page on iPhone or its Details page on a Mac and turn off Limit IP Address Tracking. Private Relay stays on everywhere else, and the setting carries across your signed-in devices.

Bottom line: turn Private Relay off or limit it per network?

If the alerts only appear on one Wi-Fi or cellular network, turn off Limit IP Address Tracking for that network and keep Private Relay everywhere else. That removes the incompatible-network messages while Safari keeps its IP and DNS protection on every other network. Turn Private Relay off completely only if you do not value that protection.