Practical, step-by-step instructions to protect your digital life on macOS.
Protecting your privacy on macOS doesn't have to be complicated. NetworkMonitor provides powerful tools — these guides show you exactly how to use them effectively and legally.
Configure NetworkMonitor to use DNS over HTTPS (DoH) or DNS over QUIC (DoQ). This protects your DNS queries from ISP surveillance and prevents man-in-the-middle attacks.
Recommended resolvers: Cloudflare (1.1.1.1), Quad9, or Mullvad DNS.
Use NetworkMonitor's Learning Mode for the first two weeks. The system will observe your actual usage patterns and suggest intelligent rules based on real behavior rather than assumptions.
Import community-maintained blocklists for common advertising and analytics domains. This provides immediate protection against the most pervasive forms of tracking.
If you are a journalist, activist, or high-profile individual, enable macOS Lockdown Mode in addition to NetworkMonitor rules for maximum protection against sophisticated attacks.
For maximum control, configure different DNS resolvers for different applications. For example, use a privacy-focused resolver for your browser while allowing work applications to use corporate DNS.
Review your NetworkMonitor rules every 3-6 months. Remove outdated rules and update blocklists to reflect the current threat landscape.
NetworkMonitor works best when combined with Apple's built-in features (App Privacy Report, Hide My Email, Private Relay) and third-party tools like NextDNS.