Is it safe to use public Wi-Fi?
Public Wi-Fi — at a coffee shop, library, hotel, or mall — is convenient but carries real risks. Other people on the same network can potentially see your internet traffic. For casual browsing, reading news, or watching videos, public Wi-Fi is generally fine. But avoid doing anything sensitive on public Wi-Fi: banking, shopping, or logging in to important accounts. The safest alternative is to use your iPhone's mobile data (4G or 5G) instead of public Wi-Fi — this creates a private connection directly to your phone company. If you must use public Wi-Fi, at minimum make sure all the websites you visit show 'https://' in the address bar.
What to do
- Use your phone's mobile data (4G/5G) instead of public Wi-Fi for anything important.
- If using public Wi-Fi, only browse — do not log in to accounts.
- Never do banking, shopping, or enter passwords on public Wi-Fi.
- Check that websites show 'https://' — not 'http://' — before entering any information.
- Turn off Wi-Fi on your device when you leave a public place.
- Be aware of 'evil twin' networks — fake Wi-Fi named like a real café to intercept your data.
The 3-Second Rule
A simple rule: if you would not shout the information across a coffee shop, do not type it on public Wi-Fi.
Important Warning
Hackers set up fake Wi-Fi networks that look like the real thing — 'TimHortons_Free' may not be from Tim Hortons. When in doubt, use mobile data.
Learn More
Go deeper with our full lesson: Module 2: The Security Shield.