Hands-On Apple 216: Audit Your Health Data Privacy
Host: Micah Sargent
Date: January 29, 2026
Theme: How to audit and control which apps have access to your Apple Health data, with step-by-step guidance, privacy insights, and practical recommendations.
Episode Overview
This episode centers on the importance of regularly reviewing which apps have access to your health data on Apple devices. Micah Sargent demonstrates, in detail, how to navigate iOS to see, control, and remove data shared with both first and third-party apps—reminding listeners of the personal and sensitive nature of this information. Listeners are empowered to take direct action on their privacy with practical instructions and anecdotes.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
Why Audit Health Data Access?
- The Health app can share data with a growing number of apps—including new integrations like ChatGPT.
- Many users may not realize how many apps have ongoing access to their sensitive health info.
Quote:
“There’s a good chance that there are loads of apps right now that have access to your health data, and it’s time to take a look at that and make changes if you need to.”
—Micah Sargent [00:37]
Step-by-Step: How to Audit Your Health Data Sharing
1. Open the Health App [01:01]
- Open the Health app on your iPhone.
- Tap your profile photo/name at the top.
2. Navigate to Privacy & Apps [01:21]
- Scroll down to the Privacy section.
- Tap Apps to see all apps that have requested access over time.
3. Review Permissions for Each App [02:10]
- Select an app from the list (e.g., Apple Fitness, 8 Sleep, Carb Manager).
- See what data types the app is allowed to read and write.
- You can adjust these settings granularly for each data type.
Quote:
“You can go piecemeal, so I can say, yes, I’m okay with blood oxygen being shared, but… I don’t really think that 8 Sleep needs to know what my blood type is.”
—Micah Sargent [04:05]
First Party vs. Third Party App Differences [02:40]
- Apple’s own apps (like Fitness) typically have more limited and transparent data sharing.
- Third-party apps may request access to more, sometimes unnecessary, data.
- Each app shows data written/logged, which can be deleted at any time.
Example Walkthroughs
Apple Fitness App [02:45-03:05]
- Only “workout effort score” was shared.
- Users see individual entries and can delete specific data points.
Eight Sleep App [03:10-06:25]
- Controls for what 8 Sleep can read/write: heart rate, respiratory rate, sleep, blood oxygen, etc.
- Micah demonstrates selectively toggling data categories and explains rationale for each.
- Emphasizes you usually don’t have to enable “all” sharing for the app to work.
- Shows how you can see and delete data developed by 8 Sleep in the Health app.
Carb Manager App [13:40-14:40]
- Nutrition tracking app with broad permissions, but in this demo, sleep data sharing is disabled.
- You can see historical entries; for example, dietary cholesterol tracked from a ground turkey meal.
- Data and permissions can be selectively removed.
Quote:
“A lot of times you’ll find that these third party apps are able to function just fine without you needing to hit that ‘turn on all’ button. And that’s really handy, right?”
—Micah Sargent [06:09]
Reviewing Old or Uninstalled Apps [15:15-15:55]
- Apps deleted from your device may still have posted data to your Health app.
- You can review or remove legacy data as needed.
Best Practices & Final Tips
- Regularly check the Health app privacy settings to ensure you’re comfortable with ongoing data sharing.
- Only share data that is relevant or necessary for an app’s function.
- Check both on iPhone and iPad, as both platforms allow for privacy audits.
Quote:
“The single most important thing when it comes to this is just looking through that apps list and making sure that you did indeed select the data you wanted to choose to share with those apps—or not share with those apps.”
—Micah Sargent [16:25]
Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes
-
[04:45] Granular Data Sharing:
“Maybe I don’t need it to know what fiber I’m taking in—or my menstruation, if that were applicable…You can see that I have gone through kind of piece by piece and made choices based on what I feel 8 Sleep should have access to.” -
[06:38] On Location and Sensitivity:
“It doesn’t need to know my workout routes because… I don’t need it to have that location information.” -
[14:05] On Historical Logs:
“Wow. On June 24th, I logged 180 milligrams of cholesterol by way of natural ground turkey. I was eating a lot of ground turkey when I was doing the keto diet a long time ago.”
Important Timestamps
- 00:37 — Introduction: Why auditing is urgent with new app integrations (ChatGPT, etc.)
- 01:01 — Opening the Health app and accessing privacy settings
- 02:10 — Viewing and editing data access by apps
- 03:10-06:25 — Deep dive: Managing permissions for Eight Sleep
- 13:40-14:40 — Managing nutritional tracking apps (Carb Manager)
- 15:15-15:55 — Revisiting old or deleted apps and their data
- 16:25 — Closing tips and the importance of regular audits
Final Takeaways
- Audit your health data regularly—on both iPhone and iPad.
- Only share what’s necessary for each app.
- Delete any unwanted or legacy data from old apps.
- Protect your privacy by staying proactive about what apps know about you.
Micah leaves the listener with encouragement and a reminder to take control:
“…it’s just a great place to go to regularly check and go, okay, look, I don’t actually want that data there anymore. Not at all.”