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Is UC Browser Safe?

UC Browser privacy label · by UCWEB SINGAPORE PTE. LTD. · checked November 2026

  • Tracks you
  • Collects location
  • Recently updated
App Privacy label Developer-reported · checked November 1, 2026
Used to track you
2types
Linked to you
6types
Not linked to you
0types

None declared

Short answer

It depends on how you feel about tracking: UC Browser declares data used to track you. The sensitive items are location. In total the label lists 6 data types; 32% of private browsers we checked declare tracking.

At a glance

UC Browser privacy in one look

Data exposure on the label
Used to track you
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Built only from the developer's App Store label. It describes disclosure, not tested behaviour.

Verdict from the label
Tracks you

UC Browser's developer reports using location, identifiers to track you across other companies' apps and websites.

Try it

Did UC Browser ask for something?

Pick the permission prompt you saw. We compare it with what UC Browser's developer declared.

It asked me for access to…
Tap a prompt to compare it with the label.
Matches the label

UC Browser lists Location on its label, including for tracking. Choose While Using and turn off Precise Location if the feature works without it.

Not on the label

User Content is not on UC Browser's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Not on the label

Contacts is not on UC Browser's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

Expected — and you can decline

UC Browser declares data used to track you, so expect the “Allow to track?” prompt. Tap Ask App Not to Track; the app must keep working without it.

Not on the label

Health & Fitness is not on UC Browser's label. That can be fine: data used only on your iPhone does not have to be declared. If the data would need to leave the phone for the feature to work, ask why it is missing.

A permission is what the app can reach on your iPhone; the label is what the developer says leaves it. They answer different questions.

Line by line

What UC Browser collects, explained

Data typeWhat it coversWhere to limit it
LocationSensitiveUsed to track youLinked to you Where your phone is, either precisely (street level) or approximately (city or area). Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services: choose Never or While Using, and turn off Precise Location if the app does not need it.
Search HistoryLinked to you Searches you run inside the app. Look for a clear-history or private-search option in the app.
PurchasesLinked to you What you have bought or tend to buy. Review in-app marketing settings; subscriptions are listed in Settings › [your name] › Subscriptions.
IdentifiersUsed to track youLinked to you An account ID, screen name, customer number or a device-level ID such as the advertising identifier. Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking: turn off Allow Apps to Request to Track, or tap Ask App Not to Track when prompted.
Usage DataLinked to you What you tap, open and view inside the app, plus which ads you have seen. There is no single iOS switch. Look for an analytics or personalised-ads toggle in the app's own settings.
DiagnosticsLinked to you Crash logs, launch times, hang rates and energy use. Settings › Privacy & Security › Analytics & Improvements › Share With App Developers controls what Apple passes on; the app's own crash reporting is separate.
Reading the label

What UC Browser's label means for you

UC Browser's label has 2 types under “Data Used to Track You”, 6 types under “Data Linked to You”. A data type can appear in more than one section when it is used for different purposes — for example, identifiers used for both analytics and advertising.

Tracking is the declaration that most separates apps. It means location, identifiers from UC Browser can be combined with data from other companies to target or measure ads, or shared with data brokers. On iOS 14.5 and later, the app must ask your permission before tracking you through the advertising identifier; answering “Ask App Not to Track” blocks that identifier and tells the developer you have declined.

The items that deserve the most attention are location. Location history reveals home, work and routines. Precise location deserves the most scrutiny.

A private browser should collect less than the sites it visits. Browsing History or Identifiers on its label are worth a second look. Check the default search engine, whether history syncs to an account, and whether tracker blocking is on by default.

Among the 160 private browsers in our snapshot with a label, 32% declare tracking, 39% collect data linked to you and 31% say they collect nothing. UC Browser lists 6 data types, more than the average of 2.1 for this group.

Utilities range from calculators to VPNs, so their labels vary more than any other category. A simple tool that collects identifiers and usage data for tracking is a sign of advertising SDKs.

On your iPhone

Settings to check for UC Browser

  1. 1

    Tracking

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Tracking. If “Allow Apps to Request to Track” is off, apps cannot ask, and they are told to treat you as having declined. You can also turn it off for this app alone.

  2. 2

    Location

    Settings › Privacy & Security › Location Services › UC Browser. Choose While Using or Never, and switch off Precise Location if a city-level answer is enough.

  3. 3

    Lock the app

    On iOS 18 and later, touch and hold the icon and choose Require Face ID. Anyone who picks up your unlocked phone then needs your face, fingerprint or passcode to open it.

  4. 4

    Notifications

    Settings › Notifications › UC Browser › Show Previews: When Unlocked keeps message and account details off the Lock Screen.

Cross-app tracking

Does UC Browser track you?

Yes — 2 data types

Location and identifiers. Apple defines tracking as linking data from this app with data from other companies' apps, websites or offline sources for targeted advertising or ad measurement, or sharing it with a data broker.

Does UC Browser track you? Full answer and how to stop it →

iOS 18 and later

Lock UC Browser behind Face ID

  1. Find UC Browser on your Home Screen or in App Library.
  2. Touch and hold the icon until the quick-actions menu opens.
  3. Tap Require Face ID (or Require Touch ID / Require Passcode, depending on your iPhone).
  4. Tap Require Face ID again to confirm. UC Browser now asks for authentication every time it opens.

The lock is an iPhone feature, so it works whether or not UC Browser has a passcode of its own. It does not change what the app sends to its developer.

From the App Store record

About UC Browser

DeveloperUCWEB SINGAPORE PTE. LTD.
App Store categoryUtilities (also Entertainment)
Latest version12.2.5.1275, released October 2026
First releasedNovember 2015
RequiresiOS 15 or later
Size428 MB
Age rating17+
Languages19 (AR, BN, EN, FR, HI, ID, JA, MS…)
Bundle IDcom.uc.iphone.browser.international

The current version shipped in October 2026, so the app is actively maintained and its label is likely current. Labels are updated by developers when practices change.

Read with care

What the label cannot tell you

  • A label is self-reported. Apple publishes the developer's answers and can reject apps that misrepresent them, but it does not independently verify what UC Browser sends.
  • It does not say where data is stored, how long it is kept, whether it is encrypted, or which companies receive it. The privacy policy covers those points.
  • Optional data counts: if a feature lets you add something (a profile photo, a phone number), the type is listed even if you never use the feature.
  • Data handled only on your iPhone is not 'collected', so a no-collection label is compatible with an app that reads your files locally.
  • Third-party sign-in, payment processors and SDKs are supposed to be included, but a label can lag behind a new version.

The question to ask UC Browser's developer: Does the browser keep my history on its servers?

How it compares

UC Browser vs similar private browsers

Data types listed on each App Store privacy label
Tracks youLinked to youNot linkedCollects nothing

Fewer types is not automatically safer: a cloud backup app has to collect your files to work. Compare like with like.

Checking another app?

Look up any of our apps in seconds, or put two labels side by side.

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All private browsers → Who tracks you? A–Z → Apps that collect location → Privacy label decoder →

Do it now

Your UC Browser privacy checklist

Tick what you have done
Tick each step as you do it on your iPhone.

Done. You have applied every control the label points to.

Quick quiz

True or false?

  1. Q1UC Browser's privacy label says it uses data to track you.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    True: it lists location and identifiers under Data Used to Track You.

  2. Q2Apple tests every app to confirm its privacy label is accurate.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Labels are self-reported by developers. Apple can reject or remove apps that misrepresent practices, but it does not audit each label.

  3. Q3UC Browser collects Location.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    True: Location appears on its label.

  4. Q4Data “Not Linked to You” is never sent off your iPhone.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    It is collected and sent; the developer says it is de-identified rather than tied to your account or device.

  5. Q5Tapping “Ask App Not to Track” can stop an app from working.
    Right.
    Not quite.

    Apple's rules require apps to work the same whether or not you allow tracking.

Questions people ask

UC Browser privacy FAQ

Is UC Browser safe to use?
Based on its App Store privacy label, uC Browser's developer reports using location, identifiers to track you across other companies' apps and websites. Whether that is acceptable depends on what you will store in it. The label is developer-reported, not an independent security test.
Does UC Browser track you?
Yes. Its label lists location and identifiers under Data Used to Track You. You can decline at the iOS tracking prompt.
What data does UC Browser collect?
Location, search history, purchases, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics. Of these, location, search history, purchases, identifiers, usage data and diagnostics are linked to your identity.
Who makes UC Browser?
UCWEB SINGAPORE PTE. LTD., according to the App Store. It was first released in November 2015 and the current version is 12.2.5.1275.
Can I lock UC Browser with Face ID?
On iOS 18 or later, touch and hold UC Browser's icon and choose Require Face ID (or Touch ID / Passcode). This is an iPhone feature and works for most downloaded apps, whether or not the app has its own lock. If you don't see the option, update iOS.
How does UC Browser compare with other private browsers?
Across 160 private browsers with labels in our snapshot, 32% declare tracking and 31% say they collect no data. UC Browser lists 6 data types against an average of 2.1.
Does the browser keep my history on its servers?
The privacy label cannot answer that. Look for it in UC Browser's privacy policy or support pages, linked from the App Store listing. Check the default search engine, whether history syncs to an account, and whether tracker blocking is on by default.
How do I delete my data from UC Browser?
Apps that let you create an account must also let you start account deletion from inside the app (an App Store rule since June 2022). Deleting the app from your iPhone alone does not delete data already sent to the developer.
Facts on this page come from UC Browser on the App Store, as reported by the developer. Checked 2026-11-01. How we collect data · Report a correction