Ask the Admins: What is iCloud Private Relay?

Corporate networks are changing, not because of new firewalls or infrastructure, but because user privacy tools are becoming the more powerful default. Apple’s iCloud Private Relay is one of those tools redefining how much visibility IT teams can maintain over managed Apple devices.

iCloud Private Relay protects user privacy by encrypting DNS requests in Safari and hiding IP addresses.

For IT admins, it introduces new challenges: reduced filtering effectiveness, less network observability, and potential conflicts with compliance tools that depend on DNS or traffic inspection.

Private Relay isn’t a traditional VPN, and it doesn’t behave like one, which is exactly why network and security teams need to understand how it works, what traffic it affects, and how to manage it within their MDM provider.

This guide breaks down what iCloud Private Relay is, how it functions behind the scenes, and the policies organizations should consider for secure, scalable Apple deployments.

What is iCloud Private Relay?

iCloud Private Relay is a privacy-enhancing feature included with iCloud+ subscriptions. When enabled, it obscures a user’s IP address and encrypts DNS and Safari browsing traffic, preventing networks, ISPs, and malicious observers from seeing where a user is going online.

Supported systems:

• iOS 15+
• iPadOS 15+
• macOS 12.0.1+
• visionOS 1.0+

Where Apple’s iCloud Private Relay Applies

What is Protected by iCloud Private Relay?

• Safari web traffic (HTTP/HTTPS): Encrypted and proxied through Apple’s two-hop relay architecture.
• Safari DNS lookups: Safari-originated DNS queries never hit the organization’s DNS infrastructure.
• IP address masking: Safari sessions use an approximate, region-based IP instead of the device’s actual IP.
• Some system DNS tied to Safari operations: In certain cases, OS-level DNS queries triggered by Safari may also use Private Relay.

What Might be Affected by iCloud Private Relay (Situational Behavior)?

• Apps using system HTTP APIs (NSURLSession): Some apps may see incidental routing changes, though behavior is not documented as consistent.
• Fallback DNS behavior: When DNS filtering tools partially block Safari DNS, the OS may retry through Private Relay, leading to inconsistent filtering outcomes.

What’s not protected by iCloud Private Relay?

• Apps using their own DNS or networking stack
• Non-Safari browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
• Traffic over VPN connections (VPNs take precedence and disable Private Relay for that session)
• Local network traffic, internal domains, and Bonjour services
• Enterprise proxies inspecting network-layer traffic
• Supervised devices where MDM restricts Private Relay (feature is fully disabled)

This split model means IT teams may see partial visibility loss: Safari traffic is protected, but most app traffic is not.

How Private Relay Differs From a VPN

Private Relay and VPNs both modify traffic flow, but their goals, architectures, and administrative controls are very different.

Private Relay prioritizes user privacy—not enterprise inspection—which is why unmanaged use can interfere with DNS filtering, proxy routing, or compliance monitoring.

How iCloud Private Relay Works

Private Relay uses a two-hop proxy architecture that splits user identity from browsing destination. This design ensures that neither Apple nor a third party can correlate a specific user with a specific website.

Step 1: Ingress Proxy (Apple)

Safari encrypts the user’s DNS and HTTP requests and sends them to the first relay—operated by Apple.
 The ingress relay:

• Strips the originating IP address
• Assigns a general (approximate region) IP
• Forwards the encrypted request to the second relay

Step 2: Egress Proxy (Third Party)

A separate, non-Apple partner decrypts only the destination information and forwards the request to the website.
The egress relay:

• Sees the destination domain
• Never learns the user’s identity or original IP

No single entity can see both the user and the destination.This is the core privacy guarantee.

What Traffic Private Relay Protects
When enabled, Private Relay protects a defined (and limited) set of traffic: 

Protected:

• Safari web browsing traffic (HTTP/HTTPS)
• DNS queries generated by Safari
• Some system DNS requests triggered as part of Safari browsing

Not protected:

• Traffic from apps using their own DNS, proxy, or networking stack
• Non-Safari browsers
• Traffic sent through a VPN
• Local network traffic
• Internal domains or private network resources

This selective protection creates partial visibility loss—a challenge for teams relying on DNS logs, IP attribution, or consistent filtering.

iCloud Private Relay’s Impact on Enterprise Networks

Private Relay meaningfully changes how enterprise networks enforce security, routing, and compliance. Because Safari traffic becomes opaque, traditional network controls may behave unpredictably.

Reduced Network Monitoring Visibility

Because IP addresses are anonymized and DNS requests are encrypted, teams may lose the ability to:

• Attribute requests to specific devices
• Apply IP-based access controls
• Monitor browsing behavior for threat indicators
• Maintain audit logs for regulated industries

Safari becomes a “black box” unless Private Relay is disabled.

Content Filtering Limitations

DNS filtering tools frequently report:

• Missing or incomplete DNS logs
• Filters appearing inconsistent
• Users accessing sites that dashboards show as blocked

This is because Safari queries never reach the enterprise DNS resolver.

DNS-Level Control Disruptions

Private Relay bypasses enterprise DNS resolvers, which affects:

• SafeSearch enforcement
• Threat detection feeds
• DLP policies dependent on DNS routing
• Internal domain resolution (if misconfigured)

Proxy Conflicts

Because Private Relay encrypts traffic before corporate proxies can inspect it, proxies may:

• Fail open (allowing unexpected access)
• Fail closed (blocking Safari browsing entirely)
• Log incomplete or misleading activity

Compliance and DLP Considerations

Private Relay is often incompatible with environments requiring:

• Full browsing logs
• Enforced content restrictions
• IP attribution
• Zero-trust inspection

Healthcare, finance, government, EDU, and other regulated industries typically must restrict it.

Managing iCloud Private Relay in Enterprise Environments

Because Private Relay is a user-level setting, admins must enforce policies through configuration profiles in MDM.

How to Disable iCloud Private Relay with MDM

Disabling iCloud Private Relay on managed Apple devices is best done through a supervised MDM restriction that blocks the feature at the OS level, preventing end users from turning it back on in Settings.

Apple provides a supervised device restriction: 

Allow iCloud Private Relay = False

When enforced, users cannot enable Private Relay in Settings. This is the most reliable method for organizations requiring full network visibility.

iCloud Private Relay can be centrally disabled on supervised Apple devices managed by Addigy by deploying an MDM Restrictions profile that turns off Apple’s iCloud Relay setting at the OS level.

Disabling iCloud Private Relay with Addigy MDM

In Addigy, create or edit an MDM Restrictions configuration and enable the restriction that disables iCloud Private Relay (implemented via Apple’s iCloud Relay restriction key on macOS Monterey and later).

Assign this Restrictions profile to the appropriate Addigy Policies so that all supervised macOS, iOS, and iPadOS devices inherit the setting and block users from enabling Private Relay in iCloud settings.

Why this matters for IT and MSPs

Once the Addigy Restrictions payload is applied, end users see the Private Relay toggle disabled or unavailable in system settings, preserving full network and web traffic visibility for security and compliance tools.

For IT managers and MSPs, using Addigy to enforce the iCloud Relay restriction is more reliable than network-only blocks because the control travels with the device across networks and cannot be bypassed by the user.

Blocking Private Relay Traffic at the Network Layer

Some networks block Private Relay endpoints entirely.

This may cause:

• DNS failures
• Connection errors
• Safari breakage
• Support tickets
  

Network blocking should be used only for BYOD or unmanaged devices.

When to Disable vs. Allow iCloud Private Relay

Not every environment needs to disable Private Relay. Here’s how to decide:

Communicating iCloud Private Relay Policies to Users

Because Private Relay is marketed as a personal privacy feature, IT must proactively explain:

• Why it is disabled
• How it affects browsing behavior
• What security tools require DNS visibility

Clear messaging reduces confusion and support load.

Sample email to employees: why iCloud Private Relay is Disabled

We are disabling iCloud Private Relay on company-managed Apple devices to ensure our security tools can properly protect both our network and your work data. This change only affects work devices and should not significantly impact your normal browsing experience.

• iCloud Private Relay hides IP address and DNS information in ways that interfere with our web filtering and threat detection systems.
• Turning it off restores full visibility so we can block malicious sites and meet compliance requirements.
• You may notice the Private Relay toggle is disabled in Settings and cannot be changed.
• If you have trouble accessing any sites or apps after this change, please contact the IT Service Desk for assistance.

Alternatives When Private Relay Is Enabled

Organizations may shift controls to:

• Endpoint-based security agents
• Per-app VPNs
• Application-layer DLP
• Browser-level compliance extensions
• These methods remain effective even when Safari traffic is encrypted.

Best Practices for IT Managers 

Because Private Relay affects network visibility unevenly, IT teams should adopt a deliberate, ownership-based strategy and validate their approach before enabling it organization-wide.

Decide Your Strategy Based on Device Ownership

Disable Private Relay for:

• Corporate-owned, supervised devices
• Environments requiring DNS filtering
• Regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government)

Allow Private Relay for:

• BYOD deployments
• Privacy-first cultures
• Environments with endpoint-level security tools

Test Before Broad Deployment

Pilot Private Relay with:

• Different OS versions
• Your DNS filtering tools
• Proxy environments
• VPN clients and split tunnels

Safari behavior can vary between macOS and iOS.

Document & Communicate Clearly

Add Private Relay policies to:

• MDM onboarding workflows
• Network access documentation
• Employee FAQ pages

Users should know what to expect and why.

Monitor Usage Patterns

Indicators of Private Relay activity include:

• Missing DNS logs
• Browser-only filtering gaps
• Traffic routed to Private Relay ingress IP ranges

Monitoring helps validate your policy and reduce misconfigurations.

Your Next Steps With iCloud Private Relay

iCloud Private Relay changes how Safari traffic behaves, improving user privacy but reducing enterprise visibility. For IT teams, understanding its architecture, limitations, and network impact is essential to maintaining secure, compliant deployments.

Whether your organization chooses to disable Private Relay, selectively allow it, or support a hybrid model, MDM enforcement and clear communication remain critical for predictable outcomes.

Addigy gives admins the control they need to enforce network policies at scale, ensuring devices remain secure without hindering user experience.

Explore how Addigy supports network configuration and privacy controls for Apple fleets.

• Addigy’s Apple MDM Software Features and Capabilities 
• Addigy’s MDM Configurations 

LinkedIn Posts:

Option one:

iCloud Private Relay is great for user privacy… but a headache for IT.

Safari traffic gets masked. DNS queries get encrypted. Proxies get bypassed.
And suddenly your filtering, logging, and security tools stop behaving the way you expect.

In our latest Ask the Admins guide, we break down:

Safari traffic gets masked. DNS queries get encrypted. Proxies get bypassed.
And suddenly your filtering, logging, and security tools stop behaving the way you expect.

In our latest Ask the Admins guide, we break down:

• What Private Relay actually protects (and what it doesn’t)
• Why network visibility drops when users enable it
• How it interacts with DNS filtering, proxies & compliance tools
• When IT should disable Private Relay through MDM
• When it’s OK to allow it — especially in BYOD environments
• Best practices for documenting & communicating your policy

If Private Relay has ever caused a mysterious “network issue” on your Mac or iOS fleet… this guide is for you.

Read the full breakdown on managing iCloud Private Relay in your environments.

Option two:

Your DNS filters aren’t broken – your users just turned on Private Relay. 
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay hides IP addresses, encrypts Safari DNS, and quietly routes traffic through a dual-hop relay. Great for personal privacy.

Tough for IT teams relying on:

• Network visibility
• DNS-based security
• Compliance logging
• On-prem proxies
• DLP routing rules

In our new guide for IT admins, we cover:

• What iCloud Private Relay really is (and why it’s not a VPN)
• Which parts of enterprise security it disrupts
• How to disable or block it using MDM
• When allowing it makes sense — and when it doesn’t
• Best practices for rollout, testing, and fleet communication

If you’ve seen weird Safari behavior, bypassed proxies, or missing DNS logs… this explains everything.

Dive into our iCloud Private Relay guide.