What is Porsche privacy mode and what’s it used for?

If you want to use Connect services in your car using the My Porsche app, you’ll need to deactivate privacy mode / turn on Connect Services in your car’s Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system.

How does privacy mode work in my car?

Deactivating privacy mode / turning on Connect Services starts a data transfer, which in turn activates all Porsche Connect services in your car. A number of your car’s functions, like live traffic information for navigation, remote access such as locking and unlocking, trip control and finding your vehicle via the My Porsche app can be used. You’ll now also be able to install online software updates.

This data transfer doesn’t incur any additional costs.

With Privacy Mode activated / Connect Services turned off no connection will be established between the My Porsche app and the car, and the use of Porsche Connect services are restricted. Security features for theft protection or accident notification remain active for safety reasons, whether privacy mode is set or not.

How can I activate or deactivate privacy mode?

Here’s how you can activate or deactivate privacy mode in your car’s Porsche Communication Management (PCM) infotainment system.

Please note, there may be slight differences in how the steps below are named depending on the software version in your car.

To find out your model year, see the article What is the model year of my Porsche?.

718

Model years 2016-2025

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s instrument cluster:

Select Vehicle.

Select Settings.

Select Car Connect.

Select Privacy to activate or deactivate.

911

From model year 2025

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and Porsche Connect.

Tap Connect Services.

Select active or inactive.

Note: Applicable to latest software version.

Model years 2022-2024

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Porsche Connect Settings.

Tap Privacy mode.

Select active or inactive.

Model years 2020-2021

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Set.

Tap Porsche Connect.

Select Privacy mode to activate or deactivate.

Model years 2017-2019

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s instrument cluster:

Select Vehicle.

Select Settings.

Select Car Connect.

Select Privacy to activate or deactivate.

Taycan

From model year 2025

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and Porsche Connect.

Tap Connect services.

Select active or inactive.

Model years 2020-2024

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Porsche Connect settings.

Tap Privacy mode.

Select active or inactive.

Tip: When privacy mode is activated, a ‘protective shield’ symbol will appear on the right-hand side of the PCM screen. Clicking on this symbol will take you to the settings where you can deactivate privacy mode.

Panamera

From model year 2025

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and Porsche Connect.

Tap Connect Services.

Select active or inactive.

Note: Applicable to latest software version

Model years 2022-2024

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and Porsche Connect settings.

Tap Privacy mode.

Select active or inactive.

Model year 2021

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Set.

Tap Porsche Connect.

Select Private mode to activate or deactivate.

Model years 2017-2020

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap CAR.

Tap CONTROL.

Tap Vehicle or Vehicle settings.

Select Porsche Car Connect App to activate or deactivate.

Model year 2016

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s instrument cluster:

Select Vehicle.

Select Settings.

Select Car Connect.

Select Privacy to activate or deactivate.

Macan

Model years 2019-2026

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Set.

Tap Porsche Connect.

Select Privacy mode to activate or deactivate.

Model years 2016-2018

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s instrument cluster:

Select Vehicle.

Select Settings.

Select Car Connect.

Select Privacy to activate or deactivate.

Macan Electric

From model year 2026

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Data Privacy.

Tap Privacy Settings.

Select Connect services to activate or deactivate.

Model years 2024-2025

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy settings.

Select Connect services to activate or deactivate.

Tip: When privacy mode is activated, a ‘protective shield’ symbol will appear in the top right-hand corner of the PCM screen. Clicking on this symbol will take you to the settings where you can turn on the Connect services, i.e., deactivate privacy mode.

Cayenne

From model year 2025

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and Porsche Connect.

Tap Connect services.

Select active or inactive.

Note: Applicable to latest software version.

Model years 2022-2024

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Privacy and Porsche Connect settings.

Tap Privacy mode.

Select active or inactive.

Model years 2019-2021

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s PCM:

Tap Set.

Tap Porsche Connect.

Select Privacy mode to activate or deactivate.

Model years 2015-2018

Here’s how to activate and deactivate privacy mode in your car’s instrument cluster:

Select Vehicle.

Select Settings.

Select Car Connect.

Select Privacy to activate or deactivate.

Cayenne Electric

From model year 2026

Here’s how to activate and deactivate Connect services (also sometimes referred to as ‘privacy mode’) in your car’s PCM:

Tap Settings.

Tap Data Privacy.

Tap Privacy Settings.

Select Connect services to activate or deactivate.

How to resolve issues with Remote Services in My Porsche app

Car locking and unlocking via the My Porsche app

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How does privacy mode work in my car?

How can I activate or deactivate privacy mode?

718

911

Taycan

Panamera

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Macan Electric

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Cayenne Electric

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