Apple has stopped offering its end-to-end encrypted iCloud storage, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), to new users in the UK. Existing UK users will also be required to disable the feature in the future.
This move comes amid reports that the UK government requested Apple to provide backdoor access to users’ encrypted backups.
Apple spokesperson Julien Trosdorf confirmed the change in a statement to The Verge: “Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users, and current UK users will eventually need to disable this security feature.” He expressed disappointment, emphasizing that ADP was designed to protect users’ data against breaches and cyber threats.
ADP was introduced in late 2022 to offer end-to-end encryption for iCloud data, meaning only the account owner could decrypt their information. With this feature removed, UK users’ files—including iCloud backups and photos—will now be accessible to Apple and potentially shared with law enforcement upon receiving a legal warrant. However, certain types of iCloud data—like passwords, health data, payment details, and iMessage logs—will remain end-to-end encrypted.
Apple has already stopped offering ADP to new users in the UK, and while it cannot automatically disable ADP for existing users due to the nature of encryption, users will be required to disable the feature themselves to continue using iCloud. The company has not yet specified a deadline for this change.
