UK Apple Users Face Two Levels of iCloud Security After Government Order

In the UK, Apple customers are now facing a surprising split in how their iCloud data is protected. Two people with the exact same iPhone and Apple services can have very different levels of security, depending on when they set up a key feature called Advanced Data Protection (ADP).

ADP offers stronger security by using end-to-end encryption for more types of iCloud data, including backups, photos, and notes. This means only the user’s trusted devices hold the keys to unlock that data—Apple itself cannot access it. But since February 2025, new Apple users in the UK cannot turn on ADP anymore.

This change came after the UK government secretly issued a legal order known as a Technical Capability Notice. This order required Apple to keep the ability to access iCloud data protected by the strongest encryption when law enforcement has a warrant. Apple refused to weaken its encryption, saying doing so would make all users less safe.

To avoid building a so-called “backdoor” that could be exploited, Apple stopped offering ADP to new UK users. Existing users who had already turned on ADP can keep it for now, but they will be asked to disable it eventually. Apple’s security setup means only the user’s own devices can switch ADP on or off—Apple cannot do it for them.

Because of this, a two-tier system has emerged. Some UK users, like Alice, enjoy the highest iCloud security because they enabled ADP before the feature was removed. Others, like Bill, can’t turn on ADP and must rely on standard protection where Apple holds the encryption keys and can provide data to authorities if legally required.

The secrecy around the government’s order has caused concern. Apple has challenged the UK government’s powers in court, and US lawmakers have called for more transparency so they can oversee the impact on privacy and security.

Meanwhile, Apple continues to offer ADP everywhere else in the world. UK users without ADP still get strong default encryption on services like iMessage and FaceTime, but their iCloud data is less protected than that of users who opted in earlier.