The UK Authorities has dropped its demand to entry consumer information from Apple gadgets, paving the way in which to restoring the strongest stage of safety for iPhone, iPad and Mac house owners nationwide.
Downing Avenue had requested that Apple present a "backdoor" that may have enabled entry to customers' protected, encrypted information.
Apple CEO Tim Cook dinner has beforehand argued that making a backdoor for encrypted providers "could be the equal of a grasp key, able to opening lots of of thousands and thousands of locks — from eating places and banks to shops and houses."
"No affordable individual would discover that acceptable," the 64-year-old govt argued in an open letter.
If Apple had moved ahead with the request from the UK Authorities and there was a approach to entry encrypted information, there could be no approach to restrict its entry to this nation — impacting thousands and thousands of residents worldwide.
In response to the request, Apple revoked its highest tier of information safety for iPhone, iPad, and Mac house owners dwelling within the UK in February. The safety software — generally known as Superior Knowledge Safety (ADP) — used end-to-end encryption to scramble the "majority" of your information earlier than they had been uploaded to iCloud for backup.
This course of meant that solely you can entry the contents of the information. Not even Apple can peek on the information, pictures, and different information saved by way of its iCloud service.
Apple made this resolution following the UK order, as they didn’t wish to abide by the request. The iPhone-maker subsequently withdrew ADP for all new customers and introduced authorized motion towards the Dwelling Workplace.
Over the previous few months, I’ve been working intently with our companions within the UK, alongside @POTUS and @VP, to make sure Individuals' personal information stays personal and our Constitutional rights and civil liberties are protected.
In consequence, the UK has agreed to drop its mandate for…— DNI Tulsi Gabbard (@DNIGabbard) August 19, 2025
President Donald Trump's spy chief Tulsi Gabbard posted on X that the UK has agreed to finish the request for the US tech large after working alongside American president Donald Trump, vice chairman JD Vance and British counterparts “over the previous few months”.
She posted: “In consequence, the UK agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to offer a ‘again door’ that may have enabled entry to the protected encrypted information of Americans and encroached on our civil liberties.”
The transfer to drop the request comes after Britain had lengthy labored with the US to sort out safety threats whereas looking for to guard the privateness of residents in each international locations. "We’ll at all times take all actions vital on the home stage to maintain UK residents secure," stated a spokesperson from the British authorities.
Apple didn’t instantly reply to requests for touch upon Gabbard's assertion.
Nevertheless Conservative MP David Davis reacted by stating: “The Authorities’s resolution to drop its calls for for a backdoor to Apple’s encryption are to be welcomed. Such a backdoor would solely serve to weaken the safety given by encryption to all of us from malicious actors.”
Why did the UK demand entry within the first place?
Earlier this 12 months, it was reported that UK Authorities had issued a discover underneath the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, asking Apple for the power to entry information from Apple customers.
No. 10 made this request to assist the police forces crack down on crime. They argued that these information safety legal guidelines, whereas helpful for most individuals, had been stopping police forces from with the ability to catch criminals.
This was stated to incorporate encrypted information protected by the tech large’s Superior Knowledge Safety (ADP) software, an opt-in software inside Apple’s iCloud service, which solely an account holder can decrypt the info — every little thing is out of attain of even Apple.
Even with ADP disabled for some within the UK, some information — like passwords, fee info, and iMessage chat historical past — stays end-to-end encrypted and never accessible to Apple or regulation enforcement with no warrant.
For those who're unfamiliar with end-to-end encryption, it's a safe communication methodology the place messages are encrypted on the sender's machine and may solely be decrypted on the recipient's machine.
For those who're not sure whether or not ADP is switched-on in your machine, right here's how one can examine…
Step 1: Open the Settings App
Head straight into Settings in your iPhone. That is your command centre for all issues Apple, and the place iCloud’s most necessary safety settings reside.
Step 2: Faucet on Your Apple ID Banner
Proper on the very high of Settings, you’ll see your identify and profile image. Give {that a} faucet — this opens your Apple ID dashboard, the place iCloud lives.
Step 3: Go Into iCloud Settings
Subsequent, choose iCloud. That is the hub for all of the apps and providers syncing with Apple’s cloud servers.
Step 4: Search for Superior Knowledge Safety
Scroll down till you discover Superior Knowledge Safety. Apple places this front-and-centre within the iCloud menu so you possibly can’t miss it.
Step 5: Affirm It’s On
Right here’s the clincher: if you happen to see a inexperienced toggle and the standing says “On”, then Superior Knowledge Safety is already enabled. Congratulations — your iCloud information is shielded by end-to-end encryption, that means solely you possibly can entry it.
If it says “Off”, you’re nonetheless on the usual iCloud safety tier.
You possibly can allow Superior Knowledge Safety proper right here, however keep in mind you’ll must arrange at the least one account restoration methodology (like a trusted contact or restoration key) earlier than Apple permits you to swap it on.
Apple stated it was "gravely dissatisfied" by a request to unlock these encrypted information from the UK Authorities, which might subject a legally-binding request underneath the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, nicknamed the Snoopers' Constitution, which was handed underneath the final Conservative Authorities.
In an announcement from Apple: “ADP protects iCloud information with end-to-end encryption, which suggests the info can solely be decrypted by the consumer who owns it, and solely on their trusted gadgets.
“Enhancing the safety of cloud storage with end-to-end encryption is extra pressing than ever earlier than. Apple stays dedicated to providing our customers the best stage of safety for his or her private information and are hopeful that we will accomplish that in the UK sooner or later. As we’ve stated many instances earlier than, we’ve by no means constructed a backdoor or grasp key to any of our services or products and we by no means will.”
Apple says 14 kinds of information that may be saved on its iCloud service stay end-to-end encrypted with out ADP, together with well being data. iMessage and FaceTime calls stay encrypted globally, together with within the UK. This regulation empowers the police and safety providers to request web connection data, intercept communications — like textual content messages and calls, and conduct bulk information assortment on Britons.
Broadband suppliers, smartphone producers, chat app builders, and different firms should allow this surveillance underneath warrants. And that's precisely what was requested from Apple.
Earlier in February, it was reported that Keir Starmer's Authorities had issued an order underneath the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 to entry completely encrypted information from Apple customers. The $3.7 trillion firm didn’t remark on the time.
Nevertheless, chief govt Tim Cook dinner has beforehand spoken out in regards to the risks of making a approach to entry encrypted information — generally known as a “backdoor” — since this loophole might be exploited by hackers.
Apple went toe-to-toe with the FBI again in 2016 when it refused a request to create a backdoor for an iPhone utilized by the San Bernardino shooter, citing consumer privateness and safety dangers. The FBI, which ultimately accessed the contents on the machine utilizing a third-party software, filed a lawsuit towards Apple over its refusal.
The case sparked a worldwide debate over encryption, privateness rights, and authorities surveillance powers.
On the time, CEO Tim Cook dinner described the request for a backdoor into its encryption like "a grasp key able to opening lots of of thousands and thousands of locks — from eating places and banks to shops and houses".
"No affordable individual would discover that acceptable," he argued.
And now, it's the flip of the UK Authorities to request that Apple strips away its strongest stage of safety. Besides this time, Apple has determined to shift its coverage.
Apple withdrew its Superior Knowledge Safety software from the UK, turning it off as an possibility for these not already utilizing it — and introduce a course of to shift present iCloud customers away from the software.
Numerous on-line security charities, in addition to police and safety providers all over the world lengthy warned of the risks of end-to-end encrypted providers, arguing that they permit offenders reminiscent of terrorists and youngster abusers to cover extra simply.
Rani Govender, coverage supervisor for youngster security on-line on the NSPCC stated this was a possibility for Apple and different companies to contemplate different methods of defending customers, notably kids.
“We all know that end-to-end encryption permits offenders to groom and manipulate kids and construct communities the place they will share vile youngster sexual abuse materials with out detection,” Ms Govender stated. “As Apple change their method to encryption on their providers, they need to take this chance to make sure that they’re contemplating different measures they will put in place to raised shield kids.
"All tech firms must be discovering methods to sort out on-line dangers to kids while upholding privateness of their customers, and Ofcom and Authorities ought to maintain them accountable for doing so.”
Will Guyatt reacts to Apple eradicating a safety characteristic
Nevertheless, one safety skilled says the choice by Apple to strip its highest stage safety software from thousands and thousands of machine house owners within the UK will make them “extra weak to cyber threats”.
Dray Agha, senior supervisor of safety operations at cybersecurity agency Huntress stated: “Apple’s resolution to drag Superior Knowledge Safety within the UK is a direct response to rising Authorities calls for for entry to encrypted consumer information. Weakening encryption not solely makes UK customers extra weak to cyber threats but additionally units a harmful precedent for international privateness.
“Governments argue this helps regulation enforcement, however historical past reveals that any backdoor created for one get together can ultimately be exploited by dangerous actors. The broader concern is that this transfer may strain different firms to weaken their safety, placing private information worldwide at larger threat.”
Further Reporting By Martyn Landi, PA Know-how Correspondent