As we reported yesterday, Apple has revamped its portal for data and privacy. The company had initially released a new privacy portal ahead of GDPR protections that went live earlier this year. This portal allowed European users to request a copy of all data associated with their Apple ID. Apple has now revamped this site with easier access to the personal information that the company stores on every user. The refresh is meant to include all the new security features that have been introduced with iOS 12 and macOS Mojave.
However, unlike its previous version, the new mini-site can now be used by Non-Europeans to request their data, as well. Before this, the site was limited to the customers in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Other Apple users had to contact the company to get a copy of their data.
The full-featured Data and Privacy portal is now available to the users of the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Apple users elsewhere can continue to contact Apple to request a copy of their data.
"At Apple, we believe privacy is a fundamental human right," the site reads.
"We’re committed to keeping your personal information safe. That’s why we innovate ways to safeguard your privacy on your device, why we’re upfront about how we personalize your experience, and why we equip developers with the best tools to protect your data."
How to download Apple data using the new Data and Privacy portal
Apple users in Europe, US and some select other regions can now download a copy of their personal information stored by the iPhone maker. This data includes app usage history, account details and sign-in records, calendars, photos and documents stored in iCloud, and data associated with Apple Music and Game Center. AppleCare support history along with marketing records are also included.
Here’s how you can easily request a copy of your personal data from Apple.
- Visit privacy.apple.com (clickable link) from your Mac, PC or iPad (not iPhone).
- Enter your Apple ID email and password.
- On the Apple ID & Privacy page click Continue.
- Under the Obtain a copy of your data, click on Get started link.
- Check all the boxes for categories of data that you want to download. Alternatively, click on Select All.
- Click Continue.
- On the next screen, choose the maximum file size - a feature that allows you to divide your data into multiple files with size going from 1GB to 25GB.
- Finally, click on Complete Request.
If this service isn't available in your region, you can follow these steps to request and download a copy of all your data. You can also use the new portal to delete your account and all the data associated with it by signing into the privacy website and heading over to Manage your data > Delete your account.
