Apple files second UK challenge over iCloud encryption

Apple has filed a second legal challenge against the UK government over demands for access to encrypted iCloud data, according to ITzine, citing 9to5Mac. The company has returned to the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal after London declined to abandon its request for technical access to users' encrypted cloud backups.

The dispute centers on a demand that would effectively require Apple to create a way for British authorities to bypass iCloud’s strongest encryption protections. Apple’s position is that it does not hold the encryption keys and will not build a backdoor or master key for government agencies.

What Apple changed for UK users

Against that legal backdrop, Apple has already stopped new users in the UK from enabling Advanced Data Protection (ADP), the optional iCloud setting that provides end-to-end encryption for a broader range of data. The company has not said that ADP is being withdrawn globally: Apple says the feature remains available in the US, EU, and elsewhere outside the UK.

Apple’s UK notice says existing users will be given time and that the company will “soon provide additional guidance,” but it does not set firm dates. It is also not publicly specified whether Apple could later restrict or restore ADP in other European countries.

The UK government’s reported request dates back to early 2025 and allegedly sought access not only to British users' data but also to encrypted global backups protected by ADP. Apple’s response has been both legal and operational: challenge the order while reducing access to the feature for new UK customers rather than weakening encryption for everyone.

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Why the encryption dispute matters

Apple’s technical argument is straightforward. If a government receives a special access mechanism, that mechanism becomes a potential vulnerability for attackers and other governments as well. A system with one version of encryption for the UK and another for the rest of the world would still require Apple to create and maintain a method for bypassing the protection.

That makes this more than a disagreement over one country’s surveillance powers. iCloud is used by hundreds of millions of people, so a change to its security model could affect users far beyond the UK. The case also follows a familiar pattern in British technology regulation, where authorities have pressed messaging and cloud providers over encrypted data.

For users outside the UK, ADP remains available without a separately published price. Apple describes it as an optional iCloud setting rather than a standalone subscription, so the company does not list a distinct fee for the added protection. Alternatives exist, but they are separate backup or storage services: SpiderOak ONE starts at $6 per month for 150 GB, Backblaze Computer Backup costs $9 per month for personal unlimited backup, and Proton Drive offers a free 5 GB tier. Those products differ in storage limits, backup scope, and encryption design, so they are not direct replacements for Apple’s iCloud integration.

If the tribunal accepts Apple’s second case, the proceedings could continue for months. Until then, the immediate result is a split iCloud policy: ADP remains available in the US and EU, while new UK users cannot turn it on as Apple contests the government’s demand for access.