How to Request a Copy of Your Apple ID Account Data

Wednesday October 17, 2018 2:47 PM PDT by Tim Hardwick
Apple now allows its customers to download a copy of their personally identifiable data from Apple apps and services. This can include purchase or app usage history, Apple Music and Game Center statistics, marketing history, AppleCare support history, and any data stored on Apple servers, including the likes of calendars, photos, and documents.

This article outlines the steps you need to take to request a copy of your data from Apple. As of writing, the service is available to customers in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. If you live in a country or region that's not listed above, you can still contact Apple to request a copy of your data.

Apple promises to fulfill all data requests within seven days. Bear in mind that the size of the data download depends on the items that you choose to include (iCloud Photo Libraries can be several gigabytes, for example), but Apple will divide it into multiple files to make the download more manageable.

How to Request a Copy of Your Apple Account Data

  1. Open a web browser on your Mac, PC, or iPad, and navigate to privacy.apple.com. (Note: this procedure won't work on an iPhone).
  2. Enter your Apple ID email and password, and authorize two-factor authentication on another device if prompted.

  3. On the Apple ID & Privacy page, click Continue.

  4. Under "Get a copy of your data", click Get Started.

  5. On the next page you'll see a list of data categories. Click the selection box next to each category that you want include in your download. You can refine inclusions from certain categories by clicking Show more to reveal sub-categories of data, or click Select All to include all your information.

  6. Click Continue.
  7. Using the dropdown menu on the next page, choose a maximum file size that you want to download (1GB, 2GB, 5GB, 10GB, or 25GB). Apple divides the data into files of this size or smaller. You can review your selection below the dropdown.

  8. Click Complete Request to confirm.
Apple will email you to let you know it is preparing your data, with a reminder that this process can take up to seven days. As a security measure, Apple uses this time to verify that the request was made by you.


You can view and check check the status of your request at any time by visiting privacy.apple.com/account.

Tag: privacy
57 comments

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Avatar
MasterMac
23 months ago

So i just logged in on my iMac and straight away i get warning messages sent to my iPhone, iPad, and the same iMac i'm actually using, stating that a new device has signed into my account. It then gives me a two-factor authorisation code on the iMac that i'm currently using to input into the iMac i'm currently using.

I've had this iMac for 8 years....


You're missing the point where the login was done on a trusted device. The entire point of two factor authentication is something you know and something you have. If Apple considers the iMac trusted, then why is it asking for a PIN?

Imagine if someone else gained access to the iMac via their creds. What good is two factor if the PIN is sent to the intruder so they can just enter it?


I had the same bug, its sending me the code on the same machine it is asking me for... Very unsafe.
[doublepost=1527083880][/doublepost]

The code should not be sent to the same device! It should be sent to my iPhone or iPad, not the same machine I was using. Imagine someone else like a thief using my Mac and the code is sent straight to him!


The reason for this is that a browser does not have access to the "trusted device" data that is set up in your iCloud settings on your computer. It's, in effect, sandboxed away from all of that. This is why you get a pop up notification with the code when you're signing into an Apple webpage. Whether you're using Safari, Chrome, or Firefox, the only way a browser can send the "I'm a trusted device" flag is via a cookie, which it won't have the first time you log in.

You can test out the same behavior on iOS. Open up Safari on your iPhone or iPad, and go sign into http://appleid.apple.com. It will show a popup right there on the iOS device you're trying to sign into... for the same reason: the browser can't send the necessary "trusted device" settings the first time.
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
belvdr
23 months ago

That’s how two factor authorization works. You attempt a log in and Apple sends an authorization code to your trusted devices to make sure the login attempt is from you. This method prevents a bad actor from getting into your account from an untrusted device even if they know your password.

You can read about it here: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204915

You're missing the point where the login was done on a trusted device. The entire point of two factor authentication is something you know and something you have. If Apple considers the iMac trusted, then why is it asking for a PIN?

Imagine if someone else gained access to the iMac via their creds. What good is two factor if the PIN is sent to the intruder so they can just enter it?
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
Krayzkat
23 months ago

It’s not a bug. Your iMac is a known, trusted device, registered to your AppleID. An ATM on the street corner isn’t.

Well if it was a known trusted device (which it should be after 8 years) why was it asking for an authorisation code?
Rating: 8 Votes
Avatar
belvdr
23 months ago

Read Apple’s web page again. Nobody else can use their credentials to use your stuff or login to your account. Other people with accounts on your machine can’t get into your account nor will they see the two factor authorization code. Sending an authorization code to your trusted devices is another level of security. You have to keep your personal login credentials to yourself or all bets are off. If you let other people use your trusted devices and share your password, then they can do anything they want with your stuff.

You are missing the point. What is the advantage of sending a PIN to a trusted device to ensure its trusted?

A PIN should not be sent to a device that is requesting access. It's the same as trusting the password only.
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Krayzkat
23 months ago
Guys I’m not complaining i am merely highlighting what must surely be a bug.

Tell me what the point of sending a device authorisation code to the actual device that is in question?

Imagine visiting an ATM at a bank and when you put your card in it asks for the PIN number but at the same time shows on the screen what the PIN number is.....
Rating: 7 Votes
Avatar
Krayzkat
23 months ago

You're missing the point where the login was done on a trusted device. The entire point of two factor authentication is something you know and something you have. If Apple considers the iMac trusted, then why is it asking for a PIN?

Imagine if someone else gained access to the iMac via their creds. What good is two factor if the PIN is sent to the intruder so they can just enter it?


I agree that doesn’t make sense. The two factor should use another trusted device to show the pin, not the computer who is requesting the pin. I can’t say I’ve had that happen. My MacBook will send a pin to my phone or iPad but not to itself. Same with the iPhone and iPad. They won’t send it to themselves but to another trusted device. Very odd indeed


You are missing the point. What is the advantage of sending a PIN to a trusted device to ensure its trusted?

A PIN should not be sent to a device that is requesting access. It's the same as trusting the password only.


I had the same bug, its sending me the code on the same machine it is asking me for... Very unsafe.
[doublepost=1527083880][/doublepost]

The code should not be sent to the same device! It should be sent to my iPhone or iPad, not the same machine I was using. Imagine someone else like a thief using my Mac and the code is sent straight to him!

Exactly!

Why can’t the other people see what seems to be common sense?

Are the people who say it’s working as intended mis-reading everything in their hurry to defend Apple?
Rating: 6 Votes
Avatar
Krayzkat
23 months ago
So i just logged in on my iMac and straight away i get warning messages sent to my iPhone, iPad, and the same iMac i'm actually using, stating that a new device has signed into my account. It then gives me a two-factor authorisation code on the iMac that i'm currently using to input into the iMac i'm currently using.

I've had this iMac for 8 years....
Rating: 5 Votes
Avatar
B4U
23 months ago
Damn, it must be a bug.
Sending the key to the lock where the request to the key is originated.
[doublepost=1527085170][/doublepost]

Exactly!

Why can’t the other people see what seems to be common sense?

Are the people who say it’s working as intended mis-reading everything in their hurry to defend Apple?

I remember when I was in school, comprehension was a big part of learning the English language.
Rating: 4 Votes
Avatar
slooksterPSV
23 months ago
I agree that doesn’t make sense. The two factor should use another trusted device to show the pin, not the computer who is requesting the pin. I can’t say I’ve had that happen. My MacBook will send a pin to my phone or iPad but not to itself. Same with the iPhone and iPad. They won’t send it to themselves but to another trusted device. Very odd indeed
Rating: 3 Votes
Avatar
quynhtrang
23 months ago

Guys I’m not complaining i am merely highlighting what must surely be a bug.

Tell me what the point of sending a device authorisation code to the actual device that is in question?

Imagine visiting an ATM at a bank and when you put your card in it asks for the PIN number but at the same time shows on the screen what the PIN number is.....


It just doesn’t make sense to me either. To another trusted device logged into iCloud? Sure. To the same device trying to log into iCloud? No way.

I only come here to complain. I’ve been using a Apple stuff since the Mac 512 was current, but i’m just getting so sick of the illogical changes Apple seems to be making all the time. When I was 50 years younger I enjoyed learning new stuff, but now I just want to use it without wanting to throw it against a wall.
Rating: 3 Votes
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