• UK renews its desire for backdoor into the encrypted iCloud.
• Apple withdrew feature, continues to resist government pressure.

The UK government has revived its clash with Apple by again demanding access to the company’s encrypted iCloud backups for users in Britain, escalating a long-running dispute over data privacy and national security.

The Home Office has issued a new legal order, known as a technical capability notice (TCN), requiring Apple to build a backdoor into its cloud storage service for British customers, according to a report by the Financial Times [paywall]. The order applies only to users resident in the UK, marking a narrower but still-controversial demand, after a previous attempt to access global data triggered diplomatic backlash.

A Home Office spokesperson declined to discuss the details of the notice, saying the department does not comment on operational matters. “We will always take all actions necessary at the domestic level to keep UK citizens safe,” the spokesperson said.

A renewed privacy battle

At the heart of the dispute is Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature, which offers end-to-end encryption for iCloud backups, including documents, photos, and messages. When ADP is enabled, only the account holder can decrypt their data – neither Apple nor law enforcement agencies can access it.

Apple introduced ADP globally in late 2022, describing it as an optional layer of security for users who want stronger privacy protections. While the feature was rolled out in many countries, Apple withdrew ADP for new users in the UK in February 2025, citing the government’s demands. Existing users were told they would need to disable it later in the year. Messaging services like iMessage and FaceTime remain fully encrypted and are not affected by the order.

The UK’s first TCN went further than this latest Notice. It sought access to data from all users, which quickly created friction. US officials publicly opposed the demand, with US intelligence chief Tulsi Gabbard saying in August that the UK should step back from seeking American data. Donald Trump, then in his first term as president, described the request as “something that you hear about with China,” highlighting how the issue had become politically sensitive.

Apple’s legal challenge

Apple has not commented directly on the latest notice, but has made its position clear in previous statements. The company said previously it was “gravely disappointed” that it can’t offer ADP in the UK and stressed that it would “never” build a backdoor into its products.

“Apple remains committed to offering our users the highest level of security for their personal data and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the future in the United Kingdom. As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will,” the company said.

Apple had appealed the original TCN through the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which reviews complaints against UK intelligence services. The Home Office tried to keep the case confidential, but a ruling in April forced the release of limited details confirming the existence of Apple’s appeal. The contents of the notice remain secret, and companies that receive TCNs are legally prohibited from disclosing them.

Global implications

Privacy groups warn that the UK’s demands could set a dangerous precedent. The original notice appeared to target not just ADP but also data stored on the standard Apple iCloud accounts, which are far more widely used. If Apple is forced to effectively remove encryption in one country, it could undermine security for users everywhere by introducing vulnerabilities that others could exploit.

Privacy International, which challenged the first TCN legally, said the new order may be “just as big a threat to worldwide security and privacy as the old one.” The group warned that once a backdoor exists, it can be abused. “The resulting vulnerability can be exploited by hostile states, criminals and other bad actors the world over,” it said.

The standoff highlights a broader tension between governments seeking more access to encrypted data for security reasons and tech companies that see strong encryption as essential for user trust. How this case unfolds could influence future privacy battles well beyond the UK.

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