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User profile for user: DayleJames
DayleJames Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Advanced Data Protection and other devices

Hi all


I was trying to enable advanced data protection on my iOS16.2 iPhone, but it tells me I need to update lots of devices or remove them from my account.


My issue is that these devices are not being backed up to iCloud, and in a couple of cases are actually Windows machines where I'm just logged into my Apple account or a SmartTV where I'm logged into AppleTV+.


Obviously I can't update those devices, and I don't want to remove them from my Apple account.


I don't understand why the advanced data protection feature isn't only concerned with Apple devices that are actively being backed up to iCloud.


Has anyone run up against this, and is there any kind of workaround? I want to enable the feature, but I don't want to remove these devices from my account.


Thanks

Posted on Dec 14, 2022 10:39 AM

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User profile for user: DayleJames
DayleJames Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Posted on Dec 17, 2022 8:03 AM

Thank you for that reply.


I think you answered my question, but did not resolve my frustration.


This is exactly my issue:


You can turn on Advanced Data Protection on an iPhone with iOS 16.2, iPad with iPad OS 16.2, or a Mac with macOS 13.1. Turning on Advanced Data Protection on one device enables it for your entire account and all your compatible devices.


I have an old iMac which will not update to macOS 13. I use it for a specific purpose, but can’t afford to replace it yet. I didn’t want to log out of iCloud on this machine, but it’s preventing this from working.


Critically, I am NOT backing up this device to iCloud, so I don’t see why I need to remove it from my account. I have an old device, which works perfectly well, but I can’t use iCloud sync if I want to use advanced protection on ANY device, even if the old device isn’t being backed up. That makes no sense to me.


Also, and perhaps more importantly, I can’t log into my iCloud account on my Windows PC or that breaks it too. Are we seriously saying that to use this feature I can no longer log into iCloud on Windows?


I completely understand enforcing a version standard for secure features, but shouldn’t It only apply to those devices actually using those features? In this case devices actively being backed up to iCloud?

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User profile for user: DayleJames
DayleJames Author
User level: Level 1
8 points

Dec 17, 2022 8:03 AM in response to DayleJames

Thank you for that reply.


I think you answered my question, but did not resolve my frustration.


This is exactly my issue:


You can turn on Advanced Data Protection on an iPhone with iOS 16.2, iPad with iPad OS 16.2, or a Mac with macOS 13.1. Turning on Advanced Data Protection on one device enables it for your entire account and all your compatible devices.


I have an old iMac which will not update to macOS 13. I use it for a specific purpose, but can’t afford to replace it yet. I didn’t want to log out of iCloud on this machine, but it’s preventing this from working.


Critically, I am NOT backing up this device to iCloud, so I don’t see why I need to remove it from my account. I have an old device, which works perfectly well, but I can’t use iCloud sync if I want to use advanced protection on ANY device, even if the old device isn’t being backed up. That makes no sense to me.


Also, and perhaps more importantly, I can’t log into my iCloud account on my Windows PC or that breaks it too. Are we seriously saying that to use this feature I can no longer log into iCloud on Windows?


I completely understand enforcing a version standard for secure features, but shouldn’t It only apply to those devices actually using those features? In this case devices actively being backed up to iCloud?

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User profile for user: dawngreg08
dawngreg08
User level: Community Specialist

Dec 16, 2022 4:30 PM in response to DayleJames

Hello DayleJames,


That's a excellent question and we're here to help.


Let's follow the steps below for enabling Advanced Data Protection to ensure there wasn't a step missed that might be causing you to receive the message you're getting.


"You can turn on Advanced Data Protection on an iPhone with iOS 16.2, iPad with iPad OS 16.2, or a Mac with macOS 13.1. Turning on Advanced Data Protection on one device enables it for your entire account and all your compatible devices.

On iPhone or iPad


  1. Open the Settings app.
  2. Tap your name, then tap iCloud.
  3. Scroll down, tap Advanced Data Protection, then tap Turn on Advanced Data Protection.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to review your recovery methods and enable Advanced Data Protection.

On Mac


  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings.
  2. Click your name, then click iCloud.
  3. Click Advanced Data Protection, then click Turn On.
  4. Follow the onscreen instructions to review your recovery methods and enable Advanced Data Protection.


If you’re not able to turn on Advanced Data Protection for a certain period of time, the onscreen instructions may provide more details.

If one of your devices prevents you from turning on Advanced Data Protection, you can choose to remove that device from your Apple ID device list and try again. While Advanced Data Protection is enabled for your account, you can sign in with your Apple ID only on devices that meet the software requirements listed above."


More details can be found in this article: How to turn on Advanced Data Protection for iCloud


Let us know if you have any questions.

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

Take care!




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User profile for user: Michael Black
Michael Black
User level: Level 10
80,448 points

Dec 24, 2022 5:47 PM in response to DayleJames

Advanced data protection encrypts all iCloud data transmissions between enabled devices using encryption keys specific to the ADP devices and the iCloud account in use. Your data in iCloud is thus protected not merely in iCloud but also in transmission and on each ADP devices.


Devices incompatible with ADP could not therefore access or sync any data in your iCloud account. They’d be locked out. It is not just iCloud backups, but everything in iCloud that is sync’d via ADP - notes in iCloud, messages in iCloud, contacts in iCloud, calendars in iCloud, iCloud Photos, reminders, etc.


ADP sets up encryption between iCloud and devices for not only storage in iCloud or on device, but also while data is being exchanged between enabled devices and iCloud.


So either all devices have to be capable of the advanced encryption protection (both in place and in transmission), or none of them can be.

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User profile for user: mingoslkd
mingoslkd
User level: Community Specialist

Dec 17, 2022 4:15 PM in response to DayleJames

Hi DayleJames,


While we understand your frustration, it looks like you will not be able to use the Advanced Data Protection for iCloud at this time.


Keep in mind, this doesn't mean your data is not protected. iCloud still has strong security measures, as shown here:

iCloud data security overview


You can leave feedback for Apple using this page:

Feedback - iCloud


All the best!


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Advanced Data Protection and other devices

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