How to Enable Advanced Data Protection on Your iPhone

Apple's new Advanced Data Protection is one of the most notable changes that came with the iOS 16.2 update. Simply put, this data security layer provides end-to-end encryption for a wider range of data stored in your iCloud account. End-to-end encryption is the most robust form of mass-market data protection protocol currently available. What is iPhone Advanced Data Protection? How do you enable it? Why is it important? How do you prepare your phone for Advanced Data Protection? Let's take a look!

How Do You Prepare Your iPhone for Advanced Data Protection?

Start with account recovery and why it matters. As the name suggests, if you lose access to your Apple account or device, this system is the lifeline you need. There are several recovery methods. The first is to set up a recovery contact. This can be a family member or a trusted friend you can reach.

Make sure your recovery contact owns an Apple device and that the device runs at least iOS 15, iPadOS 15 or macOS Monterey. You can choose up to five recovery contacts, and the best way to choose them is from your Family Sharing group. Here are the steps to follow:

• Launch the Settings app installed on your iPhone and tap Your Name at the top to open the Apple ID details page.
• On this page, tap the option that says Password & Security.
• When you get to the Password & Security page, tap Account Recovery in the lower half of the screen.
• On the Account Recovery page, select Add Recovery Contact. After you do, you will be asked to choose a contact from your phone's directory to set up to recover your own Apple account if needed.
• When you select a contact, your Apple device sends them an SMS prompt asking for their permission. After you approve the request, this person will be added as your Recovery Contact.
• If you do not trust the Recovery Contact process, you can create a recovery key that you can save for future use. To do this, select the Recovery Key option on the Account Recovery page.
• On the next page, enable the Recovery Key toggle. At this stage you will be asked to verify your identity with Face ID or your device passcode.
• You will now see a recovery key flashing on the screen. It is usually a 28-character alphanumeric code divided into seven blocks of four characters each. Write down this security key (or take a picture of it). Then press the blue Continue button at the bottom.
• On the next page you will be asked to verify the Recovery Key. Use the key you created when you see the on-screen prompt.
• After verification is complete, the Recovery Key toggle is enabled and appears green. You can now create a new Recovery Key and save it for future use when needed.

How Do You Enable Advanced Data Protection?

To enable Advanced Data Protection, open Settings, tap your name, choose iCloud, scroll down and tap Advanced Data Protection, then tap Turn On Advanced Data Protection. We strongly recommend enabling both recovery methods to regain access to your Apple account. After you have taken care of the recovery setup, let's move on to enabling Advanced Data Protection. Apple has conveniently integrated the Account Recovery setting into the same flow as Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, so you do not need to look anywhere else.

• To start, open the Settings app on your iPhone, tap your name at the top and then select iCloud on the next page.
• Once you are on the iCloud page, scroll down and tap Advanced Data Protection.
• On the next page, you will find a short summary of what ADP is about. At the bottom of the page, tap the option that says Turn On Advanced Data Protection.
• At this stage, if you have not yet set up Account Recovery, you can repeat the process described above. If you already have, your device will ask you to review the recovery options you have already enabled and continue with enabling Advanced Data Protection.

Apple will also ask you to update all devices using the same account to meet the ADP compatibility criteria.

Why Is Advanced Data Protection Important?

Extended end-to-end protection for iCloud data is critical because the decryption keys are stored only on your trusted devices, not on any remote server. In fact, when you enable Advanced Data Protection, you will no longer be able to access your iCloud account on the web from any random phone or computer, because access to your cloud storage is locked by default as a security measure.

You can later choose to enable iCloud web access. However, if you are trying to open your iCloud storage on the web, your trusted device will still need to approve the sign-in. Note, though, that if you have enabled sharing for Photo Libraries or use any of Apple's Collaboration features, all associated data, such as media files and notes, will be excluded from ADP protection.

In short, Apple has finally created a safety net for all your personally identifiable data and sensitive information, closing the doors to hackers and state-sponsored surveillance attacks. With such a high level of protection, Apple wants to make sure your recovery options are at hand.

This is because all your iCloud data is end-to-end encrypted, and if you lose access to your account or trusted device, even Apple cannot help you recover that data. Put simply, account recovery protocols are mandatory before you enable iCloud data recovery.

We would like to remind you that the Advanced Data Protection feature is available in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1 and watchOS 9.2 software versions.