Apple to Start Scanning Publicly Shared iCloud Photos and Files for Harmful Content

Apple plans to scan iCloud items shared with the setting "Anyone with the Link" beginning with iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3, and visionOS 27.3. This is a significant change because public-link sharing will no longer remain outside Apple’s harmful-content checks.

For example, someone could share a photo from iCloud Photos or a file from iCloud Drive by creating a link. Once the link is set for anyone to access, Apple says the item can be accessible to Apple and will be checked for harmful content. Sharing this way also disables end-to-end encryption.

Important details remain unsettled. Apple has not explained what counts as harmful content, why it introduced the change, or whether existing links will be checked. The updates are expected to roll out later this December, according to the article, but the precise scope and timing of enforcement are unclear.

The setting "Anyone with the Link" turns an iCloud item into a link-accessible share. A person does not need to be individually selected as a recipient. Anyone who gets the link may be able to access the shared photo or file.

For instance, an iCloud Photos image or iCloud Drive document shared this way could be opened by people beyond the original sender’s intended audience if the link reaches them. Apple explicitly says that content using this option is accessible to anyone who has the link, including Apple. That access is why these items fall under the new checking policy.

This does not mean every iCloud item is automatically public. The article describes the change specifically for content shared through this setting. Items kept private or shared only with specific people are not identified as covered by the announced check, and the article gives no broader estimate of affected content.

The announced checks cover iCloud items shared through public links using "Anyone with the Link." That includes examples such as iCloud Photos and iCloud Drive content. The article does not say how many items, users, or links use this option, so the scale cannot be calculated from the available information.

In practical terms, a photo or file shared with that setting falls within the stated policy. Content that remains private, or is shared only with specifically selected people, is not described as part of the change. However, the article does not provide a complete technical comparison of every iCloud sharing mode.

The key distinction is access setting, not a known percentage of iCloud storage. Apple also has not clarified whether previously generated public links will be checked. It is likewise unclear whether new links created before the 27.3 updates arrive will later be included, leaving the overall reach uncertain.

Checking public iCloud content means Apple will examine items shared through the "Anyone with the Link" option for material it classifies as harmful. The policy covers examples such as photos in iCloud Photos and files in iCloud Drive. This matters because public-link sharing is being treated differently from protected private storage.

Suppose a user uploads a file and creates a link that anyone can open. Apple says that item will be checked, and it warns that harmful content may be removed or deleted at any time. The article does not describe the scanning technology, review process, or specific categories of content involved.

The definition remains an open question. Apple has not said what it considers harmful content, what prompted the policy, or whether existing links will be checked retroactively. Therefore, the announced rule establishes a review power, but not a detailed public standard for how checks will operate.

End-to-end encryption normally protects data so only authorized endpoints can read it. Here, Apple says sharing an item through "Anyone with the Link" disables end-to-end encryption, even when the owner or recipients have enabled Advanced Data Protection. That creates a different privacy model for public-link content.

For example, a user may protect iCloud Photos or iCloud Drive with Advanced Data Protection, then create a link that anyone can access. The act of making that item available through the link removes E2EE for that shared item. Apple says the item is accessible to Apple and will be checked for harmful content.

This does not mean the article describes every security consequence or the exact technical design. It does show that public sharing can override the E2EE protection associated with Advanced Data Protection. Users therefore cannot assume that enabling Advanced Data Protection keeps a publicly linked item end-to-end encrypted.

If Apple identifies an upload as harmful, it says it may remove or delete the content at any time. The consequences can extend beyond the individual file. Apple warns that it may take action against the uploader’s Apple Account.

Possible actions include blocking or disabling the account. Apple may also block the person from creating a new Apple Account with the associated email address or phone number. In a more serious situation, it says it may involve law enforcement if necessary. These measures could interrupt access to the person’s Apple services and prevent an immediate replacement account.

The article does not state how Apple will decide which action to take, provide an appeal process, or define harmful content. It also does not say that every flagged item will lead to account sanctions. The stated policy gives Apple several possible responses, ranging from deleting content to escalating the matter externally.

End-to-end encryption, or E2EE, protects data from one endpoint to another so that the intended participants can read it. The content is encrypted before it leaves the sender and is decrypted only at an authorized receiving endpoint. This is why E2EE is widely used as a privacy and security safeguard.

In a typical E2EE design, the service provider carries or stores encrypted data but does not hold the needed decryption keys in a usable form. As a result, it generally cannot read or inspect the protected content. This is a general explanation of E2EE, rather than a technical description supplied by the article.

The article’s key point is that public iCloud links change this arrangement. Apple says sharing through "Anyone with the Link" disables E2EE, even with Advanced Data Protection enabled. That allows the shared item to be accessible to Apple and checked for harmful content.