iCloud & iCloud Photos · Security and Advanced Data Protection
What happens if I lose access to my account with Advanced Data Protection on?
Short answer: You'll need a trusted device's passcode, your recovery contact or your recovery key. Apple can't unlock data protected by Advanced Data Protection, so if every recovery method is lost, that data is gone — keep the key safe and a separate backup.
You'll need one of the recovery methods you set up: your device passcode on a trusted device, a recovery contact, or your recovery key. With Advanced Data Protection on, Apple doesn't hold what's needed to unlock your data, so if every recovery method is lost, the protected data can't be recovered — by you or by Apple.
To stay safe:
- Keep the recovery key somewhere secure and separate from your devices.
- Add a recovery contact you trust.
- Keep an independent backup of irreplaceable files, such as photos copied to an external drive.