Get a copy of the data associated with your Apple ID account

As part of putting you in control of your data and privacy, Apple gives you the ability to request a copy of data associated with your Apple ID. Access to this feature varies by country and region.

This article explains how to request a copy of the data that Apple stores which is associated with your Apple ID, and provides answers to common questions about the process and the information you can expect to receive.

About the data associated with your Apple ID

You can request a copy of the data that Apple stores which is associated with your Apple ID. This information includes, but is not limited to:

• Your Apple ID account details and sign-in records.
• Data that you store with iCloud such as contacts, calendars, notes, bookmarks, reminders, email, photos, videos, and document.
• App usage information, as it relates to use of iCloud, Apple Music, Game Center and other services.
• A record of the items you have purchased or downloaded from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books, as well as your browsing history in those stores.
• Records of your Apple retail store and support transactions.
• Records of marketing communications, preferences, and other activity.

Any data that isn’t provided is either in a form that is not personally identifiable or linked to your Apple ID, is stored in an end-to-end encrypted format that Apple cannot decrypt, or is not stored by Apple at all. Additionally, some data may have been held only for a very short time and is no longer on our servers.

Apple strives to collect and store the minimum amount of data required to provide the services you use. Learn more about Apple’s privacy policy and practices.

We work hard to maintain accuracy and consistency, so the data associated with your account and our responses to data requests may change as our means of storage and collection change.

How to request a copy of your data

Sign in to your Apple ID account page on a Mac, PC, iPhone, or iPad. Then scroll down to Data & Privacy and select “Manage your Data and Privacy.” On the following page, select “Get started” under “Get a copy of your data.” If you don’t see this option, it means that this feature is not available in your country or region.

When you request a copy of your data (or a specific subset of your data), we first verify that you are the account holder making the request. After verification, we organize the data associated with your Apple ID in file formats that are easy to understand. When the data is ready, we post it to your Apple ID account page and notify you that it’s available. You have 14 days to download your data, after which it is removed from that location, and you will need to request it again.

About the data that we provide

We provide your data either in the original format or in industry-standard formats that are easy to open and read. Photos, videos, and documents are provided in their original formats. Contacts, calendars, bookmarks, and mail are provided in formats such as .vcf, .ics, .html, and .eml. App usage information is provided as spreadsheets or files in .json, .csv, or .pdf formats.

If you need help understanding some of the details in the files we provide, you can view a guide to the terms associated with your files. To see information for a particular file, select the app or service with which the file is associated. These guides are available only for files created by apps and services, and not for content created by you or shared with you by other people—such as emails, notes, calendar events, reminders, photos, videos, or documents that are stored in iCloud.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I download and view my data?

Use a Mac or PC to download and view your data files. You should be able to view these files in the default applications on your Mac or PC, including TextEdit on Mac and Notepad on Windows.

Some spreadsheet apps might automatically round certain large numbers up or down, such as account numbers, and display them incorrectly. If you choose to view your data in a spreadsheet, we recommend using Numbers, if possible.

Can I transfer my data to another provider or service?

Yes. We provide your data in industry-standard formats that are designed to be easy to import to other services. After you receive your data, you can upload or transfer it to any service or format that you choose.

Why are my payment data, device identifiers, and email addresses masked?

We mask certain information in the data we give you—including your credit card or bank details, device identifiers, and email addresses—for your security and to protect you from theft or fraud. If you need this information, sign into your account or contact your bank or financial service provider.

Why is my date and time information displaying in an unfamiliar format?

Apple customers live in numerous locales and time zones, and in many cases, the same user accesses Apple services from different locations over time. To provide a consistent format, we use industry-standard Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) date and time.

Why didn’t I receive copies of my purchased music, videos, apps and books?

The data that Apple provides includes a list of all items that you have purchased or downloaded from the App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books. The actual content that you purchased is not personal data and is not provided as part of this data set. If needed, you can redownload these items from the App Store, iTunes Store, or Apple Books.

Why does the word “biometric” appear in some of my App Store, iTunes Store, and Apple Books purchase records?

The term biometric simply indicates that you confirmed your purchase using Touch ID or Face ID. Apple never collects or stores biometric information on its servers.

Why do I see some purchases unexpectedly marked as gift card redemptions?

If your gift card balance wasn’t sufficient for a purchase, and your payment method was used to complete the purchase, that purchase might appear as a gift card redemption.

Why is information about my iCloud storage plan listed in the iTunes category?

Payments, receipts, and other transactional details for your Apple subscriptions are managed by our iTunes service. Therefore, details regarding your iCloud storage plan are stored with iTunes.

Why does Apple store my Health data?

Health data is stored in iCloud to keep the data up to date across all your devices automatically and to allow you to recover your data if your device is lost. Apple doesn’t access or use this information for any other purpose. You can turn off this feature by turning off Health in iCloud settings.

How can I access my Health data?

There are two ways to access your Health data. You can download it as part of your data request, or you can access your data directly from the Health app on your iPhone. To access your health data directly from the app, tap your user profile in the upper-right corner of the home screen of the Health app and select Export Health Data.

Why does Apple store my call history?

When you’re signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID on multiple devices, your call history is stored and synced to allow you to return calls from any of your devices. Apple doesn’t access or use this information for any other purpose. You can turn off this feature by turning off iCloud Drive in iCloud settings.

Why don’t I see my Messages content as part of my data request?

Your messages are encrypted on your device and can’t be accessed by anyone without your device passcode.

Can I correct the data associated with my Apple ID?

Yes, if you believe that any personal information stored by Apple is incorrect, you can request that we update it. Sign in to your Apple ID account page. Then scroll down to Data and Privacy and select “Manage your data.” On the following page, select “Get started” under “Correct your data.”

Can I add additional data categories to a request that I already made?

Yes, you can request additional categories of data. If you’d like to make a second request for a data type that you already requested, wait until your current request is completed and removed from your Data and Privacy page.

I have multiple Apple ID accounts. Will I get a copy of the data that Apple stores for all of them?

No. Each Apple ID is a unique account. If you want a copy of the data from more than one Apple ID, sign into each account individually and submit a request for each account.

I have an Apple ID that is managed by my educational institution. Can I request a copy of my data?

Yes. Your school administrator must first allow you to sign in to privacy.apple.com. You can then request a copy of your data for the features available to Managed Apple ID.

Is there any other data that I can request or get a copy of?

Certain information that Apple stores is not currently part of a standard data request. If you wish, you can access or request these details separately.

• AppleCare case notes (including data you may have submitted while receiving support for Health and ECG apps): You can request case notes and other support information from your calls to AppleCare by contacting privacy_response@apple.com.
• iTunes U: To view your iTunes U data, you can simply sign in to iTunes U.
• FaceTime: Contact us to request your FaceTime call invitation logs.
• Apple Pay cards: To review cards that you use with Apple Pay, go to Wallet & Apple Pay in Settings on your iOS device, or visit iCloud.com/settings and click on devices with the Apple Pay symbol.

Can I contact Apple about how my data is managed?

Yes. If you have questions or feedback about our Privacy Policy or other topics, contact us.

Information about products not manufactured by Apple, or independent websites not controlled or tested by Apple, is provided without recommendation or endorsement. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance, or use of third-party websites or products. Apple makes no representations regarding third-party website accuracy or reliability. Contact the vendor for additional information.

Published Date: May 16, 2019

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