Apple Challenges UK Government’s Latest iCloud Backdoor Request: Report

Apple is once again challenging a legal request from the U.K. government for access to the encrypted data of its users in the region, according to the Financial Times.

The tech giant has reportedly filed a complaint with the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a court that deals with cases related to government surveillance, after the government issued a “technical capability notice” last year. This notice is a confidential legal order demanding access to user data, even when encrypted.

Critics claim that such a demand is similar to seeking a backdoor into Apple’s cloud backups that have Advanced Data Protection (ADP) enabled. This feature guarantees that data is end-to-end encrypted and cannot be accessed by anyone other than the customer, including Apple itself.

This recent dispute follows a similar situation between Apple and the U.K. government from a year prior. In early 2025, London issued a covert order to Apple for access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups, which was ultimately rescinded due to the intervention of the Trump administration.

In reaction to the initial order, the company revised its policies, removing the option for U.K. users to enable ADP. Later, in October, the U.K. issued a second order, which Apple is now contesting.

Apple has not yet responded to TechCrunch’s request for comment.