Apple Will Check Public iCloud Links for Harmful Content

Apple will start checking public iCloud links for harmful content with iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3 and visionOS 27.3, according to a support document published on November 3. The change covers photos and files shared from iCloud with the "Anyone with the Link" option, and those items also lose end-to-end encryption.

The new rule arrives with the 27.3 updates, which are currently in developer testing. Apple released the first iOS 27.3 beta this week, and the public release is expected in December.

Which iCloud links Apple will check

When you share a photo from iCloud Photos or a file from iCloud Drive, you can either send a copy or share a link. In addition, a link can be limited to "People you choose" or opened to "Anyone with the link." Apple says only the second option makes the item accessible to the company for a harmful content check, so invited sharing is not described as part of the scan.

However, there is a privacy cost. Apple states that an item shared with Anyone with the Link is no longer end-to-end encrypted, even if the owner or participants have turned on Advanced Data Protection. In other words, a public link works more like a regular web download than a protected iCloud file.

Moreover, the document does not say whether links created before the 27.3 updates will be checked, as MacRumors notes. It also does not explain how the check works or whether it runs on Apple's servers or on the device.

What happens if content is flagged

Apple does not define "harmful content" in the document. Still, it says it reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove or delete flagged content at any time. Furthermore, the company may block or disable the Apple Account involved, stop the same email address or phone number from creating a new account and, if necessary, involve law enforcement.

Because of that law enforcement wording, the policy is widely read as a step against child sexual abuse material. The Verge reports that the move follows protests calling on Apple to act on such material stored in iCloud. Notably, Apple dropped a plan to scan iCloud Photos on the device for this kind of material in 2022 after privacy criticism, so this narrower approach targets only content its owner has already made public.

What iPhone users should do

For most people, the practical takeaway is simple. If a file is private, share it with specific people instead of using a public link, and check existing links in the Photos and Files apps. Meanwhile, keeping devices current still matters, since Apple's recent fixes such as the iOS 27.2 security update arrive through the same software channel.

As a result, iCloud links remain convenient for sharing large albums and documents, but from iOS 27.3 onward, anything shared with Anyone with the Link should be treated as public and visible to Apple.