Apple Adds ‘Download Your Data’ Tool

Apple has launched a one-stop shop to download all the data it has stored about you. It’s European-only but will be available worldwide at some point.

The “Data and Privacy portal” covers 11 categories of information including Apple ID accounts, game center activity, iCloud contacts and calendars and even activity in retail stores.

Users can download a copy of the data from one or all categories. As this clearly includes sensitive data (including the option to download pictures and video from iCloud), there’ll be a delay of up to 7 days before the data becomes available, which Apple says will give them time to verify the request actually comes from the account holder.

Apple also warns users not to freak out if they see references to “biometric” in the data. This simply means the user confirmed a digital purchase with Face ID or Touch ID.

There are some key exception to the available data. It only covers personal data so doesn’t includes the content itself from app, book, music or video purchases.

The portal will also include options to request that an error in any listed data be collected, to deactivate an account temporarily, or to completely delete an account and all associated data.

The feature will launch initially in the 28 countries that are members of the European Union. That’s because the move has been driven by the EU’s General Data Protection Regulations, which take force this week. However, having built the feature, Apple does plan to roll it out worldwide.