How to disable iCloud.com access to your data

While the attention in iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, and macOS 13.1 Ventura might be on Advanced Data Protection (ADP), an option to extend end-to-end encryption for nearly all your data synced via and stored at iCloud, don’t overlook a sleeper feature thrown in with those releases. You can separately disable web access to your iCloud data.

You might decide that in the interests of security, you don’t want to have the slightest possibility someone might obtain your account credentials in such a way that they can log in at iCloud.com, even if they couldn’t manage to log in to another Apple device. With two-factor authentication, it shouldn’t be feasible, but there’s more potential for a web exploit than a device-based one.

To disable web access to iCloud.com data in any of the above operating system releases, do the following:

1. Go to Settings (iOS/iPadOS) or System Settings (macOS) > Account Name > iCloud.
2. Disable Access iCloud Data on the Web.
3. Apple prompts you with an additional query: “Don’t access your iCloud data on the web?” Tap or click Don’t Access to proceed. (Tap Access iCloud Data on the Web or click Access on the Web to back out of your choice.)

To re-enable access:

1. Turn the switch back on in the same location as in step 1 above.
2. Apple again prompts you, this time with “Access your iCloud data on the web?” Tap Access iCloud Data on the Web or click Access on the Web to proceed. (Or Don’t Access to keep it disabled.)

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