Apple says that from version 27.3 of iOS, iPadOS, macOS and visionOS, items shared through iCloud using “Anyone with the link” will be checked by Apple for harmful content. The company set out the change in a support document published on 3 November 2026.
When you share an iCloud item such as a photo in iCloud Photos or a file in iCloud Drive, you can choose Share a Link or Send a Copy. A shared link can go to “People you choose”, meaning only people you invite or approve, or to “Anyone with the link”, which Apple says makes it accessible to anyone who has the link, including Apple itself. The new checks apply to the second option.
Apple explains that sharing in this way means the item is no longer end-to-end encrypted, “even if the owner or participants have turned on Advanced Data Protection”. Apple says this is to facilitate the sharing.
If someone tries to upload harmful content, Apple says it may act on the content and on the account. That includes blocking or disabling the Apple Account and blocking the creation of a new account with the associated email address or phone number.
What it means in practice
The support page does not describe how the checks work, or say which kinds of content count as harmful. The document is clear on one point: the checks are tied to public links, not to everything stored in iCloud.
If you rely on link sharing, the practical difference is that a public link has never been private from Apple, and from 27.3 it will also be checked. Sharing with named people remains a separate option.