Apple is changing how it handles one specific type of iCloud sharing. Starting with iOS 27.3, iPadOS 27.3, macOS 27.3, and visionOS 27.3, any file or folder you share using the “Anyone with the Link” permission will be checked by Apple for what it calls “harmful content.” The update also means that content shared this way will no longer be end-to-end encrypted, according to a company support document first reported by 9to5Mac.
What’s Actually Changing
iCloud sharing has several permission levels, and “Anyone with the Link” is the most open one: anyone who has the URL can open the shared item. Under the new policy, Apple says that once you create that kind of link on 27.3 or later, the content becomes accessible to Apple so it can be checked for harmful material.
That’s a notable change for Apple, which promotes end-to-end encryption for iCloud through its optional Advanced Data Protection setting. The Verge’s report covers items shared with the “Anyone with the Link” option, not iCloud storage in general.
Apple Hasn’t Defined ‘Harmful Content’
Notably, Apple’s support document doesn’t spell out what counts as harmful content. The company does lay out what it can do if it finds something it doesn’t like: it says it “reserves the right to move, refuse, modify, remove, or delete” flagged content. Apple also says it may block or disable accounts, stop someone from creating a new account, or involve law enforcement “if necessary.”
Without a clear definition, it’s hard to know exactly where Apple will draw the line. The Verge notes that the change follows calls from protestors for Apple to crack down on child sexual abuse material stored in iCloud.
Why This Matters for Everyday Users
Keep in mind that anything you share with “Anyone with the Link” on 27.3 or later won’t be end-to-end encrypted, even if you use Advanced Data Protection, according to Apple’s support document.
This also lands at a time when Apple is pushing out other iOS 27.3 changes, including the long-awaited launch of Apple Intelligence in China. Apple released the first 27.3 developer betas on November 3 and plans to launch iOS 27.3 in December.
The Bottom Line
If you regularly share files or folders using iCloud’s “Anyone with the Link” option, that content will be subject to Apple’s content checks once you’re running iOS 27.3 or later, and it won’t be end-to-end encrypted. Apple hasn’t detailed exactly what triggers a flag or how the scanning works technically, so there are still open questions. For now, the practical takeaway is simple: know which sharing method you’re using, and treat public links as public, not private.
Source: The Verge
