How To See What Data Apple Has About You

Most giant tech firms collect many data about you and so does Apple. Though this company may not collect as much information as others you cannot use its services and products without leaving some information.

Thanks to EU’s effort which resulted in the General Data Protection Regulation, the giant tech firm has provided us with a way to get at these data. Particularly, Privacy Portal, a new feature of Apple allows users to get a copy of what info the company has on them.

How to?

To get a copy of your own data that the company has collected, follow these following steps:

• Enter the site Data and Privacy Page of Appl using your Apple ID.
• Scan through for “Get a copy of your data”.
• Click on “Request a copy of your data”.

• Tick in the boxes corresponding to the type of information you need. Or you can "Select all".

• Click on “Continue”
• Choose the file size you want to receive. Here, you can adjust to download your data in separate smaller files or in bigger ones.

• Click on “Complete request” and wait.

It’s worth noting that Apple may spend a few days preparing your data download. When you download is ready, the system will send you an informing email.

What’s in your Apple information dump?

The email Apple sends you to announce your data is ready for downloading will come with a link. Click on the link and you will go to a website like this.

Here you’ll see separate data sections to download, you have to click on the little blue arrows to download them one by one.

What’s hidden in each data folder?

“Apple ID account and device information” is quite useless unless you don’t remember which Apple device you are using.

“Apple Online and Retail Stores” will list out what you have purchased from the company from even years ago. However, the general spreadsheet will only display order numbers and transactions.

Also, in Apple Online and Retail Stores, you can see the total payment you have paid to Apple, the total credit you have accumulated.

You can also view everything you have listened on Apple Music and the time you streamed each of them. Here's an example.

In “Store Transaction History.csv” file, you can view all you’ve bought from a digital store of Apple, from iOS to macOS apps, tvOS, movies, shows, books, etc.

In “Apps And Service Analytics.csv”, you will see what fun info Apple has on it you through its own apps, like everytime you clicked or tapped on different items on the Apple Store.

Furthermore, you can read your old reviews on any Apple item.

Within AppleCare are all your past repair requests. The Marketing Communication folder, there are two spreadsheets indicating every advertising emails the company used to send you.

Last but not least, you see details of what you’ve saved via several channels like calendars, browser bookmarks, contacts, notes, and reminders.

What to do if you want Apple to collect less data

You cannot stop Apple from collecting your information, but you can limit that in the following steps.

Launch the Settings app

Tap on Privacy option

At the bottom, you can switch off Analytics or adjust Advertising section to Limit Ad Tracking or reset the ad identifier.