What Apple knows about you and how to download them

Apple files download
You used to make a request stating you want to download your data from Apple website. This week Apple launched a new privacy website to make it easier for Apple users to download everything Apple stored about them. It was originally available in Europe to comply with the EU's new GDPR privacy law, but it's now available in the U.S. You can get a copy of your app usage and activity, your Apple Store both retail and online activity, iCloud bookmarks, iCloud Calendars, Notes, a complete copy of your iCloud Drive, iCloud Mail, iCloud Photos and many more.

What the Heck is going on.

This is how to download everything and delete them if you feel like

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, smiles during a demonstration of the newly released Apple products following the launch event at the Steve Jobs Theater in Cupertino, California, September 12, 2018.
Apple launched a new privacy website on Wednesday that makes it easier to download a full copy of everything you've stored on the company's servers. You are able to delete everything in case you want to move your data from Apple to another company.


Now, let’s begin. This is how it works.

Go to Apple's new privacy website. Here, you will find what you want to download from the website. You may select certain things that might be important to you, such as your App Store activity or all the notes you've stored in iCloud. It is not necessary to check on items you don't use.
You can check the bottom of the page to see a list of files that might be large, like your entire iCloud photo library. My iCloud Photos library which is huge and you may decide not to delete or leave Apple services; I didn't download a copy of this.

Now, after you've selected what you want to download, hit continue on the bottom of the page.


Apple files download

How to select a file size

Hope you are getting it. You can select a maximum file size, it's suggested to choose the largest files. It'll take a long time to download, but at least everything will be in a single folder, instead of multiple files. And then, select "Complete Request."

Now, Apple will send you an email confirming that it's preparing your data for download. Apple warns that it might take up to seven days to get a copy of your data. Some of it will be in spreadsheet format, like the apps you've purchased. If you've chosen a hard copy of your data, like photos, then you'll have a copy of all of them too.


Finally, how to delete everything Apple has stored about you

You can choose to delete everything if you want to.

Follow the steps below:
Visit Apple's privacy website.
Select "Delete your account."
Choose a reason why you're deleting your information.
Select "Continue."

Note: If you delete your account, you won't be able to access any iTunes purchases, including books, apps, movies or music. You won't henceforth receive iMessage or FaceTime chats. Your iCloud email will stop working as well.