Because Apple encourages its employees to use their personal Apple accounts for work, confidential files remained on personal devices after they left the company. Some former employees even continued to receive notifications about changes. This case ironically affects the very company that has made data privacy a core part of its brand.
The report comes from The Information, which spoke with more than half a dozen former Apple employees. All of them retained access to internal files - including planning documents for product launches - after leaving the company, without knowing it or wanting to.
The timing is remarkable. Apple has been pursuing legal action against OpenAI since July for allegedly stealing trade secrets and, on the same day, filed another lawsuit against the British order to provide access to encrypted iCloud data.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Former Apple employees retained access to shared internal documents in iCloud after leaving the company.
- The cause is the deliberate mixing of private Apple accounts and company iCloud storage.
- A managed folder for work files exists, but it does not cover all internal documents.
- iMessage histories and files shared via the Messages app also remained accessible.
- Apple states that it will not take action against former employees who accidentally have company documents in their private accounts.
How the mixing occurs
Apple provides its employees with a 2TB iCloud plan. This can either be merged with an existing personal Apple account or set up as a separate account.
In practice, most people opt for the first option, and for a simple reason: only one primary account can be logged into an iPhone at a time. Anyone wanting to keep their work and personal accounts separate would have to carry two devices.
This means that company files end up in the same account as vacation photos and notes. After leaving the company, some of these files continued to sync to personal devices. Several respondents stated that they didn't dare delete the documents – for fear that doing so might attract Apple's attention.
What the managed folder does not cover
A mechanism for separation does exist. Apple maintains a managed folder for work files, access to which is revoked when someone leaves the company.
The problem lies in what doesn't end up there. Internal documents aren't automatically saved in this folder, and files shared between colleagues are stored elsewhere anyway. The same applies to content sent via the Messages app – iMessage histories and the files shared within them remain even after the message is sent.
Former employees also criticize Apple for not thoroughly checking private devices for remaining company data when employees leave the company.
Why the case extends into ongoing proceedings
Remaining access rights are not a fringe issue, but rather at the heart of several legal disputes. In its lawsuit against OpenAI, Apple accuses former employee Chang Liu of downloading files through a previously unknown authentication vulnerability while already working at OpenAI. The close personnel connections between the two companies are illustrated by another figure: Over 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI.
Apple denies any connection to The Information. The case concerns information that OpenAI employees allegedly took unlawfully – none of it relates to documents shared or stored via iCloud.
| Case | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Rivos (chip company) | until 2024 | settled; Rivos accused Apple of deliberately leaving access open. |
| Gerard Williams / Nuvia | until 2023 | The court dismissed the counterclaim, and Apple dropped the case. |
| Di Liu (Vision Pro, switching to Snap) | 2025 | Allegation of having uploaded thousands of documents to private cloud storage |
| OpenAI / Chang Liu | since 2026 | ongoing |
The most serious allegation stemming from the Rivos case is that Apple deliberately granted former employees access to their data in order to later have a pretext for lawsuits against them and their new employers. This was never proven, and the dispute ended in a settlement.
The contradiction that Apple cannot resolve
No report claims that Apple intentionally leaves the access points open. The real finding is different and more uncomfortable for the company: A company that sells its products based on data protection and data separation isn't managing to properly implement separation within its own organization.
The fact that Apple has been offering managed Apple Accounts to businesses for years doesn't make things any better. This tool exists precisely to keep business and personal matters separate – internally, however, there's an incentive to mix the two, because nobody wants to carry around two devices.
For you as a user, this contains a valuable lesson. Anyone who uses their personal Apple account for work should occasionally check which shared folders and files in iCloud Drive are still linked – shares don't disappear automatically when a project or employment relationship ends. Our overview of Family Sharing shows how to set up and revoke shares in iCloud, and those who want to further secure their private content can find the steps in the article on Enhanced Privacy. (Image: Apple / Apfelpatient)
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