Will My iCloud Backup Be Deleted After Stolen Device Is Removed?

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Level 1

6 points

Will My iCloud Backup Be Deleted After Stolen Device Is Removed?

My iPhone 13 was stolen in Latin America. Unfortunately, the thief gained access to my iCloud password because it was stored in Google Password Manager, and the phone’s screen was still active when it was taken. They managed to hack into several of my accounts and change their passwords, but luckily, they weren’t able to change my iCloud password.

The issue now is that they initiated a request to remove the device from my iCloud account. Due to Stolen Device Protection, this removal is pending and scheduled for 30 days from now. By the time I accessed Find My iPhone, it was too late to stop the removal. I did trigger the “Erase iPhone” command and logged the device out from iCloud remotely.

I still have my iCloud backup available. My question is: After the 30-day period, when the stolen device is fully removed from my iCloud account, will my iCloud backup also be deleted? Or will it remain available for me to restore to a new device?

iPhone 13, iOS 18

Posted on Jul 22, 2025 08:24 PM

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Answer 1

TheLittles

Level 10

201,503 points

Jul 22, 2025 09:43 PM in response to katal90

“I still have my iCloud backup available. My question is: After the 30-day period, when the stolen device is fully removed from my iCloud account, will my iCloud backup also be deleted? Or will it remain available for me to restore to a new device?”

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When you remove a device from your account, it is deleted from iCloud permanently. So, no, it will not be available for restoration.

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Answer 2

Jul 22, 2025 09:54 PM in response to katal90

No, your iCloud backup will not be deleted just because the device is removed from your account after the 30-day waiting period. Removing the device from your iCloud account means it will no longer be associated with your Apple ID, and features like Find My iPhone and Activation Lock will be disabled for that device. However, your iCloud backups are stored separately in your iCloud account and remain accessible for you to restore on a new device.

So even after the stolen device is removed, your backup will stay safe in iCloud unless you manually delete it yourself or if your iCloud storage is full and backups start getting purged due to inactivity or space constraints.

Read more about this topic, Related article:

View and remove your devices that are associated with your Apple Account for purchases - Apple Support

What does iCloud back up? - Apple Support

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