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How can I make the internet think my device is something other than what it is?

Silly John Fatty

Silly John Fatty

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Nov 6, 2012
1,806
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I need to download my data from appleid.apple.com but you can only do that from a Mac they say (a silly thing).

I won’t have access to my Mac for the next month or so.

How can I make the Apple website think my iPhone or my iPad is a Mac? (I’ve tried „show desktop site“ in Safari, but it didn’t work)

I’ve also Trier Tor as someone suggested, but it didn’t work. Was I just unlucky? Shall I maybe try another Tor app?
 
Don't try random "tor" apps, some are not trustworthy to say the least.
Try with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, set desktop website in settings before opening the page.
 
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bogdanw said:
Don't try random "tor" apps, some are not trustworthy to say the least.
Try with Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, set desktop website in settings before opening the page.
Click to expand...

Even if they’re downloaded from the App Store? Damn, I logged in to appleid.apple.com through one of them.

I tried Edge, Chrome, Brave and the DuckDuckGo browser now and set desktop website in settings before, but it didn’t work.

Apple’s website must see that I’m using an iPhone and won’t let me download my data. Why Apple, just why? Stop being so irrational.
 
Last edited:
Okay so I think I found the term I'm looking for, it's called the user agent, and I've basically taken the risk and re-tried another Tor browser, changed the user agent to Mac OS X, but it still doesn't work. Apple's Website tells me I need a Mac or PC to download my data.

This is so absolutely silly. So now I'll have to ask someone else for their PC or laptop and login from there. But that's a potential security threat as they could retrieve my data, even if I deleted it. How retarded is that?

I have really important data that I've lost and I was hoping to be able to retrieve them by downloading them from appleid.apple.com and I have no Mac with me, but apparently I can't get my data. What about people who don't have a computer? Statistics show that most people in the world in fact only have a phone. Having your own laptop is a first-world-luxury we're used to, but it's not the case for everyone.

Stupid Apple!
 
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Surely if your data is in iCloud, it's accessible from any device logged into your Apple ID....?
What do you mean when you say you have lost it, lost from where....?
 
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MarkC426 said:
Surely if your data is in iCloud, it's accessible from any device logged into your Apple ID....?
What do you mean when you say you have lost it, lost from where....?
Click to expand...

I’ve lost it from iCloud but Apple has had an issue and basically it’s in none of their backups. So my data is lost, but I could eventually retrieve it from appleid.Apple.com. We’ve tried all other solutions.
 
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MarkC426 said:
From this guide

System requirements for iCloud – Apple Support (UK)

These are the recommended system requirements and minimum system requirements for iCloud.
support.apple.com support.apple.com
You should have access from your phone....🤔

If your data is lost and Apple has no backup, how can you retrieve it....?
Click to expand...

iCloud.com is not the same as appleid.apple.com basically. iCloud is a service, but your Apple ID is sort of "above" that, and due to legislation they're forced to provide you a copy of your data, if you ask for it.

And basically my lost stuff might be there. It's not in any of Apple's iCloud backups, they lost them. 🙄 But they might be in my Apple ID data.
 
You are referring to the data provided by https://privacy.apple.com/
"Get a copy of the data associated with your Apple ID account" https://support.apple.com/en-us/102208
Data.jpg
 
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It's working in Edge.
If you previously tried to access the site in Edge, go into Settings - Privacy and Security - Clear browsing data - Time range-All time and Clear Now. Then into Settings - General - Site display settings and choose Show desktop site as default. Now access https://privacy.apple.com/
 
bogdanw said:
It's working in Edge.
If you previously tried to access the site in Edge, go into Settings - Privacy and Security - Clear browsing data - Time range-All time and Clear Now. Then into Settings - General - Site display settings and choose Show desktop site as default. Now access https://privacy.apple.com/
Click to expand...

Have you tried downloading data? You have to “request” it and then it takes a few days, they get back to you with a link, and when you try to download it, it says you need a Mac or PC.

I hadn’t used Edge before. Fresh install, directly set desktop website.

Even changing the user agent from iOS to Mac OS in one of these Tor browsers didn’t work. I don’t know how exactly they recognise your device. I thought maybe through the screen size, but my 12,9” iPad could be a laptop as well.
 
Silly John Fatty said:
Have you tried downloading data? You have to “request” it and then it takes a few days, they get back to you with a link, and when you try to download it, it says you need a Mac or PC.
Click to expand...
Out of curiosity, I’ve made a request. When I’ll receive the link, I’ll try to download from my iPhone.
 
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bogdanw said:
Out of curiosity, I’ve made a request. When I’ll receive the link, I’ll try to download from my iPhone.
Click to expand...
Idea: install a free virtual machine like VirtualBox and set up a macOS install. Or maybe use QEMU which I think may be more straightforward. That should absolutely fool the site into thinking you're using a Mac (since you'll be using macOS)!
 
bogdanw said:
I’ve received the link, but I couldn’t download from my iPhone. Maybe Apple is reading screen sizes and displays the message based on that.
You could try with Opera https://apps.apple.com/app/opera-browser-with-vpn-and-ai/id1411869974
on an iPad. When using desktop mode, Opera reports as user agent Safari 16.6 macOS 12.5 and it was displaying a desktop looking page even on an iPhone.
Click to expand...

So did one of the tor browsers I had downloaded (you could choose the user agent), but it still didn't work. Same thing with Opera. I'm not sure how exactly they recognise it. My 12"9 iPad with a Mac OS user agent could be a computer.

MarkC426 said:
Do you have a 'work' computer somewhere (i.e. an office) where you could download to a USB stick...?
Click to expand...

I wish. I could ask some people, but theoretically they could restore my data.
 
bogdanw said:
Out of curiosity, I’ve made a request. When I’ll receive the link, I’ll try to download from my iPhone.
Click to expand...
Depending upon what you requested, the size of the data will probably be far too much for an iPhone.
 
rjackb said:
Depending upon what you requested, the size of the data will probably be far too much for an iPhone.
Click to expand...
The largest file is 12.41MB, the smallest 618 Bytes, total under 16 MB
The size is not the problem. The page doesn't load with the options to download, it just displays the message that you need a Mac or PC.
 
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If you physically don't have a Mac, can you go to an Apple Store and download there maybe.
It is your data, they should be obliged to support you, as a lot of people only have an iPhone/iPad.
 
rjackb said:
Depending upon what you requested, the size of the data will probably be far too much for an iPhone.
Click to expand...

You can chose what size you maximally want it to be, and I chose 1 GB. That’s doable.

MarkC426 said:
If you physically don't have a Mac, can you go to an Apple Store and download there maybe.
It is your data, they should be obliged to support you, as a lot of people only have an iPhone/iPad.
Click to expand...

That’s what they told me, but there’s no Apple Store in the country I am. There’s not even a verified apple partner here.

Like you say, they are obliged to give me this data, and statistically, most people worldwide don’t even have a computer but only a phone.

I told this Apple
Support but they could give me no other answer than to go to an Apple Store or to ask someone to borrow me their laptop. That was very unprofessional.
 
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Silly John Fatty said:
I told this Apple
Support but they could give me no other answer than to go to an Apple Store or to ask someone to borrow me their laptop. That was very unprofessional.
Click to expand...

No, that sounds completely professional. They gave you suggestions, it's not their fault you don't like them.
 
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kitKAC said:
No, that sounds completely professional. They gave you suggestions, it's not their fault you don't like them.
Click to expand...

Actually they are obliged to give me my data according to the law. That’s why they have this service in the first place, it’s compulsory in the EU (it’s the GDPR. Probably compulsory in the US now as well).

And they make it nearly impossible for some people to get their data. There’s no technical reasons why you shouldn’t be able to download even 500 GB to your phone, if you have the space.
 
Maybe a silly option, but if the data is available in your appleid (which you have no method of retrieving), cannot Apple restore it back to where you lost it from so then available through your phone?
 
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