Trevor Nace looks beyond encrypted texts to iCloud backups
His iPhone privacy tutorial draws an unusually quick audience, while viewers ask about missing settings and changing phones.
Trevor Nace
Story of Why this story? The video opened at a pace of 53,920 views a day, 14 times a normal first day on this channel (3,984).
Your iPhone Messages ARE NOT Private Until You Change THIS Setting
Things we can learn from the video
Press to jump
- 0:41Nace demonstrates the iMessage controls; his description clarifies that iMessage is already end-to-end encrypted.
- 1:17He enables the RCS end-to-end encryption option shown on his phone, described as a beta feature.
- 1:44He explains how encryption keys stored in standard iCloud backups affect message privacy.
- 2:07Advanced Data Protection is under Apple Account > iCloud; Nace walks through enabling it.
- 3:23He sets up a trusted recovery contact to help regain access if his device is lost or stolen.
- 4:38Passcode verification completes the setup, followed by an Advanced Data Protection confirmation screen.
The backup matters, too. Trevor Nace's new tutorial makes a distinction that can get lost behind a reassuring blue message bubble: encrypting a conversation and protecting its cloud backup are separate jobs.
The video drew about 45,000 views in 16 hours, already far beyond his usual full-day audience for a regular upload. Privacy settings are familiar territory for Nace: his most-watched regular videos include guides to phone tracking, listening permissions and checking for unwanted access.
Despite the sweeping title, "Your iPhone Messages ARE NOT Private Until You Change THIS Setting," Nace's description makes clear that iMessage is already end-to-end encrypted. He demonstrates the iMessage controls, then opens a separate RCS encryption setting for conversations with Android users. His description notes that the RCS encryption feature shown is still in beta.
The more substantial distinction comes with iCloud. Nace explains that standard backups can store the keys needed to unlock messages alongside the backed-up data. He walks through Advanced Data Protection, which keeps the relevant keys on trusted devices rather than with Apple, and then sets up a recovery contact for help if access is lost.
The comments turn that walkthrough into practical questions: what happens when you get a new phone, what to do when an RCS option is missing, and whether older devices prevent Advanced Data Protection from being enabled. One viewer wants to keep those older devices available in Find My, rather than remove them just to complete the setup.
Published on Trari
Where next?
What viewers say
What happens if you do this and you get a new phone - are the encryption codes copied over from phone to phone or do you have to do something else before you set up your new phone?
@neilc8698See it on YouTubeI have a couple of older devices that cannot be updated. I’m told I cannot turn on data protection unless I remove them from my device list. But it seems to me that if I do that I will no longer be able to use “Find My” for them. Is there a work around?
@8ar6araSee it on YouTubeWhat is RCS?
@susiecramer2524See it on YouTube
2 more comments
How can we delete old messages and photos from the iCloud server? Is that possible?
@MikeyBatsSee it on YouTubeMy iPhone doesn’t have RCS Messaging
@m_j7851See it on YouTube
Public comments from the video's page on YouTube
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- Channel
- Trevor Nace
- Subscribers
- 1,530,000 ▲ 10,000 this week
- Channel views, last 7 days
- 4,957,641
- Channel views, pace per day
- 798,808 (on a normal day: 655,556)
- Video published
- October 25, 2026
- Video views so far
- 44,718 (less than a day online)
- Video views, pace per day
- 53,920
The numbers
The privacy tutorial has already passed Nace's usual first-day views. Its comment section is also much busier than a typical new upload.
💡 Test your knowledge
Which feature does Nace enable to extend encryption protection to iCloud backups?
Nace opens Advanced Data Protection in iCloud settings to strengthen protection for backed-up data.