How to delete an iCloud account

If you really don’t want an Apple account associated with your identity, it is possible to remove it. Here’s how to eliminate the Apple-centric account.

There are several reasons to completely delete an Apple account, formerly Apple ID, some of which are entirely reasonable and plausible. For example, a person may have multiple accounts created by accident but only want to use one and not the other.

At the other end of the scale, there are reasons like no longer wanting to be associated with Apple or its products at all. On a more extreme level, it could be someone wanting to disassociate themselves from technology in an effort to go “off the grid.”

Whatever the reason, Apple offers the option to delete your Apple account.

The results of deletion

As Apple has a strong track record when it comes to user privacy, deleting an Apple account is quite easy to accomplish. Just like the possibility of requesting all the data it has for your account.

However, the action of deleting the account can have far-reaching effects.

Obviously, the main change is that you cannot log into an Apple account once it is deleted. Apple deletes the account details associated with the Apple Account, permanently deleting them and rendering them unusable for all Apple services, such as the App Store, iTunes, Apple Pay, iMessage, and any content purchased or downloaded from those services.

This also means that all user data associated with the account stored on Apple’s servers will be deleted, including photographs, videos, documents and other content stored in iCloud. Even Apple Store appointments and AppleCare support cases are canceled as part of the process, but this does not cancel any Apple Store repairs or orders.

All account-linked subscriptions will be automatically canceled at the end of their billing cycles, but you won’t be able to use your Apple account to access them. Users enrolled in the iPhone Upgrade Program will continue to make payments for their devices.

These changes also affect items you may have acquired from Apple’s digital storefronts and have already downloaded. You won’t be able to watch rented items, allow computers to play DRM-protected content you’ve previously acquired, or re-download purchased items, among other issues.

If you delete the account, Apple warns you that it is a permanent event.

“Once your account is deleted, Apple cannot reopen or reactivate your account or restore your data,” Apple warns.

Apple does not delete all data associated with the account, such as transactional information for financial reporting or information necessary to comply with a legal settlement. But apart from these exceptions, the Apple account will be functionally useless to its user once the deletion is complete.

Apple recommends taking a few actions to protect the personal data you want to keep before deleting the account.

What to do before deleting your Apple account

1. Back up all data stored in iCloud. This includes data that you uploaded yourself, as well as data that applications may place in the online storage service.
2. Download any DRM-free content you have purchased. This includes iTunes Match music, videos, and tracks.
3. Check your active subscriptions. Although subscriptions are canceled at the end of their billing cycles, you should still review them in case you discover a service that you want to continue using, separate from the Apple account.
4. Disconnect from your devices. Once the account is deleted, you won’t be able to sign out of iCloud or turn off Find My, and it may even prevent you from using the device after the account itself is deleted.

The process of deleting iCloud account

If you’ve decided that deleting your account is the right solution, Apple asks users to follow several steps. At the end of the process, the user will have made the request to completely delete the iCloud account.

How to delete your Apple account

1. Log in Apple Data & Privacy website with your Apple account. You may need to complete two-factor authentication to continue.
2. Under the Delete your account heading, click the link to Request to delete your account.
3. On the new page, select a reason to delete from the drop-down list, then click Continue.
4. After going through a checklist of things to keep in mind when deleting the account, click Continue.
5. Consult the general deletion conditions, check the box check boxand click Continue.
6. Tell Apple how to receive status updates when deleting the account, then click Continue. This may include another Apple account, email address, or phone number.
7. Make a recording of access code Apple provides, and click Continue.
8. Enter the access code to confirm that what you noted was correct, then click Continue.
9. Check the latest reminders of the effects of account deletion, then click Delete account.
10. On the confirmation screen, click disconnect.

The process itself does not constitute automatic account deletion. Rather, it is a request to Apple to have the account and associated data deleted.

For security reasons, Apple will verify the account deletion request before continuing, and the entire process could take seven days.

During this verification period, the account will still be active. It is also possible to reactivate the account during this period by contacting Apple Support and providing the access code.

An alternative – Deactivation of Apple account

If you don’t want to permanently delete your iCloud account, you can always temporarily close your account while keeping the data and other items intact. Apple calls this account deactivation.

Rather than deleting data, deactivation completely suspends access to the Apple account, including all data associated with it. On Apple’s side, processing and access to data ceases almost completely.

There are exceptions for items where it is mandatory to retain for legal purposes, for example for financial reporting.

The end result is virtually the same as account deletion, as the results are effectively identical for users. Except that it retains the possibility of putting the account back online with all data intact.

The process is also almost identical, with a few small changes to make.

How to deactivate your Apple account

1. Log in Apple Data & Privacy website with your Apple account. You may need to complete two-factor authentication to continue.
2. Under the heading Temporarily deactivate your account, click the link to Request to deactivate your account.
3. On the new page, select a reason to disable from the drop-down list, then click Continue.
4. After going through a checklist of things to keep in mind when deactivating the account, click Continue.
5. Consult the general conditions of deactivation, check the box check boxand click Continue.
6. Tell Apple how to receive status updates when deactivating the account, then click Continue. This may include another Apple account, email address, or phone number.
7. Make a recording of access code Apple provides, and click Continue.
8. Enter the access code to confirm that what you noted was correct, then click Continue.
9. Check the latest reminders of the effects of account deactivation, then click Deactivate account.
10. On the confirmation screen, click disconnect.

Again, there is a delay of a few days before Apple deactivates the account. You can also provide the Apple Support passcode to undo the deactivation.

Unlike the deletion process, you need to keep your Apple account passcode in a safe place. You will need to provide this to Apple to restore the account in the future, if you want to reactivate it.