How to delete your Apple ID

So you want to delete your Apple ID? I've got good news and bad news …

The bad news is you can't actually delete your Apple ID. The good news is you can come pretty doggone close. Here's how to deactivate, deauthorize, and sign out of your Apple ID on different devices!

How to remove devices associated with your Apple ID

We'll start by removing any devices that are associated with your Apple ID. You can do this on the web via Apple's Manage your Apple ID page or from an iOS device.

Removing devices associated with your Apple ID will make it easier to sign in with a new Apple ID or use your devices without an Apple ID.

Remove devices associated with your Apple ID on the web

1. Go to appleid.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
2. If prompted, type in your two-factor authentication code.
3. Scroll down to the Devices section.

4. Choose a Device and click Remove.

   

5. Click Remove this [Device] to confirm.

   

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until all your devices have been removed.

Remove devices associated with your Apple ID on iOS

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap the Apple ID banner at the top of the main Settings screen.
3. Scroll down to the section with your Apple devices.

4. Tap on a Device.

   

5. Tap Remove From Account.

6. Tap Remove to confirm.

   

Disable Find My iPhone, iPad, Mac

Devices that have Find My iPhone (iPad/Mac/Apple Watch/etc.) enabled are associated with your Apple ID. In the event your device goes missing, you can use Find My iPhone (etc.) to find the device, lock the device, erase the device, and more. If you're trying to ditch your Apple ID, you definitely want to remove this association. Here's how to disable Find My iPhone (etc.) on iOS and macOS!

Disable Find My Mac

1. Launch System Preferences.
2. Click iCloud.
3. Scroll down to find the Find My Mac option.
4. Click the checkbox to disable Find My Mac.

5. Enter your Apple ID password and click Continue to confirm.

   

Disable Find My iPhone/iPad

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap the Apple ID banner at the top of the main Settings screen.

3. Tap iCloud.

   

4. Scroll down and tap Find My iPhone.
5. Toggle off Find My iPhone.

6. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off to confirm.

   

Sign out of ALL THE THINGS!

Now that you've removed your devices from your Apple ID and disabled Find My iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc., all that's left is signing out of your Apple ID on ALL THE THINGS. We'll start in iTunes on the Mac and work from there.

Deauthorize your Apple ID on iTunes for Mac

Deauthorizing iTunes on the Mac is important, because Apple only allows you a certain number of authorized devices that can access your iTunes library. When you deauthorize, you free up a spot for a new computer and/or new Apple ID.

1. Launch iTunes.
2. Click Account in the Mac menu bar.
3. Choose Authorizations and click Deauthorize This Computer...

4. Enter your Apple ID password and click Deauthorize to confirm.

   

Sign out of your Apple ID account on Mac

Now we'll sign out of your Apple ID account on the Mac.

1. Launch System Preferences.
2. Click iCloud.
3. Click Sign Out in the bottom left corner of the iCloud preferences pane.

4. If you'd like to keep a copy of your iCloud data on your Mac click Keep a Copy, otherwise deselect the data categories and click Continue.

   

Sign out of your Apple ID account on iOS

1. Launch the Settings app.
2. Tap the Apple ID banner at the top of the main Settings screen.
3. Scroll down to the bottom and tap Sign Out.

4. Enter your Apple ID password to confirm.

   

What a marathon!

You've removed all the devices associated with your Apple ID via iCloud, you've turned off Find My iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc., you've deauthorized your devices in iTunes for Mac, and you've signed out across the board. Short of calling Apple Support and somehow getting them to delete your Apple ID (it's allegedly been done), you've done everything you can to "delete" your account. Let's just hope your Apple ID isn't also your primary email; if it is, you'll need to go to each website that's got your Apple ID email and update your account settings to whatever new email address you choose.

Any questions?

I'm wishing you all the best in this endeavor! If your run into any problems along the way, be sure to gimme a shout in the comments or over on Twitter.

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