There's no separate iCloud account to delete, because iCloud runs on your Apple Account. To remove it for good, sign in on Apple's Data and Privacy page and use the tool that deletes your Apple Account and its data. If you only want iCloud off one iPhone or Mac, sign out in Settings instead.
Deleting is permanent, signing out is not
Deletion wipes the account along with everything attached to it, and there's no undo. Signing out is the reversible cousin: your photos, notes and files sit untouched in iCloud, ready for whenever you sign back in.
That's why Apple's sign-out help page recommends an up-to-date iCloud backup plus your own archive or copies of what you keep there. Anything that lives only in iCloud, such as a camera roll that was never saved to a computer, should be copied somewhere you control first.
If you're not sure you want to go all the way, there's a temporary deactivation option, which sits alongside deletion as a separate choice.
| Choice | Permanent? | Where you do it |
|---|---|---|
| Sign out of a device | No, sign back in any time | Settings on that device |
| Temporary deactivation | No, it's temporary | Data and Privacy page |
| Delete the Apple Account | Yes | Data and Privacy page |
A quick way to choose: if the problem is one device, sign out of that device. If you want a break from the account, use temporary deactivation. If you want the account and the data attached to it gone for good, that's the delete tool, and it's the only one of the three you can't walk back from.
Deleting your Apple Account from the Data and Privacy page
- Back up iCloud and save your own copies.
- Sign in to Apple's Data and Privacy page.
- Request a copy of your data, if you want one.
- Choose the option to delete your account.
All three account tools, copy, pause and erase, sit together on the Data and Privacy page. You get in by signing in with the same Apple Account your iCloud runs on, because the page is where Apple keeps its privacy tools for your personal data. Request the copy first, check the parts you care about are in it, then go back for the delete option. Once the account has gone, the data goes with it.
Here's how that looks if you're walking away from Apple altogether. Copy your camera roll, notes and files to a computer or drive you control, and make sure your iCloud backup is current. Request your data copy and open it to check it's complete. Deal with Apple Cash and Apple Card, since neither can move to another account. Only then sign in again and choose delete.
If you're clearing out more than one service, the same caution applies elsewhere. The guides to closing a Spotify account and permanently deleting Instagram cover those.
Taking iCloud off one device instead
If you only want a phone or laptop disconnected, that needs a sign-out, not a deletion. It's quicker, it's reversible, and nothing stored in iCloud is lost.
On iPhone or iPad:
- Open Settings.
- Tap your name.
- Scroll to the bottom.
- Tap Sign Out.
On a Mac:
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- Open the Apple menu.
- Choose System Settings.
- Click your name.
- Click Sign Out.
Snags to know about before and after
The App Store, iMessage and FaceTime want you to sign in again
That's expected. Signing out of your Apple Account on a device also signs it out of iCloud, the App Store and Apple's other media services, iMessage and FaceTime, all in one go.
Apple Cash or Apple Card won't move to your new account
Both are linked to the Apple Account they were set up on and can't be transferred to, or used from, a different one. Sort them out before you delete.
You only wanted one iCloud feature switched off
Then you don't need to sign out or delete anything. Change your iCloud settings and turn off just that feature.
Frequently asked questions
Does signing out of my iPhone also sign out my Mac?
Apple gives separate steps for iPhone or iPad and for a Mac, so sign out on each device you want cleared.
Can I recover the account after deleting it?
No. There's no route back once it's gone.
Can I download my data without deleting the account?
Yes. Requesting a copy doesn't tie you to anything else, so you can grab your data and carry on using the account as normal.
Is deactivating the same as deleting?
No. Apple lists temporary deactivation as a separate option from the permanent delete tool.
Do I need to delete my account to stop using iCloud on an iPad?
No. Sign out on the iPad with the same steps as an iPhone, and the account and its iCloud data stay as they are.
