If you’ve used Apple hardware for a while, it can be easy to rack up extra Apple ID accounts. For those of us who went through multiple cloud service transitions with Apple (MobileMe, anyone?) you could have at least two: one for iCloud and one for all your purchases. I know I’ve set up some test accounts in the past. And everyone has a relative who, every time they get a new iPhone or Mac, seems to think they have to set up a fresh Apple ID, too.
Apple doesn’t hide Apple ID account deletion, but it is in a place you wouldn’t guess, and it requires page after page of disclosures and agreements once you find it. After you cross the final threshold, there is no way to restore access to the account, and Apple says it has deleted your license for your purchases (music, movies, apps), disabled access to subscriptions (they continue until the end of their period, but you can’t use them), and stored data related to the account—such as synced photos, recovery keys, iCloud Keychain passwords, and the like—from all its servers.
Start at the Data and Privacy website Apple operates at privacy.apple.com. This is where you can review and download information Apple has stored about you, with some variation on what’s accessible that depends on the country in which you live. But note at the bottom of that main page, there’s a “Delete your account” label. To proceed, click “Request to delete your account.”
Apple warns you and describes multiple times what will happen to your data and account access. Read it thoroughly as you go, being sure that you agree with all that will happen. Click Continue as needed, and check a box to agree with the terms and conditions of deletion when prompted. You can provide an Apple ID, email address, or phone number to receive updates about the progress of deleting your account.
Near the end of the series of steps, Apple provides an access code related to the account deletion that you have to enter on the next page to confirm you’ve made a note of it. You can then, finally, click Delete Account and then Sign Out.
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Author: Glenn Fleishman, Senior Contributor
Glenn Fleishman’s most recent books include Take Control of iOS and iPadOS Privacy and Security, Take Control of Calendar and Reminders, and Take Control of Securing Your Mac. In his spare time, he writes about printing and type history. He’s a senior contributor to Macworld, where he writes Mac 911.