When you're getting ready to sell or trade in your old iPhone, Mac or iPad, it's a good idea to sign out of your accounts before factory resetting it. Naturally, Apple's iCloud is one such account. But signing out of your iCloud account isn't always a simple process.
This Apple support page walks you through signing out of iCloud on every Apple device makes it seem like it's a straight-forward process -- open settings or system preferences, navigate to the iCloud account section and tap or click the Sign Out button.
But what do you do if the button is greyed out? Unclickable? Untappable? The support page doesn't mention it, but here's what I've learned: You need to turn off Screen Time before you can sign out of iCloud.
Screen Time is a feature built into your Mac, iPhone or iPad that tracks how much time you spend on your devices, or how many notifications you receive, and from which apps, in a given day. And for some reason, it can block you from removing your iCloud account from your device. We've reached out to Apple for more clarification on why that is.
So, if you find yourself staring at a Sign Out button that won't work, here's what you need to do.
After doing this, you should be good to go.
Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNETDisable Screen Time on iPhone or iPad
On your iPhone or iPad, follow these steps.
1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap Screen Time from the list of options.
3. Scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll find a button labeled Turn Off Screen Time; tap it.
4. Enter your Screen Time passcode if prompted and then confirm your decision to turn it off.
With Screen Time disabled, you should be able to go to your iCloud account and the Sign Out button will work. If it still isn't showing up as active, restart your device and it should work then.
When Screen Time is turned on, this button will be what you need to click to turn it off.
Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNETDisable Screen Time on a Mac
1. Open System Preferences.
2. Click Screen Time.
3. Your account should be selected by default, if not use the drop down to select your name.
4. Click the button labeled Turn Off... and follow the prompts.
Finally, go back to the iCloud account settings page and the Sign Out button should magically work now. If it still isn't showing up as active, restart your Mac and it should work then.
It's unclear why Screen Time can prevent you from signing out of iCloud on your iPhone and more, but nonetheless, it's an easy fix. We also have some tips for troubleshooting and fixing other iPhone problems, like poor battery life. If you're just getting started with a new iPhone, here are some settings you should change right away. And, finally, we also have a roundup of tips and tricks we found in iOS 14.
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I'm trying to sign out Apple ID but the Sign Out button in Settings is greyed out. Why can't I sign out of Apple ID? What can I do?"
When you remove your Apple ID from your iPhone or iPad, there are situations that can cause you can't sign out of Apple ID. This guide tells you those reasons. It also shows what you can do to successfully log-out from iCloud on your iPhone so that your phone can be given away to someone or use another account.
- Part 1. Why Can't I Sign Out of My Apple ID
- Part 2. How to Fix Can't Sign Out of Apple ID on iPhone
- Part 3. All Failed? Remove Apple ID on iPhone with 4uKey
Part 1. Why Can't I Sign Out of My Apple ID
There are some reasons that are possible to most users who can't sign out of Apple ID on their devices. Here we list some common issues.
- Apple ID profile is greyed out in Settings
- The Sign Out button is greyed out and there is a text "Sign-out is not available due to restrictions".
- When you click "sign out", the spinning symbol appears to indicate that it's working, but it never stops.
- Tap on "sign out" and get the error message "you can't sign out your Apple ID because your phone is being restored".
- Verification Failed - There was an error connecting to iCloud.
- Cannot sign out because Apple ID password is forgotten.
- There is some network problems.
Part 2. How to Fix Can't Sign Out of Apple ID on iPhone
Now that you know why can't I sign out of my Apple ID on my iPhone, you will probably want to find out how you can resolve this issue on your phone. Luckily, there are several methods to get around the issue as below.
1. Force Restart Your iPhone
The first thing you can do is to force reboot your iPhone. A force restart could fix many small iOS glitch that may lead you cannot sign out of Apple ID.
- iPhone 8 and later models: Press and release the Volume Up button and then the Volume Down button. Press and hold down the Side button.
- iPhone 7/7 Plus: Press and hold down the Volume Down and Power buttons at the same time.
iPhone 6s and older ones: Press and hold down the Sleep and Home buttons at the same time.
Related reading: How to force restart your iPad.
2. Turn on Cellular Data
If there is an issue with your Wi-Fi network, enable cellular data and use it to sign out of your Apple ID on your iPhone.
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap on Cellular and turn on the toggle.
3. Check iCloud Backup Settings
Sometimes, when you tap on the Sign Out button, you may get an error message that says "You can't sign out your Apple ID because your phone is being restored". If your iCloud backup is being restored, you need to either cancel it or let it fully restore.
Go to Settings > [name banner at top] > iCloud > iCloud Backup on your iPhone. Cancel or wait for it to restore your apps.
4. Turn off Screen Time Restrictions
If you set a screen time or restriction passcode on your iPhone, it can sometimes disable the ability to sign out Apple ID from your iPhone. Turn off the restriction will fix it. Head to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and disable the option at the top.
5. Reset Network Settings
It might be the network problems that stop your from signing out of iCloud. It is worth clearing your network settings to see if that helps your iPhone connect to the Apple servers and log you out from your Apple ID.
- Head to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap on the Reset > Reset Network Settings option.
6. Factory Reset Your Device
You can remove all settings, data and accounts from your iPhone by factory reset. Unlike reset network settings, it will wipe all data from your iPhone. If you cant sign out of Apple ID, erase all contents and settings from your iPhone to fix the issue.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
Tap on the Erase All Content and Settings option to factory reset your device.
- After factory reset, your iPhone will restart, and use the same or another Apple ID to activate your iPhone while setting up.
Part 3. All Failed? Remove Apple ID on iPhone with 4uKey
Still cant sign out of Apple ID? Forgot the Apple ID password? If nothing worked above, you can try using a third-party software that helps remove Apple ID from iPhone or iPad. The software is called Tenorshare 4uKey. You do not need to enter the login credentials as it can get rid of sign-out page without them.
The following is how you use 4uKey to fix cant sign out of Apple ID issue. All iPhones and iPads are supported.
Download, install, and launch 4uKey on your computer. Click on Unlock Apple ID.
Connect your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable. Click on Start Remove to start removing Apple ID from your iPhone.
If Find My iPhone is turned off, or you can disable it before start, just wait to program to remove the Apple ID.
- If Find My iPhone is still enabled, do not worry. Go on and make sure you have a screen passcode and Two-Factor Authentication.
Then download the firmware package. (Your iPhone will be updated to the latest iOS system after removal.)
After download the firmware, click on Start Remove to begin removing the Apple ID.
Let the program complete the process, which may take a few minutes. Then in the setting up page, use hte screen passcode to activate your iPhone.
That is all. You have successfully logged out Apple ID from your iPhone.
FAQs on Signing out of Apple ID
Besides "can't sign out of Apple ID" on iPhone or iPad, if you have any questions regarding the whole Apple ID removal process, the following will give you answers.
1. What happens if you sign out of Apple ID?
If you sign out of your Apple ID, your Apple account no longer remains associated with your device. All the iCloud data will be removed. App Store, iMessages, and other features releated to Apple ID will be not available, either.
2. Will signing out of Apple ID delete everything?
Signing out of your Apple ID will not delete anything on your device storage. But all your iCloud data will be removed from your iPhoen or iPad.
3. Why Can't I Sign out of My Apple ID?
There are various reasons why you cannot sign out of Apple ID on your device. It can be a software glitch, iCloud backup being restored or any connection problems. We have explain and give solutions in the above content.
Conclusion
If you can't sign out of Apple ID on iPhone or iPad, you cannot sign into another account or give away your phone to someone. With the methods above, though, you can sign out Apple ID successfully. The ultimate way is Tenorshare 4uKey to remove Apple ID without password.