Apple has launched a new Data and Privacy website that enables users to request a copy of all of the data associated with their Apple ID accounts that the company maintains on its servers. The page also provides options to delete or deactivate an Apple ID by following the step-by-step instructions outlined below.

apple id account delete deactivate
While any customer anywhere can delete an Apple ID account, Apple says the ability to deactivate an Apple ID account is limited to accounts with locations set in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Apple intends to roll out the deactivation option around the world "in the coming months."

Keep in mind that deleting an Apple ID account and any associated data is a permanent, irreversible* action. After your account is deleted, Apple can't reopen or reactivate your account or restore any of your data, and you will no longer be able to access any of the content and services listed below.

  • Photos, videos, documents, and other content that you stored in iCloud are permanently deleted
  • You will no longer receive any messages or calls sent to your account via iMessage, FaceTime, or iCloud Mail
  • You will no longer be able to sign in to or use services such as iCloud, the App Store, iTunes Store, iBooks Store, Apple Pay, iMessage, FaceTime, and Find My iPhone
  • Your paid iCloud storage plans if any will be canceled
  • Any remaining Apple Store appointments and support cases are canceled, but any AppleCare plans you may have purchased remain valid

Content without Digital Rights Management, such as iTunes music purchases, continue working normally when your account is deleted or deactivated. However, any DRM-free content stored in iCloud Music Library isn't accessible or playable.

If you aren't planning to use your Apple ID for now, but may in the future, Apple recommends temporarily deactivating your account where possible instead of deleting it. Apple IDs can be reactivated by contacting Apple Support and providing the unique access code received during deactivation.

Apple also recommends that you take the following steps before you request deletion or deactivation of your account:

  • Back up the data that you store in iCloud, including content for any Apple or third-party apps that store data using iCloud
  • Download any DRM-free purchases, iTunes Match tracks that you don't have copies of, and any other music and media
  • Review any active subscriptions, as any remaining subscriptions are canceled at the end of their billing cycles, even during deactivation
  • Save copies of any Apple-related information that you currently need or expect to need
  • Sign out of all your devices to avoid issues with apps that use your Apple ID account or iCloud. If your account is deleted, you can't sign out of iCloud or turn off Find My iPhone Activation Lock on your devices. If you forget to sign out, you might not be able to use your device when your account is deleted.

How to Delete Your Apple ID Account

  1. Open a web browser on your Mac, PC, or iPad, and navigate to privacy.apple.com. The option is not available on iPhone.
  2. Enter your Apple ID email and password. Answer any security questions or authorize two-factor authentication on another device if prompted.
    get a copy of your apple data
  3. On the Apple ID & Privacy page, select Continue.
    get a copy of your apple data5
  4. Under Delete Your Account, select Get Started.
    delete get started
  5. Select a reason for deleting your account from the dropdown menu, such as "prefer not to say," and select Continue.
    account deletion reason
  6. Review the checklist of important things to know before deleting your account and select Continue.
    account deletion first checklist
  7. Review the deletion terms and conditions, check off the read and agree box, and select Continue.
    account deletion terms
  8. Choose how to receive account status updates: the email used to create the Apple ID, a different email address, or by phone. Then select Continue.
    how to reach
  9. Print, download, or write down the unique access code, which is needed to contact Apple Support regarding your request, including if you wish to change your mind about deleting the account for a short period after the request is submitted. Then select Continue.
    deletion write down code
  10. Enter the access code to confirm that you have received it. Then select Continue.
    enter code to continue
  11. Review the list of important details one more time and select Delete Account.
    delete account red button
  12. Apple will confirm it is working on deleting your account on the website and in an email. Apple says the process may take up to seven days. Your account will remain active while verification is in progress.
    working on deleting
  13. Remember to sign out of the Apple ID on all devices and web browsers before the account is deleted.

How to Deactivate Your Apple ID Account

  1. Open a web browser on your Mac, PC, or iPad, and navigate to privacy.apple.com. The option is not available on iPhone.
  2. Enter your Apple ID email and password. Answer any security questions or authorize two-factor authentication on another device if prompted.
    get a copy of your apple data
  3. On the Apple ID & Privacy page, click Continue.
    get a copy of your apple data5
  4. Under Deactivate Your Account, select Get Started.
    deactivate get started
  5. Select a reason for deactivating your account from the dropdown menu, such as "prefer not to say," and select Continue.
  6. Review the checklist of important things to know before deactivating your account and select Continue.
  7. Review the deactivation terms and conditions, check off the read and agree box, and select Continue.
    deactivation terms
  8. Choose how to receive account status updates: the email used to create the Apple ID, a different email address, or by phone. Then select Continue.
    how to reach
  9. Print, download, or write down the unique access code, which is needed to contact Apple Support regarding your request, including if you wish to reactivate your account at any time. Then select Continue.
    deactivate code
  10. Enter the access code to confirm that you have received it. Then select Continue.
    enter code to continue
  11. Review the important details one more time and select Deactivate Account.
    deactivate red button
  12. Apple will confirm it is working on deactivating your account on the website and in an email. Apple says the process may take up to seven days. Your account will remain active while verification is in progress.
    working on deactivation
  13. Remember to sign out of the Apple ID on all devices and web browsers before the account is deactivated.

These new options satisfy the requirements of the European Union's new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), enforceable starting May 25, but Apple plans to make them available around the world.

* For a short time, you can enter a unique access code provided by Apple during the deletion process should you change your mind about deleting your account. Apple will notify you when your account has been irreversibly deleted.

Popular Stories

Apple AirTag Linked to Increasing Number of Car Thefts, Canadian Police Report

Apple's AirTags are being used in an increasing number of targeted car thefts in Canada, according to local police. Outlined in a news release from York Regional Police, investigators have identified a new method being used by thieves to track down and steal high-end vehicles that takes advantage of the AirTag's location tracking capabilities. While the method of stealing the cars is largely ...

Elon Musk Urges Customers to Buy 'Tesla Cyberwhistle' Instead of Apple Polishing Cloth

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has encouraged customers to buy the "Cyberwhistle" for $50 instead of Apple's much-discussed Polishing Cloth. The product page, which Musk shared on Twitter on Tuesday evening, offers a limited edition stainless steel whistle with the same distinctive design of the Tesla Cybertruck:Inspired by Cybertruck, the limited-edition Cyberwhistle is a premium collectible made from ...

Five Features to Look Forward to in the 2022 MacBook Air

Tuesday November 30, 2021 1:51 pm PST by Juli Clover

In 2022, Apple is going to release an updated version of the MacBook Air with some of the biggest design changes that we've seen since 2010, when Apple introduced the 11 and 13-inch size options. In the video below, we highlight five features that you need to know about the new machine. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. No More Wedge Design - Current MacBook...

Apple Reveals the Most Downloaded iOS Apps and Games of 2021

Thursday December 2, 2021 12:05 am PST by Juli Clover

Along with naming its editorial picks for the top apps and games of 2021, Apple today shared charts for the most downloaded free and paid apps and games in the United States across 2021. The number one most downloaded free iPhone app was TikTok, followed by YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. The top paid iPhone apps included Procreate Pocket, HotSchedules, The Wonder Weeks, and Touch...

New iPhone SE Reportedly on Track for Release in First Quarter of 2022

Tuesday November 30, 2021 8:08 am PST by Joe Rossignol

Apple plans to release a third-generation iPhone SE in the first quarter of 2022, according to Taiwanese research firm TrendForce. If this timeframe proves to be accurate, we can expect the device to be released by the end of March. As previously rumored, TrendForce said the new iPhone SE will remain a mid-range smartphone with added support for 5G:In terms of product development, Apple is...

Apple Planning to Replace the iPhone With AR Headset in 10 Years

Apple is planning to replace the iPhone with an augmented reality (AR) headset in 10 years, a process that is apparently due to start as soon as next year with the launch of a head-mounted device, according to a recent report. Concept render of Apple's rumored AR headset by Antonio De Rosa In a note to investors seen by MacRumors, eminent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo explained that "Apple's goal is...