HT201274: Erase all content and settings on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple Watch

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WeaverJK

Q: Does Erasing a device also "sign out" from the device the Apple ID associated with that device?

Does Erasing a device also "sign out" from the device the Apple ID associated with that device?

If an individual forgot to "sign out" of a device before erasing the device, is that Apple ID automatically signed out from the device or does one have to reconfigure the device with the existing Apple ID simply so one can sign out that Apple ID from the device and then erase the device?

 

I found an Apple article that infers that erasing a device also signs out the Apple ID, but the article does not specifically state this.

 

 

Thank you,

 

John

Posted on Mar 31, 2016 9:01 AM

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Q: Does Erasing a device also "sign out" from the device the Apple ID associated with that device?

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  • by razmee209,

    razmee209 razmee209 Mar 31, 2016 9:07 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 7 (33,242 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 9:07 AM in response to WeaverJK

    WeaverJK wrote:

     

    Does Erasing a device also "sign out" from the device the Apple ID associated with that device?

    If an individual forgot to "sign out" of a device before erasing the device, is that Apple ID automatically signed out from the device or does one have to reconfigure the device with the existing Apple ID simply so one can sign out that Apple ID from the device and then erase the device?

     

    I found an Apple article that infers that erasing a device also signs out the Apple ID, but the article does not specifically state this.

     

     

    Thank you,

     

    John

    What to do before selling or giving away your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Mar 31, 2016 9:11 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 9 (50,486 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 31, 2016 9:11 AM in response to WeaverJK

    WeaverJK wrote:

     

    Does Erasing a device also "sign out" from the device the Apple ID associated with that device?

    If an individual forgot to "sign out" of a device before erasing the device, is that Apple ID automatically signed out from the device or does one have to reconfigure the device with the existing Apple ID simply so one can sign out that Apple ID from the device and then erase the device?

     

    I found an Apple article that infers that erasing a device also signs out the Apple ID, but the article does not specifically state this.

     

     

    Thank you,

     

    John

    No, you must sign out

  • by WeaverJK,

    WeaverJK WeaverJK Mar 31, 2016 9:23 AM in response to razmee209
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 9:23 AM in response to razmee209

    I appreciate the response but this response does not address the question.

    Before posting, I read the article you provided.  While this mentions the "proper procedure" to use prior to getting rid of a device, this document does answer the question asked.
    I found another Apple article (which I can dig up and reference here) that indicates that all one really needs to do is erase the device and that also "signs out" the ID.  Just seeking verification as to whether or not what this article hinted at is true.

  • by razmee209,

    razmee209 razmee209 Mar 31, 2016 9:33 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 7 (33,242 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 9:33 AM in response to WeaverJK

    If you still have your iOS device

    Before you sell or give away your device, you should remove your personal information. You shouldn't manually delete your contacts, calendars, reminders, documents, photo streams, or any other iCloud data while you're signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. This would delete your content from the iCloud servers and any of your devices signed in to iCloud.

    Follow these steps:

    1. If you paired an Apple Watch with your iPhone, unpair your Apple Watch.
    2. Back up your iOS device.
    3. Tap Settings > iCloud. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. In iOS 7 or earlier, tap Delete Account.
    4. Tap Sign Out again, then tap Delete from My iPhone and enter your password.
    5. Go back to Settings and tap General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. If you turned on Find My iPhone, you might need to enter your Apple ID and password.
    6. If asked for your device passcode or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase [device].
    7. Contact your carrier for help transferring service to a new owner. If you aren't using a SIM card with your device, you can contact them to get help transferring service to the new owner.
  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Mar 31, 2016 9:54 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 9 (50,486 points)
    Desktops
    Mar 31, 2016 9:54 AM in response to WeaverJK

    WeaverJK wrote:

     

    I appreciate the response but this response does not address the question.

    Before posting, I read the article you provided.  While this mentions the "proper procedure" to use prior to getting rid of a device, this document does answer the question asked.
    I found another Apple article (which I can dig up and reference here) that indicates that all one really needs to do is erase the device and that also "signs out" the ID.  Just seeking verification as to whether or not what this article hinted at is true.

    It's wrong, but the problem will be yours so go ahead if you want to (under advisement not to do this)

  • by WeaverJK,

    WeaverJK WeaverJK Mar 31, 2016 11:33 AM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 11:33 AM in response to Csound1

    Csound1 and Razmee209 -

     

    Thank you for your responses. 

    Had already wiped the device (last night).  I was trying to gauge what work I had cut out for me today after work. 

    I vaguely remember running into this problem before.

    To be certain, it looks like I'll need to configure the device and authenticate using the existing Apple ID, then sign out, then erase the device. 

    You would think that Apple could simply tweak their operating system so that the "erase" feature also performed a "sign-out" automatically prior to wiping the device.  At the very least, the OS should prompt the user to manually sign out prior to wiping the device.  This is just stupid engineering and programming by Apple.

    If Not B, then A... (if you haven't signed out, then we'll send you back to sign out before you proceed with a wipe)

    Very easy logic to add to the existing code. 

     

    Thanks again.  It's always appreciated when someone takes the time to respond to requests for information or assistance.

  • by TMHahn,

    TMHahn TMHahn Mar 31, 2016 11:40 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 2 (384 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 11:40 AM in response to WeaverJK

    Correct me if I'm wrong fellow Community posters, but can you go to iCloud.com after the device is wiped and disassociate the iPhone from your AppleID?

  • by Michael Black,

    Michael Black Michael Black Mar 31, 2016 11:46 AM in response to TMHahn
    Level 7 (24,472 points)
    Mar 31, 2016 11:46 AM in response to TMHahn

    TMHahn wrote:

     

    Correct me if I'm wrong fellow Community posters, but can you go to iCloud.com after the device is wiped and disassociate the iPhone from your AppleID?

    Yes, there are two ways to disable activation lock.  One is by signing out of find my iPhone/iPad from on the device itself, or one can login to their iCloud account in a web browser and remove the device from their list of tracked devices there.  Either way disables activation lock on the device.

     

    By itself, a simple erase all content and settings or restore as new in iTunes will NOT disable activation lock (which is part of the very intent of activation lock so it would be silly if such a simple process defeated it).

  • by WeaverJK,

    WeaverJK WeaverJK Mar 31, 2016 11:45 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 11:45 AM in response to WeaverJK

    Just for reference...
    Here's the URL to one article that seems to suggest one doesn't have to "sign out" prior to a wipe:

    https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201351

     

    Step 2 of "if you no longer have your device" seems to indicate that if the "sign out" steps were not performed, that one can simply log into one's Apple ID account and Remove the device.  This seems to imply that removing a device performs a remote "sign out."

    Has anyone actually attempted this?  It would be much less time consuming than setting up the iDevice again just so I could "sign out."

    If you still have your iOS device

    Before you sell or give away your device, you should remove your personal information. You shouldn't manually delete your contacts, calendars, reminders, documents, photo streams, or any other iCloud data while you're signed in to iCloud with your Apple ID. This would delete your content from the iCloud servers and any of your devices signed in to iCloud.

    Follow these steps:

    1. If you paired an Apple Watch with your iPhone, unpair your Apple Watch.
    2. Back up your iOS device.
    3. Tap Settings > iCloud. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. In iOS 7 or earlier, tap Delete Account.
    4. Tap Sign Out again, then tap Delete from My iPhone and enter your password.
    5. Go back to Settings and tap General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. If you turned on Find My iPhone, you might need to enter your Apple ID and password.
    6. If asked for your device passcode or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase [device].
    7. Contact your carrier for help transferring service to a new owner. If you aren't using a SIM card with your device, you can contact them to get help transferring service to the new owner.

    If you no longer have your iOS device

    If the steps above weren't completed and you no longer have your device, use these steps:

    1. Ask the new owner to erase all content and settings using the above steps.
    2. If you're using iCloud and Find My iPhone on the device, sign in to icloud.com/find, select the device, and click Erase. After the device has been erased, click Remove from Account.
    3. If you can't follow either of the above steps, change your Apple ID password. This won't remove personal information that's stored on your old device, but it will prevent the new owner from deleting your information from iCloud.
    4. If you're switching to a non-Apple phone, deregister iMessage.
    5. If you're using Apple Pay, you can remove your credit or debit cards at iCloud.com. Choose Settings to see which devices are using Apple Pay, then click the device. Next to Apple Pay, click Remove.

  • by Csound1,

    Csound1 Csound1 Apr 1, 2016 11:31 AM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 9 (50,486 points)
    Desktops
    Apr 1, 2016 11:31 AM in response to WeaverJK

    WeaverJK wrote:

     

    You would think that Apple could simply tweak their operating system so that the "erase" feature also performed a "sign-out" automatically prior to wiping the device.  At the very least, the OS should prompt the user to manually sign out prior to wiping the device.  This is just stupid engineering and programming by Apple.

    If Not B, then A... (if you haven't signed out, then we'll send you back to sign out before you proceed with a wipe)

    Very easy logic to add to the existing code.

     

    Thanks again.  It's always appreciated when someone takes the time to respond to requests for information or assistance.

    Find a phone, erase and make it yours in as few steps as possible, thieves will be so pleased.

     

    <Edited by Host>

  • by WeaverJK,

    WeaverJK WeaverJK Mar 31, 2016 11:49 AM in response to TMHahn
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 11:49 AM in response to TMHahn

    TMHahn - I can see that I asked the wrong question to begin with.    I am at work and so did not have time to dig for the URL (which I just posted above)... but my original question should have been "if one forgets to sign out before wiping a device, does the on-line support option to "remove" the device from your Apple ID perform a remote sign-out on the device?"  C'est la via!

    Obviously, the "remove" option will remove the device from the account.  Do you know if it also removes the account from the device?  (so that the device doesn't think it is "signed in" to already)

     

    Thanks!

  • by WeaverJK,

    WeaverJK WeaverJK Mar 31, 2016 12:02 PM in response to Csound1
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 12:02 PM in response to Csound1

    Csoud1 -

     

    1) you have turned hostile and have become a "bully" (by today's standards in the USA).  There's no reason to put down someone's ideas with name calling or trying to make people feel inferior. 

    2) Perhaps there is a misunderstanding on this thread.  I was talking about "signing out" the "Apple ID" from the device.  Accessing the device using an Unlock Code or Passcode is something different. 

    2-A) In order to perform an Erase, one has to have access to Settings.  In order to access Settings, a thief would first have to get past the Unlock Code or Passcode to access the device (assuming other jailbreaking is not being performed).  Once in Settings, if the Erase feature required the user to enter the user's  Apple ID Password as verification of identity, then a thief would not readily be able to erase or sign-out of the device.   Even if the user had not protected their device with an unlock code, if the iOS code included a requirement for the user to authenticate in order to perform an erase and the erase automatically signed out the user after authentication but prior to wiping the device, and also if the sign-out feature on its own required user authentication prior to performing a sign-out, then the device would be protected from a thief signing out of a device or erasing the device (except by more extreme means).


    Sound logic as far as I can tell.  If you wish to review the logic of this with me, please know that you are invited to do so.

  • by javaliga,

    javaliga javaliga Mar 31, 2016 12:06 PM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 4 (3,531 points)
    iCloud
    Mar 31, 2016 12:06 PM in response to WeaverJK

    Step 2 of "if you no longer have your device" seems to indicate that if the "sign out" steps were not performed, that one can simply log into one's Apple ID account and Remove the device.  This seems to imply that removing a device performs a remote "sign out."

    Has anyone actually attempted this?  It would be much less time consuming than setting up the iDevice again just so I could "sign out."

     

    Step 2 of the link you quoted above also said "select the device, and click Erase."  If you don't erase the device (if that's what your getting at), knowing how all the various accounts may be linked together, I wouk

  • by WeaverJK,

    WeaverJK WeaverJK Mar 31, 2016 12:08 PM in response to WeaverJK
    Level 1 (5 points)
    iPhone
    Mar 31, 2016 12:08 PM in response to WeaverJK

    Okay, I'll laugh at myself.  Pot calling the kettle black.  Here I call Apple engineering foolish for not including a simple helpful feature that would save millions of Apple customers hours of frustration and then I tell someone that they shouldn't call my idea foolish.     I believe I must have been venting my frustration at having run into this problem multiple times and wasting time due to the lack of code which I find logical to include in the Erase command itself.  That's not an excuse for bashing, just a reasoning as to why it occurred.

     

    These are lessons I try to teach my children.  If I were to rephrase my statement about the engineering of the code, it would go something like this:
    I wonder if the engineering team would be willing to consider having the Erase feature A) have the user authenticate; B) post-authentication, automatically sign the user out; C) proceed with the wipe.

     

    There... no name calling or putting anyone down.  

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