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Using mac without icloud/apple id

Is it possible to use a mac without apple id/icloud and not have it constantly ask for login?


My Mom is very computer illiterate and my step-Dad had everything set up on all the computers using his apple id/icloud account. When the computer asks for apple id/icloud login my Mom doesn't know what to do. I can only do so much over the phone.


I was wondering can I just turn off apple id/icloud on her computer and it not keep asking for login info? She doesn't use icloud for anything and doesn't have or want an apple id of her own. She just uses the computer to access the internet and send email. She doesn't use an icloud email address.

MacBook Air

Posted on Nov 20, 2021 6:31 PM

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Posted on Nov 21, 2021 9:54 AM

Can you talk her through the steps to create her own Apple ID and then have her sign in? Is there are Apple Store near her that she can go to for help?


Apple ID - create a new.      *


Apple ID – Create   -


Apple ID - Could Not Create or Could Not Set Up iCloud message.    *

9 replies

Nov 21, 2021 10:27 AM in response to s49

Get an iPad.


I’ve followed the path you’re on with macOS and with various folks, and the trends and skills here do not usually improve.


Across various different folks… I’ve chased System Preferences and mail settings changes, confusing pop-ups, unplugged devices, unplugged devices, unplugged devices, the same unplugged Time Capsule unplugged the same way several times, mail settings corruptions, surprise password changes, spam, spam, phishing, spam, and spam, and various macOS bugs, and have I mentioned unplugged devices? And scams and phishing and spam?


macOS is very powerful, but it’s also very complex.


And some settings are very easy to change, and far harder ro detect and diagnose and revert locally. Much less remotely.


An iPad will probably be a handful here to start with, and it starts out simpler than macOS.


An iPad is much easier to provision and lock down (Apple Configurator 2 app, etc) and with the use of the well-named parental controls feature, than is macOS.


If you have the budget for it, an iCloud backup can be restored onto another (replacement) iPad and shipped, if (when?) the iPad gets dinged/lost/corrupted.


If you want to continue with macOS (any discussions of sunk costs and of possibly-familiar computer UIs aside), then Messages and its built-in screen sharing capabilities will be the easiest way to provide remote support of a Mac. Share your screen using Messages on Mac - Apple Support


One downside is that Apple Messages cannot share the iPad screen, though some apps such as Zoom can.


General comment: Whatever you choose, I’d either lock down mail to contacts-only, or would minimally delete all arriving mail messages with attachments from any unknown users. Any Office docs, any PDF, any zip, images, all attachments and all remote-load stuff from unknown senders all gets binned by rules. Messages gets similarly locked down to known senders. Some spammers absolutely target older folks for their scams, and the spammers and scammers are persistent.


And to answer your question, no, you really can’t get out of using an Apple ID with Apple products, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or otherwise. And you will want to regain access to the Apple ID and password in use here, if you don’t already have that.

Nov 20, 2021 6:44 PM in response to s49

If that is all she does on the Mac, I do not really see why the computer ask for Apple ID/iCloud login? Even if she accidentally trigger those things, she can just cancel and proceed. If she really does not need those functions, you can go to System preference -> Apple ID -> Overview. Click on Sign out. But she will probably face the same problem whenever she use something that requires Apple ID. I think the best way is to check what did she do to trigger those prompts. Hope this helps!

Nov 21, 2021 8:58 AM in response to TechSolo

She doesn't use the app store or anything that she needs icloud or apple id for but I just worry if I turn it off it will continually ask for a login and become a nuisance. She doesn't understand enough to know what it is asking or why it is asking. Most of the times when the computer gets in a "jam" she has no idea what she did to get it there. She often times accidentally pressed something or clicked somewhere she didn't intend to and she doesn't understand enough about computers to know what or why. Like I said she is very computer illiterate.

Nov 21, 2021 9:04 AM in response to zhoukerrr

The problem is she doesn't understand enough to know what she did to cause it to ask for a login. Most of the time it has to do with mail since that is one of the things she uses the most. I think she has an icloud email but she never uses it. She uses the cable email address and to have her change would be overwhelming. Most of the time she accidentally presses a key or clicks on something. And if it continually asks for login info it will confuse her because she won't understand enough to know why or what it is asking her. She is one of those who if she didn't tell it to do something she doesn't want it to do anything, even if she unintentionally asked it by accidentally clicking or pressing something. If I were to turn it off and that caused the computer to constantly ask her to login that would confuse and annoy her more. I guess I can try and see what happens.

Nov 21, 2021 9:08 AM in response to Eric Root

My step-Dad is in a facility and not mentally capable for such tasks anymore, unfortunately. That is the problem is he set it up under his id but now that he isn't at home to fix such things she becomes overwhelmed when these issues arise. So she calls me but trying to visualize what she is talking about or what she is doing when she doesn't understand computers is frustrating for both of us. The easiest thing would be to just turn everything off so it doesn't ask her to login. But I don't want to turn things off if that is going to constantly ask her to login. That will jut frustrate and irritate her more.


Nov 21, 2021 10:11 AM in response to Eric Root

I wish it were that easy. That would be like teaching you nuclear physics (assuming you aren't a nuclear scientist). And the closest Apple store is several hours drive away. Like I said anything that happens that she didn't intend to do confuses her. So when she accidentally has her finger resting on the trackpad and taps it and it opens a new window she thinks she just started WWW 3. She has no concept of how to problem solve. She doesn't even own a microwave. The last car she bought she got the previous year model because it came with an actual key. Even the tv remote boggles her. If anything technology related does anything she purposely didn't do it's an ordeal. She was born 200yrs too late. She just doesn't want to deal with it. If I were to create one for her she would still be confused as to why it is asking her since she didn't do anything to prompt it (in her mind). Thanks for the help.


Like I said initially I just want to know if I turn it completely off will it continually ask to login. Maybe I can go to an Apple store and ask. They would probably just give the suggestions I have received already. She just needs email, internet and occasionally word processing. She doesn't even like updating since if it changes anything, no matter how small, then she is lost until she relearns things again.

Using mac without icloud/apple id

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