Removing an internet account from the computer

Question

Removing an internet account from the computer

Hello, I have several internet accounts added in System Preferences (Mac os Monterey). I want to remove some of them. I found no way to do it.

I have an icloud account and have several computers working with it. Even if I remove the account from System preferences on my main computer, and I get the message "Do you want to remove the xxx account “xxx” from all your computers using iCloud Keychain?

(account name erased), the accounts stubbornly keep reappearing and are automatically added after 20-30 seconds.

I have looked at the discussions of this problem in other threads but found no solution. I have tried all the suggestions (booting in safe mode, etc etc etc).

Deactivating the keychain sync which is active in my icloud account preferences does no do any good either. Even if I uncheck the Keychain from my Apple ID settings, and THEN erase the accounts I want to erase from my computer (by removing them via System Preferences), then as soon as I reactivate the Keychain, the accounts reappear.

Does anybody has any tips?

Thanks

l.

Posted on Jan 25, 2022 6:58 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Feb 22, 2022 2:22 PM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

I fixed this.

1) Logout all Macs except for one of them from iCloud. I know, this is a PITA

2) Go into Internet Accounts on every mac you logged out of and delete every account.

3) Go to the solo Mac that is still logged into iCloud, and delete the single account you want to get rid of.

4) Log back into iCloud on the other Macs.

Reply

Answer 2

Feb 22, 2022 2:23 PM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

I fixed this.

1) Logout all Macs except for one of them from iCloud. I know, this is a PITA

2) Go into Internet Accounts on every mac you logged out of and delete every account.

3) Go to the solo Mac that is still logged into iCloud, and delete the single account you want to get rid of.

4) Log back into iCloud on the other Macs.

Reply

Answer 3

Owl-53

Level 10

106,965 points

Jan 25, 2022 8:06 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

lucafrombrooklyn wrote:

Thanks again

P. Phillips wrote:

That is difficult to say as " Hello, I have several internet accounts added in System Preferences (Mac os Monterey)" as in several iCloud Accounts ?

Sorry for not being clear. Specifically: I have ONLY one iCloud account. All the others are Google Accounts (that's what my institution uses, plus my own Google accounts). I am trying to remove the Google accounts, NOT the iCloud account, which is my main account, by using System Preferences->Internet Accounts-> remove (i.e., the minus sign)

l.

The Institution Accounts tending to indicate this computer maybe enrolled in a Mobile Digital Management Services ( MDM )?

Is there any Profiles installed in User & Groups aside from your Personal User Account ?

Reply

Answer 4

Owl-53

Level 10

106,965 points

Jan 25, 2022 8:20 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

Suggest downloading the Application Etrecheck directly from a well Respected ASC Contributor.

The application is free or paid from added features.

Run the application with Full Disc Access ( Security & Privacy - Full Disc Access ).

It will take a Snap Shot - both the hardware and software.

The Report will Not Reveal Any Personal Information.

Post back the Full Report - copy and paste - using the Additional Text Icon ( 3rd Icon to last )

We can have a look at the report for possible issues and may have possible suggestions to resolve the issues.

Any Third Party Applications that will interfere with the normal operation of the OS, alter, modify, remove or delete or attempt to do so is an invitation for disaster and may require a Reinstallation of the OS.

This includes AntiVirus, Disk Cleaners, Disk Optimizes, UnInstaller etc.

This will include CleanMyMac

This will include BitDefender

The The Built in Security is all that is required.

Reply

Answer 5

Jan 25, 2022 12:52 PM in response to Owl-53

P. Phillips wrote:

At this rate, we will have identified numerous Old and not longer used applications and the cleanup is still ongoing.

Do not suggest this lightly - but If this were my machine ( which it is not ) and the amount time an effort " to put it right " one may consider the the Nuclear Option and start Clean and Fresh.

Then be very careful what is put back and for sure no use Migration Assist to get up and running.

That may just introduce the already existing Oddities that exist now.

I see. Wow I will see. this is a hard thing to do ...

But what I can do is to take a fresh machine, set up my icloud account, activate the keychain, and see from that machine if I can remove the accounts. This will tell me if the problem is in my machine or (as it seems to me) on some bug/misfunctioning of the OS/iCloud.

Thanks for your help.

Reply

Answer 6

Owl-53

Level 10

106,965 points

Jan 25, 2022 10:34 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

At this rate, we will have identified numerous Old and not longer used applications and the cleanup is still ongoing.

Do not suggest this lightly - but If this were my machine ( which it is not ) and the amount time an effort " to put it right " one may consider the the Nuclear Option and start Clean and Fresh.

Then be very careful what is put back and for sure no use Migration Assist to get up and running.

That may just introduce the already existing Oddities that exist now.

Reply

Answer 7

Jan 25, 2022 10:01 AM in response to lllaass

lllaass wrote:

The report says yu have a VPN. Try turning that off and then try deleting the account.

Hello, thanks. as I have no VPN active, I assume you refer to these two daemons

Launch Daemons:

[Running] com.aaa.windscribe.OVPNHelper.plist (Windscribe Limited - installed 2020-12-23)

[Running] me.hide.vpnhelper.plist (EVENTURE LTD. - installed 2018-12-07)

which are leftovers from old programs (I didn't know they were still in).

I removed them and it made no difference. The removed internet acccounts keep popping up

Reply

Answer 8

Jan 26, 2022 8:40 AM in response to Owl-53

Hello, this is just to confirm that the problem arises also when I create a fresh account on a novel machine. As soon as the Keychain is activated in my AppleId, on the novel machine, the accounts are populated and removing them (in the novel machine as well) has no effect, as they keep being added back again. So it's not an issue of my computer. It looks like a bug or a very badly thought feature.

l.

Reply

Answer 9

lllaass

Level 10

210,659 points

Jan 25, 2022 9:29 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

The report says yu have a VPN. Try turning that off and then try deleting the account.

Reply

Answer 10

Owl-53

Level 10

106,965 points

Jan 25, 2022 10:20 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

Go into Keychain while it is still active and Signed into - and remove the offending and corresponding Passwords for the Google Accounts.

Reply

Answer 11

Owl-53

Level 10

106,965 points

Jan 25, 2022 7:30 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

So, one has used System Preferences >> " Internet Accounts " and the small Minus ( -) sign to remove the unwanted Accounts ?

They come back back there after ?

Check on other Apple Devices like iPad or iPhone - maybe they are playing up and adding them back ?

Reply

Answer 12

Jan 25, 2022 7:34 AM in response to Owl-53

Hello thanks for your answer

--So, one has used System Preferences >> " Internet Accounts " and the small Minus ( -) sign to remove the unwanted Accounts ?

Yes

-- They come back back there after ?

They keep coming back

-- Check on other Apple Devices like iPad or iPhone - maybe they are playing up and adding them back ?

you mean I should remove keychain sync from iCloud on ANY of my devices (they are very many?) Even if the system tells me that if I remove the account from one device using keychain, it will be removed "from all your computers using iCloud Keychain?"

l.

Reply

Answer 13

Jan 25, 2022 8:00 AM in response to Owl-53

Thanks again

P. Phillips wrote:

That is difficult to say as " Hello, I have several internet accounts added in System Preferences (Mac os Monterey)" as in several iCloud Accounts ?

Sorry for not being clear. Specifically: I have ONLY one iCloud account. All the others are Google Accounts (that's what my institution uses, plus my own Google accounts). I am trying to remove the Google accounts, NOT the iCloud account, which is my main account, by using System Preferences->Internet Accounts-> remove (i.e., the minus sign)

l.

Reply

Answer 14

Jan 25, 2022 8:18 AM in response to Owl-53

P. Phillips wrote:

The Institution Accounts tending to indicate this computer maybe enrolled in a Mobile Digital Management Services ( MDM )?

Is there any Profiles installed in User & Groups aside from your Personal User Account ?

No, the computer is not enrolled in any MDM. There are no profiles installed aside from my Personal User account.

Reply

Answer 15

Owl-53

Level 10

106,965 points

Jan 25, 2022 9:46 AM in response to lucafrombrooklyn

Follow the previous posting advise regarding the VPN.

Then to Add

Unsigned files - There are unsigned software files installed that could be adware and should be reviewed.

System extension blocked - There are system extensions awaiting user approval.

Unsigned Files:

Launchd: /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.virtualbox.startup.plist

Executable: /Library/Application Support/VirtualBox/LaunchDaemons/VirtualBoxStartup.sh restart

Details: Exact match found in the legitimate list - probably OK

https://www.virtualbox.org is known to not really work in Apple Silicon M1 ARMS do do not know how this is working.

Launchd: ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.cisco.videoguard10.plist

Executable: /bin/sh -c $HOME/Library/Cisco/VideoGuardPlayer/VideoGuard10/VideoGuard10.bundle/Contents/Resources/setupServer.sh

This too could be playing up regarding the uses at hand.

Reply

Removing an internet account from the computer

Similar questions