Can't sign out of iCloud account on iMac, and I've tried many things!

Question

Can't sign out of iCloud account on iMac, and I've tried many things!

I'm trying to change the iCloud account associated with the original, primary user account (User ID # 501) I created on an iMac shared with my kids. The reason for this is that I recently got a MacBook for work and have it linked to my iCloud account and iPhone. This is also the iCloud account associated with the original user account. Before getting the MacBook, I downloaded game apps (like Minecraft and Steam) for my kids on this original user account on the iMac.

My original plans was to create a new user account associated with my kids' iCloud account that they could use to play these games and not have to log into my user account and have access to all of the files, including our massive Photos library. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to get the game apps to work on different user accounts or to at least access the saved data associated with the games oso that my kids don't lose their progress on these games. If someone knows how to allow a different account on an iMac to fully access Minecraft and Steam games on another account, then I could go that route instead of my current plan.

My current plan (Plan B) was to sign out of my iCloud account on this original user account on the iMac, and then sign into one of my kid's iCloud accounts on this original user account so that they could have access to all of their games, and I could use Screen Time to limit what they could do and access on the computer, but the iMac will not give me the option to sign out of my iCloud account on this original user account, even when I've created a new user account and linked it with my iCloud account. It will actually let my iCloud account be associated with two different user accounts, which I didn't know was possible.

I have tried many many things to sign out of my iCloud account, but the "Sign Out" button is always greyed out. Using my MacBook that's also logged into my iCloud account, I went into the iCloud settings and clicked (under devices) to "Remove from Account" my iMac. This did log the original user account on my iMac out of my iCloud account, but when I logged into the original user account, the computer bombarded me with pop up windows telling me to log back into my iCloud account, but these windows did not give me the option to log into a different iCloud account. They would only let me log into my iCloud account and not the kids'.

I also went into the Users & Group settings on a different administrator account on the iMac and changed my original user account to standard rather than administrator. I also went into the advanced settings, which show whether an iCloud account is associated with the user account. You can click a minus sign to delete an associated iCloud account. Every time I do this and log back in, the iMac has undone my changes and automatically associated the original user account with my iCloud account again. I can even add my kids' iCloud account in this menu, and my iCloud account will show up again listed as also associated with the user account.

And keep in mind that I only started using iCloud on this computer a few months ago. And to my knowledge, everything has been synced with the iCloud before I started doing this. I have also set it so that none of the apps (save Contacts) uses iCloud, so there is nothing to sync. (For some reason, the computer will not let me toggle off syncing Contacts with the iCloud. I don't get it.)

This thing is the zombie that will not die. Help!

iMac (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Jun 27, 2023 11:35 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

CinnamonSynth Author

Level 1

13 points

Jun 28, 2023 7:49 AM in response to CinnamonSynth

Good news. I discovered the issue that was preventing me from logging out of my Apple ID and iCloud account on this particular user account. For some reason, Screen Time was turned on for my Apple ID account but this setting only showed up when I was logged into the original user account and not when I was logged into the administrator account that was also logged into my Apple ID. I had to go to the Screen Time settings when logged into the user account where I wanted to sign out of my Apple ID. Once I turned off Screen Time from there, the system settings would allow me to log out of my Apple ID and iCloud accounts. The "Sign Out" button was not longer greyed out. Problem resolved.

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Answer 2

Jun 28, 2023 1:02 AM in response to CinnamonSynth

Hello,

The short answer, I think, is that you cannot use a different iCloud and Apple ID together. You would need to sign out of your Apple ID and then sign in with one you created for them. I don't know if this would fully achieve what you are looking to do. I am not even sure if your goal of them getting the games and saved progress available to them is possible.

If these games were downloaded from 3rd party sites, I believe your goal is achievable by signing out of your Apple ID and into theirs under the user profile they were downloaded to. Depending on how the app is set up you may not even need to give them that profile. The app should be able to be launched for any profile but you may need a license code or something similar from the developer you downloaded it from. But, if the games were purchased from your App Store, you could give them access to download the games under their App Store without having to pay for the initial purchase.

If purchased from the App Store, Family Sharing and its Purchase Sharing feature would be your best option. With that they could download previous purchases from other member of the Family Group (if the original purchaser did not hide the purchase). Unfortunately, this would not give them the saved progress to do that you would need to give them your Apple ID which I doubt is really possible. You would also want to use "Ask to Buy" to allow them to attempt future purchases pending your approval via the Purchase Sharing feature.

Set up Family Sharing on Mac - Apple Support

Share purchases with others in your Family Sharing group on Mac - Apple Support

"View and download purchases made by other family members

The way you download purchases made by other family members varies depending on the app.

View or download music: Sign in to the Music app on your Mac, then choose Account > Purchased. Click the pop-up menu next to Purchased, choose a family member, then download the items you want.
View or download apps: Sign in to the App Store app on your Mac, then choose Store > Account. Click the “Purchased by” pop-up menu, choose a family member, then download the items you want.
View or download books: Sign in to the Books app on your Mac, then choose Account > View My Account. Below Family Purchases, click a family member, then download the items you want.

When a family member initiates a purchase, it’s billed directly to the family organizer’s account. After it’s purchased, the item is added to the initiating family member’s account and is shared with the rest of the group. If the family organizer ever stops Family Sharing, each person keeps the items they chose to purchase—even if they were paid for by the family organizer. For information about iCloud storage upgrade purchases, see Manage iCloud storage.

For additional information about downloading purchases, see the Apple Support article How to download apps and content that your family members purchased.

Hide a purchase from other family members

You can hide your individual Music, App Store, and Apple Books purchases so they aren’t available to other family members.

Hide music: Sign in to the Music app on your Mac, then choose Account > Purchased. Select the type of content you want to hide, place the pointer over the item you want to hide, click the Delete button , then click Hide.
Hide apps: Sign in to the App Store app on your Mac, then choose Store > Account. Move the pointer over the app you want to hide, click the More Options button , choose Hide Purchase, then click Hide Purchase.
Hide books: Sign in to the Books app on your Mac, then click All (or another collection) in the sidebar. Click the More Options button below the item you want to hide, click Remove, then click Hide <item type>."

Approve what kids buy with Ask to Buy - Apple Support

Set up Screen Time for a child on Mac - Apple Support

I hope this helps.

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Answer 3

Jun 28, 2023 7:30 AM in response to Scott-he-him

Thank you for the quick and thorough reply!

I need to clarify a few things.

First, I'm trying to sign out of both my iCloud account and my Apple ID in this original, user account on my iMac, so that I can then sign into my kids' iCloud and Apple ID accounts on this user account. When I go into system settings and click on my Apple ID at the top of the menu, the "Sign Out" button is always grayed out no matter what I do.

Second, the games on this user account (currently associated with my iCloud and Apple ID accounts) were not downloaded from the App Store. They were downloaded from the developers' websites. These applications primary folders are in the applications folder accessible by all users on my iMac, though I think many of the saved files game progress, etc. are saved in the Library folder of the original, user account on my iMac. I've turned on family sharing, purchase sharing, and even file sharing (sharing the Library folder of the original, user account with other accounts) but this has not allowed other users to fully access these games. Minecraft will not load. Steam will, but it doesn't have access to any of the saved progress on any of the Steam games.

At this point, even if I figure out how to grant other user accounts access to the games downloaded originally on the original user account, I'm now baffled by why my computer will not let me sign out of my Apple ID on this original user account and want to solve this mystery.

Thanks again.

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Can't sign out of iCloud account on iMac, and I've tried many things!

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