How to remove an Apple ID from a MacBook

Question

How to remove an Apple ID from a MacBook

how to delete my AppleID from grandfathers macbook?

I tried everything, deleting everything related to me from his MacBook and deleting his MacBook in my devices but after a few weeks he gets the request to log in my account and can’t do anything on his laptop before logging me back in.

this has been going on for years and I have read every article and community post I can find.

I have suggested multiple times to go to an official Apple Store but he refuses since it’s my account and I should fix the problem but I can’t.

im too afraid to suggest a full factory reset but it’s the only thing left to fix this.

a year ago I called the apple support and they only suggested a software update…. nothing more.

im at a loss

i have studied IT and I should be able to fix this but this laptop does not want to forget my account

MacBook Pro (2017 – 2020)

Posted on Dec 10, 2025 10:34 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Phil0124

Level 10

216,830 points

Dec 10, 2025 11:27 AM in response to Little_AmberD

Where exactly is it asking for your Apple Account? What is your grandfather doing when it requests it exactly?

There's 4 places an Apple Account can be logged in on a MacBook.

System Settings / Preferences ➜ Account (this is for iCloud)

System Settings / Preferences ➜ Account ➜ Media & Purchases (this is for Apple Music, Apple TV, Books and App Store Apps)

Messages App ➜ Settings ➜ @ iMessage ➜ Apple Account

and FaceTime App ➜ Settings ➜ General ➜ Apple Account

Also, any Apps downloaded with your Account from the App Store will continue to require it to update regardless of what is signed in at Media & Purchases. You would need to delete any apps you downloaded and redownload them with his account.

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Answer 2

Dec 10, 2025 2:02 PM in response to Phil0124

It’s always a pop up ‘please sign in into your apple ID’ with my email on it. and it’s always random.

5 years ago I logged in into his laptop and never downloaded anything, I just needed to look at something for school and didn’t have access to my own devices. Now it won’t let go of the account, how many times I’ve tried.

every setting you just typed down, I looked at it, I did that already, multiple times

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Answer 3

Phil0124

Level 10

216,830 points

Dec 10, 2025 2:42 PM in response to Little_AmberD

Without knowing what's triggering the log in prompt it's hard to say.

Did you maybe add your account to the Mail App?

Did you add for Contacts or Calendar?

What did you do back when you used his computer exactly?

Where did you look at this something for school?

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Answer 4

Dec 10, 2025 3:26 PM in response to Phil0124

No and no.

i needed to watch a movie for a paper that I bought via iTunes (on my own account) but that didn’t work so I logged out immediately.

I suppose that triggered it since he never had any trouble before that.

it tends to stay quiet for months and than give a pop up twice a day for weeks. I have to send my log in code that I receive on my phone to stop the pop ups but since I don’t live with them anymore it tends to get really annoying for him.

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