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How can I turn off iCloud completely?

Hello guys,


configuration: MacBook Pro with current Lion, iPad and iPhone both with iOS 4, NOT using iCloud.


I switched ON iCloud on my MacBook Pro to see what happens. Then I tried to switch it off again since I decided that I don't want the system to push everything I do on my computer up into the iCloud, congesting my network.


Now when I tried to turn off iCloud for my Documents and Data, it says that all data stored in the iCloud would be deleted from my Mac. ****, what's that? Will I now never again be able to detatch my computer from this iCloud thing without losing all my files?


Please help!


Many thanx in advance

Keksi

MacBook Pro, Mac OS X (10.7.2)

Posted on Oct 21, 2011 12:25 PM

Reply
149 replies

Mar 29, 2017 6:44 PM in response to Chris CA

By this article : What to do after you change your Apple ID email address or password - Apple Support

Mac with OS X Mountain Lion or later

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.

  • If you're signed out, enter your updated Apple ID and password to sign in. The data in iCloud will automatically appear on your device after you sign in.
  • If you're signed in with your previous Apple ID:
    1. Click Sign Out. Depending on what iCloud options are turned on, you'll be asked if you want to make copies or delete iCloud data (Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, Bookmarks, Photo Stream) from your Mac. Your data will remain in iCloud and will be updated on your device when you sign in to iCloud again.
    2. Enter your updated Apple ID and password to sign in.

Oct 27, 2011 3:38 PM in response to Keksi

iCloud is woeful. I hhave been messing with it for a week and can't get anything to sync right. Calendars all over the place, deleted enties, doubled entries, two different calanders on different machines that are supposed to sync.


Can't find anything that explains this iCloud thing that a moron like me can understand...


I'm going back to wired. God, iCloud has cost me a lot of time and problems with the calendar. I find it worse than worthless. Frankly, I am quite upset.


Fail.

Oct 27, 2011 4:09 PM in response to The Great Neo

The Great Neo wrote:


When it says all data will be deleted, it means all the data will be deleted from iCloud

No, it means the data will be deleted from your computer.


Turning off iCloud on a device will NOT delete items from iCloud.

You can download items from iCloud after you have turned off iCloud on your computer or iOS device.

See this -> http://support.apple.com/kb/PH2704

Also, you can save a document to your computer before turning off iCloud.

Oct 27, 2011 4:15 PM in response to Keksi

Keksi wrote:


Hello guys,


Now when I tried to turn off iCloud for my Documents and Data, it says that all data stored in the iCloud would be deleted from my Mac.

Did you sync anything from iWork (Pages, Keynote, Numbers) to iCloud? This is what will be deleted from your computer.

You can save these documents to your computer and you will stuill be able to access them at www.icloud.com and can also download them from there.

Nov 12, 2011 4:29 PM in response to Mateomasfeo

I have to agree with you. I have been an apple user for 25 years and I have never been so totally confused by any of their products / software. I have the same problems: double calendar entries, contacts wont sync, apps my daughter downloads on her phone show up on my phone. I have wasted a week also. I hate it. I just want to have it work like it did before the "cloud".

Nov 13, 2011 8:19 AM in response to Keksi

An Apple guy explained to me that when I switch off iCloud for my documents, only those files would be removed from my mac, which I have explicitly UPloaded into the iCloud. Since I didn't upload any files, I could safely switch it off without losing any files.


It was more complicated switching off iCloud for iCal, because I had to convert manually all my calendars from 'iCloud calendar' to 'local calendar'. Because switching ON iCloud turns all local calendars automatically to iCloud calendars.


To do that, I had to export all my iCloud calendars to files, then delete the iCloud calendars, and then re-import the exported calendars. After that, they were again local calendars. To export an iCloud calendar, click on the "Calendar" button in iCal, then right-click on a calendar and choose "Export...", then type in a file name and click "Export".


I did that for all my calendars and so successfully switched off iCloud.


Now I just have many calendar entries two, three, four, or even five times duplicated in my calendar (which is not visible in iCal, but only on my iPhone and iPad)! I don't want to remove all those duplicates by hand (there are far too many), and will ask the apple support to help me.


Best regards

Keksi

Nov 13, 2011 9:57 AM in response to Keksi

Keksi wrote:


An Apple guy explained to me that when I switch off iCloud for my documents, only those files would be removed from my mac, which I have explicitly UPloaded into the iCloud.

This is incorrect (sort of).

Currently, there are no apps which sync documents from your computer to iCloud.


which I have explicitly UPloaded into the iCloud.

By logging into iCloud.com and adding them to the iWork folder. But this requires iWork apps on the iPad. And turning off iCloud syncing will not delete these documents from your computer as they are not sync'd. You simply uploaded them to iCloud.


There is a folder on your computer which does sync documents via iCloud but it is not used by any apps yet.

Nov 13, 2011 11:24 AM in response to Chris CA

I just got back from a genius bar visit. The kid was extremely smart, helpful, and knowledgeable on iCloud. But maybe I am just a moron and I still don't fully understand all of the set-up options. Very confusing. I had him turn it all off (not all that easy for the reasons mentioned above and not without some loss of calendar items and contacts). Back to the good old wire for now. Maybe they will make it easier someday but for now. I give up.

How can I turn off iCloud completely?

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