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Disable game center iOS 6

I recently updated my iPhone 4S to iOS 6 with great regret. I have run into a number of issues with the update that I feel has finally pushed me to pose a question. Related to the subject, I am not a fan of social anything and despise game center. My issue is:


Even though I disable game center, once I log in for any reason on the iPhone (app update as example) it logs me into game center.


Is there anyway to permanently disable game center and/or not have it share my log in information with the app store. I find it to be an invasion of privacy that my password is shared without my consent across different apps in the device.


To use a good analogy, this same "feature" could allow an app to use your banking password for auto login purposes.


As an FYI, I did search the forums and I have no interest in just "letting it run in the background" I do not want it to auto login and save any information about me.

Posted on Oct 31, 2012 9:08 PM

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21 replies

Nov 10, 2012 6:06 AM in response to royhova

There is, apparently, no way to disable or remove Game Center unless your device is jailbroken. As others have discussed, you can disable your Game Center account or, when the totally annoying invitation to join Game Center comes up when you are playing an app, you can click "cancel" numerous times until it leaves you alone. (Your Game Center account, BTW, shows all the game apps you have on your device that are Game Center enabled with your score compared to others, even if you opt out of having a public profile and "friends").


Until (or if) we are able to remove it, my solution is:


  • Log into my Game Center account and remove my "nickname" and all personal references, so it's essentially non-functional.
  • Turn off all notifications for Game Center in Settings
  • For the one "must-have" game I play frequently, use the numerous (irritating) button tap method to make Game Center quit bugging me when I play it
  • Remove all games apps on my device that are Game Center enabled with the exception of the one that I really love playing.
  • Stop downloading any more game apps that are labeled with the Game Center icon (the ones that run through Game Center are clearly marked in the App Store).


I don't know if game developers are now required to align with Game Center, but, if they aren't, I will no longer support those who do. There are plenty of great games out there that don't sync with Game Center.


Apple -- allow us to remove this app, please! App Developers -- please STOP making your apps Game Center enabled -- or at least make it optional for the player.

Nov 13, 2012 10:35 AM in response to royhova

Don't know how long it will work but I opened up Game Center and when it asked "do you agree with the terms" I clicked no and it logged me out. My games dont seem like they are connected anymore and when I click the game center icon it ask me to sign in. Don't know though if that's just a temporary bandaid or if it will stop trying to make me log on.

Nov 13, 2012 3:43 PM in response to royhova

Unfortunately those are all temporary. If you purchase something from the App Store, which triggers you to enter your apple password, it will automatically log you into Game Center.


I even went to the length of removing all the games listed in Game Center and disable using the steps mentioned many times in this thread. It still auto logs in. This is a new "feature" in iOS 6 and it is getting to the point where I am looking at an alternative to the iPhone.


Between Game Center, needing to pay for a map app to replace the inferior replacement, and the other short comings the divide is starting to narrow.

Dec 2, 2012 9:46 AM in response to royhova

correction to what you said about it coming back next time you open game. It will only come back if you have used your apple I.D. password to purchase an app, or anything you needed to use your password for. so with that said, after you have disabled game center... the only way it comes back is when you use your apple I.D. password for an app purchase, ect. basically if use your Apple I.D. password after you have disabled game center. you will have to disable game center again. I have been doing this for awhile now. I know how this works. its annoying process, but just have to re-disable each time you use your apple I.D. password. also it will stay disabled until you use your apple I.D. password on an app, ect. I haven't used my Apple I.D. password in a month or so, not once did game center pop up when in my games.



This method works 100% percent guaranteed if you do what I said

Dec 7, 2012 7:40 PM in response to punkz420

DOesn't work for me. It seems to come back every time the game restarts. Well, I have an iPad 2 and with the extra demands of iOS6, my apps restart on a daily basis...in other words I can't start Angry Birds and keep it running for days before it restarts, as soon as I use my iPad for another game Angry Birds will restart and I have the whole game center thing. I sign out of Angry Birds and it signs me back in.


I can avoid the auto sign in if I go into the game center app, delete my account and disable it, and then when I start Angry Birds it doesn't auto log me in, but wants me to sign in. I have notfications turned off and everything else turned off, but it refuses to take no for an answer.


This app has access to my apple ID password and signs me in without my consent. And nothing seems to stop it. I love playing Angry Birds but i'm to the point of deleting it just to stop it.

Dec 7, 2012 9:34 PM in response to Skydiver119

I'm sorry your having issues with "Game Center" recurring. I am currently using and running Iphone 4s and lastest software iOS 6.01. The only problem I been getting relates to your apps "restarting" I play Words With Friends daily, It constantly closes and I have to restart it. WWF doesn't use Game Center though. This started happening after I updated to lastest iOS 6.0.1. I never had a problem on previous iOS 5.1.1. I should have been more spefic about what Iphone I was using and iOS verson. This my first post on here and I wanted to share my solution to disable Game Center that I stumbled opon.


I am not sure if this works with all other devices running iOS 6.0.1. But, I did download and install Angry Birds and tested Game Center when I was Logged out. I was able to disable after 3 attempts.


Heres what I did:



Step 1: Sign into Game Center then sign out of Game Center.

Step 2: Open Angry Birds, when asked to log into Game Center, tap cancel, then close Angry Birds.

Step 3: Open Angry Birds, when asked to log into Game Center, tap cancel, then close Angry Birds.

Step 4: Open Angry Birds, when asked to log into Game Center, tap cancel. This time a window pops up saying: Disable Game Center? tap Disable, close Angry Birds.

Step 5: Open Angry Birds, Game Center will no longer pop up asking to log in.


Tested and works on Iphone 4s iOS 6.0.1, along with any other app/games that use Game Center.


Note: When your Game Center is currently disabled. Once you use your Apple I.D. after Game Center has been disabled. You enabled Game Center again after the use of Apple I.D.

You will have to repeat Steps 1-5, works with all app games, ect.


Its currently the only solution that works on Iphone 4s iOS 6.0.1 thats not Jail-Broken.

Dec 8, 2012 6:21 AM in response to punkz420

That;s pretty much the procedure I have to take. With me, since iOS6 pushes my iPad2 to the limit, if I play angry birds 3 times a day, I have to go through that three times a day. It kinda spooks me that an app has access to my apple ID and password, signs me in despite me repeatedly signing out and just keeps doing it. All someone has to do is hack their database and they have access to my Apple ID (and millions of others I would guess given how popular the game is). It just seems a massive security and privacy issue. I tried to contact Rovio but was ignored and of course the feedback sent to Apple goes unanswered, in the meantime I would love to be playing the new game of theirs but don't feel like I can. I am glad I only use gift cards, so I don't have a credit card at risk with my apple ID, so when/if it does get hacked, at least it'll be a minimal loss.

Dec 29, 2012 8:50 PM in response to royhova

To stop my Game Center from initializing I :


- Logged into Game Center

- *Click* on "Games" (bottom center) then a list will populate with all of your apps that are linked to the GC.

- *Swipe* the first app on the list

- *Select* "Remove" then you are reminded to "uninstall app"
- *Click* "Cancel" because you don't want to uninstall the app. You just want to remove it from the list.


I had to go back in and do this for a second time because my app list had to repopulate with the remainng apps that I didn't remove yet.


This has worked great for me.


Good luck.

Jan 26, 2013 2:35 AM in response to royhova

OK, no guessing. Here's what happens.


I have an app called NYT Crosswords. If I'm signed into GC and start NYT iOS/G. displays a notification "welcome back".

I exit and shutdown NYT, the start GC and logout. I exit GC and shut it down.

I start NYT, and now iOS/GC prompts me to login to GC. It will do this every time I start or resume.

What I do is select cancel, switch out of NYT, and switch back to NYT. GC login pops up again, so again I select cancel. I exit, resume, and select cancel for a third time. GC then prompts me if I want to disable using GC. I select OK, and from then on when I start or resume GC, there are no more notifications or login prompts.

Great, but it will come back, and here's how. If you log into the App Store (which you are forced to do to install a free application - brain dead), the logging into the App Store also logs you into Game Center. Exit App Store, fire up NYT, and it's now back at displaying the GC welcome notification.


Not a huge deal, but a stupid design.

Disable game center iOS 6

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