Problems Signing out with Apple ID on Mac

Although it should not be usual, the truth is that there may be certain problems when logging out of iCloud on the Mac. Sometimes this process can take quite a few minutes and sometimes it is even useless because the ID is never completely logged out. from Apple . In this post we explain what the causes of this problem may be and we give you possible solutions in this regard to be able to log out quickly and completely.

And although you probably already know, we believe that it does not hurt to remember what is the procedure to log out of the Apple ID on a Mac , since any other step you take to do so could be the cause of the problem. It should be from System Preferences> Apple ID, going to the “General” tab and clicking on “Close session”.

Possible problems due to the internet

Both iCloud syncing and everything else related to the Apple ID is done over the internet, so this connection could be to blame for the problems. We will tell you below what you can do about it to fix it.

Check everything about your connection well

The first thing you should know is that to obtain the maximum possible internet speed it is advisable that you be connected via Ethernet cable to the router. As far as you can, try to connect your Mac to the internet in this way and if it is not possible, try to make sure that the WiFi connection is good, keeping the computer as close to the router as possible.

It is possible that, even if you have an internet connection, it is not fast enough. That is why it is advisable to perform an internet speed test. If after this you detect that you have a too slow connection, you should contact your operator to inform them and to indicate the possible solution, since there may be some kind of fault in your area or in the router itself.

Try your mobile connection

Although it may sound a bit strange, it is possible that your internet connection is apparently fine and yet some unknown conflict is being generated that prevents it from working properly. The advisable thing would be to try to connect to another network, but since you may not have more, you can use the mobile one.

For this we recommend that you turn off your Mac completely before anything else and then, once you turn it on, put your mobile in mobile data sharing mode and connect the Mac to that network. It will not matter if you use an iPhone or an Android. In the case of iOS devices, this option is found in Settings> Mobile Data. Once you’re connected, try again to sign out of your Apple ID.

What to check on the Mac

If after verifying your internet connection you still have problems logging out, don’t throw in the towel yet. There are some Mac settings that you can review in order to rule out other problems.

Do you have administrator permissions?

If the user you are using to sign out of your Apple ID doesn’t have administrator rank on your Mac, you may not be able to sign out. This limitation falls within the list of functions that users with other guest ranks do not have access to. All this is configured from System Preferences> Users and groups.

The solution for this is simple and is that you will have to log in to a Mac user who does have that administrator rank. Once you are in that account, you can log out of the Apple ID without a problem, although you can also change the permission range of the other user and return to that account to log out. Throughout this process you will be asked for the relevant passwords.

Boot the computer in safe mode

The safe mode of Macs allows you to access the operating system in a mode that allows you to detect whether or not the problems you are having are due to the software. For this reason, it is recommended that you start the computer like this and try to log out of the Apple ID. The steps to follow vary depending on the chip in your Mac.

On a Mac with an Intel chip , follow these steps:

Completely turn off the computer if you had it on and wait 10 seconds.
Turn on your Mac and immediately hold down the Shift key.
When the login window appears, release the key and log into your user account as normal.

If you have a Mac with Apple Silicon, these are the steps to follow to start safe mode:

Turn off the Mac if you had it already on and wait 10 seconds.
Turn on the computer again by pressing and holding the power button until a window with boot options appears.
Choose the disk on which the operating system is hosted.
Hold down the Shift key while clicking “Continue in Safe Mode” and then release this key.
Log into your user account normally.

Risky solutions that can be effective

At this point, if you have not been able to solve the problem, you can try one of the following two options that we recommend. Of course, keep in mind that some involve certain risks that we will also comment on below.

Try this command in Terminal

There is a command that can be executed from the macOS Terminal console that a priori serves to fix all those problems related to the Apple ID and iCloud. To do this, you must open the aforementioned tool, either through the search engine (Command + Space) or from the Launchpad. Once you have it open you must write the following command (without quotes):

“MobileMeAccounts”

After that press the Enter key. At this point it is likely that you will be asked for the Mac administrator password. After typing it and pressing the Enter key again, try going back to the System Preferences> Apple ID panel and try to log out.

Delete possible problem files

Although the previous one does not really carry risks, the next solution that we propose does require a certain prior warning, since all the internet accounts that have been configured on the Mac will be deleted. If you are already desperate to solve the problem and none of the above has helped you, then follow these steps: