What happens after you choose Sign Out But Don't Erase
Learn what information stays on your device and what happens after you sign back in to your Apple Account when you choose Sign Out But Don't Erase from your iPhone or iPad.
What data stays on your device when you sign out but don’t erase
If you want to sign out of your Apple Account on your iPhone but plan to keep the device for yourself, you can choose Sign Out But Don't Erase. This lets you sign out of your Apple Account without erasing your device so that later you can sign back in faster.
When you choose this option, most data stays on your device. This includes:
Health
Passwords
Contacts
Photos
Documents
Apps
Bookmarks
Wallet passes
Data that hasn't yet synced with iCloud
To remove all of this data from your device when you sign out of your Apple Account, choose Erase This iPhone instead.
To help prevent data loss, make sure that you have an up-to-date iCloud backup before you sign out. If you recently made changes to content synced with iCloud, wait before signing out, or check iCloud.com or another device to make sure that your changes sync.
Learn more about what iCloud backs up
How to keep iCloud data that hasn't synced
In some cases, you might get a warning that data that hasn't yet synced with iCloud will be removed from the device if you choose Sign Out But Don't Erase. If you receive this warning:
Make sure that you have a good Wi-Fi connection.
Check that you haven't exceeded your iCloud storage quota. If you've exceeded your iCloud storage, learn how to make more space.
Open the Settings app, tap your name, then tap iCloud.
Check that the status icon next to Saved to iCloud is green. If it's yellow or red, check the status message, then follow the onscreen instructions to resume syncing.
Check iCloud.com or another device to make sure that your changes sync.
Or, you can archive or make copies of this iCloud data before you sign out.
What happens when you merge iCloud data
If the previous device owner chose to sign out and not erase and you sign in to that device with your Apple Account, data on the device merges with your iCloud data and then syncs to your other devices.
If you don't want to merge your iCloud data with the previous device owner's data, on the "Merge iCloud data from this [device]?" screen, tap Go back. To remove the data left behind from the prior device owner, on the screen labeled "Previous data will be removed from this iPhone", tap Continue.