OS X El Capitan: If you sign out of iCloud

If you sign out of iCloud

If you sign out in iCloud preferences, your iCloud mail, calendars, reminders, notes, and documents stored in iCloud are removed from your Mac. If you have photos in My Photo Stream that aren’t imported, they’re removed from your Mac. Your bookmarks and Reading List remain in Safari, but the iCloud Tabs list of webpages open on your other devices is no longer available.

When you sign out of iCloud, you’re asked whether you want to keep copies on your Mac of Contacts information and Safari passwords stored in iCloud. If you keep copies, iCloud doesn’t keep them up to date with changes on your other devices.

You’re also asked whether you want to download or remove photos and videos that aren’t fully downloaded from iCloud Photo Library to your Mac. After you sign out of iCloud in iCloud preferences, downloaded Photos and videos aren’t kept up to date with changes on your other devices.

Copy iCloud documents and data before signing out

Before signing out of iCloud, you can copy or archive iCloud documents and data to your Mac.

iCloud Drive: For instructions on copying documents to your Mac, see Store documents with iCloud Drive.

Documents and data you copy to your Mac aren’t kept up to date with changes on your other devices.

After signing out of iCloud on your Mac, you can still access your iCloud documents, data, photos, and videos on your other devices set up for iCloud and on iCloud.com.

If you sign in to iCloud again on your Mac, your iCloud documents and data reappear on your Mac. Photos and videos you haven’t yet downloaded from iCloud Photo Library also appear on your Mac.

Last Modified: Apr 13, 2016
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