Need to Disconnect 2 MacBook Air Laptops

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Need to Disconnect 2 MacBook Air Laptops

My MacBook Air laptop and my daughter's are connected. Everything she adds to her laptop shows up on mine (and I assume vice versa). I need to upgrade my operating system and my browser, but I can't because

my disk doesn't have enough space. If I delete her information, it's going to disappear from her laptop as well. I know that from prior experience. How can I separate these laptops so that I can delete her information without affecting her laptop?

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 10.12

Posted on Nov 9, 2025 11:11 PM

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Answer 1

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Phil0124

Level 10

216,746 points

Nov 10, 2025 1:28 PM in response to Francine577

O.k so System Preferences ➜ iCloud ➜ Sign Out.

Then log in with your account instead.

Once that is done, you are free to delete anything you don't need without affecting your daughter's devices.

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Answer 2

Nov 10, 2025 1:08 AM in response to Francine577

It sounds like both laptops are using the same Apple ID, and there is iCloud-based synchronization going on - probably including synchronization of the Desktop and Documents folders.

You need to disconnect one of the notebooks from iCloud (in such a way that you do not erase data in iCloud), log out of the shared Apple ID, then log in under a new Apple ID. Then you can clean up any unwanted data on that computer without affecting the other one.

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Answer 3

Phil0124

Level 10

216,746 points

Nov 10, 2025 11:58 AM in response to Francine577

Is your laptop really running macOS 10.12 Sierra right now as shown in your device line?

We'll need the actual macOs version to provide accurate steps to log out of the iCloud account.

Usually the option is in System Preferences > iCloud for older macOS versions.

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Answer 4

Francine577 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 10, 2025 11:16 AM in response to Servant of Cats

Thanks. That sounds like the solution. How do I disconnect my laptop from iCloud? I'm not the most tech savvy person in the world, but I did realize that this laptop was connected to my daughter's iCloud. Any advice you can offer will be appreciated.

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Answer 5

Francine577 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 10, 2025 12:59 PM in response to Phil0124

It's High Sierra 10.13.6.

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Answer 6

Francine577 Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 10, 2025 8:34 PM in response to Phil0124

Thanks! Appreciate the help.

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