You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

If I remove my phone from iCloud Find My will it erase my data if I don't hit erase device?

My dad had said he broke his phone (but he doesn't want to buy a new one) and lost the ability to turn off my screen time, and my mom isn't with us anymore so my phone has screen time 24/7. It's not supposed to have screen time all day, so I wanted to know if I were to remove my phone from iCloud would it erase all data from my phone even if I don't click erase device? I don't want it to erase all my data because I have important stuff on my phone like homework and contacts.

iPhone 13, iOS 18

Posted on Jan 14, 2025 3:28 PM

Reply
5 replies

Jan 14, 2025 4:06 PM in response to Azymodius

"[...]I wanted to know if I were to remove my phone from iCloud would it erase all data from my phone even if I don't click erase device? I don't want it to erase all my data because I have important stuff on my phone like homework and contacts."

-------


Yes. It is Erased:

  1. Go Here: Erase a Device in Find My on iPhone - Apple Support
  2. As it Reads: "When you erase a device remotely using Find My, Activation Lock remains on to protect it. Your Apple Account password is required to reactivate it."

So,...


Access Items in iCloud Prior to the Reset:

Enable all items in iCloud Settings on your other devices associated to your Apple ID. That way, you can recover them. As an example, here is how to enable Contacts in iCloud Settings on other Apple devices...


A. Enabling Contacts an iPhone:

  1. Go to: Settings
  2. Tap: your name (top item)
  3. Tap: iCloud
  4. Tap: Contacts (so that it is green)


and...


B. Enable Contacts on a Mac:

  1. Go to: System Preferences
  2. Click: Apple ID
  3. Enable: Contacts


Jan 14, 2025 4:45 PM in response to Azymodius

"Thanks man that helps! But one of the restrictions is I can't access the thing that has my name on it that you can get all the information from. Also if my father restricted me from downloading or deleting apps how would I gain access to do those things?"

-------


You are welcome.


Thank you from the screenshot.


Being Greyed-Out:

If it is greyed out, then it may mean that you have to accept the Terms & Conditions. Go here: If you can't Accept iCloud Terms and Conditions - Apple Support


Getting Around Screen Time:

As for getting things that are downloaded, they would be accessible, but only on the iPhone itself. So, you'd have to turn off Screen Time remotely, and I'm not so certain you can with a damages screen, as a PIN would be required to get these accessible times.

Jan 14, 2025 6:05 PM in response to Azymodius

"What do you mean by damages screen? Also yeah the Grayed out screen shot is because of restrictions my dad put on also I'm just no realizing in the very first question I meant to ask it if I were to remove it from iCloud find my would it remove or erase all data even if I didn't hit erase all data?"

-------


Misspelling: "damaged screen"


Getting Into This Before Erasing:

It would erase it, but as for assessing your data but disabling Screen Time, you need to tap the screen. If you erase it, then that would not apply.

If I remove my phone from iCloud Find My will it erase my data if I don't hit erase device?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.