Block Apps from Ever Using iCloud

Question

Level 1

5 points

Block Apps from Ever Using iCloud

I don't use iCloud. Ever. And for the love of Jeff, if you're going to answer "Just use iCloud, it works great" then please feel free not to answer. Seriously, don't even ask why. If you have to ask it means you don't understand the concept that 'storing your data on other people's servers means it's no longer your data'.

With the switch to Apple ID, I can no longer keep iCloud and my account information (music, apps, etc.) separate. The problem is that apps I'm using are showing up in the iCloud settings one at a time as I use them, and iCloud usage is enabled for the app, by default. Which means my f'ing data is being synced with the Clown before I can even shut it off. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? Or am I just going to have to switch to using a feature phone? I have everything shut off for all services and apps in the iClown settings but the individual apps aren't in the list prior to using them for the first time, so I can't preemptively shut them all off. Which means that the following happens:

Run app.
Quickly switch to iClown settings and see that the app that wasn't in the list before is now in the list and I have to shut it off. By which time, the data has probably already synced to Apple's servers.
Repeat.

This is not acceptable behavior. And yes, I get that Apple isn't Google so at least there's a fig leaf of 'privacy'. But seriously, why should I be forced to use something at every turn when I explicitly don't want it? At the very least, the default should be that new apps have iClown usage *disabled* by default. Ideally, I'd like to go back to being able to disable iClown while still enabling my other account access. But it seems there is no longer a way to do that.

Any suggestions?

Posted on Nov 8, 2024 6:55 AM

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Answer 1

AlWeir

Level 4

3,308 points

Nov 9, 2024 8:18 AM in response to fredstig

Not sure what your running, so I am doing this for the iPhone running 18.1

Go To your Apple Account-->iCloud-->Save to iCloud (See All). Turn off everything since you don't use iCloud. If you have lots of apps turn them all off.

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Answer 2

fredstig Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 9, 2024 10:55 AM in response to AlWeir

I'm still using iOS 17. And what you suggest is what I'm doing. The problem is that if you log in at the control panel with Apple ID or you download a new app (after being logged in with Apple ID), the app doesn't show up in the list until *after* the first time you run it. And once you've run it, it's already syncing with the clown because iCloud Sync = on is the default. And I'm saying it abso-friggin-lutely should not be the default.

It's the same as how privacy policies should be opt-in, not opt-out. iCloud should be opt-in only. Ever. It's a service I don't want or need and I'm incredibly annoyed it's opt-out. It used to be opt-in. iCloud login used to be separate from other services (like iTunes and the App Store). But that's not possible anymore. And I'm not sure it's even a developer option that they can disable; i.e. allowing iCloud sync to be opt-in. I put this one squarely on Apple and it's desire to hoover up everybody's data to try to get you hooked on cloud syncing and it's 'benefits' that aren't actually benefits.

EDIT: Apparently you can't say p***ed here.

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Answer 3

fredstig Author

Level 1

5 points

Nov 13, 2024 10:01 PM in response to fredstig

So it appears that the only way to avoid iCloud is just log out of the account on the phone or device (from Settings) and then only log in via the App Store or iTunes store as needed. The fact that logging in your Apple ID from Settings will enable all iCloud cr*p is really a rather slimy dark pattern.

But that still doesn't answer my primary question: why is everything hoovered up as a default 'yes'? And how do you get app data from iCloud back down to your device (in original, usable format) once you've decided to shut off iCloud? Even my Favorites in Maps were pushed to the cloud. And when iCloud was shut off, I lost all of my Favorites. It would seem I can't get them back down, even if I don't remove the data from iCloud.

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