I have two iPhones: an iPhone 8 and an iPhone 13 Pro Max. I'm confused about how file deletion works between them because both are signed in with the same Apple ID. When I deleted some videos on my old iPhone, they also disappeared from my new one. I'm planning to give the old one to my brother, and I'd like to know if I can delete my Apple ID from the iPhone 8 without affecting my account on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. How can I do this without losing important files? Any help would be appreciated!
2 Answers
It's crucial to understand that deleting files in the Files app on one device will delete them from all devices using the same Apple ID. If you have stuff on the old phone that you want to keep, make sure to transfer it before you delete anything. If you factory reset the iPhone 8, your brother won’t have access to your files or apps, and it will be just like a new phone for him, which is what you want.
Good point! If you reset it, also make sure to log out of any accounts, just to be on the safe side.
To avoid any issues, make sure you back up all your important files before giving away your old iPhone. The best way to ensure that nothing you delete on the old phone affects the new one is to perform a factory reset on the iPhone 8. This will erase all your data and unlink it from your Apple ID. You can follow this guide to reset it: https://support.apple.com/en-us/108931. This way, your brother will get a fresh start without any of your data still tied to the device.
I get that, but just to clarify, if you're just deleting files, that will sync across both phones. A full reset is definitely the safe route.
Exactly! If you don’t reset it, anything your brother does will still be associated with your iCloud account. It’s better for both of you.
Totally agree! Just don't forget to double-check that you've saved everything you need first, or else you'll lose it!