Using an Apple/iCloud Account on WFU Managed Apple Devices

Note: 

WFU does not require Apple accounts, and WFU does not manage Apple accounts.  You may use an existing personal Apple account on WFU managed devices, or you may create a separate apple account with your WFU email address.  

Since Information Systems does not manage Apple accounts, if there is ever a need for recovery, you should take steps to add valid recovery information early and contact Apple support if assistance is needed.

Reasons why you might want to use an Apple account on your device:

Signing into an Apple Account is optional, and can be skipped during setup. However, it’s required for many common features including:

• Downloading any apps from the App Store
  • You do not need to spend money to download a free app from the App Store, but please be mindful that the store may require you to provide payment information. 
• Using Passkeys
  • Using a Passkey requires use of the iCloud Keychain feature. See iCloud Keychain and Passwords for more information.
• Syncing with iCloud (FindMy, Photos, Passwords, Messages, etc)
• Adding payment methods
  • Payment methods are required for downloading some apps from the App Store

Notes on Creating an Apple Account

Below you will find some things to be mindful of regarding setting up an Apple account.

• Due to the fact that university documents may include sensitive or privileged information, WFU Managed Apple devices should not sync documents to iCloud storage. Please use the WFU supported storage options for document syncing, such as Google Drive. 
  • Please see the following article for how to turn off the iCloud sync feature: Turn off Syncing Desktop and Document Files to iCloud Drive. 
• If using a personal Apple account to sync your personal phone and messages, it is possible that personal information such as photos or messages could end up in WFU managed backups, such as CrashPlan. Please be mindful of this if you do not want your personal files to be backed up to WFU managed cloud storage.
• Apple accounts are not managed by the university. If you need assistance logging into or recovering your Apple account, you will need to contact Apple for support.
• If you no longer have access to your WFU account, you may lose access to the associated Apple account.