How To Change Your Apple ID Email Address

If you are using a third-party email address as your Apple ID, you may need to change it if you are losing that email address or plan to move on to another email service. Apple has a page that spells out the steps needed to change which email address is used as your Apple ID.



Apple Site Link: Change your Apple ID

Comments: 13 Responses to “How To Change Your Apple ID Email Address”

    Arnold Karpoff
    6 years ago

    en I try to change my Apple iD I run into a problem with the secret words. When asked for my birthdasy I type it in only to be told it is incorrect. How do I fix this?

    6 years ago

    Arnold: Your only hope is to call Apple and go through the options with them. I don't think your birthday has even been a secret word option, so perhaps you mean something else? Or, it is asking for your birthday in a different format than you expect?

    Karl
    6 years ago

    Is it safe to use your full name as your Apple ID, couldn’t someone use your name and try to hack your account?

    6 years ago

    Karl: You use an email address, not a name. But you have to assume that every email address is public. After all you have gotten at least one piece of junk email, right? So it is public. Email addresses pass through email servers as plain text, so whether it is your name or something random, it doesn't matter. That is why the security is all about using a strong, random, unique password. And, of course, 2-factor.

    Jimmy
    6 years ago

    I wish I had this info a few weeks ago. I changed my Apple ID because I was cancelling my old email address. It was a nightmare but finally got it done.

    Karl
    6 years ago

    Gary, usually Apple reserves your name for your Apple ID. Like “YourName@me.com or YourName@icloud.com
    Are you saying Apple doesn’t require that anymore? I could be say “CookieMonster@icloud.com” now?
    Thanks

    6 years ago

    Karl: You should be able to use any unused combination of characters you want for your iCloud email address. I see iCloud email addresses all the time and they are all sorts of things. But if you have already chosen yours, then changing it will require some work.

    John.P
    6 years ago

    This has been a bugbear of mine for some time, Using a third party email for your ID creates so much confusion in just about all your apps, I have been unable to change this even with apple support, the person told me it could not be done, that was about three years ago so maybe they have changed something? : (

    6 years ago

    John.P: Yes, I do believe there was a major change to all of this last year.

    Bert Mullemeister
    6 years ago

    Hi..me again. I give lessens each Friday for all Apple devices (volunteer)
    A number of my students have xxxxxx@icloud.com as their Apple Id, but would prefer their ....@gmail.com..I am worried changing this as they could lose app etc
    Is it better to leave this as is?
    Thanks in anticipation

    6 years ago

    Bert: Yes, according to that page I link to: "When you change your Apple ID to an @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com account, you can't change it back to a third-party email account." So it simply wouldn't work.

    Sandra Schley
    6 years ago

    Dear Gary, back in 2011 I had bought my first Mac. Without any experience with apple products i created an Apple-ID which consisted of a third party E-Mail address. Now I would like to change it to my iCloud.com-address, but never dared to. I fear to lose all programs, apps, books, music I bought over the years. Can this happen? Thank you so much for all of your help.

    6 years ago

    Sandra: It shouldn't happen, no. Just follow Apple's steps carefully. I wonder if the Genius Bar will walk you through it if you made an appointment and did it there?

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