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How Do I Change My Apple ID Email Address?

Awhile ago I changed my Apple ID from being xyz@icloud.com to a gmail email address. Now, I want to do the same for my wife but what I am reading online tells me one cannot change from a .icloud account to a third party email. Is this true? My ultimate goal is to have her MacBook, iPad, and iPhone in sync with all the apps (reminders, notes, calendar…) but no duplicates. And I think that changing the Apple ID would be the most straight forward. Thanks in advance.
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Gene

Comments: 4 Responses to “How Do I Change My Apple ID Email Address?”

    6 years ago

    Until just a couple of weeks ago, you couldn't change your Apple ID email address from a non-Apple email to an Apple one. But that changed and now you can do it either way.

    Here are instructions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202667.

    However, if your goal is simply to make sure everything is in sync properly, then just changing the email address used as your Apple ID won't do that. All that the email address does is act as your ID for the iCloud account. Changing it just changes that. You are still using the same iCloud account. So if something else is wrong, then it won't fix it.

    I'm not sure what problem you are having, but it sounds like maybe she is logged into more than one "cloud" account. Like maybe she is using iCloud AND Google? It is certainly possible to do that. Many people do it on purpose. But it could lead to duplicate contacts and other things if you have the same contact in both your iCloud and your Google account.

    Go to System Preferences, User Accounts, and see what she is using and which services are turned on for each. For instance, if she has an iCloud account there and a Google account and both have "Contacts" enabled and such.

    Gene
    6 years ago

    I think you nailed the approach I need to use as usual Gary! Thanks

    Gene
    6 years ago

    One follow up: it's been a long time, where do I change her iCloud account and are there any other considerations in having all three devices work together? Like Reminders.

    6 years ago

    Gene: You don't want to CHANGE her iCloud account, right? Just the email address that is used by the account as the user ID? Changing her account means losing all of her data as the data is stored IN the account.

    The link above is how to change that email address used as an ID.

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