HT5621: Change your Apple ID

Learn about Change your Apple ID
haynesey1970

Q: I cannot change my icloud ID

Hi - don't even ask me how it happened, but my icloud account seems to have been set up with a long defunct email address. I have no access to the email account and I don't know what password was originally used to set up icloud. I have a new iPhone 6 and I can't dissable 'Find my Phone' in order reset my account settings and set icloud up with my current email address (the same one that is my current Apple ID and the one I use for iTunes. It's a bit of nightmare  - any ideas?

iPhone 6, iOS 8

Posted on Oct 10, 2014 8:10 AM

Close

Q: I cannot change my icloud ID

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Page 1 of 3 last Next
  • by randers4,Helpful

    randers4 randers4 Oct 10, 2014 8:19 AM in response to haynesey1970
    Level 9 (62,855 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:19 AM in response to haynesey1970

    Make sure you are signed into iMessage and FaceTime with your current ID.  If they are signed into the old ID, go to Settings>Messages>Send & Receive and Settings>FaceTime, tap the ID, sign out, then sign back in with your current ID.

     

    Then temporarily recreate the old ID by going to https://appleid.apple.com, click Manage my Apple ID and sign in with your current iCloud ID.  Click edit next to the primary email account, change it back to your old email address and save the change.  (You should not have to verify the old email account so it doesn’t matter if you no longer have access to it.)  Now go to Settings>iCloud, turn off Find My iDevice and enter your current password when prompted (even though it prompts you for the password for your old ID).  Then go to Settings>iCloud, tap Sign Out (or Delete Account if you are not running iOS 8) and choose Delete from My iDevice when prompted (your iCloud data will still be in iCloud).  Next, go back to https://appleid.apple.com and change your primary email address back to the way it was.  Now you can go to Settings>iCloud and sign back in with your current iCloud ID and password (your data will download back to your device).

  • by christinpatrick,

    christinpatrick christinpatrick Oct 10, 2014 8:21 AM in response to haynesey1970
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:21 AM in response to haynesey1970

    I'm having the same issue. .I have tried deleting all my apps and everything. Randomly my screen will pop up with a password request for my old apple id email that I no longer have access to. I cant sign out of find my iphone because I don't remember my old password but all my other apps and things are linked to my new ID . I just want the old one gone, never to return OR POP UP ...please help!

  • by randers4,

    randers4 randers4 Oct 10, 2014 8:25 AM in response to christinpatrick
    Level 9 (62,855 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:25 AM in response to christinpatrick

    christinpatrick wrote:

     

    I'm having the same issue.

     

    If your device is signed into your old ID and you're trying to change it to your new ID, follow the steps in my last post.  Deleting apps won't help.

  • by haynesey1970,

    haynesey1970 haynesey1970 Oct 10, 2014 8:32 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:32 AM in response to randers4

    Hey - thanks for the advice. I've tried taking the steps you advise (and in fact, Facetime and imessage both had the old/wrong email account), but unfortunately the process stops when I try to change my Apple ID temporarily back to the old/defunct address - it sends a verification email to the old address which I cannot access. It's the constant requirement for me to verify actions/changes from within the old email account that prevents me from making changes in need. 

  • by randers4,

    randers4 randers4 Oct 10, 2014 8:39 AM in response to haynesey1970
    Level 9 (62,855 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:39 AM in response to haynesey1970

    If your new ID is an entirely new ID rather than a newer version of your old ID, this won't work.  If that's the case, you'll need to contact the Apple account security team for assistance resetting the password for the old ID: Apple ID: Contacting Apple for help with Apple ID account security.  The call should be free (be sure to ask for the account security team) but you will need to provide your device serial number, which is in Settings>General>About.

     

    Once you have the password for your old ID you can use it to turn off Find My iPhone.  Then you can sign out of the old account and sign back into your new one.  When you sign out, you will be given the option to keep or delete the iCloud data from your phone.  If the data is already in your new iCloud account, choose to delete; your data will download to your phone from your new account when you sign back in.  If you need to migrate the data to the new account, choose keep; then choose merge when you sign into the new account to upload the data to the new account.

  • by haynesey1970,

    haynesey1970 haynesey1970 Oct 10, 2014 8:47 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (6 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:47 AM in response to randers4

    Actually, my current ID is not new - it's several years old in fact. It's a complete mystery to me as to how iCloud was set up using such an ancient email address. However, I still seem to be completely restricted by the verification emails being sent to the old email account - I think it might need a call to Apple. Thank for your help.

  • by randers4,

    randers4 randers4 Oct 10, 2014 8:50 AM in response to haynesey1970
    Level 9 (62,855 points)
    Oct 10, 2014 8:50 AM in response to haynesey1970

    I meant "new" in the sense that it was created from scratch rather than by updating to old ID with a new email address.  If your current ID was never previously associated with the old email address, you'll have to request assistance from Apple to reset the password for the old ID.

  • by Kaitlin2980,

    Kaitlin2980 Kaitlin2980 Dec 8, 2014 2:30 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 8, 2014 2:30 AM in response to randers4

    Thanks Randers4 i followed your steps and it worked.. Thanks

  • by cielciel,

    cielciel cielciel Dec 16, 2014 6:57 AM in response to haynesey1970
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Dec 16, 2014 6:57 AM in response to haynesey1970

    i had the same iCloud-problem. I got crazy by getting the same Popup-question over and over again: log in to iCloud with the PassWord for non_existing_email_account@driving_me_crazy.com.

     

    Finally I contacted AppleSupport and they gave me the solution:

     

    - Go to https://appleid.apple.com/

    - Click on: Reset Your Password

     

    You get a new window with 'Enter your Apple ID to get started.'

     

    - Fill in the emailadress non_existing_email_account@driving_me_crazy.com

     

    > Next

     

    - You get a new window with 'Please verify your birth date to continue'

     

    > Next

     

    - New window with: 'Select your authentication method.'

    And choose for (this is the trick!!!):

     

    - Answer the two security questions.

     

    > Next

     

    Now you get the possibility to change your password for the emailadress non_existing_email_account@driving_me_crazy.com

     

    After doing so I was finally able to login on my iCloud-settings on the iPad with the emailadress non_existing_email_account@driving_me_crazy.com. By doing so you get a prompt that your 'Find my iPhone' setting will be turned off and that was exactly what I needed all the time, as before all my iCloud settings (including 'Search my iPhone' were greyed out).

     

    After this I was able to log out from the iCloud (scroll all the way down, you will find 'Log Out' written in red).

    And finally, finally, I could Log In again, with my one_and_only Apple ID.

     

    Good luck! Hope I didn't miss a step :-)

  • by rgalie13,

    rgalie13 rgalie13 Jan 21, 2015 8:05 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 21, 2015 8:05 AM in response to randers4

    ive tried this and it won't let me. I HATE APPLE

  • by shantinirajah,

    shantinirajah shantinirajah Jan 24, 2015 4:38 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 24, 2015 4:38 AM in response to randers4

    Randers 4 - thank you SO much, thank you thank you thank you thank you! You advice (about resetting the Apple ID to the old one and the signing out of iCloud on the iPhone before signing back in) totally worked! You're the best!

  • by ATStangman,

    ATStangman ATStangman Feb 12, 2015 11:20 AM in response to randers4
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 12, 2015 11:20 AM in response to randers4

    Thanks for the info randers4. The only problem is that when I get to:  "Now go to Settings>iCloud, turn off Find My iDevice and enter your current password when prompted (even though it prompts you for the password for your old ID)", my current password does not work.  Nor does my old password associated with the old Apple ID.  I just need to turn off Find My iPhone in the iCloud Settings....Nothing works; I have hit a dead end.  What are my options?  Restore my iPhone and sdtart from scratch after doing a full back-up?

  • by oregonkat,

    oregonkat oregonkat Feb 21, 2015 1:58 AM in response to shantinirajah
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 21, 2015 1:58 AM in response to shantinirajah

    i've tried this too.. and it doesn't work. in my case i changed the email address associated with my apple account. when i try to update it on my phone.. on facetime, messages, or icloud.. i don't get the option to enter the email.. it just asks me for a password of an email address that is no longer associated with my apple account. its enough to drive you mad

  • by oregonkat,

    oregonkat oregonkat Feb 21, 2015 2:11 AM in response to oregonkat
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 21, 2015 2:11 AM in response to oregonkat

    okay just did apple chat and they were a godsend. its happening because i didn't sign out of icloud before i changed my email address. he (or she?) said go to https://appleid.apple.com/, click manager.. temporarily change your email address back to old one (don't verify it), then go to your phone, you'll be allowed to turn off find my phone and sign out of icloud using whatever your current password is. delete it. Then go back to manager your id, change it back to the current email you want to use. go back to your phone and go to icloud and it will let you enter your new apple id and password. when it asks if you want to merge say yes.

Page 1 of 3 last Next