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User profile for user: Jason Golden
Jason Golden Author
User level: Level 2
201 points

I would like to change my Apple ID - Current First.Last@icloud alias isn't presented as option

Morning All,


I would like to update my AppleID to an alias I currently have (first.last@icloud.com) however it isn't shown as an option when I login to make this change per apples related materials on the process.


Change your Apple ID - Apple Support



"as long as it's not already used as an apple id."


I have first.last@icloud.com as an alias on my current apple ID, does this mean it could be in use by someone as their Apple ID as well? How does that work?


Is there a step I'm missing?


Thank you for your assistance,


Jason

Posted on Feb 2, 2020 12:36 PM

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User profile for user: Roger Wilmut1
Roger Wilmut1
User level: Level 10
131,320 points

Posted on Feb 2, 2020 2:54 PM

If your Apple ID had been a third-party email address you could have changed it to another third party address, as long as that address was not currently or recently associated with any other Apple ID; and you could have changed it to your main @icloud.com address.


However as your Apple ID is your @icloud.com address you can only change it to the @mac.com or @me.com addresses (with the same text before the '@') if you had them by virtue of being a member of iCloud's predecessors, DotMac and Mobileme. If through having started with iCloud you have only an @icloud.com address (created when you opened the account) as your ID you can't change it to anything, nor delete it.


You can create up to three additional addresses, with a different text before the '@': these are 'email aliases' and you cannot make them into an ID, nor move them to another account.


Your concern about another person's ID only arises if you have an ID which is a non-Apple address and you want to change it to an address which is associated with someone else's (or your) ID. That doesn't arise in the present case: no-one is sharing any of your iCloud addresses.

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User profile for user: Roger Wilmut1
Roger Wilmut1
User level: Level 10
131,320 points

Feb 2, 2020 2:54 PM in response to Jason Golden

If your Apple ID had been a third-party email address you could have changed it to another third party address, as long as that address was not currently or recently associated with any other Apple ID; and you could have changed it to your main @icloud.com address.


However as your Apple ID is your @icloud.com address you can only change it to the @mac.com or @me.com addresses (with the same text before the '@') if you had them by virtue of being a member of iCloud's predecessors, DotMac and Mobileme. If through having started with iCloud you have only an @icloud.com address (created when you opened the account) as your ID you can't change it to anything, nor delete it.


You can create up to three additional addresses, with a different text before the '@': these are 'email aliases' and you cannot make them into an ID, nor move them to another account.


Your concern about another person's ID only arises if you have an ID which is a non-Apple address and you want to change it to an address which is associated with someone else's (or your) ID. That doesn't arise in the present case: no-one is sharing any of your iCloud addresses.

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User profile for user: Jason Golden
Jason Golden Author
User level: Level 2
201 points

Feb 2, 2020 7:40 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Thank you Roger,


My Apple ID is @me and I have 3 versions with the same prefix for each domain as you mentioned.


I’d like to retain the old but migrate to the iCloud.com domain for my Apple ID and my full name to standardize and update my accounts.


I have first.last@icloud.com as an alias of my @me.


Sounds like what I am experiencing is normal and expected, but unfortunate.


maybe it will become an option later.



Thank you again,


Jason

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User profile for user: Jason Golden
Jason Golden Author
User level: Level 2
201 points

Feb 3, 2020 11:05 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Good Morning Roger,


And thank you again for your thoughts.


I can log into my @me and @mac as Apple IDs they share the same prefix. My iCloud alias was created more recently on my Apple ID and I can not login to Apple ID with it.


The system suggest its not an option. I was hoping I was simply missing a step or there was a workaround I wasn't aware of... sounds like it simply isn't possible today.


Not a huge deal.


Thank you again for your thoughts.


-Jason

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User profile for user: Roger Wilmut1
Roger Wilmut1
User level: Level 10
131,320 points

Feb 3, 2020 1:49 PM in response to Jason Golden

As long as the text before the '@' is the same in all three cases you should certainly be able to log in with any of them. So if you are unable to do so something odd is going on and I can only refer you to Support: https://getsupport.apple.com


However, as you can use whichever of the three as a contact address, and only you see the one used for the login, does it really matter if you have to use the @mac.com version?

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I would like to change my Apple ID - Current First.Last@icloud alias isn't presented as option

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