Changing Apple ID's email address to iCloud email address procedure

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Changing Apple ID's email address to iCloud email address procedure

I want to stop using the email address i'm currently using as Apple ID as it is overwhelmed with spam.

To avoid having the same problem in the future I want to switch it to an iCloud address that is only used for this purpose.

As I don't have a iCloud address at the moment I want to create one by going on my iPhone (iOS 14) to my Apple ID account > iCloud > check the Mail option. A popup suggest creating an iCloud address.

After that, I want to change the Apple ID to this iCloud address. Is that possible ?

Apple suggests changing the Apple ID email address on http://appleid.apple.com/ and to first sign out on all your devices. I'm ok with signing out on my iPad but I want to avoid signing out on my iPhone, as I don't backup certain things (like photos) on iCloud and I don't know what effect signing out will have on the Authenticator apps running on my phone (needed for remote working).

To avoid singing out, I want to change my Apple ID email address by going on my iPhone to my Apple ID > "Name, Phone Numbers, Email" and editing the "Contactable at" email address. I would sign out on my iPad before doing this.

Is this the correct way to do it ?

Thanks

iPhone XS, iOS 14

Posted on May 4, 2021 7:43 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Eric Root

Level 10

685,269 points

May 4, 2021 1:50 PM in response to Hagarken

I think you are going to need to sign out on the phone to change the ID in use.

I would consider getting a different 3rd party email address. Based on what I have read, I suggest you leave your Apple ID email address as a 3rd party email address because you have more flexibility if you need to change the email address. For example, if the Apple ID got compromised, you can change it to another address. I also have read of many people who were locked out of their accounts when they forgot their password. Since the recovery email address is the @iCloud email address, if you forget your password, you also can't access your email to get emails from Apple to recover your account. You can set a rescue email address, but for some people, this hasn't worked.

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