Understanding icloud.com email

Question

Level 1

24 points

Understanding icloud.com email

Hello,

I have a primary AppleID that I've been using for some time. I currently use a gmail.com email for my AppleID.

I want to create an iCloud.com email address. This sounds like it would be simple but I've been trying for nearly two years to get a straight answer about how this works and everyone tells me different things.

Some folks say never, ever use an iCloud email as a primary email address on an AppleID in case I were to ever lose my password - they say I'll be locked out for good. Others say that i can add an iCloud.com email address and my gmail will stay associated with my account, so I can log in with either interchangeably. Others have said that if I create an iCloud.com email address on my Apple ID, I'll never be able to change to using any other third party (gmail/hotmail, mydomain.com, etc) email address as my AppleID in the future, should I wish to. Others have said I can create any number of iCloud.com email addresses under my current Apple ID and it won't become my Apple ID. Still others have said I can create any number of iCloud.com email addresses as separate Apple IDs and can access email all of them from within my current Apple ID. I've also heard that Apple is adding some additional protections this fall from getting locked out (one can provide email/phone info for a spouse or friend, in case of getting locked out of Apple ID as additional safety), which seems to help with the concerns about having an iCloud.com email as my Apple ID.

I want to transition to using an iCloud.com email address because I like Apple's stance on privacy. I also like the ability to have unlimited disposable email addresses (again, coming this fall) plus the extra two or so email address aliases for an iCloud.com email. I also want use the LogIn with Apple privacy features more.

But, I'm worried about how to go about doing this, having gotten so many different stories about how an ICloud.com email address works. Does anyone know what the true story is for creating/using an iCloud.com email address on my Apple ID or who I could reach out to at Apple support (meaning, what department) to finally give a definitive answer on how best to do this? Any info or direction would be super helpful. Thanks so so much in advance!

Posted on Jun 25, 2021 10:14 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

ckuan

Level 10

120,686 points

Jun 25, 2021 10:29 PM in response to piecesofme

It's simple.

If you have an Apple ID using a Gmail account.

Example: John Doe

Apple ID : john.doe@gmail.com

Your free iCloud ID: will be something like john.doe@icloud.com

Note the iCloud ID is an alias to your Apple ID so you can use either for Apple services.

BUT you cannot replaced @iCloud.com as your standalone Apple ID.

Other than that john.doe@icloud.com is a valid standard IMAP compliant email address

If you change your e-mail provider, example:

john.doe@hotmail.com, your @icloud.com stays the same.

Reply

Answer 2

piecesofme Author

Level 1

24 points

Jul 2, 2021 10:46 PM in response to ckuan

Thanks so much for taking the time to respond and share good info. I really appreciate it.

Most of it makes sense but I wasn't clear on one thing. Are you saying that I can't completely replace my gmail address for my Apple ID with an iCloud.com email? That doesn't make sense. If you're saying that I can't switch from gmail.com to iCloud.com Apple ID and once I do that, I then can't change it, that does make sense. Any clarification would be super helpful. Thanks again!

Reply

Answer 3

Eric Root

Level 10

684,069 points

Jul 3, 2021 9:54 AM in response to piecesofme

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.

Reply

Understanding icloud.com email

Similar questions