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apple id email change

I want to update my apple id email. the email was previously on another apple account. I have removed it from that account and then tried to add it to my current one and it still says the email is unavailable

Posted on Nov 21, 2021 3:53 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Nov 21, 2021 4:50 AM

"If you see a message that the email address you want to use isn't available or is already in use, check that you or a family member aren't already using that email address with a different Apple ID. If a family member is using that email address, remove it from their account then try to use it." From: https://support.apple.com/HT202667


Apart from the above statement I have yet to find a formal Apple position statement online about re-using email addresses. Many user reports on this forum (of course they could all be just making up things but I don't have specific reason not to believe hundreds of independent topics over many years) suggest that contrary to what the statement implies as to ease of address re-use, if you have recently used an email address with Apple for another purpose such as a notification email address it cannot be re-used; at least not immediately and possibly never. I guess you can "try to use it" but many users have claimed this does not work.


About your Apple ID email addresses (was "Manage your Apple ID primary, rescue, alternate, and notification email addresses") --> https://support.apple.com/HT201356

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 21, 2021 4:50 AM in response to amccord1919

"If you see a message that the email address you want to use isn't available or is already in use, check that you or a family member aren't already using that email address with a different Apple ID. If a family member is using that email address, remove it from their account then try to use it." From: https://support.apple.com/HT202667


Apart from the above statement I have yet to find a formal Apple position statement online about re-using email addresses. Many user reports on this forum (of course they could all be just making up things but I don't have specific reason not to believe hundreds of independent topics over many years) suggest that contrary to what the statement implies as to ease of address re-use, if you have recently used an email address with Apple for another purpose such as a notification email address it cannot be re-used; at least not immediately and possibly never. I guess you can "try to use it" but many users have claimed this does not work.


About your Apple ID email addresses (was "Manage your Apple ID primary, rescue, alternate, and notification email addresses") --> https://support.apple.com/HT201356

apple id email change

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