Why can't I change my Apple ID to one of my aliases?

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Level 1

14 points

Why can't I change my Apple ID to one of my aliases?

My Apple ID ends in @icloud.com. I want to use one of my aliases that also ends in icloud.com as my Apple ID. When I try to do it, the error message I receive is "You can only add the @icloud.com address that is already on file in your account," which is a sentence that barely makes sense. What does it mean to add an address that is already on file? If it's already on file, why would I need to add it? And anyway, I'm not trying to add an address, I'm trying to change my Apple ID to an email address that I already use through iCloud as an alias.

Any help? (Please, if you reply, be sure to use intelligible English spelling and syntax. Thank you.)

Posted on Jun 29, 2022 12:22 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Michael Black

Level 10

80,268 points

Jun 29, 2022 12:37 PM in response to lane.mick

Apple’s AppleID system does not allow any icloud alias address to be used as the primary email address. It never has allowed that.

Since your AppleID’s primary email address is already an @icloud.com address (I.e. not a third party email address) those iCloud email aliases are not considered separate or different primary email addresses.

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Answer 2

lane.mick Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 29, 2022 12:40 PM in response to Michael Black

Many thanks! I can't find any reference to that prohibition, and the error message doesn't make that clear, but you sound very certain.

Now, at least, I know it's not possible, even if I still don't know why it's not.

Thanks again.

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Answer 3

Jun 29, 2022 12:52 PM in response to lane.mick

Technically an email alias is not an email “account”. It is a pointer to an account but only your original actual xxx@icloud.com address you first created defines your iCloud email account. All your aliases just route email into that one same account.

A primary email address for an AppleID must be a verifiable email account.

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Answer 4

lane.mick Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 29, 2022 1:04 PM in response to Michael Black

That makes sense. If I deleted the alias and created a new iCloud account using that email address, would I be able to transfer my existing iCloud account mail history, files, calendar, etc., to the new Apple ID account?

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Answer 5

Jun 29, 2022 1:58 PM in response to lane.mick

No, you cannot transfer data between AppleIDs. That’s never been supported.

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Answer 6

lane.mick Author

Level 1

14 points

Jun 29, 2022 2:35 PM in response to Michael Black

Thanks very much!

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Why can't I change my Apple ID to one of my aliases?

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