I am trying to change my apple ID (email address) to an email address that I have previously used on a different device for an apple id. I deleted the old account over a year ago, but it is still showing that the apple ID is not available. I have tried signing back in to my old account, but it is saying no account exists. How can I change my apple ID to my new email? Please help?!
Unfortunately Apple does not have a clear position statement about when you can re-use email address you have used with Apple before. There is no mention of a specific waiting time for email address re-use, and it it s ever possible. This is what Apple says:
From: Change your Apple ID - Apple Support
"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."
Although this next section discusses email address re-use in the context of deleting an account, it supports observations frequently posted on this forum about not being able to re-use an email address as an Apple ID once used previously as an Apple ID:
From: How to delete your Apple ID account - Apple Support
"Can I use the primary email address for my deleted Apple ID account to create a new Apple ID or with another existing Apple ID account?
No, once your Apple ID is deleted, you can't use the email address that you used with it to create a new Apple ID. In addition, you can't use that email address with another existing Apple ID except as a rescue [notification] email. Also, if your primary Apple ID email address is with a Custom Email Domain, it can never be reused to create an Apple ID after your Apple ID is deleted, even if the domain ownership changes."
And a related article about using iCloud email aliases - Add and manage email aliases for iCloud Mail on iCloud.com - Apple Support - "Note: You can’t delete or turn off a primary iCloud Mail address. You can’t use an alias to create a separate Apple ID, and an email alias can’t be converted to a primary iCloud Mail address."
If you still have questions or problems:
Refer to this document for ways to contact Apple --> Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support
Select your country (also look for "other" regions), then a product. If you don't see one that handles your issue then keep experimenting with selections until you reach one that gets you a chat session or a telephone call and get the representative to redirect you.
or:
Contact Apple for support and service by telephone --> Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support
Unfortunately Apple does not have a clear position statement about when you can re-use email address you have used with Apple before. There is no mention of a specific waiting time for email address re-use, and it it s ever possible. This is what Apple says:
From: Change your Apple ID - Apple Support
"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."
Although this next section discusses email address re-use in the context of deleting an account, it supports observations frequently posted on this forum about not being able to re-use an email address as an Apple ID once used previously as an Apple ID:
From: How to delete your Apple ID account - Apple Support
"Can I use the primary email address for my deleted Apple ID account to create a new Apple ID or with another existing Apple ID account?
No, once your Apple ID is deleted, you can't use the email address that you used with it to create a new Apple ID. In addition, you can't use that email address with another existing Apple ID except as a rescue [notification] email. Also, if your primary Apple ID email address is with a Custom Email Domain, it can never be reused to create an Apple ID after your Apple ID is deleted, even if the domain ownership changes."
And a related article about using iCloud email aliases - Add and manage email aliases for iCloud Mail on iCloud.com - Apple Support - "Note: You can’t delete or turn off a primary iCloud Mail address. You can’t use an alias to create a separate Apple ID, and an email alias can’t be converted to a primary iCloud Mail address."
If you still have questions or problems:
Refer to this document for ways to contact Apple --> Choose your country or region - Official Apple Support
Select your country (also look for "other" regions), then a product. If you don't see one that handles your issue then keep experimenting with selections until you reach one that gets you a chat session or a telephone call and get the representative to redirect you.
or:
Contact Apple for support and service by telephone --> Contact Apple for support and service - Apple Support
Thought you should wait two years before reuse a deleted Apple ID again.
If you still need help, try get more help and assistant from Apple directly, see Contact Apple for support and service -> Contact Apple for support and service – Apple Support (UK)
Thank you so much :)
cannot change apple id as saying it is not available
