Using two Apple IDs

Your Apple ID can use whatever email address you choose as long as its not using an iCloud email address.

Also just because your work email no longer exists does not mean your Apple ID stops working. You Apple ID continues to function and you can change its email address to a different one.

You should be able to go to https://appleid.apple.com and log in with your existing Apple ID, and change the email address to a new email address, again, as long as your work email address was not an iCloud email.

click here ➜ Change the email address you use as your Apple ID - Apple Support

Jharshef wrote:

Thanks for the responses. I should have said: I still work for my university in an honorary capacity, so don't want to delete the account. But I want my primary account to be my personal (private) one. I'll look up the links you sent, hopefully this will hep even though my question could have been clearer :)

As I said, you can set any email address as your primary for your Apple ID, as long as it's not already being used for another Apple ID.

If you work email is no longer valid, you can change it on your Apple ID to your own private one if its not already used as an Apple ID.

You can also just create a new free email from a 3rd party provider such as Outlook.com, Yahoo or Gmail and use that for your Apple ID.

Raicya wrote:

You cannot merge your work mail addres and your private Apple ID.

The work email address no longer exists. So not merging that at all. Changing the Apple ID that was using the work email to use a different email address is completely possible and valid.

My primary Apple ID was my work one,

If you no longer work for that company, that company has already deleted your work email address. This is done as soon as you have left the company so that you can no longer log in. You no longer have any rights there.

An deleted email address, it is no longer valid, it simply no longer exists and it no longer works.

You may not be able to change that email work address because it is no longer exists.

but I also have a second email and Google account that I want to use

Is one of those two your private Apple ID?

You are sign in here .  .  .  with your Apple ID & Password (?)

Your Apple ID is the personal account you use with all Apple products and services. It includes the email address and password you use to sign in, as well as the contact, payment, and security details that you use with Apple.

You can’t merge multiple Apple ID accounts.

What happens when you use the same Apple ID & Password that you use to sign in here?

See the following Apple articles

Sign in with your Apple ID -> Sign in with your Apple ID - Apple Support

Manage and use your Apple ID -> Manage and use your Apple ID – Apple Support (UK)

You cannot merge your work mail addres and your private Apple ID.