How do I rename extra iCloud mailboxes?

Question

How do I rename extra iCloud mailboxes?

I'm on iOS 17.0.3. I have multiple iCloud accounts set up in Mail. I have all of them custom named to keep organized. Recently I needed to re-add one of them from scratch, and it auto-named itself as that account's email address. I went to rename it so it would match the other naming system again, but that function isn't in the same place anymore and I can't find where it went.

I am aware you can't rename your primary iCloud mailbox. That's not the one I want to change.

Mailboxes from OTHER services can still be renamed by going to Settings>Mail>Accounts>YourAccountName>Account>Description> and changing the description to the name you choose.

To make this more complicated, there seems to be a few bugs when dealing with iCloud account mailboxes:

If you go to Settings>Mail>Accounts>YourAccountName> for an iCloud account, this will bring up your Apple ID info page instead of the chosen mail account info page.
On my device, if I do #1 above, it actually loads my PRIMARY Apple ID info page, regardless of which iCloud mail account I had tapped into. If I back out 1 level, and then go right back in, it will fix itself and load the correct Apple ID info page.
On my device, whenever I do #1 or #2 above and arrive at an Apple ID info page, if I further tap, on the "iCloud" subsection, iOS will crash me out to the iPhone home screen.

I've gone over the renaming question with Apple Support, as well the 2 other behaviors and 1 crash. They were supposed to follow up with me, but never have. So here I am, hoping somebody else can solve the renaming question. I'm not afraid of a technical answer if you have one.

Thanks

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Posted on Oct 20, 2023 2:48 PM

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Answer 1

Feb 27, 2024 1:53 PM in response to Scott Bernard

Went over this with Apple support, after multiple escalations... The feature seemed to have been removed and no plans to reintroduce it in the future.

However, they were unsure when it was last enabled and when it go removed.

I pulled out a bunch of old iPhones and tested.

-it still worked for me on ios 10.3.3 (5C)

-it DID NOT work on ios 15.8.1 (6S)

-I have no ios in-between 10.3.3-15.8,1

-it still worked for me on MacBook Pro mid- 2010 using High Sierra

Potential workaround...

-Anybody know how to sync a desktop Mac Mail application accounts /settings into an ios Mail app?

Functional, but PITA workaround...

Thoretically, I can add all my iCloud emails to an ios 10.3.3 iPhone, rename them as I please, and make a backup. Then wipe my daily use ios 17 iPhone, and restore from the ios 10.3.3 backup with all the emails in it correctly. This gets you the renamed folders/accounts, but you lose everything else unless you had set up on the ios 17 phone until you manually redo everything other than the email.

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Answer 2

Oct 21, 2023 10:56 AM in response to Scott Bernard

I agree with you… definitely seems like a bug and I’m having the same problem with the account not loading the one I tap on. Fundamentally, though, it seems we can rename via the description field on non-iCloud accounts, but this description field was removed for iCloud accounts in the latest iOS update. If there is another way, I have yet to find it.

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Answer 3

Oct 22, 2023 12:15 PM in response to TenaciousJDD

No, I have not had the crash. I tried multiple combinations but no crash.

I just tried my iPhone 13 mini on 7.0.3 and no crash from the "ICloud" selection. You are correct.

I rebooted my iPhone 15 PM on 7.0.3 and it STILL crashes. I wonder if it's hardware specific.

A couple other thoughts... going to the Apple ID info page the correct way (Settings>username), the same "iCloud" selection does NOT crash when tapped. I have to go through Settings>Mail>Accounts>any non-primary iCloud mail account. I discovered that the primary iCloud account under Settings>Mail>Accounts> will NOT crash when you tap the "iCloud" selection in that Apple ID info page. You have to tap into one of the OTHER iCloud mail accounts. Then, whether it wrongly loads the primary Apple ID info page, or it loads the correct Apple ID info page, BOTH will crash out to home screen when you tap the 'iCloud"selection. I hope that makes sense.

Sadly, while interesting, none of that gets me closer to renaming the dang iCloud mailboxes.

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Answer 4

Oct 26, 2023 10:54 PM in response to Scott Bernard

Scott Bernard wrote:

I'm on iOS 17.0.3.

1. If you go to Settings>Mail>Accounts>YourAccountName> for an iCloud account, this will bring up your Apple ID info page instead of the chosen mail account info page.

2. On my device, if I do #1 above, it actually loads my PRIMARY Apple ID info page, regardless of which iCloud mail account I had tapped into. If I back out 1 level, and then go right back in, it will fix itself and load the correct Apple ID info page.

3. On my device, whenever I do #1 or #2 above and arrive at an Apple ID info page, if I further tap, on the "iCloud" subsection, iOS will crash me out to the iPhone home screen.

I'm on iOS 17.1 now. Same device.

regarding items listed in quote above:

= unchanged
= unchanged
= FIXED by the update! No more crashing to home screen

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Answer 5

Oct 21, 2023 12:55 PM in response to TenaciousJDD

TenaciousJDD wrote:

Does tapping the "iCloud" selection in the Apple ID info page crash you out too?

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Answer 6

Oct 22, 2023 10:08 AM in response to Scott Bernard

No, I have not had the crash. I tried multiple combinations but no crash.

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How do I rename extra iCloud mailboxes?

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