Old account has primary e-mail and I'm locked out of the old account that had it

I used to have an iPhone 4 back yesteryear and I made it's apple account use my primary e-mail since I made it around that time. Since then I've long forgotten my security questions, and since I don't have them written down anywhere, and I may have either mistyped or said something wrong for them when making the questions, what can I do? I've tried everything, and this is my second time attempting (Over the course of a couple years) to change my current account's e-mail to that primary one instead of a secondary one I had to use to make this account, yet that original account still stood using it. Whenever I try to reset my security questions, it says "Not enough information to reset security questions" (May not be an exact quote) which then bars me from the rest of the process of figuring out how to move things over to the other account or changing my current one to have that e-mail. I'm afraid of trying to log out/in on my main iPhone due to the nature of how finicky this has been


Any resource I've tried either has information that isn't helpful in this case, or due to the uniquely problematic nature of my situation, which leaves me little choice in doing the one thing I didn't want to do about it; ask a public venue that would be most likely to know

Posted on Nov 14, 2024 11:05 PM

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Posted on Nov 15, 2024 6:46 AM

I'll start off by saying that probably there is no "solution" to your situation. Unless you can get into that account to be able to change the email address you use with it, you won't be able to use that email address elsewhere with Apple.


So let's start by seeing if you can get back into that account.


Several years ago Apple transitioned to using two factor authentication instead of security questions. You can continue to use security questions if you already use them and they are working for you, but if you have problems then they no longer get direct support. You can try the directions in this support article If you forgot the answers to your Apple ID security questions - Apple Support but the article is labeled "archived" and may contain information that no longer applies. If the instructions work then fine; if they do not (e.g., you see “not enough information”*) then you will have to change to the newer security method if you can. Over the past few years Apple has been persistently encouraging users to switch to the newer two factor authentication security system. For those who have disregarded their encouraging, Apple will likely only help you to now change to two factor authentication, if even that is possible. Follow the instructions in the "Turn on two-factor authentication for your Apple ID" section in this support article --> Two-factor authentication for Apple Account - Apple Support to try to change to two factor authentication.


If you still need help, contact Apple Account support at this link ➞ https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=cups&PGF=PGF63005

Select "Other Apple Account Topics", then "Security concerns or account compromised." This will give you a chat or telephone call option.


If Apple can not or will not help you transition to two factor authentication then it is quite possible you will have to simply abandon the old account and everything it contained.


Good luck!


*See the third page of this discussion https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254831093 Some people talk about getting out of a “loop” by logging in a different way. I am not really following what they are talking about but maybe you can see if it helps.




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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Nov 15, 2024 6:46 AM in response to Jerry_Jalopy

I'll start off by saying that probably there is no "solution" to your situation. Unless you can get into that account to be able to change the email address you use with it, you won't be able to use that email address elsewhere with Apple.


So let's start by seeing if you can get back into that account.


Several years ago Apple transitioned to using two factor authentication instead of security questions. You can continue to use security questions if you already use them and they are working for you, but if you have problems then they no longer get direct support. You can try the directions in this support article If you forgot the answers to your Apple ID security questions - Apple Support but the article is labeled "archived" and may contain information that no longer applies. If the instructions work then fine; if they do not (e.g., you see “not enough information”*) then you will have to change to the newer security method if you can. Over the past few years Apple has been persistently encouraging users to switch to the newer two factor authentication security system. For those who have disregarded their encouraging, Apple will likely only help you to now change to two factor authentication, if even that is possible. Follow the instructions in the "Turn on two-factor authentication for your Apple ID" section in this support article --> Two-factor authentication for Apple Account - Apple Support to try to change to two factor authentication.


If you still need help, contact Apple Account support at this link ➞ https://getsupport.apple.com/?caller=cups&PGF=PGF63005

Select "Other Apple Account Topics", then "Security concerns or account compromised." This will give you a chat or telephone call option.


If Apple can not or will not help you transition to two factor authentication then it is quite possible you will have to simply abandon the old account and everything it contained.


Good luck!


*See the third page of this discussion https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254831093 Some people talk about getting out of a “loop” by logging in a different way. I am not really following what they are talking about but maybe you can see if it helps.




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Old account has primary e-mail and I'm locked out of the old account that had it

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