Changing iCloud based Apple Account email address, into another iCloud based address

Question

Level 1

6 points

Changing iCloud based Apple Account email address, into another iCloud based address

Using an iCloud email address (let's call it "A") as an Apple Account address- formerly Apple ID (let's call the Account "O"). I need to change address A into another iCloud email address (let's call it "B"). Apparently I need to change only the email address used to sign in to the same Apple Account, not create another Apple Account. So right now I use A when signing in to O, but now I need to be able to sign in to O using address B instead of A. Clarification: I don't simply want to be able to log in using also a different address than A. I want B to replace A as a Primary email address for account O.

So:

Is it possible? Cause the apple support representative told me I am able to use an alias created within the account A: chose to use the alias as the Primary email address (let's call it C)for the account, and the address A then will become an alias to C.
If it is can anyone offer any insight? Because it seems that there is a lot of ambiguity there.

iPhone 15 Pro Max

Posted on Nov 19, 2024 12:29 PM

Reply

Answer 1

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,191 points

Nov 19, 2024 1:39 PM in response to Vanmychen

You can change your Apple Account primary email address from one iCloud address to another if you do it from an iPhone or iPad that is running iOS 18.1 or later. See the information in Change your Apple Account primary email address - Apple Support including the following excerpt:

If you only have an iCloud email address associated with your Apple Account

You can change your iCloud email address using a device with iOS 18.1 or later, and iPadOS 18.1 or later.

If your only email address associated with your account is an iCloud email address, you won’t see an option to Remove from Account. Instead, you’ll see an option to Change Email Address.

Choosing this option changes only your existing iCloud email address. You’ll continue to be able to use your iCloud Mail and the messages sent to it. Your new iCloud email address replaces the old email address.

Reply

Answer 2

Vanmychen Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 19, 2024 2:28 PM in response to FoxFifth

So far, I have faced the following issues:

Cannot create an iCloud email account that is not automatically an Apple account- excluding aliases connected to my primary email address.
Creating a new iCloud address as a new Apple account causes fails.
Trying to toggle off "primary address" for my primary address and following the corresponding prompts, results also in a fail.

As I can "translate" the results, I can only choose from email addresses I use among the connected accounts in Mail app. Although I can add an iCloud address, it immediately sees it as an already used primary email address for another Apple account. That leaves me with any addresses from other providers.

I think I could use such an email address like gmail as a proxy, in order to get to an iCloud address eventually (iCloud -> Gmail -> iCloud) but I think it will take too much time due to relating restrictions.

Reply

Answer 3

Vanmychen Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 19, 2024 1:57 PM in response to FoxFifth

"If you only have an iCloud email address associated with your Apple Account",

"If your only email address associated with your account is an iCloud email address, you won’t see an option to Remove from Account. Instead, you’ll see an option to Change Email Address."

What do these mean exactly? Because to my knowledge, only one iCloud account is associated with an apple account, thus this appears to apply only to instances where the primary email address is not an iCloud email address.

"You can change your iCloud email address using a device with iOS 18.1 or later, and iPadOS 18.1 or later."

This is the case here.

"You can either choose one of your other email addresses associated with your account", as taken from the support page: what does this mean as an expression. It appears to be problematic for me.

Reply

Answer 4

Vanmychen Author

Level 1

6 points

Nov 19, 2024 2:10 PM in response to Vanmychen

It seems that it is working if you add an existing alias connected to the primary iCloud email address (this means that one must have already purchased iCloud space).

So one option if you have iCloud+, is use one of the created aliases.

And the question remains for those who have not purchased iCloud space.

Reply

Answer 5

FoxFifth

Level 10

472,191 points

Nov 19, 2024 2:15 PM in response to Vanmychen

There is no requirement to have purchased any iCloud storage space. You can change an iCloud email address that is your primary email for your Apple Account whether or not you have purchased iCloud storage.

Reply