Simple way to activate an @mac.com email for a non-tech user.

You must have an Apple account already because otherwise you would not be able to post here. Unless you are using somebody else's account (you do not say that, and we only know what you tell us) then your account is the one you used to post here.

If you are using your own Apple account right now, this article --> Create a primary email address for iCloud Mail - Apple Support tells you how to create the email part of that account. All Apple accounts have it, but some people (myself included) do not actually have an email address set up. Your email address will become the user name you choose (like "Baraka") @icloud.com. E.g. Baraka@icloud.com

If you are not using your own account then you should set one up. This article explains how to create a new Apple Account --> How to create a new Apple Account - Apple Support

Once on the page, select the kind of hardware you are using.

“Enter your payment method and billing information, then click Continue. You can also choose None. You won’t be charged until you make a purchase.”

If you need to create new Apple account as above, I strongly suggest you use a third party email address such as your Gmail account.

Finally, if when you say you have a Gmail address you mean that was what you used to sign in to this forum here, I would leave it as it is, or change it to another third party address. It is possible to change it to your iCloud address but should you have problems with your account here, Apple would be trying to send you help emails at the very address you cannot read because you cannot get into your account (pulling yourself up by your bootstraps issue). Incidentally, if you are trying to change the email address you use to sign in here, read Change your Apple Account primary email address - Apple Support

Apple discontinued creation of new mac.com accounts back in 2008. Now it is iCloud.com.

You are already partway there since you already have an Apple Account (you have to in order to be able to post here). To set up the email part of your account, follow the directions in the link that Niel provided.

You will only get emails from Apple about upgrading to a subscription to iCloud Plus if you actually start approaching the 5 GB of storage you get for free with your account. 5 GB of email is a lot of email, though if people send you many photos you could approach that in a year or two. I trim such items from my email and even though I have 2 iPhones and 2 computers attached to my account, I still only use about 1/5th of my iCloud storage after 20 years.

No new mac.com email addresses can be created. To create an icloud.com one, click here and follow the instructions.

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1. No, it doesn't. Aside from the domain name, it works identically to a mac.com address.

2. Yes.

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