Change primary Apple ID email without data loss?

Question

Change primary Apple ID email without data loss?

CHANGING MY ICLOUD EMAIL ADDRESS.

Hi, I wonder if you can help me fix a problem that I made about 15 years ago. When I first set up my Apple ID, in 2011 I think, I only had one email address at the time. It was not a personal email address, but rather one that I used for my freelance business..... info@xxxxxxx.es.

That has been fine until this year. But business grew over the years and I have decided to sell my company. Selling the company also means handing over the rights to the website domain name and company email address to the new buyer.

Obviously I am a bit uncomfortable with my Apple iCloud ID being an email address that will soon belong to someone else, a total stranger. The buyer will not know my password, so I am not particularly worried about that person accessing my iCloud information, but I really need my iCloud ID to be an email address that I own and have access to.

I've had a go at trying to remove the main Apple iCloud ID email address, but it says it is not possible to remove the 'primary' email address.

I am reluctant to delete my entire Apple ID account and start again from zero because I have 15 years worth of data, apps, photos, documents, etc, etc linked to it.

Is there someway to change the primary email address on my Apple account?

If not, how can I create a new Apple ID without losing eeeeverything that is attached to a 15 year old Apple account?

Many thanks

Posted on Feb 27, 2026 2:23 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Limnos

Community+ 2026

Level 10

430,703 points

Feb 27, 2026 3:11 AM in response to LibertyEnglish

The support article https://support.apple.com/109353 outlines various methods for changing the email address (Apple ID) you use for your Apple Account while retaining everything in your account. If you have an iPhone or iPad running iOS 18 or newer, read the support article for instructions how to do this.

If you have an older iOS/iPadOS, Apple no longer provides the instructions for that, but here they are:

1. Go to Settings, then tap your name.

2. Tap Sign In & Security.

3. Next to Email & Phone Numbers, tap Edit.

4. Tap the red Remove button next to the email address, then tap Delete.

5. Tap Choose Another Email Address and enter your device passcode if asked.

6. Enter the new email address, then tap Continue.

7. Enter the verification code that was sent to your new email address. Read this support article to learn what to do if you didn’t get the email —> https://support.apple.com/HT201455

8. If you encounter issues with certain services after doing this, this outdated support article may still have useful suggestions --> https://support.apple.com/kb/HT204071

On a Mac see the instructions at https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/mchlc7ba8f3e/15.0/mac (choose your system version at the top of the page).

Refer to the support article https://support.apple.com/109353 :

- If you don’t have an iPhone or iPad, the support article says to, “go to https://account.apple.com and sign in. Then follow the onscreen instructions to change the email address associated with your Apple ID.”

- For general information, and other issues such as changes or addresses not being accepted.

- Note a recent change to the article where you can now change the email address without having to have access to your old email account.

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Answer 2

muguy

Level 10

92,306 points

Feb 27, 2026 2:31 AM in response to LibertyEnglish

See https://support.apple.com/en-us/109353

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Change primary Apple ID email without data loss?

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