How to change iCloud email address?

Hi Matt

I am using Ipad air, and I dont seem to find the delete account option under iCloud. There is 'sign out' and this is not helping either because when I try to, it brings my old ID, which I need to replace with the new one. Any help? Thank you

digitalkl wrote:

cant make my @icloud.com or @me.com as my primary email address

That's correct: you can't. The thread you linked to is long and acrimonious but changes nothing. I'm sorry, but what you want to do is simply not possible.

Just to clarify (though it's probably been said already - I'm not going to read through 28 pages to find out!)

• If your Apple ID/login is a non-Apple email address (i.e.not @mac.com. @me.com or @icloud.com) you can change it to another non-Apple address which has never been associated with an Apple ID.
• If your Apple ID/login is a non-Apple email address you cannot changed it to the associated Apple (iCloud) address.
• If your Apple ID/login is an Apple email address you cannot change it.

Matt Curtis wrote:

I was facing the same issue. I was able to resolve it by going to Settings > iCloud. At the very bottom, there is an option to 'Delete Account'. It sounds much more dire than it really is. It simply breaks the connection with your device and the iCloud set up for that email. Delete Account, then head back into Settings > iCloud. You will be prompted to enter new information, and your problem should be solved.

That won't work.

Hi Maine,

I have been reading the post but getting more confuse....

i started to used iCloud on my used mac book pro purchased from a friend

when i sign in to iCloud maybe i miss some step the iCloud id appear to be an id not i wanted....

i manage to setup mac and ipad to send and receive using a new alias created base on my preferred id

However the username still stuck at wansahar69

Appreciate any help from fellow members here in this post...

< Personal Info Edited By Host >

It's a really bad idea to post email addresses (even in images) - it's an invitation to spam - and I've asked the Hosts to remove them.

You need to go to System Preferences>iCloud and click the 'Sign out' button. Then you can sign in with the preferred ID and Mail should be set up automaticallly to access the address and aliases associated with that ID.

Thanks..for the precaution To delete the image....

well delete or sign out won't work

so here is the summary :

apple id. vvvvvvv@hotmail.com

cloud I'd seems to be.yyyyyyy@icloud.com

created vvvvvvv@icloud.com as alias....

wanted to deleted yyyyyyy@icloud.com

in email name yyyyyy seems to be account name to login to iCloud mail server.

AAnyone can help

Is it the case that you have two separate IDs, the hotmail one and the iCloud one? If so, and you want to change your Mac from one to the other, then you need to sign out as I indicated. You say this doesn't work - what exactly happens when you try?

Or is it the case that it's all one ID, the hotmail address being the login and the icloud.com address being the associated address? If this is the case you cannot change the hotmail ID to the iCloud address (though you may be able to log in with the iCloud address). You cannot delete the primary iCloud address, though obviously you can delete the alias.

Thats right cannot delete the primary icloud account ID.

What I understand so far is no way to change or delete the primary iCloud....

no big issue actually thanks ....

Thanks--this worked for me.

Overall, it looks like a UI design issue--it gives the impressions that all info will be deleted--but is not the case (as long as there are other iDevices signed up). Sure, the Calendar went blank during the delete/setup process, but all was OK after that.

Of course, it's possible to back up Calendar, Address Book and other sensitive data to be extra sure.

I may add another helpful tip, as well--

My Apple ID was tied to an e-mail address I had for years, and that service is now going away. To prevent this from happening in the future, I purchased my own domain and hosting services. With how cheap these things have become, it's an easy solution.

Guys I've read through the entire thread and am not really any wiser.

When I got my first iPhone (getting on for 4 or 5 years ago now), I set up an Apple ID using my existing gmail address. This is my primary email.

I recently looked at setting up an iCloud email address and was prompted to enter one. Fundamentally, this is NOT the same as my primary gmail address.

I now have an iCloud email address linked to my apple ID - I would now like to change the iCloud email (I have no desire to change my apple ID) to something different. On the iPhone, if I go Settings > iCloud > Mail, the option to enter the icloud email address is greyed out and I cannot make any changes.

At appleid.apple.com I have NO alternate email addresses listed.

Can I (and if so, how do I) solve this problem?

Once you have created an iCloud account and chosen an @icloud.com address to go with it you can't change the address (short of creating an entirely new account).

However, all is not lost. You can add up to three 'email aliases' - these are additional addresses (not accounts) which deliver into the same inbox as the main account. (In fact it's a good idea to give out alias addresses, rather than the main address, because if they attract spam you can easily change them.) (New aliases can only be @icloud.com ones; @me.com addresses cannot now be created.)

You should be aware before you start that once you've created an alias you cannot turn that address into a full iCloud account or move it to another account.

More information on aliases here: http://help.apple.com/icloud/#mm6b1a490a

Thank you for a very clear and helpful explanation.

P.S. I would like to ask you a question about another topic (Maps/unable to determine current location), but I don’t know how to address my question to only you. Is it possible to ask a specific person in the Support Community a question, or can questions be directed only to the general population?

thanks.

LK

If your Apple ID/login is a non-Apple email address you cannot changed it to the associated Apple (iCloud) address.

I'm not shooting the messenger, but that is absolutely ridiculous. I have had an e-mail address associated with my ISP for more than 12 years, long before MobileMe or iCloud. I would now like to have an ISP independent e-mail address so I can get the best deal on internet service and not be stuck with having to change e-mail addresses when I change ISPs. I'd like to use iCloud since my wife and I use all Apple devices. I currently don't have an iCloud e-mail address, but you're telling me that if I create one, I can't use it as both my e-mail address and Apple ID. Absolutely crazy!!!!! I thought Apple was supposed to be simple…user friendly...easy to use. I'm really beginning to lose faith in Apple...

You can make the iCloud address the ID/sign in for iCloud when you first create the iCloud account (though if you already have an iCloud account using a non-Apple email address as the ID you can't change the ID toe the iCloud address). Please see Imp68's post here:

Re: I wish to transfer my Apple ID to a new iCloud account

As you apparently don't have an Apple ID you can do this as described. However it's most important that you also create a 'rescue' address in the Apple ID settings at http://appleid.apple.com because, for example, if you forgot your password and wished to reset it the new password would otherwise be sent to the iCloud address - which you wouldn't be able to access.

If i log out of my apple ID and then change my email will everything in my phone delete?