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Matthew Palm Author

Level 1

46 points

iCloud set-up: existing Apple ID and new @me.com ID

Hi all:

I have just downloaded OS X 10.7.2, and am currently downloading iOS 5 (or at least trying to).

I have not yet set up iCloud since I'm not totally sure how best to do it.

Here is my situation:

I currently have an Apple ID which is a single word (created years ago when iTunes first came out). Let's call that "matthew."

The email associated with that Apple ID we'll call "matthew@example.com."

My "matthew" Apple ID is what I use for iTunes, the App Store, Game Center, this discussion forum, etc.

What I want to do is create a new @me.com ID, which I'll call "matthew@me.com," and then use that as my new primary email address. Also, I would like to use this with iCloud.

I know that Apple does not allow IDs to merge, meaning I can't have my old "matthew" Apple ID become a part of my new "matthew@me.com" ID.

So, I believe my only option is to have two Apple IDs: my existing "matthew" Apple ID and my new "matthew@me.com" ID. Right?

However, I am not sure how best to do this.

If I set up a new "matthew@me.com" ID in iCloud, how will iCloud know all my previously downloaded apps and music that were downloaded using my "matthew" Apple ID?

Will I be forced to continually sign in and out within apps such as the iTunes Store?

And what if I simply wanted to try iCloud right now using my existing Apple ID? I know that first I would have to change that ID ("matthew") to an email address, right? And then I would sign into iCloud.

But what if I later decided no, I want iCloud to be administered through a new @me.com ID? Can I sign out of iCloud, set up "matthew@me.com," then sign back into iCloud and start using it with the new @me.com ID?

My main concern is that I do not want to close any doors on myself by setting things up in the wrong order.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

iMac, Mac OS X (10.6.7)

Posted on Oct 12, 2011 3:48 PM

38 replies

Matthew Palm Author

Level 1

46 points

Oct 27, 2011 10:05 AM in response to Moris

Hi Moris:

If you already set up your own iCloud account, I would suggest you keep that on your personal device(s). (I have heard that some people had problems when they deleted an iCloud account.)

If/when Apple allows us to merge accounts, you will be set.

Oh, and please click "Helpful Answer" on any of the posts I submitted if you feel they were indeed helpful.

Thanks!

Moris

Level 1

26 points

Oct 28, 2011 12:36 AM in response to Matthew Palm

Hi Matthew

Matthew Palm wrote:

Oh, and please click "Helpful Answer" on any of the posts I submitted if you feel they were indeed helpful.

I'd be very glad to do so, but I can't see the "Helpful Answer" button in the right bottom corner of your answers.

Since I remember that I saw this button some time ago, I searched in my past discussions and I saw that this button is present only in the discussions opened by myself.

Sorry for the points, and sorry for the totally off topic matter.

Matthew Palm Author

Level 1

46 points

Oct 28, 2011 6:37 AM in response to Moris

You're right - since it was my question, only *I* can click the "Helpful Answer" button. Silly me.

Glad it's all working out well for you, though!

CC777

Level 1

5 points

Nov 8, 2011 10:20 AM in response to s1nt4x

Today I received a pop-up that asked if I wanted to merge my existing gmail address with my .me account. I said yes. Hope that was the right answer but so far seems to be working fine. So maybe Apple has an easy fix out there for conflicting (multiple) addresses.

Matthew Palm Author

Level 1

46 points

Nov 8, 2011 10:28 AM in response to CC777

Interesting. Where did that "pop up" originate from? Were you on Apple's website? In System Preferences on your computer? On an iDevice?

mercsd

Level 1

21 points

Nov 8, 2011 10:54 AM in response to CC777

If you follow the correct progression path (which isn't always clear), you will get that popup while setting up your account for the first time under iOS 5.

Nov 8, 2011 6:36 PM in response to Matthew Palm

Ok. So, I am thoroughly confused. I have an existing MobileMe @me.com account, but prior to ever having that I had already purchased from iTunes with a Yahoo account. So when asked during OS X Lion installation, and on iOS 5 installation, I purposely chose my Yahoo account as my iCloud account because I didn't want to lose my music purchases. However, I too would prefer to migrate to my @me.com account. I did click something on OS X -- if I recall while trying to setup iCal -- which told me that in order to activate that feature I would need to migrate my existing MobileMe account to an iCloud account and it brought up a webpage. I just backed out until I get a better picture of my options.

Apple states that you can have two AppleIDs active at one time... one for iTunes purchases, and another for iCloud for Chat, Address Book, iCal, email, etc. But I don't really want to go down that route. I would much prefer to just upgrade my MobileMe @me.com account to iCloud, then choose it as my primary email on my iTunes account to force a merge. Yet, this is what Apple specifically prohibits. I don't really understand why. I suppose its just a technical limitation, but why would Apple allow you to pick a third-party email address replacement but not use an existing @me.com address? I sure hope they are working on that, but many of their FAQs come across more as a prohibitive statement of policy rather than as a mere temporary technical limitation.

mercsd

Level 1

21 points

Nov 9, 2011 12:22 AM in response to Alec Champlin

Hey Alec,

You are misunderstanding how things work, which is where most of us started off. The most important thing to remember is that it is currently impossible to merge accounts (all accounts relate to an AppleID). The only thing that is possible, is for you to add a never before used by anyone, @me.com email address to an existing AppleID (note: Some AppleIDs may need to be upgraded to iCloud).

What you have done, is correct for your situation. You used the account that you made your purchases with as the primary account. You can have any number of of secondary AppleID accounts (i.e. MobileMe, iCloud, etc.) by just adding them.

Take it easy...

iCloud set-up: existing Apple ID and new @me.com ID