Change primary iCloud account to another iCloud account?

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Level 2

311 points

Change primary iCloud account to another iCloud account?

While testing 10.7.2/iCloud before official launch, I created an iCloud account. At that time, the option to convert from MobileMe was not available, so I created a new Apple/iCloud ID. After iCloud officially launched, I converted my MoblieMe acount as per Apple's instructions.

I now have two iCloud accounts. But the developer account is considered the primary account. This means that most of the iCloud functionality is not available under the second account. Worse, most of my MobileMe calendar and contacts is now available only under that primary iCloud account and I can't figure out how to move it back to the converted MobileMe account. Simply deleting the account on my iMac seems to have no effect on the status or functionality of the other account -- the "primary" account still lives on in Apple's servers, apparently -- and the only effect on my iMac is to lose all my calendar/contacts/etc. data.

Is there a way to select which iCloud account to use as the primary account? And any way to subsequently merge the data from the two accounts?

Thanks!

P.S. Anyone else finding it hard to type "iCloud"? I keep typing "iCould."

iMac 27, Mac OS X (10.7), 1TB TC, Airport Express, Airport Extreme,

Posted on Oct 14, 2011 9:33 PM

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Answer 1

Eric Root

Level 10

684,081 points

Mar 21, 2017 1:30 PM in response to Patty erick

There is a contact link.

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Apple Support by e-mail or chat Select your device, Battery, Power and Charging, then Power adapter not working to get a chat option.

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Answer 2

valvoom

Level 1

0 points

Oct 21, 2011 7:31 AM in response to Steve Porritt

Ugh. I have the same problem. My husband has the primary account (apple ID using his @yahoo) and hasn't created an @me account yet. He's eventually going to convert over. But I created my @me account at icloud.com and when I got home to get everything synced to my mac it said that the 'primary' is the only one to have full functions of the icloud. He doesn't care for all of the functions, only his email, contacts and calendars. I'm the one who wants full access to icloud so how can I switch my @me (secondary account) to be linked to the 'primary' (apple ID is @yahoo). Or even better...how can I make my @me account the primary apple ID without having to loose any of our content that is connected to the original apple ID (@yahoo)?

But yes, if you want full access to icloud be sure you create your @me account to the primary first. I didn't know this and now stuck. :-/

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Answer 3

Mar 21, 2017 10:49 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Hi.! My name is Erick and I have a problem with my iCloud Drive. My wife signed in with ammueni@gmail.con instead of .com thus not verified. I used my ID and I can use iTunes and everything else but if possible help me to edit this because I want to use my iCloud. Thanx in adva

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Answer 4

Oct 14, 2011 9:56 PM in response to Steve Porritt

are thes two icloud accounts on the same computer ? I ask because my wife and I share an imac. I want my wifes to have the primary icloud account. All I need is my email.

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Answer 5

Steve Porritt Author

Level 2

311 points

Oct 14, 2011 10:05 PM in response to Donald Worrell

Yes, both are on the same iMac. And both are mine.

If you don't have ANY iCloud accounts right now, you should probably start with your wife's account, then create yours. Otherwise, you'll be posting a how-to-change-primary-account question on this forum, too!

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Answer 6

Oct 14, 2011 10:10 PM in response to Steve Porritt

right, I have my wifes full mobile me accont and I have an email only mobile me account.

I need to move to icloud and have the wifes as the primary account. So your post is so helpful.

if I my ask does having two accounts on the same computer cause probelms or are the two accounts separate. For example my wifes iphoto and itunes has all are pictures and music. I do not need any of it to get shared with my account..

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Answer 7

Oct 22, 2011 4:06 AM in response to Steve Porritt

I did the same thing and now have the same questions. I hope someone is able to answer this question.

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Answer 8

Oct 22, 2011 5:14 AM in response to johndayart

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts4020 says:

To change a secondary account to a primary account

Choose Apple () menu > System Preferences > Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
Delete the secondary account.
In System Preferences > iCloud, sign out of your primary account.
Log in with the secondary account that you want to be your primary account.

Note: These steps will not change any of the data stored in your iCloud account.

Additional Information

Because many iCloud services only work on the primary account, it is recommended that you use the same primary account on all devices you use with iCloud. If you have different accounts logged in as the primary account on different devices, those services will not push data between your devices.

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Answer 9

Oct 22, 2011 5:50 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

That worked perfectly. Thanks!

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Answer 10

Steve Porritt Author

Level 2

311 points

Oct 22, 2011 8:36 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Yep, that did the trick. I had tried deleting the accounts, but not both at the same time. I still needed to manually move the calendar and contact data, and that took awhile and raised a few other issues, but at least I have the right primary account for use on the Mac and all of my iDevices.

Apple really needs to make this kind of information more accessible and simplify the process. (Why not a "Move/merge data between accounts" option?) I'm a 24-year veteran of things Mac and consider myself above average in Mac knowledge, and still I'm having considerable trouble with Cloud and its myriad "gotcha's." Those new to the Mac must be really confused. So thank you very much for providing all of us with the solution to this latest (but not last, I'm afraid) issue!

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Answer 11

Cece812

Level 1

0 points

Oct 24, 2011 11:20 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Roger, thanks for you information. When I try to delete my account in icloud, it tells me my calendar & contacts will be deleted from my Mac. What do I do about that? Do I need to back up anything first? Please help.

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Answer 12

Oct 24, 2011 12:12 PM in response to Cece812

Your data will be deleted from the Mac but not from the iCloud server. However you should back up everything anyway: and remember that only the primary account can sync with your Mac. If you make another account your primary one you won't be able to sync with the original account.

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Answer 13

Cece812

Level 1

0 points

Oct 24, 2011 1:54 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Thank you, Roger.

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Answer 14

Nov 1, 2011 9:49 PM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I have tried this, but when I go to System Preferences > iCloud there is no option to sign out of my primary account, just a log in option. When I log in with my secondary account, I am told it is not my primary account.

What am I doing incorrectly?

Thanks!

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Answer 15

Nov 2, 2011 12:39 AM in response to pomme-homme

This picture is from Apple's setup instruction page:

Do you not see the 'Sign Out' button I've added an arrow to?

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