Apple ID will not accept email address

Question

Apple ID will not accept email address

PLEASE HELP ME BEFORE I GO SPARE!!!!

Have updated my iPad to latest OS. When turning on for first time it is asking for my Apple ID and password. Enter these and fine to move on (noting that my Apple ID here is NOT my email address).

Next screen is called "Update Apple ID" and asks for an email address. I put in my email address that is linked to my account when using the "appleid.apple.com" website, but it now complains and will not let me continue. Error message is: "Try another Apple ID. This Apple ID is already being used. If this is your account, reset a forgotten password at iforgot.apple.com"

There seems no way around this. I have been through the reset password that was suggested, but only thing I've been able to achieve is now having a password that is different to all other ones I use and will now most likely get forgotten! Even through the "appleid.apple.com" it will not let me change my Apple ID to my email address as it states that it is already in use (call me stupid, but I know it's in use, it me!!).

So I'm completely stuck in a closed loop with no escape. HELP!!!!!

"if" I had previously created a user with my email address, then surely the system would not have allowed me to set my email address to be the same as that other user. However, I don't recollect creating that user, and what's more, I cannot log in to that account as I can't guess the password. I've even tried getting the system to send me a reset password for that account, but it then simply resets MY password for MY account, which, as mentioned above, is beyond a joke.

Apple need to get their heads around passwords / email addresses / apple id's - if they have tightened up the security policies, then there are some loose ends that need correcting. I can't even see anywhere that would let me delete an unwanted apple id account.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this?

Thanks, a very very frustrated user!

iPad, iOS 5, Apple ID

Posted on Oct 16, 2011 5:05 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

morandi50

Level 1

0 points

Oct 20, 2011 6:30 PM in response to nicolafromwoodchurch

Same problem for me - stuck in Apple's spastic colon

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Answer 2

Nov 15, 2011 9:43 PM in response to morandi50

Hi

I have the same problem as well. I am looking to get this sorted to start using the iCloud services.

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Answer 3

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Nov 15, 2011 9:50 PM in response to nicolafromwoodchurch

There is a "search" feature that allows you to locate whatever ID or IDs are associated with a specific email address. I used it to learn that I had not two but three IDs! I still need to use two IDs but I did change the email address of one ID so that I could quietly put it away. I created a temporary address and associated the ID with that address. Then I deleted the address.

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Answer 4

Nov 16, 2011 2:54 AM in response to Philly_Phan

Where is this search feature? I'm having the same problem as the OP and it's really frustrating.

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Answer 5

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Nov 16, 2011 6:30 AM in response to starkodama

https://appleid.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyAppleId.woa/

Click on "Find out" at the bottom right.

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Answer 6

Demo

Level 10

166,494 points

Nov 16, 2011 6:51 AM in response to nicolafromwoodchurch

Not trying to step on Philly's toes on this one - but If Philly's suggestion doesn't work, I would contact Apple. There have been a few reports of this Apple ID problem after updating the iOS in the past few days. Personally, I don't get it. If the Apple ID worked before the update, there is no reason why it should not work after the update.

Contact Apple about ID issues

http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/

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Answer 7

Nov 16, 2011 7:05 AM in response to Demo

Managed to push it through by resetting my password a few times and it just happened after the third time, and I've managed to convert my Apple ID into an email format, so hopefully I can use iCloud now

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Answer 8

Nov 16, 2011 7:07 AM in response to thejohnsmith

For what it's worth, it seems to me that a lot of these type of issues seem to relate to some Apple login procedures not liking the old, non-email IDs.

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Answer 9

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Nov 16, 2011 7:12 AM in response to igmackenzie

igmackenzie wrote:

For what it's worth, it seems to me that a lot of these type of issues seem to relate to some Apple login procedures not liking the old, non-email IDs.

Very definitely. It's further aggravated by the presence of multiple IDs, especially when the individual is unaware that multiples exist.

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Answer 10

Nov 16, 2011 7:13 AM in response to Philly_Phan

Yep, and also when an email address is being used unknowingly as a secondary address in one of the many Apple IDs we all have! That also stops certain changes being made.

Bring on the merging!

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Answer 11

Philly_Phan

Level 7

20,707 points

Nov 16, 2011 7:17 AM in response to igmackenzie

You've described exactly what happened to me. I'm now down to two addresses. It's still a nuisance but I've got half of my purchases on each one so I'm pretty much stuck until Apple devises a method for merge.

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