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Change my "Apple ID and Primary Email Address" to my @me.com address

So I have a gmail email address that I have been using as my Apple ID for quite some time now. When iCloud was launched I added a @me.com address to this account so I could take advantage of the notes syncing feature of iCloud.


I now want to start using my @me.com email address as my only email address and shut down the gmail account completely. Only problem is when I go to appleid.apple.com and try and change my "Apple ID and Primary Email Address" to be the @me one it tells me "You cannot create an Apple ID using a MobileMe account. If this is your email address, it is also your Apple ID".


All I want to do is remove the gmail address off the account and continue using the @me iCloud email that is attached to the account anyway. Why is this proving to be so hard?

iOS 5.1

Posted on Apr 14, 2012 10:23 PM

Reply
73 replies

Jul 9, 2017 12:38 PM in response to kezpez86

OK, i learned the reason for this in a support call Friday. It's security. Manage your apple id is a website available anywhere in the world. You can be anyone logging in from anywhere. Apple will not let you -- or someone pretending to be you -- who cannot prove that they actually own Apple products make such an important change regarding an apple email address. It's part of the reason that apple email addresses are considered more secure than many other services.


I can't say I understood all of this, and won't argue the fine points with anyone, but bottom line it's a security measure. Apple will not be changing it. I'm replying to a post from 2012 and it's 2017. Ain't gonna happen.


So here's what I did. I do not trust Google, which actually can read your email. But I set up the Google account I've never had, created an email address, then set that email to automatically forward all emails to one of my icloud email addresses and delete the emails from Google servers immediately. So Google won't have a chance to read them and I actually receive them on the icloud email I wanted to use all along. It is seamless and occurs instantly. The Apple support guy suggested this -- it is what HE does -- and it works.

Cheryl

Apr 15, 2012 3:59 AM in response to kezpez86

As you have found out from the Apple website you cannot use your me address as a primary address, unless it was migrated from a mobile me account.


You don't have to use your primary address for anything, just ignore it. You can log into your various accounts that you use your ID for using either your primary for alternate address, simply use your alternate (me) address.

Jun 4, 2012 6:49 AM in response to kezpez86

I am in the same boat as all of you and have done lots of digging on this issue around the Apple Support Communities. Over the past three days, I have spent 2 hours on the phone with Apple trying to get creative about how to get around this issue (delete all my accounts and start over, etc.). Unfortunately, the bottom line message Apple gave me was this, "The ONLY way to use your @me as your primary email address is if you set it up that way at the very beginning. If you use a different email as your first primary address, you can never switch to your @me account unless you go and create a NEW @me account and start from scratch that way." So disappointed.

Jun 29, 2012 5:58 PM in response to kezpez86

I will need to hop on this wagon too, if you don't mind. Apple REALLY needs to find a workaround for this.


Because I have a business connection at home, I cancelled my personal ISP account therefore, no e-mail other than a gmail, hotmail, or other free account. REALLY don't want to do that as my @me account is already used for everything that I do.


You would think that a relatively straightforward solution would be available for this...

Jul 1, 2012 10:50 AM in response to jhmalone101

I agree I don't want to type @yahoo.co.uk ever again for anything!


I set up my Apple ID with a yahoo account but because of the yahoo server issues and spam I keep getting in my inbox I want to stop using this email address. Where will my emails from Apple be sent to if I stop using my Yahoo account since my @me account is not my primary email address?

Change my "Apple ID and Primary Email Address" to my @me.com address

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