Changing iCloud to match new Apple ID?

Question

Level 1

5 points

Changing iCloud to match new Apple ID?

My apple ID is a very old email address that I no longer use. When I got my new iphone, and ios 5, i put my iCloud account as my apple ID account. Now, however, I would like to change my Apple ID account to a different email address and then use that new email address (my old mobile me address) as the email address associated with iCloud? I have seen things online that you just delete your iCloud account and start all over. That scares me to death, because all of my contacts and calendar and reminders and synced with my iCould, and i really do not want to loose those. So how can I change my Apple ID account email address and then change the iCloud to match that. Bear in mind, however, that the email address I would be changing those to would be a mobile me email address, that is already in existence (which I have heard can cause problems)? All of this, without loosing all of my contacts and such?

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1, iCloud

Posted on Apr 17, 2012 4:34 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Apr 17, 2012 4:44 PM in response to klipke

Welcome to the Apple community.

You cannot change your ID to an existing me address, in fact you cannot change it to a me address at all. The only time you can use a me address for an ID is when you migrate a mobile me account to an iCloud account.
If you do not currently have a MobileMe account, you cannot migrate your me address to an iCloud address. If you do have a MobileMe account you would need to remove your current iCloud account (don't worry, all data will disappear, but is stored in the cloud and can be recovered when you login again), migrate your mobile me account to iCloud and then add the iCloud account that you deleted back as a secondary account. You could then transfer all the data over to your primary iCloud account and delete the iCloud account that you do not wish to use.
Unfortunately I'm a little unclear on whether you currently have a MobileMe account, perhaps you could let me know exactly what the position is before you set about carrying out any of these instructions.

Reply

Answer 2

klipke Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 17, 2012 5:03 PM in response to Winston Churchill

I DO currently have a mobile me account. It is not, however, associated with my itunes account or my iCloud account. My iCloud and iTunes accounts are one in the same. How do I do this secondary adding that you speak of?

Reply

Answer 3

Apr 17, 2012 5:13 PM in response to klipke

System preferences> mail, contacts and calendars.

Reply

Answer 4

klipke Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 17, 2012 5:13 PM in response to Winston Churchill

I just looked at what you said again, and I don't think you understand that the current account that is set up with iCloud and iTunes is an old AOL account, not my mobile me address. So what i am looking to do is, essentially, phase out the AOL account and get everything synced up with the me adress. The problem is, however, that the AOL accound is the one that has the contacts in the cloud, the me adress has nothing at all.

Reply

Answer 5

Apr 17, 2012 5:20 PM in response to klipke

There are two approaches you can take. Either you export all your contacts and calendars from your AOL account before you delete it and migrate your MobileMe account to iCloud and re-import the data that you had exported, or you log into both accounts at the same time and drag the data across from one account to another. The problem with the latter approach is that in all likelyhood your AOL account is probably already your primary account and you would need to delete it before migrating your MobileMe account to an iCloud account.

Reply

Answer 6

klipke Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 18, 2012 4:52 PM in response to Winston Churchill

My contacts are save in the ever ambiguous "cloud" which is only tied to the AOL email by name. My mobile me account is changed over to an iCloud account, if you mean by just loging on and following the change to iCloud steps? So I should be able to go on my apple ID and change the email adress (from the AOL one) to the mobile me one, and not lose any of my stuff. Then all I would have to do is go on my devices and hit delete account, then log back in with my new apple ID which would be the mobile me?

Reply

Answer 7

Apr 18, 2012 4:56 PM in response to klipke

Unfortunately, whilst you think you should be able to simply change the ID on one account to an ID that is used by another account, you can't do this.

Reply

Answer 8

klipke Author

Level 1

5 points

Apr 18, 2012 4:58 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Wow, that is quite to convoluted system? Thanks for the help anyway.

Reply

Answer 9

Jun 9, 2012 2:34 PM in response to klipke

If you are on about the icloud apple id being correct on a computer but not on your phone/ipod/ipad etc. i found that i had to delete the icloud acount, transfering everything to my phone, then adding the new icloud account afterwards. Hope this helps?

Reply

Answer 10

Jun 9, 2012 2:35 PM in response to klipke

When i say delete the iCloud account, i mean just on thhe apple device, not on the computer

Reply

Answer 11

Jun 13, 2012 7:27 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Hi Mr Churchill

Appreicate your knowledge on Apple so quick question to verify my understanding:

My iCloud account is a Gmail account I set up in 2010 for ITunes etc.

In July 2011 set up a @me.com account for email, calender which I assume is a secondary account (Gmail primary).

On my iOS device my Apple ID account in iCloud settings states GMail and in the Advanced option it states @me.com.

I know I cannot merge but is my data going to the GMail ID when I back up to iCloud or @me? If I have to complete a restore on iPad or iPhone - do I log in with GMail ID or @me?

Thank you for assistance.

Jason

Reply

Answer 12

Jun 21, 2012 12:33 PM in response to jasonhoops

Question for Mr Churchill who so kindly helped me a few months agao with my ATV questions.

I have a simular question

Years ago I register on iTunes with a @gmail address. I was a Windows user then. Over the years I have spent many $ on iTunes with my ATV. Still stored on the ATV only

I recently got a Mac (along with all the other iApple goodies) and want to use the full power of the iCloud, but to do that I need a @me address, which I now have. But I don't want to lose all those purchases made with my @gmail.

Is there a way to change my Apple ID to @me and not lose my purchases. Evertyhting else will stay the same. Credit card billing address everything.

As I already own the purchases, this should not be that bigger deal.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Marc

Reply

Answer 13

Jun 25, 2012 6:20 PM in response to klipke

Having changed my Appe Id, and likewise my iCloud Id (via the Internet), I then deleted the iCloud account on my iPhone and then created a new account using my new Apple Id (or Cloud Id). Done deal. But them, I only use Photo Stream and was able to quickly restablish my photos.

Reply

Answer 14

Jul 28, 2012 7:33 PM in response to klipke

Having a similar challenge- I have an @me.com, well actually a few minutes ago after trying to "sync" everything, a laptop, a desktop and an iPhone, I ended up with a new @me.com address... Plus in order to get into my iTunes, I have to use an Apple ID that is an @gmail.com address... Yes my head is beginning to spin keeping all of this straight... Not sure what to do... I really would like to have one @me.com for the whole kit and caboodle... but I'm thinking that this is not going to work out... someone please tell me I'm wrong.

Reply

Answer 15

Jul 28, 2012 7:47 PM in response to Giantbluerobot

Do I even need to use the new @me.com address that was assigned to me?

Reply