You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

💡 Did you know?

⏺ If you can't accept iCloud Terms and Conditions... Learn more >

⏺ If you don't see your iCloud notes in the Notes app... Learn more >

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

oregonjoe Author

Level 1

118 points

how to change iCloud account on iPhone, without deleting data on iPhone

I recently changed the email address associated with my Apple ID. In my iPhone, I have iCloud set to back up my phone's documents and data, but it has stopped working because it's still set up with my old email address. I read that in order to change it to my new email address, I have to delete the old iCloud account (under iPhone settings) and sign in with my new email address. However, when I press 'delete account' it gives me the warning: "If you delete your account, all documents stored in iCloud will be deleted from this iPhone." This is something I do NOT want, as there are documents and app data on my phone that I don't want to lose. (Some people on the forums were saying it gave them the option to keep all their data on their phone after they pressed delete. Mine did not--it only gave me the warning and a chance to cancel, so I assume Apple changed it between now and late last year when those comments were posted.)

So...

- First off, why would they make it this way??

- And more importlantly, how can I get around this? I just want iCloud to back up my iPhone using my new email address, without erasing data from my phone.

Thanks!

Joe

iPhone 4S, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on May 12, 2012 1:20 AM

48 replies

Oct 18, 2013 7:28 PM in response to melizafromoh

Worked for me as well...thanks!

Oct 31, 2013 11:40 AM in response to geraldineyy

Thanks so much!!! I thought I was going crazy. This worked perfectly for me 😀

Nov 3, 2013 9:02 AM in response to geraldineyy

Worked perfectly - thanks! Never would have figured that out.

bakerdim

Level 1

0 points

Nov 6, 2013 6:56 AM in response to XiaTeKaR

I have the exact same problem as you! I don't have access to my old email that my iCloud account was made to as my Apple ID email is different! Did you work it out at all?? Someone pls helpppp mmmmeeee

naolei

Level 1

0 points

Nov 19, 2013 9:20 PM in response to oregonjoe

I have the same problem. My old e-mail address no longer exists so I can't send a confirmation to it..

Nov 20, 2013 5:16 PM in response to oregonjoe

I get what you're saying about changing it back but if there's some kind of confirmation email to the old email address then I won't be able to access mine either!!! So frustrating!!

Dec 5, 2013 3:55 AM in response to geraldineyy

Thanks so much, as I was up a blind alley.

This is really vital stuff, as it's not uncommon that you have to change email accounts. It worked a treat.

kjhamilt

Level 1

0 points

Dec 19, 2013 9:47 PM in response to oregonjoe

Okay, I think figured it out!

I did NOT have access to my old email address and still had "Find My iPhone" turned on so I...

1. Went to the App store

2. Re-Downloaded the Find my iPhone App

3. Signed into the App with my new Apple ID email address

4. Went back to Settings>iCloud and was able to turn off Find my iPhone

5. Then I was able to "Delete Account" and sign in again with the new address!

The key is to download the App again!

Hope that helps!

Dec 23, 2013 5:09 PM in response to kjhamilt

I have had this problem for a year and THIS WORKED!! Thank you!

Dec 26, 2013 12:34 PM in response to kjhamilt

kjhamilt,

The iOS 7 update froze midway thru and then proceeded to wipe my iphone 4 clean last night. No one at the Apple store, support line, or chat could provide me a solution and just said my data was gone which didn't make sense as it all should have been backed up in the cloud. As it turns out when it reset it linked to the wrong iCloud account, so after deleting and entering the new account I could restore from the icloud backup and am back to whole again. Thanks for saving all my contacts, pics, notes, etc that they said were gone.

kjhamilt

Level 1

0 points

Dec 26, 2013 3:55 PM in response to canobeach

No problem. Glad it worked for you too!!

rossuar

Level 1

0 points

Dec 28, 2013 5:12 PM in response to oregonjoe

I'm having same issue, i'm using 7.04 update and when i reinstall the app in the icloud setting it still has the settings blurred out.

Can't login as i dont have access to the email.

amw2373

Level 1

0 points

Dec 30, 2013 8:47 AM in response to kjhamilt

kjhamilt it seems I have the same problem that you had; however after I download find my iphone and login with my new apple ID, I still can't turn FMIphone off in settings without my old email. What did you do for this step?

kjhamilt

Level 1

0 points

Dec 30, 2013 9:24 AM in response to amw2373

Hm. My only guess is that the phone prompts you to use your old email address but allows you to change it to your new address. My other piece if advice would be to try the whole process again. Sorry I can't provide more info...I think the part you're having trouble with was pretty straightforward for me.

amw2373

Level 1

0 points

Dec 30, 2013 9:52 AM in response to kjhamilt

After a long phone call to apple support it's fixed. I was able change my new apple ID back to the old one. For some reason the verification email was not mandatory and I could ignore it (I seem to recall this not being the case the last time I tried). This allowed me to access Icloud and FMiphone once more. I then turned off FMIp and proceded to delete my icloud account. Once gone, I changed my apple ID back and was able to create a new icloud account.

Maybe they changed the email verification policy? Not sure but I hope anyone else in my situation will find this helpful.

how to change iCloud account on iPhone, without deleting data on iPhone