Level 2

220 points

Why can't I use my iCloud email address as my Apple ID

When I want to enter my iCloud email address (like foo@icloud.com) as my Apple ID, the system at appleid.apple.com tells me that I can't use an email address with a domain owned by Apple as my Apple ID which I find odd enough. I tried to create a new Apple ID through appleid.apple.com just to see what happens and even then it says that you cannot use an email address with an Apple domain.

It becomes even more odd when you consider that, if I'm not wrong, you can very well create a new Apple ID and use a new @icloud.com email address if you do it with an iPhone.

I can use my iCloud address as the primary email address of my Apple ID account so it's not a huge problem, but it still annoys me a little bit that the name of my Apple ID has to continue being my obsolete Gmail address.

Does anyone have more information on this?

Posted on Oct 15, 2012 8:45 AM

Top-ranking reply

Imp68

Level 4

2,682 points

Posted on Jun 19, 2013 11:42 AM

If you had an existing (non-apple) apple id before icloud, apple gave people the ability to have an icloud (email) account attached to it. By signing into an icloud enabled device, and checking off mail, you are given the option to create an @icloud address (formerly an @me.com one), that is associated with that apple id. This allowed people to continue to use the apple id that had all their purchases, and have an @icloud address. You can sign into any apple services using this address and pretty much ignore the originating non-apple address if you want. If that originating address is no longer valid... well, that's not really apples fault. You can maintain it, or create a new non-apple address to change it to (only reason you'd really need to do this is for the sake of rescue emails).

If you don't have an apple id, and wanted to use icloud, you can create an icloud apple id by signing into an icloud enabled device. This is an apple id in its own right, and therefore cannot be used to change the address of an existing non-apple id.

This is essentially how it works, and is pretty easy to understand.

Now, what you guys are wanting is a new feature, which DOES make sense. I'm with you guys on this. You want to be able to remove the non-apple address from your accounts, and just use the @icloud address permanently, without a non-apple address. After all, new icloud signups can do this...

Anyone wanting this new feature should request it at apple.com/feedback.

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428 replies

Sep 6, 2016 11:58 AM in response to jasonvirgo

You aren't going to get anything here. This is a user to user technical support forum. If you want to share your feelings with Apple, you can do so here: Apple - Feedback

LACAllen

Level 8

43,708 points

Jun 25, 2017 9:48 PM in response to NateWalker

Simply stop using it or call Support to request a deletion.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201232

Jul 19, 2017 3:30 PM in response to Danasekar04

Then tell Apple: Apple - Feedback

Cheers,

Aug 15, 2017 4:07 PM in response to exc

Tell Apple: Apple - My Apple ID

Cheers,

Oct 19, 2017 6:47 PM in response to LACAllen

Then why won't Google do it? Microsoft?

Neither if them allow a change to the core identity either. They each will allow an alias to provide another "nickname".

None of the major players allow it. Apple is not an outlier.

Actually Google does. My Google account used my iCloud email as my account email. I just signed in to use Gmail for the first time, created an @gmail.com email and set it as my account just to test it myself. My Gmail and account email are now set to the new email, recovery is iCloud.

FWIW: I also learned in the process you cannot reverse it once it is set (which is now going to be annoying). So you're partially correct that you can't unset the Gmail as the account email. However, this entire thread is Apple users wanting their @iCoud.com email as their main AppleID email. Which Google does let user's do.

Oct 15, 2012 8:51 PM in response to reitermoritz

Me too!!!! And now I can't restore any purchased apps to my iPad because I used iCloud account and now it won't let me use my iCloud account!!!

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Oct 21, 2012 3:04 AM in response to ashbyfielduk

I'm glad that I'm at least not the only one who is puzzeled and slightly annoyed by this issue.

ivens

Level 1

0 points

Jun 19, 2013 6:49 AM in response to reitermoritz

Is there any way to report that to Apple?

jniffa

Level 1

0 points

Sep 27, 2013 3:34 AM in response to reitermoritz

Thanks, just saved me trying to compose feedback. Just sent off.

Nov 19, 2013 12:29 PM in response to reitermoritz

Any follow up from Apple on this issue?

Nov 22, 2013 5:42 PM in response to reitermoritz

Same boat, would like to remove my old gmail account from my Apple ID, as I no longer use gmail.

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Nov 25, 2013 8:15 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

Gee, Roger, your faux-naïv attitude is unbelievable.

Nov 25, 2013 8:46 AM in response to Cristian Gobbo

Nail on head Christian:

"We want our MASTER icloud ID to be an @icloud.com address"

Is that too much to ask for Apple?

Nov 25, 2013 9:16 AM in response to reitermoritz

Well, I don't remember what I posted last March: but I'm happy to promise not to post again in this thread as I wouldn't want to provoke any more mis-spelled French 🙂.

reitermoritz Author

Level 2

220 points

Nov 25, 2013 9:23 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

I'll more than gladly allow you the satisfaction of pointing to spelling errors I did if you keep your promise.

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Why can't I use my iCloud email address as my Apple ID