reitermoritz

Q: 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 8:48 AM

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

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  • by snozdop,

    snozdop snozdop Mar 15, 2014 2:33 AM in response to ba.01
    Level 5 (5,810 points)
    Mar 15, 2014 2:33 AM in response to ba.01

    You can create an ICLOUD Apple ID when you sign up for an Apple ID in your enabled iCloud device for the first time.

     

    No you can't. An iCloud account can only be created from an existing AppleID which is already created with a non-Apple email address. Only after creating an iCloud account can you then add an "@icloud.com" email address for your iCloud account.

     

    Read: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4436

     

    Apple won't allow you to create an AppleID using an email address from any Apple-owned domain.

  • by Imp68,

    Imp68 Imp68 Mar 15, 2014 3:06 AM in response to snozdop
    Level 4 (2,633 points)
    Mar 15, 2014 3:06 AM in response to snozdop

    You're wrong.  What you state was once true, but is no longer the case.  If you go to iCloud preferences, while not signed in, you will see you have the option of creating an iCloud address without requiring an external, non-apple address.  It has been like this for quite some time.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Mar 15, 2014 3:06 AM in response to snozdop
    Level 9 (78,198 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 15, 2014 3:06 AM in response to snozdop

    Actually it does appear to be possible to set the @icloud.com address as the ID if you do so when you first create the account - see Imp68's post here:

     

    https://discussions.apple.com/message/22283348#22283348

     

    However if the ID is already a non-Apple address then you can't change it to the @icloud.com address, and as said above whatever the ID is you can't move an address from one account to another.

  • by snozdop,

    snozdop snozdop Mar 15, 2014 3:15 AM in response to Imp68
    Level 5 (5,810 points)
    Mar 15, 2014 3:15 AM in response to Imp68

    I'm just going on the information provided by Apple in their current support articles, and in the info provided when you create an AppleID here. Yet more confusion from Apple regarding AppleIDs!

     

    So, is this option only available Mac users? Or new in Mavericks? Or also to Windows users with the iCloud Control Panel and iOS devices?

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Mar 15, 2014 3:29 AM in response to snozdop
    Level 9 (78,198 points)
    iTunes
    Mar 15, 2014 3:29 AM in response to snozdop

    I only know what's in IMP68's post - obviously it's not something I can test out (particularly as I'm still clinging to Snow Leopard as it sinks slowly beneath the waves of 'progress').

     

    But it's not the only place where Apple contradicts itself - for example podcast submissions where the image is too small are being told it must be 600 x 600 while in fact anything below 1400 x 1400 is now rejected: just one example.

  • by snozdop,

    snozdop snozdop Mar 15, 2014 3:32 AM in response to snozdop
    Level 5 (5,810 points)
    Mar 15, 2014 3:32 AM in response to snozdop

    .

  • by susanfromfrisco,

    susanfromfrisco susanfromfrisco May 14, 2014 4:19 PM in response to reitermoritz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    May 14, 2014 4:19 PM in response to reitermoritz

    They have now limited the number of characters for feedback.   But, Thanks reitermoritz - I used your feedback note as a base and altered it only slightly to fit within the character limit. 

    In December - I had it working (with the help of a person at my local apple store) there was a warning message on my manage your apple id page - but I didn't care.  Then last week - my email stopped working all together the only way to restore it was to put the non-icloud email back as my apple id & primary email address. <sigh>. Very short sighted of the Apple folks -- and surprising based on their claim for being user friendly.   I don't mind having a true alternate email address (but like everyone else - I want my icloud one to be the primary and my AppleID.  Thanks again.  

  • by AxeBox360,

    AxeBox360 AxeBox360 May 24, 2014 1:07 PM in response to reitermoritz
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Apple Watch
    May 24, 2014 1:07 PM in response to reitermoritz

    My old primary email belong to a domain that I owned but no long want to have. Since, I'm going to let the domain expire this year, I need to update all of my account to send email to my icloud address. I was pretty flustered when I discoved that I could not change my apple id ( why does it need to be an email address and not just "username"? ) to match my iCloud.

     

    I guess that I'll have to pick an email address out of the dozens that I have and call Apple to make sure no email will go to the expired domain. If someone buys that domain, they could receive password recovery emails from Apple.

     

     

    Dear Apple Team,

     

    In my effort to make life more manageable, I'm canceling all of my non-iCloud email accounts, letting my email domain ownership expire, and using iCloud as my primary email service. I would also like to use it as my Apple ID.

     

    The front end for managing my Apple ID does not allow me to do this because it does not take an email address with a domain owned by Apple.

     

    I'm will to pay for email service from another provider to use as an alternative backup address for password recovery but I don't want it to be my Apple ID anymore.

     

    Please reconsider your stance on this issue. There are many ways recover a password, text messages and challenge-response questions are examples. People are abandoning email alternative accounts in droves, so I think Apple should adopt its practices in response.

     

     

    Message was edited by: AxeBox360

  • by Imp68,

    Imp68 Imp68 May 24, 2014 7:21 PM in response to AxeBox360
    Level 4 (2,633 points)
    May 24, 2014 7:21 PM in response to AxeBox360

    No need to call Apple.  Just go to appleid.apple.com and sign in to manage your account.  You can edit the emails to a new address.  No one could get your info even if they buy your domain.  You can call Apple if you want, but they'll tell you the same thing.

  • by AxeBox360,

    AxeBox360 AxeBox360 Jun 5, 2014 6:48 PM in response to Imp68
    Level 1 (43 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 5, 2014 6:48 PM in response to Imp68

    Of course they could! If they buy the domain, they can direct all the email...including password reset emails....to their mailbox of choice. Easy peasy.

     

    It's difficult to edit the email message to a new address when I don't have any other addresses. I've deleted all of my email accounts except the one that I own the domain for. And when that is gone, well...we'll see how that plays out.

  • by Roger Wilmut1,

    Roger Wilmut1 Roger Wilmut1 Jun 5, 2014 11:40 PM in response to AxeBox360
    Level 9 (78,198 points)
    iTunes
    Jun 5, 2014 11:40 PM in response to AxeBox360

    AxeBox360 wrote:

     

    Of course they could! If they buy the domain, they can direct all the email...including password reset emails....to their mailbox of choice. Easy peasy.

    Not if you've changed the ID. They would have no access to your ID or your iCloud email. Any reset message would be sent to the new ID address (or you should really set up a 'rescue address'.

    It's difficult to edit the email message to a new address when I don't have any other addresses

    Just get yourself a free Yahoo or GMail address and use that as the ID. This is the process for changing it:

     

    Firstly, if you have 'Find My iPhone/iPad/iMac' enabled on any of your devices, turn it off.

     

    Create a new email address, for example  at Yahoo or Gmail, or anywhere convenient (or you can use an existing address as long as it has never been associated with an Apple ID).

     

    Go to http://appleid.apple.com and click 'Manage your Apple ID'. Sign in with the current ID.

     

    Where it says 'Apple ID and primary email address' and gives your current ID email address, click 'edit'.

     

    Enter your new address and click 'Save changes'.

     

    Now you will need to go to each of your devices and sign out in System Preferences (or Settings)>iCloud - 'Sign out' on a Mac, 'Delete this account' on an iOS device (this will not delete the account from the server).

     

    Then sign back in with your new ID. Your iCloud data will disappear from your devices when you sign out, but reappear when you sign back in.

     

    I re-iterate: before you start, turn off 'Find My Mac' (or whatever) or you will need the services of Support.

  • by Tellmore,

    Tellmore Tellmore Jun 19, 2014 5:33 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 19, 2014 5:33 AM in response to Roger Wilmut1

    So it's brilliant Apple policy to force their dedicated users to go to third party companies like Google or Yahoo and create extra email address with all following security issues instead of letting them to use their own mail for that? Man, i was solid with apple for like past five years but now i'm seriously thinking to switch back to Windows or move on to Linux.

  • by mr_speed,

    mr_speed mr_speed Jul 10, 2014 11:16 AM in response to ivens
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 10, 2014 11:16 AM in response to ivens

    this really seems stupid. what are the apple guys and google guys out playing golf together.

  • by Mirhanda,

    Mirhanda Mirhanda Jul 16, 2014 5:30 PM in response to reitermoritz
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 16, 2014 5:30 PM in response to reitermoritz

    In the past you were aloud to use your Apple domain for your Apple ID. My email is for my Apple ID is @icloud.com. I am not really sure why they changed it though.

  • by jonwit,

    jonwit jonwit Jul 17, 2014 6:30 PM in response to Imp68
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 17, 2014 6:30 PM in response to Imp68

    thanks for your help Imp68

     

    my icloud email is listed as an alternate on my apple id

     

    do you know if I can convert that icloud address to it's own apple ID ?

     

    thanks much

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