Deleting an iCloud account that doesn't exist

In closing, I think we're just screwed 😟 Not even Apple support knew that was even possible.

You can set up your iPhone 5 as a "new device" instead of restoring it to the iCloud and choosing an old backup. It will literally set it up as a clean device with no photos or apps on it, and then you can choose to back it up to the iCloud or iTunes and type in your current/new ID and just start from scratch. But for me, with the exception of the photostream (last 30 days of pics), music, maybe calendar?, and contacts, none of my apps or my camera roll were there.

I actually had to purchase an additional 10 GB ($20) in order to have it backup to iCloud because I didn't have enough storage (I have an iPad, my iPhone 5, and my iPhone 4S which took up all 5 free GBs).

I am just sad that I KNOW my 652 photos are floating around out there somewhere, but unless I can somehow get past that old ID that doesn't exist anymore, I don't think I'll ever actually get them back. 😟

ashleyrae5 wrote:

I have tried to recover the old password, but since my old ID doesn't exist anymore, there apparently is no password. I have tried to "reset" it but it never emails reset instructions to me, nor does it accept the answer to my "Security Question," which is "Enter your birthday."

And I know my birthday!

For that particular task Apple support may be helpful. However, your answer "I don't think I did" reminds me another one with immaculate conception. When you provide answers like that you don't get much help.

Hi dchampion,

I think there may be a misconception here. "Old" Apple IDs do not disappear - they are out there forever. You can go to Manage my Apple ID and log on to the old ID, and you will see it out there. Was there a reason you set up a new ID rather than just editing the info on your original ID? (of course, if the old id was an @me or @mac address, you wouldn't be able to change it). But if it was anything else, you should be able to edit it to change it (and your email address below it) to your new information.

If you create a new Apple ID, then the iCloud account associated with your old Apple ID will not be accessible to you. That iCloud account is tied to that ID. A new ID requires a new iCloud account to be set up - since iCloud uses your Apple ID....

Again, if you edit your old Apple ID to something new, you can delete iCloud and then re-sign on to iCloud with your new credentials. But, if you simply create a new Apple ID, you will not be able to access that other iCloud account....

Post back with any questions!

Cheers,

GB

Hey Gail,

Remember how you can only create 3 icloud account on the same device, I was trying to guess on the reason for that restriction, cause Apple usually is doing anything to increase resale value of I- devices. I think there is a way to save and access all previously created (perhaps even used) on the device icloud id's. Since ios7 has security built in - I can see how people are prompted to enter passwords for all accounts that had "find my iphone" feature activated.

I did ask Apple support for help with the fact that when I tried to reset the password, it didn't accept my birthday, nor did I receive a reset email. Their reason for this was that my "old" Apple ID wasn't listed as an active or existing ID, so essentially there is nothing there to reset, and no birthday to have stored. Maybe I was just talking to the wrong people, but they didn't seem to know how to help me with that issue.

So if "old" Apple IDs are never deleted, how is mine "inactive?" And if it's "inactive" or doesn't exist, how and why is it defaulting to that ID in the iCloud and now allowing me to delete that account off my iPhone so I can "log in" to my current Apple ID?

Also, I was never asked by Apple support about iOS 7. If I did do anything with iOS 7, it wasn't on purpose, but I'm fairly confident I didn't (I didn't even think it was out there for anyone other than developers yet, and I'm certainly not a developer).

I have never heard of an "inactive" Apple ID. I have an Apple ID that I created when I got my first iPhone back in the day. I still have apps that I purchased under that ID, so still have to go in an Manage it whenever I change the password on my current ID (I keep them the same), so I can update those apps....

I have seen posts about "expired" @me.com addresses - is this what you have?

Cheers,

GB

As you may have noticed Original poster actually did have IOS7. I do not think if he was developer he would be asking questions here, they have their own forum and support, they actually prepaid for it. No matter, problem is I am just regular user and had no idea what I was dealing with. Now I do. As far as your questions.

Inactive id - not used recently.

If you ve been asked for birthday - id exists ( you may have renamed it (you can change your appleid/login) but system still did recognize whatever you typed in.

If you d like to reset password - there is another option, besides your birthday- e-mail can be sent to your mail account. If account does not exist - Apple can redirect it if they can confirm that you are the actual owner.

I'll start over.

I created an Apple ID back in the day when I got my first iPhone (@yahoo.com). I was getting REALLY bad spam and my email account was "hacked," so I decided to delete that @yahoo.com email account and just use my @gmail.com email account going forward. Plus I had gotten married, my name was different, etc. At this same time, I changed my Apple ID to my @gmail.com account. According to Apple, this is possible - whether I change just my email address, or both my email address and Apple ID. I changed it to @gmail.com and updated my devices to be under my @gmail.com Apple ID.

For some reason, my new iPhone 5 defaults to my old @yahoo.com Apple ID in the iCloud setting, for which the password does not work.

So...

When I go to "Manage my Apple ID" and type in my @yahoo.com Apple ID to try to reset that password, it gives me the option to answer "Security Questions" or to reset my password by email (and I actually restored my @yahoo.com email account just so I could get any password reset emails).

When I choose to answer security questions, I hit "Next" and it asks me to verify my birthday. I obviously know my birthday, so I enter it in, and receive this message:

"The authentication information provided does not match our records. Please verify your personal information and try again."

Come on, now. I KNOW my birthday... that has never changed.

So then I go back and select the option to have reset instructions emailed to me. I go check ALL of my email accounts (@yahoo, @gmail, the ONLY email addresses I own)... nothing ever arrives.

After speaking with the two support guys yesterday and telling them it wouldn't accept my password or allow me to reset it, I assume they would have given me the option to have them reset it for me.

Maybe I shouldn't assume.

At this point I'll do anything, so I guess I'll try to contact Apple support for a third time and see if they can somehow reset that for me or help. This is ridiculous... surely there is a way around it. I just need to speak with the right person.

situation with your birthday is completely normal, nobody provided birthday in the past if there was a way to skip something. I know I skipped mine back at the good times. Now since last security breach, that Apple had - birthday is mandatory.

Second- if you have seen that option - "e-mail has been sent" - most likely account does exist. Something I d like for you to get straight before you call them again. There are two ways to change your apple id.

1. you are logging in to your account and edit apple id from one e-mail to another. That way old account is gone - puff in hot air. New apple id replaces old one and new password would work. Your password does not. That tells me your way is

2. you just forget about old account, sign into everything with your new name/e-mail from Google. In that case your new apps purchased with Google need to be updated with Google password and old once with yahoo. Problem is when you restore, your apps are mixed, not only apps are being restored, but also the important stuff inside them.

Another problem, some people😉 think when they delete those apps during restore they help themself's. Imagine that you phone (which is good, but still not a computer) is trying to download in install complicated organizational structure of software and data. It is trying to put everything in places, keep tracks and tabs on every piece of info. At the same time it has to keep constant authenticated connection to icloud server. And at the same time completely redundant changes are made to it.

Summary,

Contact apple and ask for assist to reset password for old account and verify that account still exists.

Once you got password, start restore again.

Once restore started do not breathe towards phone and provide any info it asks.

Good luck. If you ARE on ios7, chances are you are still s c re w e d.

Well, I contacted Apple again. This guy dug much deeper. He said my issue was "peculiar" and he had to explain my situation to one of their "peculiar issue" team support staff, and then relay their info to me. I'm using his exact words, by the way. Do you think they really call them "peculiar issue" people? 😝

Basically what happened was that my last backup was interrupted, but I'm not sure if there was a way I would have known that - it has appeared to me as if it was successful (up until I tried to restore my new phone to that backup). So... my 652 photos are gone; since it was interrupted, there's no way to get them back unless I physically had my old iPhone (which I don't - it was traded in at the AT&T store for the 5). Not the end of the world. Still really stinks 😟

He told me to erase my phone again and either set it up as a new device, or restore to the second most recent backup (since the most recent was not successful). I don't have wi-fi this second, but I guess I'll try that when I get home.

He confirmed that when I updated my email address to my @gmail.com name, that it also changed my ID name, but it will always be associated with my @yahoo.com name even though I can't log in with that @yahoo ID. I guess they're the same account and still tied together, but my login will only work for my Gmail ID. Still don't quite understand all that, and still don't understand why it's defaulting to the @yahoo ID, but it doesn't matter now. My main issue was getting those pictures back, but I can't, so I'll just have to settle.

Good luck, dchampion. If you resort to calling Support, I hope you get to talk to the same guy I spoke with last (his name is Dean!). 😉 If not, I hope your issue gets worked out!

Remember the plan

Contact apple and ask for assist to reset password for old account and verify that account still exists.

Once you got password, start restore again.

Once restore started do not breathe towards phone and provide any info it asks.

Remember that, so you have done number one and found that your apple id has changed way number 1 and now you are ready for step number two. Once you start restore, do it overnight keep your phone on charger connect to wifi and do not interrupt restore like you did last time. It will take a long time to download all your stuff. Do not talk on the phone do not use phone and do not sigh deeply, just go to sleep.😉

Provided your e-mail address is still valid, you simply create a new Apple ID associated with it (e.g. you were using xyz@yahoo.com and then changed it to abc@gmail.com so that it became your active ID, you open up a new account using your e-mail address, xyz@yahoo.com), then enter the password of it on your phone when it asks for a password either for "Find My Iphone" deactivation or as icloud password.

It is very simple, but if your previously associated e-mail address is not usable anymore, well...

I figured it out!
I was having the exact same problem, and googling it led me to this.

I just updated to iOS7.

iCloud popped up as signed in with my old iTunes account, which I don't have access to, and it prompted me for an password which I entered and it said incorrect, yadda yadda.

What I did was click "facetime" and it also gave me old email. Deleted it, entered my new itunes account, and then went back to icloud, and tried to delete and it worked. Finally got to enter my new email account.

I have no idea why this worked but it did, a nice little weird solution.

This solution with the facetime worked!! Can't believe it!You saved my life!!!!!!!

THank you