I changed my appleID and primary email and now I can not access iCloud. ICloud shows my old appleID but I can't change it. How do I get iCloud to work with my updated ID?

Hi GB 🙂

I ended up having to revive an old, closed e-mail account, then set up a new Apple account under the previous name for what is now my present Apple account. Luckily this worked and I was then able to unlock iCloud and eventually disengage "find my iPhone" so that I could be allowed to once again add new media etc to my iPhone.......Odd really, considering I have never used iCloud.

I then had to go through the amazingly complex rigmarole of deleting the (less than 1 hour old and obviously blank Apple account). This included having to get Apple to phone me at my home and then try to talk me out of it. Also had to endure the non optional, near endless pre prepared legal speel that the Apple phone helper was forced to dispense. Anyway eventually got it all done, and I must say that the Apple customer (phone) tech service person was promt, polite and helpful.

An analogy for iTunes is kinda like electricity. They are both great. But problems arise with electricity when there is only one power outlet, so you put a double adaptor onto it.....works OK. But needs/wants change, and over time demand grows, so you piggyback another double adaptor on, then another and another. Soon the electrical supply for the user is unweildy, because of all the (originally unintended) adaptors fitted to the original plug. iTunes is, (to me as an Apple customer) rather like that analogy. Yes iTunes works (mostly), but it is so very unweildy, fraught with awkwardness and frustration, mainly (I think) because of the very nature and sheer number of adaptions that have been made to it over time.

Thanks for replying to my post GB. Cheerio then, from Neil.

I followed these instructions from AppleID and still my ID reverts to my old one can anyone help it's doing my head in !

Before you change your Apple ID:

Sign out of all Apple features and services that you use with your current Apple ID.

Make sure that the email address you want to use for your Apple ID meets these conditions:

The email address is one that you use regularly, because it will be the primary email address for your Apple ID.

The email address is not associated with any other Apple ID.

The email address is not an iCloud email address, which is already an Apple ID. iCloud email addresses end with @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com.

To change your Apple ID, follow these steps:

Go to My Apple ID (appleid.apple.com), click "Manage your Apple ID", and sign in.

If you have two-step verification turned on, you'll be asked to send a verification code to the trusted device associated with your Apple ID. If you are unable to receive messages at your trusted device, follow the guidelines for what to do if you can't sign in with two-step verification.

In the "Apple ID and Primary Email Address section," click Edit.

Enter the email address you want to use, then click Save Changes. Apple will send a verification email to that address.

Open the email from Apple, then click Verify Now in the email.

When the My Apple ID page opens, sign in with your renamed Apple ID.

The thing is, you have to sign out in several locations, across several devices. I reccomend using your alternate ID if you change your primary one a lot. I use me @me.com legacy address as my "alternate" and it works fine, though when I need to sign into something, sometimes it pops up and displays me logged in as my primary. It's a mess.

Thanks for replying Neil! Glad you got it all sorted! It can be frustrating - especially when you have a feature you aren't particularly interested in that is causing you problems! Best of luck going forward! 😀

Cheers,

GB

Hi Nickajackman,

It "reverts" to your old Apple ID where, and when you are trying to do what?

Cheers,

GB

Thanks for this! The only other thing I would mention (and this may be new) is when signing up for a "new" Apple ID with my old email, there was an option to put in a second email for recovery, and that sends the user aggreement to the current email... Anyways, seriously, thank you!

I'm having the same problem with my icloud. My icloud address was initially set up in the USA on my American account and linked to a hotmail email address. I have recently deactivated this email so I needed to change my apple ID and primary email address.

I set up an icloud email thinking that this would be the easiest to be recognised and changed my apple ID account to a UK accout.

Now Its asking for my old apple ID and email address (that's no longer in use) and I can't access my I-tunes account...!

I have an ipad, a macbook pro linked to it and 2 American i-phones. Whilst I've changed the ipad and the macbook pro, My USA cell phone is switched off at the momment so I can't change the settings on there. My son has his phone on in the US though. Is this happening because other divices are linked to my icloud and apple ID?

Any suggestions?

Gail from Maine it accepted the changes and then when I press submit it reverts back ?

Thanks! This finally solved my problem!

been having this problem for over a year and you have just solved it. 😁

Thank you, thank you, thank you! You just saved me a lot of time & frustration!

Thank you for the info- I did this but it still reverts back -but only on my iphone which is the original apple product bought... I give up. Have dozens of apps that have needing upgrade for some time. My iPad and my MacBook all seem to recognize the new email (old one was attached by an unknown party - I have it on 'pause' as I'm afraid if I delete it I won't have access to the calendar I had set up -with my life on it- on that phone. Obviously not computer savvy...
They wouldn't help me at the Apple store. I will go by there again however...

Funny, every once in a blue moon it used to show the new address on the iphone and I could update.

Will keep trying!

Hey, It just gave me my proper email address and is working!! Thank you Winston Churchill!

Well, I spoke too soon. It didn't reply when I hit update. It gave me back to the old email address. It shouldn't be this difficult!

Arrgghhh.

pk

Hi I was wondering if you could help me, I've changed my account, but it's saying it's sent me an email to verify that it's me, but I can't get any mail with iCloud, all it's saying is this account is in use

Hi,

Did exactly what you sugested. When I update the passwor, it validates it but still doesn't lets me turn off Find my iPad. When I get back to iCloud account it still has the dots corresponding to the old password.

So, I'm still in the same place. Can anyone help me please?

Thanks you very much