Appleids

Question

Level 1

6 points

Appleids

Hello,

When I got my ipad, the techie in the store set it up for me. I do have an iCloud address, which as far as I know also serves as an APPLEID, right? Anyway, he set up iTunes and the Appstore using a DIFFERENT e-mail address. What is the better plan? Having separate Appleids for this or to just use one?

Now I would like to enable iMessage. And am not sure which appleid to use to do this OR how to go about it. Must I log out of iTunes then before or please give me some directions. I wish he had NOT set it up this way as I fear I will run into problems down the road.

THANKS FOR ANY INPUT regarding this confusion.

iPad 2, iOS 6

Posted on Jul 11, 2013 1:03 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Phil0124

Community+ 2024

Level 10

198,865 points

Jul 11, 2013 2:27 PM in response to lutra

Having an iCloud email address does not imply it is an Apple ID.

Any Email address can be used as an AppleID. an iCloud address may simply be a new Email address but have no AppleID associated with it.

Your Apple Id should be the one used to setup the iTunes and App stores and as such would be the one to use to setup iMessage.

Since AppleIDs cannot be merged and if indeed your cloud email is another Apple Id, I would not use it as such, and simply keep it as an email address because any content purchased or downloaded by one Apple ID is forever tied to it and cannot be transferred to another.

.

Reply

Answer 2

lutra Author

Level 1

6 points

Jul 11, 2013 2:56 PM in response to Phil0124

Thank you Phil !

I appreciate you clarifying a number of things for me.

I had the mobileme, mac and NOW it is the icloud e-mail address for years and have always used it as such, just an e-mail address and well, now for the stuff in the cloud. And so I made the assumption somehow that this was also recognized as an AppleID. Partly because when one logs in to it online, the field now says APPLEID, which is actually the e-mail address @icloud.com, so that threw me off.

The techie used another e-mail address that I have as the AppleID. Is that okay using an entire e-mail address as an ID?

So in effect, IF at some point, I do not have this e-mail address anymore (which is being used for the AppleID), then it is okay. It is JUST a NAME, so to speak. Can I then go in and change where the info would be sent to a different address, i.e. my icloud one? I intend to always have the icloud one, whereas the other address may be stopped if we transfer elsewhere.

Sorry, I just find all of this rather confusing....and want to be sure.

Reply

Answer 3

Jul 11, 2013 3:00 PM in response to lutra

Yes, the email used as an AppleID is just a name. You can update the email address at any time to one that isn't already being used as an Apple ID or associated with one by going to AppleId.apple.com

Reply