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iMessage prompting for the wrong email address? FaceTime was no problem...

Trying to set my Dad's iPhone5s with a new AppleID, and while attempting to set him up with iMessage, it's asking for the wrong AppleID address... It's almost like he mistyped it somewhere, but now I don't know how to change it. Whenever I attempt to use AppleID to sign in with iMessage, it just prompts for a password, but won't let me change the e-mail.


I checked with FaceTime, and I WAS able to use the correct AppleID for that... Not sure where it's gone wrong. Any help would be appreciated.

iPhone 5s

Posted on Jan 16, 2014 1:37 PM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 18, 2014 9:23 AM

Hi BouwsT,


Thanks for visiting Apple Support Communities.


If the incorrect Apple ID appears when signing in to Messages, use these instructions to sign out and sign in with the correct Apple ID:

iOS 6 and later: Go to Settings > Messages, then tap Send & Receive.

If you're still signed in with your previous Apple ID, tap your previous Apple ID, then tap Sign Out.

  • iPhone, iPod touch: Tap "Use your Apple ID for iMessage" and enter your current Apple ID.

You can find the steps in the article, which has great instructions for signing out of Apple services, at this link:


Apple ID: What to do after you change your Apple ID

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5796


All the best,


Jeremy

28 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 18, 2014 9:23 AM in response to BouwsT

Hi BouwsT,


Thanks for visiting Apple Support Communities.


If the incorrect Apple ID appears when signing in to Messages, use these instructions to sign out and sign in with the correct Apple ID:

iOS 6 and later: Go to Settings > Messages, then tap Send & Receive.

If you're still signed in with your previous Apple ID, tap your previous Apple ID, then tap Sign Out.

  • iPhone, iPod touch: Tap "Use your Apple ID for iMessage" and enter your current Apple ID.

You can find the steps in the article, which has great instructions for signing out of Apple services, at this link:


Apple ID: What to do after you change your Apple ID

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5796


All the best,


Jeremy

Jan 21, 2014 1:52 PM in response to jeremy_v

Hi Jeremy,


Thanks for the response, but that isn't quite what I'm after. It is NOT signed into an AppleID, but whenever I attempt to sign it, it IMMEDIATELY prompts me to sign in with an e-mail address that is NOT the ID that I'm looking to use. I'm wondering if there is a way to stop the phone from suggesting an AppleID that I do not want to use... The only option it's giving me is to enter the password.


Thanks again for your help, I really appreciate it!
Tim

Jul 16, 2014 9:05 PM in response to marileegrace

This is what I see when I go to Settings>Messages>Send & Receive:


User uploaded file

I click on Use your Apple ID for iMessage and this screen displays:


User uploaded file


I click on my Apple ID that is displaying, and I can either click on the "x" to delete it, or I can put the cursor at the end and delete it that way, then I can type in whatever I want:


User uploaded file



Not sure why yours looks so different?




GB

Oct 23, 2014 2:39 AM in response to gail from maine

Managing the Apple ID doesn't solve this problem, that's causing the problem!



I changed my Apple ID long time ago, everything was working correctly.


I realized what exactly caused the problem.


Months after changing my Apple ID, I had to replace my iPhone, so I made a backup with iTunes, received my replacement iPhone, restored my backup from iTunes and then, on signing in to iMessage, this problem appears because IOS 8 (and 8.1) doesn't let you enter your AppleID it just gives you the popup showing your old ID and not your new ID.


Screenshots to make you believe: when tapping "Add Another Email..." or "Add Apple ID" in IOS Settings -> Messages -> Send & Receive, I get this prompt for just a second:


User uploaded file


On this screen I would be able to enter an Apple ID but this screen immediately get's this popup, before I could enter anything:


User uploaded file


The popup is showing the same old Apple ID without any option to change it.


Entering a wrong password 3 times closes the popup and the previous screen, returning back to Settings -> Messages -> Send & Receive.


I found a workaround which is really a bad workaround but worked for me because I can still access my old email.


I went to Manage my Apple ID, changed it back to the old ID. Signed in on IOS. The know "inactive old ID" is still present in your ID settings as secondary Email, delete that secondary Email, still keep signed in on IOS, now change your ID back to your new ID. IOS will notice the change and update the necessary settings.

Jul 15, 2014 8:31 PM in response to marileegrace

If you have changed your Apple ID to a new email address using Manage your Apple ID, and you did not delete the iCloud account signed onto the old ID before changing it, then you need to follow these steps:


1. Go to Manage your Apple ID and sign on with your current Apple ID and password. EDIT the Apple ID back to the old email address. This is temporary. Do NOT verify it, do NOT change the password: Apple - My Apple ID


2. Go to Settings>iCloud and scroll to the bottom of the page and click on Delete Account. When it asks for a password, type in your current Apple ID password. Then follow the prompts to delete the iCloud account. Also, if you have iMessages, FaceTime, or the iTunes & App Store still signed on with the old ID, sign those off now.


3. Go back to Manage your Apple ID and sign on with the old email address and the current password. EDIT the Apple ID back to the new email address. You may need to verify it again.


4. Go back to Settings>iCloud and sign on with your new Apple ID and password.


Cheers,


GB

Nov 12, 2014 11:39 AM in response to MarcoBLN

@MarcoBLN -- I was having the same problem after restoring my iPhone 4 backup to my new iPhone 6 -- which is weird because I'd been using my current Apple ID on my old phone for months. Anyway, I followed your suggestions and the info in the link below and got iMessage working again.


If you're asked for the password to your previous Apple ID when signing out of iCloud - Apple Support


Thanks!

Jun 6, 2014 9:41 PM in response to BouwsT

Hi Tim and Des,


Was this problem solved?

I am now have the same problem.


It doesn't work to tap ""Use your Apple ID for iMessage"

("iMessage: Go to Settings > Messages, then tap "Use your Apple ID for iMessage")

because it immediate prompts the same message, asking for the password.

Basically, I mistyped the Apple ID, then the Apple ID appears to be stuck; I am not able to type in the correct Apple ID. It keeps asking for the password, which obviously doesn't exist, because I mistyped my Apple ID.


Someone help please.


Masao

Jul 15, 2014 9:12 PM in response to gail from maine

oh sorry, I'm trying to log in with my apple ID so that I can use iMessages on my computer as well and have it go through my apple ID. But when I try and click one of those two options to put in my new apple ID, it prompts me to put in the password of my old ID.

and whether I click on the "Use your apple ID for iMessage" or "Add an Email", they both prompt me for my old ID password and doesn't give me the option to change the ID.

does that make sense?

Jul 15, 2014 9:20 PM in response to gail from maine

Settings>messages>send & receive> all I see here is a check mark next to my phone number and the option at the top that says "use apple ID for iMessage" or the option below my phone number to "add email address". I want to use my current apple ID, but when I click that option, a white box pops up with my old apple ID and an empty text box for me to type my old password. There's no "log out" or "change apple ID" option. and when I cancel out of the box, it brings me back to the original screen

Sep 15, 2014 10:00 PM in response to BouwsT

I had this problem with my iPhone 5S and after a little while with Apple Support we got it resolved. These are the steps we took to make it work.


1. Open Settings>Messages and toggle the switch to the OFF position.

2. Back out of Settings

3. Hold the power and home button to reboot your phone until you see the Apple sign.

4. After your phone has rebooted, Open Settings>Messages

5. Toggle switch back ON

6. Choose Send and Receive option.

7. If you are still prompted for a password to the wrong email address(I was) just enter a wrong password 3 times.

8. Choose the EXIT or OK option(I don't remember which it was) DO NOT SELECT RESET!!!!

9. The screen where you should be able to enter the correct Email Address should now be displayed.

10. Enter the correct email address and password and sign on.


This worked for FaceTime as well.

iMessage prompting for the wrong email address? FaceTime was no problem...

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