Apple ID and primary email address

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Level 1

4 points

Apple ID and primary email address

I get that the Apple ID I use for the App Store and iTunes should remain forever or I can't update anything; but, I don't use that email address anymore, though it is valid, and I want to change my primary email address to one that I actually use. The only place I can find it is on id.apple.com. I successfully changed it and then discovered that nothing knew me. I got notices wanting me to sign in to icloud and I don't use icloud though apparently Safari does. I changed the ID back to what it was and even verified the email (thankfully still active) but that brings me back to the same problem, I want my email address changed without having to research however many places on Apple will have to be reset. This wouldn't have been a problem if my ID and my email address were separate. Does Apple think people never change their email addresses? No wonder things get hacked if I have to use a valid email to identify myself to all sorts of hackable places. Is there a solution or do I just have to bow to the great and mighty Apple? Believe me I have been a Mac since 1984 and I never believed they would get as anal as Microsoft.

iMac, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.5)

Posted on Sep 5, 2014 7:12 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,144 points

Sep 5, 2014 8:33 AM in response to ladybastet

You can change the primary email address on an account via http://appleid.apple.com, the Store > View Account menu option on a computer's iTunes, or by tapping on it in Settings > iTunes & App Store on an iOS device and logging into it

Changing primary email address : Change your Apple ID

After changing it : Apple ID: What to do after you change your Apple ID

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Answer 2

Jan 11, 2015 4:57 AM in response to King_Penguin

This does not work, however, if you have a mac.com email address. That is what I have been told by Apple support for years. If you have been a loyal Apple / Mac customer for years and had a mac.com email address that you no longer use, you are stuck with that as your Apple ID, you do not therefore get iTunes News, emailed receipts, etc. even though, yes, I have provided an alternate email address. The only alternative would be to create a new Apple ID and your purchasing history, music library would be essentially "lost" or at best not linked to the new Apple ID. I find this unacceptable, but unresolvable nonetheless.

iMac, OS X Yosemite

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Answer 3

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,144 points

Jan 11, 2015 5:06 AM in response to Mackie Fox

http://www.apple.com/feedback/

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Answer 4

SidGP

Level 1

32 points

Feb 28, 2015 12:14 PM in response to ladybastet

Ladybastet, were you able to change the primary Apple ID email address without losing your purchasing history or purchased music, or any othernegative ramifications?

Thanks.

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Answer 5

SidGP

Level 1

32 points

Feb 28, 2015 12:25 PM in response to King_Penguin

HI King_Penguin. Does changing the Apple ID primary email address have any negative consequences for my account, such as losing my purchasing history or purchased music or any other account data?

THanks for your help.

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Answer 6

King_Penguin

Level 10

334,144 points

Feb 28, 2015 10:38 PM in response to SidGP

If you update the primary email address on your account then you should not lose anything, all of its purchases (those that are still in the store and which you are able to redownload in your country) will remain linked to it and available for redownloading and any balance on the account should remain

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Answer 7

SidGP

Level 1

32 points

Mar 1, 2015 2:08 PM in response to King_Penguin

Okay, thanks for your help, King_Penguin! I will give it a try.

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