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billzabub

Q: I cannot change my apple id username to my primary email address

I have an outdated username for my Apple ID.  I cannot change it to my primary email because I get an error saying apple ID cannot be "Your rescue email address".

 

I will not create a new email address solely for the purpose of logging in. 

Posted on Feb 8, 2015 1:29 PM

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Q: I cannot change my apple id username to my primary email address

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  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Feb 8, 2015 1:32 PM in response to billzabub
    Level 7 (26,148 points)
    iCloud
    Feb 8, 2015 1:32 PM in response to billzabub

    See the section in this support article about deleting your Rescue email address from your Apple account. Then you can use it for your primary address.

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

  • by billzabub,

    billzabub billzabub Feb 8, 2015 1:34 PM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 8, 2015 1:34 PM in response to gail from maine

    My rescue address is different from my primary.  I can use neither for my Apple ID.

  • by TJBUSMC1973,Solvedanswer

    TJBUSMC1973 TJBUSMC1973 Feb 8, 2015 1:47 PM in response to billzabub
    Level 5 (7,631 points)
    Feb 8, 2015 1:47 PM in response to billzabub

    What is the domain of your email addresses?  i.e., @hotmail.com, @gmail.com, @icloud.com, etc.

     

    You cannot change the primary email address of your Apple ID to or from an @icloud.com, @me.com or @mac.com.  In other words, if it's not already in use as the primary, it cannot be used.  If it is in use, it cannot be changed.

     

    You cannot change your primary email address of your Apple ID to an email that is already in use as another Apple ID's primary email address, or if it is the current rescue email address of the current Apple ID.

     

    Now, if you mean that you have an old-style username for your Apple ID, like 'Joe123', and it is not in the form of an email address, then you should be able to change it to virtually anything you want, per the above rules.  If the only email address you have is your rescue email address, you will have to either create a new email account, or delete the rescue email address for the Password & Security section and then use it as your primary email address.

  • by billzabub,

    billzabub billzabub Feb 8, 2015 1:51 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Feb 8, 2015 1:51 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973

    Primary email domain:  yahoo.com

    Primary rescue email domain:  gmail.com

     

    I cannot change my Apple ID, to either email address.

  • by TJBUSMC1973,

    TJBUSMC1973 TJBUSMC1973 Feb 8, 2015 1:50 PM in response to billzabub
    Level 5 (7,631 points)
    Feb 8, 2015 1:50 PM in response to billzabub

    billzabub wrote:

     

    Primary email domain:  yahoo.com

    Primary rescue email domain:  gmail.com

     

    I cannot change my Apple ID, which is 'XXXXXXX', to either email address.

     

    You cannot change it to your gmail.com, because that's your rescue email address.

    You cannot change it to your yahoo.com, because that email address is already in use as the primary email address of another Apple ID.

     

    Don't post your Apple ID.  I never asked for that.

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Feb 8, 2015 1:57 PM in response to billzabub
    Level 9 (58,959 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 8, 2015 1:57 PM in response to billzabub

    Change your rescue email address to an third email address. Set up another free email if necessary. Once the rescue address is changed, the email address that was previously the rescue email address should be available to be used as the primary address. This is the method I had to use when I need to switch the two addresses.

  • by TJBUSMC1973,

    TJBUSMC1973 TJBUSMC1973 Feb 8, 2015 2:23 PM in response to Meg St._Clair
    Level 5 (7,631 points)
    Feb 8, 2015 2:23 PM in response to Meg St._Clair

    Part of the issue is that another Apple ID is currently using his Yahoo email address as the primary email address.  He may end up having to call Apple Account Security.

  • by Meg St._Clair,

    Meg St._Clair Meg St._Clair Feb 8, 2015 3:58 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973
    Level 9 (58,959 points)
    iPhone
    Feb 8, 2015 3:58 PM in response to TJBUSMC1973

    Ah, I missed that. Yes, that would be a problem.