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Convert AOL username to Apple ID when I already use the Apple ID

I recently received notice from Apple that my old AOL username Apple ID will not be supported come the end of March.


I used my AOL username many years ago to buy a few apps and albums. I started using a new Apple ID which is my AOL email address several years ago. So I have two Apple ID's. The old one is p*****, the newer one is p*****@aol.com.


I went to iTunes on my computer as instructed, logged out as p*****@aol.com and logged in as p*****. I immediately got a window saying I needed to update my account. Great. I then open a window titled "Edit Apple ID Details." The e-mail box is already filled in with p*****@aol.com. There are 2 additional boxes for "Password" and "Verify Password." I create a password, hit "continue," and promptly get a red box saying the address is already in use by an Apple ID. I know. It's mine.


The red box goes on to state I can cancel and log in with the p*****@aol.com Apple ID, which I did. Unfortunately, this does nothing to fix the p***** Apple ID.


What do I do? Do I have to create another e-mail address somewhere else just to keep my purchases made through the p***** Apple ID?

OS X Yosemite (10.10.2), Apple ID

Posted on Feb 20, 2015 7:06 PM

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30 replies

Feb 20, 2015 7:50 PM in response to pgus1962

For those who don't know (I know I didn't know) > Convert your AOL Username to an Apple ID - Apple Support - as wacky as this sounds , it is true 100%.


The glitch seems akin to the Apple Corporate physical address = 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino CA


I recommend getting on the phone with Apple, as this cannot be a lone incident > Apple ID: Contacting Apple for help with Apple ID account security


best luck - I will follow with interest to see how you get this resolved - it will certainly be a learning experience for me


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Feb 20, 2015 7:59 PM in response to pgus1962

Your AOL Username Apple ID and your current @aol.com Apple ID are two separate Apple IDs. So, in order to keep the old Username Apple ID functional, you must change it to an email address that is not the same as your other Apple ID. If you do not have a lot of purchases tied to that old Apple ID, you can just let it be. It will become non-functional at the end of March, so you won't be able to use it for anything after that.


If you do have any purchases from that old AOL Username Apple ID on any of your devices or Mac, you will want to delete them and re-purchase or re-download them (if free) to your devices that have them, or to your Mac.


Cheers,


GB

Feb 20, 2015 8:46 PM in response to gail from maine

gail


I am not any more confused than before - I don't think? Even looking at the "Announcement" text side by side with your fine explanation!


If one had an AOL-ID (a Variety of an Apple ID? - kinda like Registering at some website with a Google ID or FaceBook ID?) that has purchases on it it undergoes some conversion via iTunes connection that results in a NewAppleID - that thing that we regular AppleID holders CANNOT do - port purchases from and OLD one to a NEW one?


BUT, this NEW one cannot be any AppleID that one held in addition to the OLD one (AOL-ID)?


All makes perfect sense - except for the OP seems to be saying that his AOL-ID and his Other AppleID BOTH used the AOL email address?


Or am I crazy? You seem to say that purchases made with OLD AOL-ID that is now NEW AppleID will need to be REpurchased ?? (or downloaded again if free)??


WHY? If ...

(Last ¶ of linked doc)
" Your new Apple ID will maintain your access to the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBooks Store, as well as all of the content you bought using your AOL Username. You can also use your Apple ID with iCloud and other Apple services. "


I am feeling a bit bamboozeled today anyway, and this is beyond me at this late hour - how two AppleIDs of any kind ever coexisted using the same email address to begin with.


OR, is the OP merely attempting to use the old AOL addy over again for the NEW AppleID? THIS I can easily see would never fly. Needs a gmail or ymail or hotmail or whateverMail instead?


I am out for the day. Too many Alzheimer's balls to catch today from my Mom - on a real Texas Tornado Tear!


mañana

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Feb 20, 2015 9:07 PM in response to ChitlinsCC

The AOL User Name is not an email address. So the OP stopped using the Apple ID that had his AOL User Name and set up a new Apple ID using his AOL email account. Any valid email will (AOL or otherwise) will continue to work just fine. It is the ones that are an AOL User Name (not an email address) that are being discontinued.


So, if someone has only the one Apple ID and it is using their AOL User Name, they need to go in and change that AOL User Name to any valid email address, and they will continue to be able to use that Apple account.


Does that help? 🙂


GB

Feb 21, 2015 6:44 AM in response to gail from maine

Your explanation is perfect - after a couple of cups of strong coffee and a reasonable amount of sleep. 😉


My understanding:

  • AOL-ScreenName = AlexanderHamiltoon [ AaronBurrrrr @ AOL.com ]
  • {AOL+Apple-OLDway} = AlexanderHamiltoon = Special AppleID - no email address necessary or known by Apple
  • CONVERT AlexanderHamitoon{OLD} > AlexanderHamiltoon (NEW AppleID 'Username" - w/ AaronBurrrrr @ AOL.com as ACTUAL AppleID login credential}
  • All things are well in AppleLand?

*spaces are intentional in email addy


  • OP had already USED the AOL email address for the Normal AppleID (AppleID #2)
  • cannot use that same AOL email address for CONVERTing the AOL ScreenName SPECIAL AppleID to the NEW AppleID
  • easy to comprehend when coffee ingested in proper amounts

buenos dias, amiga

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Feb 21, 2015 7:58 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

Yes, exactly.


Seems that by setting up an Apple ID with my AOL email address several years ago, I've burned my chance to no convert my AOL username Apple ID to AOL address Apple ID.


Gail from Maine - I don't want to re-purchase albums downloaded under my AOL username account. It would be about $100 wasted.


So bottom line, seems like I need to set up a gmail (or other account) just to keep my purchases. Not what I wanted to hear, but I can't see another way out of this.

Feb 21, 2015 8:39 AM in response to pgus1962

pgus


I thought I had it kinda straight - until I got to bleary-eyed readings...


Let me recommend Yahoo Mail - I have had it for years - it has a VERY robust SPAM filter - (80) remaining today before autoTrash - This feature is great in that I NEVER see a SPAM mailing in my Desktop Mail Client, yet if I think I am missing something I can still check to see if it was intercepted by the filter... the last time I remember this happening though was some "Failure to Deliver" notices.


No experience with gMail - I even use my Yahoo ID for Google+.


I hope that you do not end up having to repurchase. That would DEFINITELY be UNcool thing for Apple to require of one when one did nothing silly or non-forward thinking = no crystal ball, accurate or otherwise.


buenos dias, amigo

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Feb 21, 2015 8:53 AM in response to pgus1962

Sorry - not understanding. If your Apple ID is an AOL email address (as opposed to an AOL User Name), then you do not have to change it. It is the IDs set up with an AOL User Name (like Penny123) that need to be changed to an actual email address....


The information I was providing was for a poster that already had set up a different Apple ID with that AOL email address. This person also had an Apple ID with an AOL User Name, so they already had two Apple IDs. There is no need to re-purchase anything. The only requirement is to change the AOL User Name Apple ID to an email address, and it cannot be changed to an AOL email address if you already have another Apple ID set up with that email address. Once the AOL User Name has been changed to a valid email address, even if you do have a separate Apple account using the AOL email address, you can still update any apps (or access any music via iTunes) for that old ID by simply supplying the password to the old ID when asked. I always recommend that people with more than one Apple ID that has purchased under it to make the password the same on those Apple IDs so that the request for the password will elicit the same result (i.e., typing in a password).


Cheers,


GB

Feb 21, 2015 9:33 AM in response to gail from maine

I think you're both right. I have both the AOL username Apple ID (that I made purchases on but no longer use) as well as an AOL e-mail address Apple ID. (I also have @mac, @me.com and @icloud).


I can't convert (actually merge is a better term) my AOL username Apple ID to any of my other Apple ID's so I have to create yet another Apple ID.


ChitlinsCC - Funny you should bring it up, but I did use a Yahoo account. I forgot I had one already that I use for Flickr. As I've never used it with an Apple ID before, this worked.


Now to log into Apple as my old self, instead of using p***** (my AOL username), I use p*****@yahoo.com.


Apple's intended solution only works if you hadn't already created an Apple ID with your AOL e-mail address. I have, so I had to use another e-mail address. I'll just add it to the pile 😁


As far as Apple ID's, I guess I have just as many as before. I simply changed one.

Feb 22, 2015 8:43 AM in response to pgus1962

Apologies just when I thought I was ok, I am confused again!


Can someone confirm for me:

My account was initially set up many years ago as an AOL username dp*******, sometime ago I amended this be an Apple ID dp*******@aol.com.


Am i right in thinking that as I am using my AOL email address as my Apple ID / login, I do not need to do anything?


Or.... do I need to update my Apple ID to an alternate email address such as dp*******@btinternet.com ?


Many thanks, but clarification would be much appreciated.

Feb 22, 2015 10:02 AM in response to putleyfamily

  • AppleIDs are not the UserName you chose = "putleyfamily", but instead the Primary email address you used to register OR later changed if desired
  • AOL ScreenName registration was a feature once upon a time - yours = " dp******* " = NO email address involved other than a contact email
  • Your AOL ScreenName is the one that must be converted to a "normal" AppleID = one with an email address as its identifier
  • If indeed your "putleyfamily" AppleID was registered using your AOL email address - dp*******@aol.com - you cannot REuse that email address in the conversion and that is where I am stuck by not being able to go further
  • If you can Convert your AOL-ScreenName-AppleID using anything other than you AOL email address, that should be the path of least resistance = one step


I am sure I will be corrected if I am wrong in this understanding - try the conversion w/ the 'alternate' email you state - you cna always Cancel and start again after modifying "putleyfamily"


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Convert AOL username to Apple ID when I already use the Apple ID

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