I keep being told 'this email address is taken', but it is mine - Help.

Let's go back to the beginning.

Why were you not able to amend your original Apple ID? Because the iCloud email address you are wanting to keep is associated with that Apple ID and always will be.

So, can you fill me in as to what was preventing you from amending your originally Apple ID?

Ideally, you do not want to create a new one. All of your purchases as well as your iCloud information is associated with that old ID, and will go away if you do away with it. So, if at all possible, we need to see if we can get your existing ID to where you want it to be.

Cheers,

GB

Hi gail, thanks for your advice. I don't think anyone could have helped me totally, so I managed to call apple, for 2 hours, they were great. Didn't know I could call them for free and especially out of warranty. All is now fixed. Even have my old email address back. Can now try to get some sleep! Thank you.

The instructions provided by Roger are what I would have suggested you do next. Note that you will NOT be able to EDIT your old Apple ID when you sign onto it at Manage your Apple ID to be the NEW one that you already set up. Can you create a different new email address with your safe provider? If you can, then:

1. Go to Manage your Apple ID Apple - My Apple ID, sign in with the old hotmail address to access your old ID.

2. Once you have successfully signed in, click on the EDIT button next to that hotmail address and change it to your new Apple ID email address. You will have to verify it, but once you do, your old iCloud Account will once again be usable.

Think of it this way: Your Apple Account has an Apple ID and an iCloud ID. They both belong to that same account forever, so if you want to change your Apple ID, but are fond of your iCloud ID, then you would have to change your Apple ID on that account to be able to keep using that same iCloud account.

If you cannot sign onto your old Apple ID because you forgot your password, and you cannot remember the answers to the Security Questions, contact Apple Support to have them reset the Security Questions for you so you can sign in and follow the instructions to change the ID:

ACCOUNT SECURITY CONTACT

As Roger also said: BE SURE TO SIGN OUT OF ALL OF YOUR APPS - ITUNES, FACETIME, MESSAGES, ICLOUD before you change your ID. Then sign them all back in again once you have successfully changed the Apple ID on your account.

Cheers,

GB

barneycat wrote:

I have really mucked up. Started with creating a new Apple ID as I just could not amend my old one. I have now deleted my much loved icloud email address. It looks like I need to make up a new one. Icloud keeps telling me to 'choose an icloud email address'. I then add my old one, and then I am told it is already taken. But it has got to be mine. Please help. Please don't tell me to telephone Apple - my MBC is out of warranty and a shop is nowhere to be seen around here. I have no idea how to use a backup - i have a separate hard drive, but just can't fathom it. Will I have to use a new icloud address and say goodbye to all my saved emails and contacts? Help. Teardrop.

As I was going through paper work looking for specs on my mac -- found where the issue is with apple Id's/mail where the user is not a heavy ITUNES purchaser.

WIth my first mac - before mac.com email -- you set up ITUNES using your email address from your internet provider. -- Somewhere along the line, if you signed up for the early mac email - things changed 😕 very confusing -- I was getting email through mac.com but didn't have the address to get into any more through the web - was able to re-establish same mac email on ITUNES but did have to reset secret questions and password. Had not used ITUNES shop since I purchased 3 songs many many years ago.

Because you are trying to establish a new account rather than convert to icloud it will give you an error message on email address - not unusual have had it happen more than one on other sites.

Unless the OP had an Apple domain email address for the Apple ID, there is no reason it cannot be changed to something else. Again, the iCloud account that the OP is attached to is linked to the original Apple ID account. The Apple ID on that account needs to be changed, if possible. And, again, unless it is an Apple domain email address, there is nothing that should prevent that.

GB

gail from maine wrote:

Unless the OP had an Apple domain email address for the Apple ID, there is no reason it cannot be changed to something else. Again, the iCloud account that the OP is attached to is linked to the original Apple ID account. The Apple ID on that account needs to be changed, if possible. And, again, unless it is an Apple domain email address, there is nothing that should prevent that.

GB

OP's problem is they are creating a new ICLOUD account rather than converting an existing one -from mail me or mac .com versions of mac mail or even previous using a third party email id as your apple itunes account ID.

Hopefully on new accounts - apple has started checking all email accounts including aliases - - I have 1 alias in mac.oom that I use for product warrantee setup - and last year apparently someone set up Icloud account using the alias - so I was receiving their e-mail -- was resolved when I contacted apple through feedback from mail application - stating the problem -- and, when the other party tested the mail id by forwarding mail to it - was able to send them an e-mail explaining why they were not getting their mail.

The OP should contact apple to correct the issue with their account -- this is not a hardware issue but an account issue.

That, of course, is the issue. You seemed to have missed the first part of the OP's post: "as I just could not amend my old one"....

I don't think the OP actually wants a new iCloud ID.....

Until we hear back from the OP we will not know, but I think you misread the intention of the post.

GB

As explained, the @icloud.com address which was part of the iCloud account using your original Apple ID cannot be moved to another account.

On your Mac, Go to System Preferences>iCloud and click 'Sign out' to leave the new account. Then sign back in with the original account. This should put things back as they were in the first place.

If you want to change the Hotmail address which forms the original Apple ID this should be possible. Before doing so you need to sign out on all your devices, or you will run into problems. Once you've done that, go to http://appleid.apple.com and sign in with the Hotmail address. Next to that address you should see an 'Edit' link which will enable you to enter a different address (which must be a working one not currently associated with another Apple ID). Once done you can sign back in on all your devices.

When you sign out on all your devices your synced data will disappear from them, but will reappear once you sign back in with the new ID (give it time).

I reiterate - sign out on all your devices before you change the ID. Not doing so can lead to serious problems.

Hi, I spent about 2 hours on the phone to Apple. It took ages to fix. I had more than one ID etc etc; I can't even begin to understand how they fixed it. All credit to the 2 Apple guys who fixed it. I even got my old email address back. Many thanks for your help. I have now lost the name barneycat, and searched like mad to find it so I could reply to you, as I now have my old name back. Confused? You will be, as they say, but thanks for your interest. After seeing all the probs with IDs, I at least now know I'm not the only one. Still haven't caught up with my lost sleep!

Hi Roger, many thanks for your reply. To be honest I was so lost I don't think anyone could help me 100%. I was on the phone to Apple for 2 hours and they were great. I now even have my old email address back. I also now have my old ID back and so did not have access via my then new nickname, so searched for that name to at least thank you, which I do. Still with me! Regards.

You are most welcome. Glad you are all set now!

Best of luck,

GB