email address

Hi james.freefall,

If you would like a different email address, you can create an email alias from your existing email account and set your preferences for iCloud mail to use the new alias. The resource below explains this option in more detail.

iCloud: Create or change email aliases
https://support.apple.com/kb/ph2622?locale=en_US

An email alias is an email address that conceals your actual email address from a recipient.

You can have up to three active email aliases, and you can delete or turn off an email alias at any time. You might want to turn off an alias if, for example, you use an alias to make a purchase. After you receive the item, you can turn off the alias to avoid follow-up advertisements, then turn it on again when you make another purchase.

Deleting an alias is permanent, so if you think you might want to use the alias again, you should simply turn it off. When an alias is turned off, all email sent to that alias is returned to the sender.

Aliases are not transferable. Only the iCloud account that created the alias can use it as an email address.

You can’t use an alias to sign in to iCloud.com, and you can’t use an alias to create a separate iCloud account.

Create an email alias

1. In iCloud Mail (www.icloud.com), click the Action pop-up menu in the sidebar, then choose Preferences.

2. Click Accounts.

3. Click “Add an alias.”

4. Provide the requested information:

   • Alias: The text you provide becomes the email address (alias@icloud.com). An alias must contain between 3 and 20 characters.

   • Full Name: The name you provide appears in the From field of the recipient’s email.

   • Label: iCloud Mail uses the label to categorize messages sent to your account.

   • Label Color: Messages appear in your Inbox with the colored label that you specify.

5. Click OK, then click Done.

Change, turn off, turn on, or delete an alias

1. In iCloud Mail, click the Action pop-up menu in the sidebar, then choose Preferences.

2. Click Accounts.

3. Select the alias in the Addresses list, then do any of the following:

   • To choose a new color for incoming messages, click a Label Color option. Alias labels appear only in the iCloud Mail app on iCloud.com.

   • To change the name or label, enter a new alias name and label in the fields provided. Alias names must contain between 3 and 20 characters.

   • To turn off an alias, select “Disable alias.”

     When an alias is turned off, all email messages addressed to that alias are returned to the sender.

   • To turn on an alias, deselect “Disable alias.”

   • To delete an alias, click Delete.

4. Click Done.

Select addresses you can send from

1. In iCloud Mail, click the Action pop-up menu in the sidebar, then choose Preferences.

2. Click Composing.

3. Click the “Set a default address” pop-up menu, then choose the address you usually use.

4. In the list of addresses, select the ones you want to be able to send from while using iCloud Mail.

   The selected addresses appear in the From pop-up menu when you create a new email message. For instructions, see Send email using an alias.

Set a default address to send from

If you created aliases or you have an @me.com or @mac.com address in addition to your @icloud.com address, you can choose one to use as the default address when sending mail from your iCloud account.

• In iCloud Mail, follow the instructions in “Select addresses you can send from,” above.

• On your iOS 8 device, go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > iCloud. In the Advanced section, tap Mail, tap Email, then tap the address you usually want to send from.

• On your iOS 7 device, go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > iCloud > Account. Tap Mail, tap Email, then tap the address you usually want to send from.

• On your Mac, open Mail, then choose Mail > Preferences. In the Composing pane, click the “Send new messages from” pop-up menu, then choose the address you usually want to send from.

• On your Windows computer, do one of the following:

  • In Outlook 2013 or 2010, choose File > Info > Account Settings > Account Settings, click the Email tab, select the address you usually want to send from, then click “Set as default.”

  • In Outlook 2007, choose Tools > Account Settings, click the Email tab, select the address you usually want to send from, then click “Set as default.”

Send email using an alias

Last Modified: Oct 9, 2015

If you are asking how to change your Apple ID to a different email address, take a look at this article:

Manage your Apple ID account information
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204265

Hope this helps ...

Hi james.freefall,

I understand you do not want to use the @me.com email address. I have an older account like yours, but I never use that email address.

When you turned on the Mail feature of iCloud, you were given an @icloud.com email address and up to three alias email addresses as mentioned above. These are all tied to your Apple ID (@me.com) - but you don't need to use that address for email, only for signing into your iTunes Store and iCloud accounts.

The "Manage your Apple ID account information" above explains how to create a new Apple ID account / email address. Here is some additional information for you.

Frequently asked questions about Apple ID
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204161

Can I update or change my Apple ID?

To manage your Apple ID, just sign in to My Apple ID at any time:

• Change your Apple ID email address to make sure it's one you use frequently.
• Change your password or security questions.
• Add a rescue email address to help you reset your security questions if you ever forget them.
• Add alternate email addresses to make it easier for others to communicate and share with you.
• Use the iTunes Store to update your billing information or check your purchase history.

Why can't I change my Apple ID email address?

You might not be able to change your email address for one of these reasons:

• The email address you chose is already in use as an Apple ID. All email addresses that end in @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com are already Apple IDs.
• You're already using an @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com email address as your Apple ID. In this case, the Apple ID can't be changed to another email address.

Can I merge multiple Apple IDs into one?

Apple IDs can't be merged. We recommend that you use the same Apple ID in the iTunes Store and iCloud. Using multiple Apple IDs might be confusing and might cause issues with accessing purchased content or using some services.

If I purchased music, apps, or books with multiple Apple IDs, how do I move my content onto my iOS device?

First, make sure that all your content is on the same computer. This computer should be the one you sync your device with. Use these steps to copy content from your Mac or PC.

Then authorize your computer to play content with each Apple ID in iTunes. After your computer is authorized for all of your content, you can sync it to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

What if I can't access the email address that I used for my Apple ID?

It's important to keep your Apple ID information up to date. If you no longer have access to the email address you currently use for your Apple ID, simply change it to your current, working email address. This will allow you to continue using your account and will ensure you can receive important account-related emails, reset your password, and more.

You can change your Apple ID to any other email address you control, as long as it's not already in use as an Apple ID.

Last Modified: Oct 21, 2015

Take Care,