Email address not available for use as an Apple ID - but IS for reachable at?

It's pretty simple and I'm surprised Apple didn't explain the reason. An email address that is already associated with an Apple ID cannot be used as an Apple ID.

"Associated with" in this context means that the email address is not:

• already in use as an Apple ID
• used as an alias for an Apple ID
• used as a "rescue email address"
• used as an "alternate email address"

The solution in the latter two cases is to remove that email address from the Apple ID with which it is associated. It will then be available for a new Apple ID, or can be associated with another Apple ID.

Also, any email address that has ever been used for an Apple ID can never again be used for a new Apple ID, even if that email address has become defunct or no longer exists. For all anyone knows, Apple IDs are immortal.

It seems unlikely that Apple wouldn't have been able to explain this to you. Perhaps I'm misunderstanding your question, but if that's the case and Apple couldn't help you I certainly won't be able to either.

I didn't have this issue until I updated my phone to iOS 11. Previously, I was reachable at both the family email (associated with the head-of-household Apple ID) and my preferred personal email (which was a different Apple ID). After the update, my husband's phone number and email address (his Apple ID) were merged into the "reachable" section, but not mine.

We were sharing certain features of iCloud (like paid storage space and Photos). We would sign into the family Apple ID on the phone and then use our personal ID's for Messages. With iOS 11, some of these settings were merged so now the phone Apple ID is also used for Messages. We have been untangling our Apple ID's. He now signs into his phone with his own Apple ID and I have removed his phone number and email from the "reachable" section on mine (associated with the family Apple ID).

I have updated my personal Apple ID so that it no longer has my preferred email associated with it (it's not the Apple ID, "reachable" or recovery). I've gone through every Apple ID account linked to our family and my preferred email is not listed on any of them. I've tried to retrieve my password for my preferred email and it says it is not an Apple ID.

I've also logged out of and back into messages and facetime on all my devices (computers, tablets, phones). Still says it's "invalid" or "not available" when I try to add it to the "reachable" list. I did find it interesting that before I logged out on my computer, I was still able to send/receive a message from my daughter's phone to my preferred email, so I think I'm just going to wait and see if the changes simply need some time to refresh through all the settings/systems.

On a side note, I tried adding another gmail account that had never been associated with an Apple ID to the "reachable" list and it worked.

So I think John is right about what the issue is, but I also think Apple tinkered with the settings in iOS11 in such a way as to not allow addresses that had ever been an Apple ID or even associated with an ID to be added to the "reachable" list. This is wrong and should be fixed.

Your best course is to persist with calling Apple with your case number as the first thing you offer to the front line specialist - then have an "elevator pitch" story ending with the fact that an "engineer" level person has not returned your call (could be "on vacation" for all we know!)

In all my years of Mac use, I have had only five issues which required contacting Apple employees... ALL five required climbing the ladder of supervisors - three up five rungs.

Out of curiosity, what "domain" is the email address? (like username @ gmail.com)

Next, what is stopping y'all from getting a free email account from gmail.com or yahoo.com or outlook.com and using that one in the meantime?

You can always try to change it later > Change your Apple ID - Apple Support > then > What to do after you change your Apple ID email address or password - Apple Support

This is a user to user forum only. Apple is not here. Apple does not answer questions here.

Late 2012 Mac mini, macOS 10.12.6;  Watch, watchOS 3.2.3; iPad Air 2 & iPhone 6+, iOS 10.3.3; TV 4th Gen, tvOS 10.2.1;  Airport Express

OK

Sounds like a riddle inside a puzzle within an enigma for engineering then.

I cannot cite the threads, because I never "participated" in them, but I am sure I recall seeing several Apple ID creation issues regarding gmail.com addresses (enough where this sticks in my mind means PLENTY 😉)

May be that someone else here will also remember this and be able to put their finger on a solution or at least an explanation