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Chad H

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 13, 2008
764
0
Auburn, AL
Hey guys,
I recently switched everything over to a Gmail account. I was wondering if it's possible to change my login name or Apple ID to that email? It's currently "chad.au@me.com" which I've had for years. I didn't know if I needed to call Apple or not. I've looked online and couldn't find an option to change it. Thanks!
 

impaler

macrumors 6502
Feb 20, 2006
474
52
USA
You can't change Apple ID email addresses. Been a real problem for many years. You can create a second email attached to that Apple ID, at https://appleid.apple.com. If you want to check your email in one place, just set up forwarding of your iCloud email to Gmail on the iCloud.com site.
 

jimthing

macrumors 68000
Apr 6, 2011
1,974
1,123
That's incorrect, you could change your A-ID to your new address at https://appleid.apple.com if it wasn't already a me.com/icloud.com one.

...that's because me.com (along with the newer icloud.com) email addresses CANNOT be updated to a current non-me.com email A-ID – as they were, and continue to, already be an A-ID automatically on their creation by the user.
(Which has been a pain in the butt for several thousands of Apple users like myself who were effectively forced to use two separate A-ID's for iTunes and iCloud, thanks to Apple not allowing non-email A-ID's to set-up and sign-into the iCloud services when they were released a couple of years ago. A completely ill-conceived thought process that one turned out to be, thanks Apple!)

So as you are already a me.com A-ID user, your only option is to add the gmail address as the alternate email, where you'll recieve any related emails from Apple concerning your account (eg. if it's used for iTunes, then receipts will go to the gmail), but you'll have to continue to sign-in with the me.com address, I'm afraid.

It's the same with everyone these days though... wanna use Google services: you'll need a Gmail email to do so. Wanna use MS services: you'll need a MS email to do so, AFAIR. The only thing I know is that at least Google allow you to sign-in on some of their services with any alternative email addresses they have for you on account which half-helps (although you can't choose which email address you receive notifications from, annoyingly!).

Sign-in's are becoming a big pain in the proverbial more and more these days, as companies fail to understand we don't NEED their damn email service, we're just trying to sign-in and do NOT want to get our comms from them to the email address they force us to have.
 
Last edited:

Primejimbo

macrumors 68040
Aug 10, 2008
3,295
131
Around
Is it different when an Apple ID is a .me? I changed my Apple ID from gmail ot outlook about a year ago and no issues. It's not added as a 2nd email, it's the Apple ID. All my iTunes stuff says "Apple ID xxxx@outlook.com".
 

Chad H

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Feb 13, 2008
764
0
Auburn, AL
Is it different when an Apple ID is a .me? I changed my Apple ID from gmail ot outlook about a year ago and no issues. It's not added as a 2nd email, it's the Apple ID. All my iTunes stuff says "Apple ID xxxx@outlook.com".
It might, that's what mine is. So I can't change it and always have to remember the login as that email instead of my new one? That sucks because I would just start a new one if I hadn't had this one for years and got tons of stuff with it. Nice Apple, really nice.
 

Primejimbo

macrumors 68040
Aug 10, 2008
3,295
131
Around
It might, that's what mine is. So I can't change it and always have to remember the login as that email instead of my new one? That sucks because I would just start a new one if I hadn't had this one for years and got tons of stuff with it. Nice Apple, really nice.

I would try it, like it said I had no issues changing my Apple ID from gmail to outlook.
 

jimthing

macrumors 68000
Apr 6, 2011
1,974
1,123
I would try it, like it said I had no issues changing my Apple ID from gmail to outlook.

There's no need to try it, as you simply CANNOT do this for me.com/icloud.com email addresses, period. You CAN do it for non-Apple to non-Apple emails addresses, as I said above.

Sucks, badly. But welcome to Apple's "Apple ID world" where they punish their own email users forcing them to use two separate A-ID's while non-Apple email users can simply use just a single one! While this suits Apple's backend systems, logical it certainly isn't.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,419
43,307
You can change the email address that is associated with the apple id, but you cannot change the apple id itself.
 

Hitch08

macrumors 6502
Oct 21, 2008
361
20
I am confused by this same issue. Unfortunately, I don't understand the posts above well enough to solve my confusion. Maybe someone can help me.

My original iTunes/App Store Apple ID is a XXXX@comcast.net. As most have done, my iCloud account is a XXXX@me.com.

Is there a way to merge my XXXX@comcast.net Apple ID into my XXXX@me.com Apple ID? I'm not concerned about the email notifications of purchases. I can work through that.

If there is no way to merge those accounts, then I would like to just start using my XXXX@me.com Apple ID for both iTunes/App Store and iCloud.

From reviewing online, I understand that there is a 90-day freeze in downloading when you change your Apple ID in iTunes. If I already have everything on my MAC and my iPhone, is this really an issue?

My intention is to permanently switch to my XXXX@me.com account. I would switch it on my iPhone and my iPad. I would also switch it on my Mac. Can someone explain what issues that switch is likely to create?

I will not have an issue with more than 10 iOS devices. Also, I don't see how I would have an issue with the XXXXX@me.com Apple ID being associated with 5 computers.

Also, I don't use iTunes Match.

Am I missing anything?
 

impaler

macrumors 6502
Feb 20, 2006
474
52
USA
Is there a way to merge my XXXX@comcast.net Apple ID into my XXXX@me.com Apple ID? I

Not being flippant - but no. No merging of Apple IDs exist.

----------

You can change the email address that is associated with the apple id, but you cannot change the apple id itself.

If it's a iCloud ID, you cannot change the email address associated with it. Therefore, you can't change the Apple ID. You're essentially stuck with it.
 
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