iPhone Can't create an additional icloud mailbox

[Zanuda]

Hi,
Maybe sounds like a uber-simple thing, but... spent half an hour trying and still have no clue what the problem is.
iPhoneX with iOS13.6, Apple ID with a Hotmail address. I need to set another .icloud mailbox and either to:
a) replace an existing Hotmail in my Apple ID or
b) simply add one more mailbox (which has to be .cloud) to my phone.
Started with (b) via Settings/AppleID/iCloud/Mail/Create, but keep bumping into "Problem Turning On Mail, There was a problem turning on your email, try again". Restarted the phone, no change. I guess something necessary is turned off, but I have no idea what it might be.
Will appreciate any help.
Thanks!

 

[0128672]

You set up a new Mailbox by going to the Mail app, not Settings. Go to the Mailboxes view and tap Edit. In the bottom right you'll see an option for New Mailbox.

 

[Zanuda]

Well, I do not have an .icloud address yet and my understanding is that using Settings/AppleID/etc I can set everything up at once.
Do I get it tight that you're suggesting to set up a new mailbox at icloud.com and then link it as a new mailbox?
Thank you.

 

[0128672]

Well, I do not have an .icloud address yet and my understanding is that using Settings/AppleID/etc I can set everything up at once.
Do I get it tight that you're suggesting to set up a new mailbox at icloud.com and then link it as a new mailbox?
Thank you.

No, that's not what I'm suggesting. It almost sounds like you want to create a new Apple ID or make changes to your existing Apple ID. Remember you can only be signed into your iPhone under one Apple ID, and that's the Apple ID used for Mail.

If you want to make changes to your existing Apple ID, go to appleid.apple.com.

If you want to add a mailbox to Mail, go into your Mail app on your iPhone, and then use the steps I noted above. You can also do it via icloud.com but it's easier via your phone.

I'm happy to answer other questions related to this, but I want to make sure I understand what you're trying to do.

 

[Zanuda]

I'm happy to answer other questions related to this, but I want to make sure I understand what you're trying to do.

Thanks a lot! I really appreciate your help.
What I would like to do right now is just to add one more mailbox (which has to be .cloud) to my phone without touching my ID. I do not have this mailbox yet (i.e. it physically does not exist). So if I follow your directions, will the system actually create a new .cloud mailbox for me? Or do I have to set it up first elsewhere and then only to provide the credentials to add it to the phone?

 

[0128672]

What I think you're saying is you want a new @icloud.com mail account. There's a difference between adding a new mailbox and adding a new account.

- Adding a new mailbox means adding a new mail folder to your existing Mail account (which is your Apple ID). An example might be a mailbox called Receipts.

- Adding a new account could be if you wanted to add, say, a Gmail or Outlook account you already have to use with the Mail app. Each of those has its own Inbox. For Apple accounts though you can only have one for Mail.

You can update your current Apple ID so that you can replace your Hotmail with an @icloud.com in your Apple ID. The instructions are in this support article:

Change your Apple ID - Apple Support

Change the email address that you use as your Apple ID.

support.apple.com

--- OR ---

You can add up to 3 email aliases to your existing account. Doing that won't create a new mailbox, and all the mail will still go to one inbox. I'm not 100% sure if that works if your Hotmail address is used for your Apple ID, but here's a good Macrumors how-to guide about email aliases:

How to Use iCloud Email Address Aliases

Apple enables iCloud account holders to use email aliases, which allow you to send and receive emails without disclosing your true email address. ...

www.macrumors.com

Let me know if any of this is unclear or you have other questions.

 

[Zanuda]

Thanks for detailed explanations! But I must admit that I probably don't really understand the concept itself, mea culpa...
So now I have an Apple ID with only one (Hotmail) e-mail linked to it. Also, in the Mail app I have only this one (Hotmail) mailbox. And I have no .cloud mailboxes/addresses whatsoever.
What I'd like to have as a final result are:
a) to dump Hotmail and replace it with a new .cloud address in my ID
b) to have another (second) .cloud address that I won't use for logging into ID, but which will receive e-mails via Mail app.
What you suggested in the latest post makes perfect sense for point (a), I have only one question.The how-to at apple.support.com does not specify if the new (.cloud) address should already exist or will they let me create it (login/password) right in the process?

 

[0128672]

I found instructions specifically showing screens changing your Apple ID from your Hotmail address to an icloud.com address. You can apparently do this right on your phone. It shows that you create the new icloud.com address in the steps. I hope this works for you!

How to Change Apple ID to iCloud Email Address

It is now possible to Change Apple ID to iCloud.com Email Address on iPhone, iPad and also by logging into your Apple Account on Mac or PC.

www.techbout.com

 

[Zanuda]

Wow, this is the third totally different path to do the same thing!
But again, after reading this it seems the icloud.com address should already exist before I try to switch to it.
For example, when I logged into my Apple ID and tried to replace an existing Hotmail address with a new icloud.com, I was told that I can do that only with existing icloud.com addresses. My question here is - how do I set a new icloud.com address?
Thanks for you time and sorry for bothering you with this.

 

[0128672]

If it's not giving you the option to create an icloud.com address to substitute, I'm not sure there is a way without creating a new Apple ID. Maybe it's time to call or chat with Apple Support.

 

[Zanuda]

Thanks for your time!
Just in case, what I was trying to do from the very beginning is suggested for example here (and a few other places):
https://osxdaily.com/2016/05/24/create-icloud-com-email-address/

 

[Apple_Robert]

You can create a new Apple ID on your phone. You would need to log out of your current account first.

How to Create an iCloud Email

If your Apple ID isn't an iCloud.com email account, create one now to access Apple email. Even if you don't have an Apple ID, you can still create an iCloud email.

www.lifewire.com

Once you create a iCloud account, follow Namara’s instructions. That should get your Apple ID account changed from hotmail to icloud.

 

[0128672]

You can create a new Apple ID on your phone. You would need to log out of your current account first.

How to Create an iCloud Email

If your Apple ID isn't an iCloud.com email account, create one now to access Apple email. Even if you don't have an Apple ID, you can still create an iCloud email.

www.lifewire.com

Once you create a iCloud account, follow Namara’s instructions.

OP is trying to create an iCloud.com account without creating a new Apple ID, but I don't think there's a way to do that.

 

[Apple_Robert]

OP is trying to create an iCloud.com account without creating a new Apple ID, but I don't think there's a way to do that.

That can’t be done.

 

[Zanuda]

That can’t be done.

OK, got it (though, to my surprise, it is not stated explicitly anywhere, including Apple support).
But then, after I create a new Apple ID (with a new icloud.com mail), how will it be related to the old ID? If I want to dump the old Hotmail, I'll probably need to dump the whole ID, right? Do I have to migrate anything from one account to another?

P.S. Sorry for asking possibly stupid questions, but all this system seems to be kind of... counter-intuitive...

 

[0128672]

OK, got it (though, to my surprise, it is not stated explicitly anywhere, including Apple support).
But then, after I create a new Apple ID (with a new icloud.com mail), how will it be related to the old ID? If I want to dump the old Hotmail, I'll probably need to dump the whole ID, right? Do I have to migrate anything from one account to another?

P.S. Sorry for asking possibly stupid questions, but all this system seems to be kind of... counter-intuitive...

Yes, if you create a new Apple ID, you will lose what's associated with your existing ID. I think at this point you should contact Support.

 

[Apple_Robert]

OP, have you made any App Store or iTunes purchases under your hotmail Apple ID? If not, simply create a new iCloud account and use that as your main Apple ID for logging into your devices and purchases or however you wish to use it. If you have made purchases under the hotmail email Apple ID, I believe what @Namara posted earlier with the link should work after you create a iCloud account.

If you feel uncomfortable attempting the change from hotmail, do as Namara suggested and have Apple support walk you through the steps.

 

[0128672]

The thing is too you are allowed to have more than one Apple ID, but you can only use one at a time on a device. I have two Apple IDs. One I use only for Game Center, and the other I use for everything else.

 

[Zanuda]

The thing is too you are allowed to have more than one Apple ID, but you can only use one at a time on a device.

I'm afraid I'm getting more and more confused, because obviously still don't understand something (basic?). Could anyone explain me what was done here? Seems to me like 2 IDs...

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OP, have you made any App Store or iTunes purchases under your hotmail Apple ID?

Yes, this is a little problem...I have. On the other hand, suspect that the thing which did not work on my phone ("creating a new icloud.com address" or whatever it is supposed to do in reality) would simply force me to create a new ID...
BTW, if I decide at some point to reset my phone and create a new account, can I create a new icloud.com ID from the very beginning right from the phone? The reason why I set Hotmail some years ago was that I could not find a way to create a new icloud (since I did not have one).

 

[Apple_Robert]

I'm afraid I'm getting more and more confused, because obviously still don't understand something (basic?). Could anyone explain me what was done here? Seems to me like 2 IDs...

[automerge]1595805277[/automerge]

Yes, this is a little problem...I have. On the other hand, suspect that the thing which did not work on my phone ("creating a new icloud.com address" or whatever it is supposed to do in reality) would simply force me to create a new ID...
BTW, if I decide at some point to reset my phone and create a new account, can I create a new icloud.com ID from the very beginning right from the phone? The reason why I set Hotmail some years ago was that I could not find a way to create a new icloud (since I did not have one).

Yes, you can create a new Apple ID right from the beginning.