iOS 18.1 Includes Option to Set 'Primary' Email Address and Change iCloud Email

[MacRumors]

In iOS 18.1, there is a new option to set a "Primary" email address in the Settings app, which means it is easier to change the main email address associated with your Apple Account. The Primary email address is the one that is visible to other people when collaborating on and sharing documents, sending calendar invites, and more.

Apple did not previously make it easy to change an Apple Account (or Apple ID) email address, despite the fact that it is sometimes visible to other people. To change an Apple Account email before, you had to delete the email you were using, choose another, and go through a verification process.

You can now change the email address and continue to use the prior email for login purposes right alongside the new primary. This setting also comes with an option to change an iCloud.com or me.com email address, so if you have an address you're not fond of, it can finally be swapped to something else.

Prior to iOS 18.1, Apple did not allow users to delete, change, or turn off a primary iCloud Mail address. You could set an alias and use that instead, but the primary email would still sometimes be visible to others. For those who have an embarrassing iCloud email address, there's now an option to change it entirely rather than relying on an alias.

(Thanks, Converseallstar95!)

Article Link: iOS 18.1 Includes Option to Set 'Primary' Email Address and Change iCloud Email

 

[soapropos]

being able to change iCloud address is huge. I think I panic picked mine back when they iCloud first came out and have hated it ever since

 

[cjsuk]

Ok now this is actually good.

Hopefully it’ll work with my custom domain and I can lose the @icloud.com completely. That is by far my favourite feature of iCloud and it really would tie everything up neatly.

 

[borninla]

How can we see this option if we're on iOS 18.1? I've been searching Settings for "Email & Phone Numbers" and don't see anything.

 

[Techwatcher]

About time, this should’ve always been an option.

 

[kagharaht]

i wonder if Apple will get rid of @mac.com address. Mine is perfect since I got on that soon as it was available. Beta testing itools and MobileMe days was fun back then.

 

[Aaronp613]

How can we see this option if we're on iOS 18.1? I've been searching Settings for "Email & Phone Numbers" and don't see anything.

Go to "Sign-In & Security" under your name in settings

 

[isaiahfranco]

How can we see this option if we're on iOS 18.1? I've been searching Settings for "Email & Phone Numbers" and don't see anything.

Go to your Apple Account in Settings and then "Sign-In & Security"

 

[Converseallstar95]

i wonder if Apple will get rid of @mac.com address. Mine is perfect since I got on that soon as it was available. Beta testing itools and MobileMe days was fun back then.

Through this process I was able to keep my .mac email on the account and change the primary to a professional iCloud email. I can still receive email to the XXX@mac.com, XXX@me.com and XXX@icloud.com, but now I have YYY@icloud.com for all the scenarios mentioned in the article.

 

[kevpnw]

One step closing to merging accounts?

 

[scouser75]

Does this also apply to yahoo email addesses used for Apple accounts?

I stupidly used 2 yahoo email addresses for different apple accounts and would love to change them to an icloud email without losing my films that I've purchased.

 

[burgman]

i wonder if Apple will get rid of @mac.com address. Mine is perfect since I got on that soon as it was available. Beta testing itools and MobileMe days was fun back then.

Same but back then I used my full name. Hopefully I now can change it Apple couldn’t do it just delete. Have to research what actually happens so no drama or loss

 

[Juanchin]

Simply stupid that Apple doesn’t allow you to use an address once used for an older apple id. For eg: I had my main account with outlook and opened a secondary (developer) with gmail. As I no longer needed it, I deleted it.
Years later, I’m no longer using my outlook mail in favor of Gmail. But can’t use it for my Apple ID, because Apple wants me to get stuck with the f**** Outlook address. Unbelievable.

 

[Zadigre]

 

[Aaronp613]

View attachment 2436257

I got an error doing it on my iPhone but it worked on my iPad. Both running 18.1 beta 6

 

[CharlesShaw]

Does this also apply to yahoo email addesses used for Apple accounts?

I stupidly used 2 yahoo email addresses for different apple accounts and would love to change them to an icloud email without losing my films that I've purchased.

Yes. I did it recently from my iPhone where the yahoo email was the primary Apple ID, created a new iCloud email from within settings. After 30 days, it let me change to the new iCloud email as the primary.

 

[211]

I created my Apple Account way back when only a username was needed, not even an email address, with AOL. Later, I had to create another Apple Account as Apple no longer recognizes non-email addresses for iCloud, etc. So all my iTunes purchases are in my username-only Apple Account and everything else is in my email Apple Account. It’s such a mess.

 

[activate]

Ok now this is actually good.

Hopefully it’ll work with my custom domain and I can lose the @icloud.com completely. That is by far my favourite feature of iCloud and it really would tie everything up neatly.

Yes I am contemplating something similar. I think I would prefer to keep the Apple ID login address as iCloud, one that hasn't been used yet so a new one. Then all the personal email addresses based of my custom domain and all the accounts based on hide my email

 

[thewhitehart]

This is a big deal in my opinion. I guess the iCloud engineers themselves got tired of the absurdity of not being able to change a primary email address to one you'd like to use.

 

[jake.au]

Thank god I can finally change my primary icloud address which had been leaked to scammers

 

[ThailandToo]

Can anyone tell me if it’s possible to stop using my Gmail as my Apple Account email and make a new iCloud email address my primary? And if possible, how would I do that? Thanks in advance.

 

[ThailandToo]

One step closing to merging accounts?

That would be the ultimate. How is should that be? Simple!

 

[Zadigre]

I got an error doing it on my iPhone but it worked on my iPad. Both running 18.1 beta 6

I only have one iOS device… which is my iPhone.

 

[mansplains]

Finally! Now I can trash the spam haven my email became!

 

[iBluetooth]

Finally. I used a throw away email for my appleID which was a mistake.