Must change Apple ID to an email address?

[Bbiwer14]

History: I already have two Apple IDs. One I don't know the password and don't have the email anymore (hotmail sucks) and so I can't retrieve it and therefore I can't authorize music from way back when. My second one is simply a username (no .me or .gmail or anything).

When I upgraded MacOS and iOS, I thought I'd set up iCloud. When I went to do that, it gave me the error that "Apple ID Upgrade Required... You must change your Apple ID login to an email address" When I go through Apple to do that, I submit the form to use my verified email address (.gmail) as the new Apple ID. It claims that it's all set but when I go back to iCloud, it won't let me use that. I've been trying to do this for hours and at this point I am ready to create a new iCloud account, however, I'm concerned that if I do that, I'll have THREE Apple IDs. I don't want to do that.

😡😡😡 please help before I rip all of my hair out! THANKS!

 

[Nirdgirl]

I have no solution but am glad I'm not crazy. This stupid issue has wasted hours of my time.

 

[d21mike]

Did you go here: appleid.apple.com

Then login with:

userid@gmail.com
password

It should show userid@gmail.com as your Apple ID and Primary Email Address at the top and it should be "Verified". You can also add an Alternate Email Address.

Assuming above is good I would think you could use your userid@gmail.com as you iCloud ID. Of course if you want to use iCloud Email you will also need to setup a userid@me.com email address.

 

[thefermiparadox]

single word apple ID

Single word apple ID's (no .me or .gmail or anything) are screwed. All of us who have them are screwed. I tried emailing support and they are so confused. They think I have a password problem. No! The problem is you made thousands of people's accounts non-existent by not allowing us to edit our apple ID during the change to icloud. My apple ID was just my name and what do you know..........one day it just ceases to exist. I don't know how they can get away with this. Someone on another forum said they were able to get apple support to transfer their purchases to their new email-based apple ID. I have not had success though.

The apple/Itunes reps seem unaware of the change at the end of June 2012. It's shocking. We are all screwed who have a non-email based apple ID. I would love for someone to prove me wrong or let me know how they got the problem resolved. So far all I have read online is the same problem over and over with no resolution. I don't even know how many hours I have spent initially trying to figure out what the hell happened and then days and days researching online why the hell this happened. I'm now in correspondence with a rep that is telling me my original apple ID I had for years does not show up as one of my apple accounts. This is insane. 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡

 

[chaseychasem]

It's possible that your verified e-mail address is the account name for the forgotten Apple ID that you mention. If that's the case, you won't be able to use said e-mail address, verified or not, to name a second Apple ID. I'm in the process of canceling one Apple ID in order to free up the associated e-mail address for an older alias-only account that I'd started up again without remembering what was what but would now like to change over.

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In any case, it sounds like the best idea is to convert alias-only Apple IDs to the new e-mail nomenclature before signing up for iCloud? Is iCloud choking on alias-only Apple IDs?

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"Newer" nomenclature, I mean. 😉

 

[thefermiparadox]

Thanks for the response chaseychasem. Appreciate it. Interesting, I did not even think about trying to use the email address linked to my forgotten name only apple ID. Now that makes sense why Itunes said most of my purchases were under an email address I have never used as an apple ID. It must be where receipts are sent (alternate email).

I did not know you can cancel an apple ID to free up the associated email. Smart move. I'm having the same problem knowing what is what with so many email accounts.

I agree. "In any case, it sounds like the best idea is to convert alias-only Apple IDs to the new e-mail nomenclature before signing up for iCloud." I don't think we the customer can do this.

Is iCloud choking on alias-only Apple IDs?. After the update happened I would try to update an app or download a new one and alias-only ID came up but it said my password is wrong which is not the truth. I went through every route: dob verification, security question and having them email me my password. Of course no email came. So I created a new email based ID. It's unfortunate I lose the apps and appbooks I paid for. I had some sweet appbooks on my ipad.

 

[chaseychasem]

I did not know you can cancel an apple ID to free up the associated email. Smart move. I'm having the same problem knowing what is what with so many email accounts.

Heh, well, it used to be possible, but a day after I wrote that post I learned via e-mail that cancellation of Apple IDs has temporarily been suspended. Bit of a mess, and the realization appears to have dawned on them. In the interim I've been able to use my wire-crossed e-mail address to create a fresh Apple ID, but only during setup of a new MBP (website wouldn't let me). Yet I can't create a support forum identity with this fresh Apple ID because of said e-mail address. Inconsistent and conflicting semi-architectures at work.

 

[thefermiparadox]

Inconsistent and conflicting semi-architectures at work.
Yesterday 02:15 PM

That's for sure. You would think they have some smart people at apple to rewrite the programming to allow more seamless functionality. I found out my app purchases are on my macbook. It appears they under one of the two new email based apple ID's I created recently. So strange how that happened. I just need to decide which ID I want to use for all future purchases & downloads: the new name@mac.com or yahoo email.