Using iCloud alias. Can't change details in Mail app?

[patent10021]

This thread title has been changed. Please skip to my bottom post for the new question re alias / mail app. Thanks

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My mum is on Lion/MacBook but she can't set up iCloud because she doesn't have an iDevice. She does have an AppleID though.

I want her to have a second email address for emergencies/tech problems so I figured iCloud would be the best option since she will soon upgrade her iPhone 3G to the iPhone 5. No point in setting up Gmail as a second account when iCloud will do that and more for her.

I'm trying to wrap my head around this though. I can add her AppleID on my iDevice & MacMini therefore set up iCloud since I will be her right? I have all her email settings and everything.

So from that point Mum's iCloud should be fully set up even though she doesn't have an iOS 5 device right? And from that point on she can go online to iCloud.com and check/use email online instead of needing a gmail account right?

Will I be adding a second AppleID to my iDevice or can I only have one at a time?

Thanks

 

[Mal]

If she's on Lion, she can set up iCloud directly within System Preferences. No need for an iDevice, even to create the account. She can then use iCloud.com or Mail.app to check her email.

jW

 

[patent10021]

If she's on Lion, she can set up iCloud directly within System Preferences. No need for an iDevice, even to create the account. She can then use iCloud.com or Mail.app to check her email.

jW

She is set up on her MacBook. Sorry, I wasn't to clear with the problem. I just went to iCloud.com and logged in fine. But when I clicked on the mail icon it said she needs to set up mail on her device or OS X.

I remember we tried to set up email for her on OS X but we needed a device with iOS5/6 to proceed since those are the OSs used for iCloud.

p.s. Can I do all of this on my end for her even though I am already set up on iCloud? I would just need to change the AppleIDs right? Set her up, tell her the new addy then switch back to my AppleID.

 

[AppleDApp]

She is set up on her MacBook. Sorry, I wasn't to clear with the problem. I just went to iCloud.com and logged in fine. But when I clicked on the mail icon it said she needs to set up mail on her device or OS X.

I remember we tried to set up email for her on OS X but we needed a device with iOS5/6 to proceed since those are the OSs used for iCloud.

p.s. Can I do all of this on my end for her even though I am already set up on iCloud? I would just need to change the AppleIDs right? Set her up, tell her the new addy then switch back to my AppleID.

The Attached photo mentions using iOS or OS X to setup an iCloud. Check this guide to ensure you didn't miss anything.

 

[patent10021]

The Attached photo mentions using iOS or OS X to setup an iCloud. Check this guide to ensure you didn't miss anything.

Yup thanks. What I'd like to know is if I can do all of this on my end then when it's all set up pass the login info off to her.

How will it affect my devices and syncing etc?

 

[AppleDApp]

Yup thanks. What I'd like to know is if I can do all of this on my end then when it's all set up pass the login info off to her.

How will it affect my devices and syncing etc?

Sign in to your mum's account on your computer set everything up log out.

Give the credentials to your mum.

Sign in to your own account.

There shouldn't be any issue if you log back into your account afterwards.

 

[patent10021]

Thanks guys

 

[patent10021]

So I set everything up on my MacMini and iPad just to make sure and then it was easy to pass that info on to my mum and she added iCloud to her MacBook.

Actually it got a bit frustrating because my mum didn't like the address I chose for her (always advise with mum!) so I was searching the Apple forums on how to delete and change iCloud email address (not AppleIDs) but as you know Apple doesn't allow you to change your @me.com and/or @icloud.com email address. You can only create 3 aliases and then use one of them (which is fine because it's the same thing). I didn't know this at first so it got a bit crazy. All is good now though.

However I have one more question. Even though we are using an alias, the Mail app email address and username fields still reflect the original iCloud addy I first chose. I guess this cannot be changed? It won't let me change it. I can enter it in but when I exit I get the spinning beach ball of death and the "the incoming mail server cannot be empty" message.

It doesn't really matter because she is still receiving/sending from the alias we want to use but it would be nice to be able to clean the labeling up in the Mail app prefs.



.

 

[AppleDApp]

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking

 

[patent10021]

I'm not sure I understand what you are asking

iCloud allows for 3 aliases. If the situation ever occurs where you'd like to change your me/icloud email address, you cannot. iCloud only allows you to switch between aliases. This has become a hot topic since users cannot delete the address they originally created. They can only switch to an alias. I don't have a problem with it as it works exactly the same as having a new email address. It's only irritating to not be able to delete an address you don't want.

Anyway, I assumed you would have to edit the mail app prefs to reflect the new alias i.e. change the account user name. But actually you don't touch the prefs. You only need to go into iCloud settings and tell iCloud not to use whatever address you don't want to use. Everything is done behind the scenes. The address you wanted to delete but couldn't becomes invisible, (it's still available if you want it to be), and the alias takes over.

It's just messy that's all. Bad implementation by Apple. It's all over the net since people were having problems transitioning to iOS 6.