14 DAY TRIAL // Sometimes you just need to make a change. Whether it’s getting a new job, dumping a drunken boyfriend, or adopting a new operating system, these things never come easy. However, there’s one thing you can change effortlessly, and that’s your Apple ID.
Say you set it up in the MobileMe days. You’re probably stuck with an @me.com or @mac.com address for your login credentials. Or maybe you set it up when iCloud came about, which means it probably reads [yourname]@icloud.com.
All you need to do is pick a different email address. It can be anything from gmail.com to live.com, even Yahoo! So this is how to change what is essentially your login name (Not the password, mind you. That’s a different matter altogether):
Step 1 – sign out
First things first. See that you’re logged out of anything that has required you to connect with an Apple ID. This includes the iTunes Store (with its various branches), FaceTime, Find My iPhone, iCloud, etc.
Step 2 – go to My Apple ID
Visit this handy little URL appleid.apple.com, select Manage your Apple ID and sign in. Next to Apple ID and Primary Email Address, select Edit. Punch in the new email address that you want to use as your Apple ID, select Save Changes, and wait for an email to hit your inbox on that particular address.
Step 3 – verify with Apple
Apple will ask you to verify that the email address you entered is correct. This step is also a good way to ensure that it’s you who wants to change the ID and not someone else. So open the email from Apple and click Verify Now.
Step 4 – sign in with your new credentials
Upon clicking the verification URL, My Apple ID should open in your browser. Here, sign in with your new Apple ID email address and the password that you already had in use. You should see a message saying something that the process has completed, which basically means you’re home free. From now on, you can use your new Apple ID and forget the old one. You can switch back of course, using the exact same steps.