Change your email address in Settings, not in the Mail app
To change the email address on your iPhone, open Settings, tap Mail, then Accounts, select the account you want to change, and tap Account. From there you can edit the email address field. The exact steps depend on what type of account it is — an iCloud account, Gmail, Outlook, or another provider — because each one stores and syncs your email differently.
The Mail app itself does not let you change your address. If you try to edit it there, you will not see an option. You have to go through Settings, and you need to know your account password to confirm the change.
If you use iCloud Mail (an address ending in @icloud.com), the process is slightly different because Apple manages that account directly. If you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or another third-party email provider, the steps are the same but the account details you enter must match what that provider has on file.
Key Takeaways
- Open Settings, tap Mail, then Accounts, select your email account, and tap Account to find the email address field.
- You will need your account password to confirm any changes you make to your email address.
- iCloud Mail addresses cannot be changed to a different @icloud.com address, but you can add an alias or create a new iCloud account.
- Changes to third-party accounts like Gmail or Outlook sync across all your devices once you enter the correct password.
- If you change your email address, you may need to update it in other apps and websites that use that account to sign in.
How to change a Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo account on iPhone
Open Settings on your iPhone. Scroll down and tap Mail. Tap Accounts. You will see a list of all email accounts connected to your phone. Tap the one you want to change.
Tap Account at the top of the screen. You will see fields for your email address, password, and other details. Tap the email address field and change it to the new address. Make sure you type it exactly as your email provider has it on file — spaces and capitalization do not matter, but the spelling must be correct.
Tap Done in the top right corner. Your iPhone will ask you to enter your password to confirm the change. Type the password for that email account (not your iPhone password) and tap Done again. Your iPhone will verify the new address with the email provider's servers. This usually takes a few seconds, but can take up to a minute.
Once verification is complete, the change appears on all your Apple devices that use the same iCloud account. If you use the same Gmail or Outlook account on a computer or tablet, you do not need to change it there — it updates automatically.
What to do if you cannot change your email address in Settings
If the email address field is grayed out or will not let you edit it, your account may be locked or managed by an organization. Work email accounts set up through a company's mobile device management system often cannot be changed on the phone itself. Contact your IT department or email administrator to request the change.
If you see an error message after you enter the new address and your password, double-check that you typed both correctly. The password must be the one you use to sign into that email account on a computer or website, not your iPhone passcode. If you have forgotten the password, use the email provider's password recovery tool on their website before trying again on your phone.
If the account is a Gmail account and you have two-factor authentication turned on, you may need to generate an app-specific password instead of using your regular Gmail password. Google requires this for some third-party apps and devices. Go to myaccount.google.com on a computer, find the App Passwords section under Security, and use that password on your iPhone instead.
How to change an iCloud Mail address
iCloud Mail addresses that end in @icloud.com cannot be changed to a different @icloud.com address once they are created. If you want a different iCloud email address, you have two options: create an alias or set up a new iCloud account.
An alias is an alternate email address that sends and receives mail to the same inbox as your main iCloud address. To add one, open Settings, tap your name at the top, tap iCloud, tap Mail, then tap Aliases. Tap the plus sign and follow the prompts to create a new alias. You can have up to three aliases per iCloud account, and you can choose which address appears as the "from" line when you send mail.
If you want a completely separate iCloud email address with its own inbox, you will need to create a new Apple ID. This is more complicated because it creates a separate iCloud account, separate photo library, separate notes, and separate everything else. Most people find an alias is what they actually need.
Update your email address in other apps and websites
Changing your email in Settings only changes it on your iPhone and synced devices. Any app or website that uses your email address to sign in will still have the old address on file. You should update those accounts separately to avoid confusion or lockouts.
Start with accounts you sign into frequently: banking apps, social media, shopping sites, and work platforms. Go to each one's settings or account page and look for an option to change your email address or username. You will usually need to verify the change by clicking a link in an email sent to your old address, so do not delete that account yet.
For accounts you do not use often, make a note of the new email address and update them the next time you sign in. If you forget and get locked out, use the "Forgot Password" or "Forgot Email" option on the login page to recover access.
What happens to your old email address
When you change your email address in Settings, your old address stops receiving mail on that iPhone. However, the old address itself does not disappear — it still exists with your email provider. If you want to keep using it, you can add it back to your iPhone as a separate account by going to Settings, Mail, Accounts, Add Account, and entering the old address again.
If you own the old email address and want to stop using it entirely, you will need to delete or deactivate it through your email provider's website. For Gmail, go to myaccount.google.com and look for the option to delete your account. For iCloud, go to appleid.apple.com. For Outlook, go to account.microsoft.com. Each provider has different rules about whether you can recover a deleted account later, so read their instructions carefully before you delete.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my email address on iPhone change it on my Mac or iPad?
Yes, if those devices are signed into the same iCloud account. Changes sync automatically within a few minutes. If you have a work email account added to multiple devices, you will need to change it on each device separately because work accounts do not sync across devices the way iCloud does.
Can I change my email address without knowing the password?
No. Your iPhone requires the account password to confirm any changes for security reasons. If you do not know the password, use your email provider's password recovery tool on their website first. For Gmail, go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery. For Outlook, go to account.live.com/password/reset.
What if I change my email address but forget to update my banking app?
Your banking app will still work because it is tied to your account number or username, not your email address. However, if you try to reset your password or recover your account, the bank may send a recovery link to your old email address, which you no longer have access to. Update your email in the app's settings as soon as you can.
Does changing my email address delete my old emails?
No. Your old emails stay on the email provider's servers. If you add your old email address back to your iPhone later, all your old messages will appear again. Changing the address in Settings only changes which address your iPhone uses to send and receive new mail.
Can I use two email addresses on the same iPhone?
Yes. Go to Settings, Mail, Accounts, Add Account, and add as many email addresses as you want. Each one will appear as a separate account in the Mail app, and you can switch between them when you compose a message. You can also set one as your default so new messages go there unless you choose a different account.