The two ways to change your iCloud email

You can change your iCloud email address in two ways: by creating a new iCloud email alias, or by changing your primary Apple ID email entirely. An alias is a second email address that works with your existing account — you keep your original address and add a new one. Changing your primary email replaces your main login address and is harder to undo, so most people use an alias instead.

If you want a completely different email address and do not mind the setup work, you can change your primary email. If you just want an additional address to use for mail while keeping your current one active, an alias takes five minutes and carries no risk.

Key Takeaways

  • An iCloud email alias adds a second address to your account without removing your original one, and takes about five minutes to set up through Settings on any Apple device.
  • Changing your primary Apple ID email replaces your login address entirely and requires you to verify the new address before the change takes effect.
  • If you change your primary email, you cannot switch back to your old one unless you wait 30 days and have not used it for anything else in the meantime.
  • Mail forwarding is not built into iCloud, so if you switch primary emails, you will need to tell contacts your new address or set up forwarding through a third-party email service.

Adding an iCloud email alias (the faster option)

An alias is a second iCloud email address attached to your existing account. You use the same password and two-factor authentication, but you have two addresses that both receive mail. This is the route most people choose because it takes minutes and you lose nothing.

On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac: Open Settings, tap or click your name at the top, then select iCloud. Tap or click "Manage your Apple ID account" and sign in if prompted. Go to the Account tab, then find "Email and Phone Numbers" or "Emails and Phone Numbers." Tap or click "Add Email or Phone Number" and choose "Add an Email Address." Type the new iCloud address you want — it must end in @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com. Apple will send a verification code to your current email. Enter that code, and the alias is active when ready.

You can have up to three iCloud email addresses on one account. You can set which one appears as your "reply-from" address in Mail settings, and you can delete an alias anytime without affecting your main account. If you later decide you want a different alias, you can remove the old one and create a new one.

Changing your primary Apple ID email (the permanent option)

If you want to replace your main iCloud email address entirely, you change your primary Apple ID email. This is the address you use to sign into your Apple account, so it affects everything — your App Store purchases, iCloud backups, Find My iPhone, and all your devices.

Go to appleid.apple.com in a web browser and sign in. Click "Account" at the top, then "Edit" next to "Apple ID." You will see your current email. Click "Change Apple ID" and enter the new email address you want. Apple sends a verification code to your current email address. Enter that code, then Apple sends a second code to your new email address. Enter that code as well. Once both are verified, your primary email changes.

The change takes effect when ready, but you will need to sign out and back into your devices using the new email address. This can take a few hours to sync across all your devices, so do not be alarmed if one device still shows the old address for a while.

What happens to your old iCloud email address

If you change your primary email, your old iCloud address stops working as a login, but it does not disappear right away. Apple keeps it inactive for 30 days. During those 30 days, if you change your mind, you can sign back into appleid.apple.com with your new email, go to Account settings, and switch back to the old one.

After 30 days, the old address becomes available for anyone else to register as a new iCloud account. If you think you might want it back, do not wait — make the decision within the month. Mail sent to your old address after the change will bounce back to the sender, so you will need to tell people your new address or set up mail forwarding through another service.

Setting up mail forwarding after you change your primary email

iCloud does not have a built-in mail forwarding feature, so if you switch primary emails, mail sent to your old address will not automatically go to your new one. You have two options: tell your contacts the new address, or use a third-party forwarding service.

If you use Gmail, Outlook, or another email service, you can set up forwarding there. Log into that account's settings, find the forwarding or POP/IMAP section, and add your old iCloud address as a forwarded account. Mail sent to the old iCloud address will then arrive in your other email account. This requires that your old iCloud address still exists (which it does for 30 days after the change), and it works best if you do it before the 30-day window closes.

Changing your iCloud email on all your devices

Once you change your primary Apple ID email, you need to sign out and back in on each device so it recognizes the new address. On an iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and tap "Sign Out." You will be asked whether to keep a copy of your iCloud data on the device — choose "Keep" if you want to preserve your photos, notes, and other synced content. Then sign back in with your new email address.

On a Mac, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name in the sidebar, and click "Sign Out." Again, choose to keep your data. Then sign back in with the new email. On a Windows PC with iCloud for Windows installed, open iCloud settings, click "Sign Out," and sign back in with the new address. This process can take several hours to fully sync across all devices, especially if you have a lot of iCloud data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a non-iCloud email address as my Apple ID?

Yes. You can change your primary Apple ID email to any email address you own — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or any other provider. The process is the same: go to appleid.apple.com, click Account, click Edit next to Apple ID, and enter the new address. Apple will verify it by sending codes to both your old and new email addresses.

What if I forget which iCloud email is my primary one?

Go to appleid.apple.com and sign in. Your primary Apple ID email appears at the top of the Account page. Any aliases you have created will be listed under "Email and Phone Numbers" with a note that they are aliases. Your primary email will not have that label.

Can I delete my iCloud email address and keep my Apple ID?

If it is an alias, yes — you can delete it anytime without affecting your account. If it is your primary email, you must change your primary email to something else first, then wait 30 days before the old address becomes deletable. You cannot delete your primary email while it is still active.

Do I lose my iCloud storage if I change my email address?

No. Your iCloud storage plan stays with your Apple ID regardless of which email address you use to sign in. If you pay for 200 GB of iCloud+ storage, that storage remains yours after you change your email.

How long does it take for the email change to work on all my devices?

The change to your Apple ID takes effect when ready on appleid.apple.com, but syncing across all your devices can take a few hours. If you have a lot of iCloud data, it may take longer. Sign out and back in on each device to speed up the process.