You can change your Apple ID email on any device where you are signed in
Your Apple ID email is the account name you use to sign into iCloud, the App Store, Apple Music, and other Apple services. If you want to use a different email address, you can change it through your account settings on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or at appleid.apple.com on any web browser. The process takes a few minutes and does not require you to create a new account.
Apple lets you change to a completely new email address, or you can add a new email as an alias and make it your primary login. The method you choose depends on whether you want to keep your old email connected to the account or remove it entirely.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your Apple ID email address through Settings on your device or by visiting appleid.apple.com in a web browser.
- You will need to verify ownership of the new email address before the change takes effect.
- If you add a new email as an alias first, you can make it your primary login without losing access to your old one.
- Two-factor authentication must be enabled on your account before you can change your email address.
- After you change your email, you will need to sign out and sign back in on all your devices using the new address.
Change your email on iPhone or iPad
Open the Settings app and tap your name at the top of the screen. Tap Name, Phone Numbers, Email. Under the Email section, you will see your current Apple ID email listed. Tap Edit in the upper right corner.
Tap the red minus sign next to your current email to remove it, or tap Add Email or Phone Number to add a new email first. If you are adding a new email, type it in and tap Next. Apple will send a verification code to that email address. Open the email, copy the code, and paste it back into the Settings screen to confirm you own that address.
Once the new email is verified, you can make it your primary Apple ID by tapping it and selecting Make Primary. Tap Done to save your changes. You will then be signed out of iCloud on that device and asked to sign back in using your new email address.
Change your email on a Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select System Settings (on macOS Ventura or later) or System Preferences (on older versions). Click General, then click your Apple ID name in the sidebar on the left. Click Name, Phone Numbers, Email.
Follow the same steps as on iPhone: tap Edit, add a new email or remove the old one, and verify the new address when Apple sends a code to it. Once verified, make it your primary email and click Done. You will be signed out of iCloud and asked to sign back in.
Change your email through appleid.apple.com
Go to appleid.apple.com in any web browser and sign in with your current Apple ID email and password. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, you will be asked to enter a code sent to one of your trusted devices.
Click Account in the left sidebar, then look for the Email section. Click Edit next to your email address. You can add a new email address or change your primary email if you have already added one as an alias. Type the new email and click Continue. Apple will send a verification code to the new email address. Check that inbox, copy the code, and paste it back into the website to confirm ownership.
Once verified, the new email becomes your primary Apple ID. You will be signed out of the website and will need to sign back in using the new email address.
What happens to your old email address
If you remove your old email completely, it will no longer be connected to your Apple ID. After 30 days, that email address becomes available to use as a new Apple ID if someone else wants to claim it. During those 30 days, you can still add it back to your account if you change your mind.
If you keep your old email as an alias (a secondary email linked to your account), you can still use it to sign in, but your primary email is the one Apple uses for account recovery and notifications. You can have up to three email addresses on one Apple ID — one primary and two aliases.
Sign in on all your devices with the new email
After you change your Apple ID email, you will be automatically signed out of iCloud on the device where you made the change. On that device, go back to Settings (or System Settings on Mac), tap your name, and sign in again using your new email address and your password.
On other devices where you are signed in — other iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, or Apple TVs — you will see a prompt asking you to update your sign-in information. Tap Update or Sign In, enter your new email address, and use your password to complete the sign-in. This can take a few minutes to appear on each device, so check back if you do not see the prompt right away.
Two-factor authentication is required
Apple requires two-factor authentication to be turned on before you can change your Apple ID email address. Two-factor authentication is a security feature that sends a code to one of your trusted devices whenever someone tries to sign in to your account from a new location.
If you do not have two-factor authentication enabled, you will not be able to change your email through Settings or appleid.apple.com. To turn it on, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security on Mac. Tap Two-Factor Authentication and follow the prompts. Once it is enabled, you can proceed with changing your email.
What to do if you cannot verify the new email address
If you do not receive the verification code Apple sends to your new email address, check your spam or junk folder first. The email may have been filtered by mistake. If it is not there, wait a few minutes and request a new code.
If the new email address is one you no longer have access to, you will need to use a different email instead. Start the process over and choose an email address you can actually receive mail at. If you are locked out of your account entirely and cannot access any of your trusted devices or recovery emails, contact Apple Support for help recovering your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Apple ID email if I do not have two-factor authentication?
No. Two-factor authentication must be enabled before you can change your email address. You can turn it on in Settings under Password & Security, and it takes just a few minutes to set up. Once enabled, you will be able to change your email.
Will changing my Apple ID email affect my iCloud data or app purchases?
No. Your photos, documents, app purchases, and all other data stay with your account. The email address is just the login name — changing it does not affect anything stored in your account. You will straightforward sign in with the new email going forward.
What if I want to keep both email addresses connected to my account?
You can add the new email as an alias and keep your old email as a secondary address. Both will work to sign in, but only one is marked as primary. Go to appleid.apple.com, click Account, and add the new email without removing the old one. Then make the new one primary if you want it to be your main login.
How long does it take for the email change to show up on all my devices?
The change is when ready on the device where you made it, but other devices may take a few minutes to receive the sign-in prompt. Check back within 5 to 10 minutes. If a device does not prompt you, you can manually sign out and sign back in using the new email address.
Can I change my email address back if I change my mind?
Yes. You can change your Apple ID email as many times as you want. If you removed your old email and want to use it again, you can add it back within 30 days. After 30 days, that email becomes available for someone else to use as a new Apple ID.