How to Change Apple ID (2024 Guide)

Your Apple ID is a core account for everything Apple. It contains your personal information and lets you access various Apple services like iCloud, Apple Music, Apple Pay, App Store, and more. When you first up your Apple device, you need to create an Apple ID or enter one that already exists. However, for some reason, if can’t access your email address, switch to a new email address, or have lost your iPhone, you would want to change your Apple ID. At first, it might seem to be a tedious task, but trust me, it isn’t that complicated or time-consuming. To help you do it with utmost ease, we’re here to tell you how to change Apple ID on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, and web. Without any ado, let’s get in right there.

Things to do before you change your Apple ID

Before you proceed with the steps to change to Apple ID, you need to follow a checklist to avoid any issues and ensure a seamless experience. Here’s what you need to do:

• Log out of all the Apple services and devices where you’ve signed in with your current Apple ID. Be it your iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac, HomePod, or Apple TV.
• Once changed, make sure to sign in with the new Apple ID on all your devices that you wish to associate with that ID.
• In case your Apple ID is an Apple email address like @icloud.com, you should change your Apple ID online at appleid.apple.com.
• When you switch Apple IDs, you won’t lose access to your purchases, contacts, and other account information. Just make sure to keep a copy of important data on your device while signing out on the previous Apple ID.
• If you’ve enabled iCloud backup on your device, your data will be synced to your iCloud account which can be restored later on on purpose. However, if the iCloud storage is full, you might lose some data.
• If you wish to change your Apple ID without losing everything, make sure to back up your important data beforehand. If you’re a beginner, don’t miss our guides on how to back up iPhone data and restore data from a backup.
• You can use a third-party email address or Apple domains for your new account.

How to Change Apple ID on Web

If you no longer use the email address that has been set as your Apple ID, you can change it to keep your account safe and stay updated with other information from Apple. Here’s how to change your Apple ID email address.

• Open appleid.apple.com on a web browser and sign in using your Apple ID credentials.
• Make sure the Sign-In and Security section is selected on the left side. Select Apple ID.

• Now, enter the new email address you wish to choose as your Apple ID.
• Once entered, hit the Change Apple ID button.

• If you’ve set a third-party email address as your Apple ID, check your email for the verification code and enter it.
• And, it’s done. You’ve changed your Apple ID to a new email address.
• Once done, you can sign in on your Apple devices and services using the updated Apple ID.

Note: If you’re using a phone number and have lost your iPhone, can use the above method to change your Apple ID to a new phone number.

How to Change Apple ID on iPhone or iPad

If you’re using your phone number as your Apple ID, you can easily change it to a different phone number using your iPhone or iPad. So, if you no longer own the mobile phone number that’s being used as your Apple ID or move to a different country where you can’t use your phone number as your Apple ID, you can switch to a new one. Here’s how to easily do it on your iPhone or iPad.

Note: You can use this method to change your Apple ID to a different phone number or switch to an email address instead. In addition, it works if you want to change your Apple ID email.

• Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad. For Macs, click on Apple Menu and choose System Settings.
• Tap on [Your Name] and visit the Sign-In & Security page.
• Here, tap on Edit next to Email & Phone Numbers.

• Next, tap on the small ‘i-icon‘ next to your phone number.
• Up next, tap on Change Apple ID. You can now choose a phone number or an email address as your Apple ID. Make a selection and follow the instructions on the screen.

• If you’re using an email address as your Apple ID, tap on the “- ” icon, hit Delete, and tap on Choose Another Email. Then, go along the on-screen prompts.

• After that, you’ll get a verification code on your provided phone number or email address. Enter that code and follow the on-screen instructions. If your new phone number is already connected to your existing Apple ID as a trusted phone number, a shared phone number, or a Messages phone number, you need not verify it.
• That’s it! You’ve successfully changed your Apple ID to a different phone number or email address.
• Once everything is sorted, sign in to your devices and services with your updated ID.

If you wish to change a trusted phone number for your Apple ID, we have detailed the steps to change your Apple ID phone number.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can I change my Apple ID without losing my apps?

You can safeguard your important iPhone data while signing out of your Apple ID account. Unfortunately, the downloaded apps won’t be transferred when you move to a different Apple ID.

2. Can I switch Apple ID on iPhone?

Yes, you can switch your Apple ID on an iPhone. To do this, sign out of your existing Apple ID and then sign in again using your other ID. While the process may seem to be tedious, it’s actually pretty straightforward. If you are unable to switch, follow our step-by-step guide to switch Apple ID on an iPhone or iPad.

3. How do I create a new Apple ID if I already have one?

First, you need to sign out of your existing iCloud account and then you can create a new Apple ID.

4. How do I change my Apple ID password?

It’s pretty easy to change your Apple ID password, and there are various ways to do it. First, you can use the “Change Password” option in the Settings app on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Second, you can reset the password for your Apple account while setting up a new device. Third, you can use the Apple Support app to get the job done. Lastly, you can visit iforgot.apple.com on any web browser to change your iCloud password.

5. Can I have two Apple IDs on one device?

No, you cannot use two Apple IDs on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. That said, you can use multiple IDs for Mail, Contacts, Messages/FaceTime, but you cannot have two different Apple IDs for one sign-in on a single device. Bear in mind that you have two different Apple IDs and use them on different devices.

6. Can I create a new Apple ID using the same number?

No, if you’re already using a phone number with an Apple account, you cannot use it to create a new Apple ID.

That’s pretty much it! So you see it isn’t a complicated affair to change your Apple ID email address or phone number. You can easily use a different iCloud account on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac without any fuss. In case you’re facing any doubts, feel free to reach out to us in the comments below.