If you’ve switched email providers, lost access to an old inbox, or simply want to use a different address with your Apple Account, Apple lets you update your primary email without losing access to your data.
Your primary email address is the main email linked to your Apple Account. Apple uses it for account communications, and it may also appear to others when using services like iCloud collaboration. Even after changing it, you’ll still keep access to purchases, contacts, subscriptions, and account history.
On iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap your name at the top of the screen. On Mac, open System Settings and select your profile.
Next, go to Sign-In & Security, then tap or click your current primary email address.
From here, you can either remove the current email or change which address is set as primary. If you already have multiple email addresses attached to your Apple Account, you can select one of those. Otherwise, choose the option to add a new email address.
Follow the on-screen steps to verify the new address. Once confirmed, Apple will update your account.
There are a few things worth knowing before making the change. You can’t move an email address that’s already being used with another Apple Account, and if you remove a non-iCloud email from your account, it becomes unavailable for use with another Apple Account for 30 days as a security measure.
If you regularly use Messages, FaceTime, or other Apple services with your old email address, it’s also worth letting people know you’ve changed it.
Apple recommends making the change from a trusted Apple device already signed in with two-factor authentication, but you may also be able to manage it online by signing in to your account settings on Apple’s website.
If your account only uses an iCloud email address, the process works slightly differently. Instead of removing the email, Apple gives you the option to directly change the iCloud address itself, with support available on newer versions of iPhone, iPad, and Mac software.
You can also switch your Apple Account from a phone number to an email address, or change your primary phone number separately if needed.