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change email for appleid

I have two email addresses. I carelessly chose my less used one for my iPhone (1) but use the other one (2) for iPad and computer. As I pay for extra iCloud storage on the (2) I now want to use just this one. How do I get round 'this email is not available'

iPhone 6s, iOS 13

Posted on Oct 24, 2019 1:46 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Oct 24, 2019 2:24 PM

You can't merge Apple IDs, which is what changing the email address on the first ID would do. You need to sign out of address one and in with address two. On the phone, there may be some data loss, but you can minimize it. If syncing photos with iCloud, ensure Optimization is turned off in Settings/Your Name/iCloud/Photos and/or in Photos/Preferences/iCloud. Then make sure full resolution photos are on the device/computer. When signing out of iCloud, if asked whether you want to retain data, choose yes. Messages conversations will be lost if they are addressed to the ID. See the article below for other places that the old ID should be removed. See Winston Churchill's response in the below discussion. Also set up Family Sharing to keep access to your apps/purchases. 


Apple ID – Create


Apple ID - create a new


How to transfer all files from one iCloud account to another


 Apple ID email address or password - What to do after you change


Family Sharing


Family Sharing - Set up

1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Oct 24, 2019 2:24 PM in response to tamalu

You can't merge Apple IDs, which is what changing the email address on the first ID would do. You need to sign out of address one and in with address two. On the phone, there may be some data loss, but you can minimize it. If syncing photos with iCloud, ensure Optimization is turned off in Settings/Your Name/iCloud/Photos and/or in Photos/Preferences/iCloud. Then make sure full resolution photos are on the device/computer. When signing out of iCloud, if asked whether you want to retain data, choose yes. Messages conversations will be lost if they are addressed to the ID. See the article below for other places that the old ID should be removed. See Winston Churchill's response in the below discussion. Also set up Family Sharing to keep access to your apps/purchases. 


Apple ID – Create


Apple ID - create a new


How to transfer all files from one iCloud account to another


 Apple ID email address or password - What to do after you change


Family Sharing


Family Sharing - Set up

change email for appleid

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