Head to the security area of your Apple Account: Settings (or System Settings on a Mac), your name, Sign-In & Security, then your primary email address, and confirm the replacement when prompted. In a browser it's account.apple.com, then Sign-In and Security, then Email & Phone Numbers. Turning off Primary Email first keeps your old address on the account.
The quick route on iPhone, iPad or Mac
The device you already use is the fastest place to do this. The steps are the same on an iPhone, an iPad and a Mac, with only the name of the settings app changing:
- Go to Settings, or System Settings on a Mac, and choose your name.
- Tap or click Sign-In & Security.
- Tap or click your primary email address to make changes.
- Want the old one to stay? Switch off Primary Email first, then pick a different address or add one.
- Work through the prompts on screen to enter and verify the replacement.
Before you start, have the new inbox open in another tab or app, because you'll be asked to verify it. Apple sets out the full process on its own support page if you'd like to read it alongside these steps.
Changing it on the web instead of a device
Not near your phone, or using a computer that isn't a Mac? You can do the same job in a browser:
- Go to account.apple.com and sign in to your Apple Account.
- Go to Sign-In and Security and choose Email & Phone Numbers.
- Follow the onscreen steps to enter and verify the new address.
This route is handy when you're on a shared or work computer, or your phone is out of reach. The section names differ slightly from the device route: the web calls it Sign-In and Security, and the address sits under Email & Phone Numbers rather than behind a tap on your primary email.
Where each setting lives
| Device or route | Start in | Section to open |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone or iPad | The Settings app | Sign-In & Security |
| Mac | System Settings | Sign-In & Security |
| Any web browser | account.apple.com | Email & Phone Numbers |
When the only address you have is an iCloud one
Some people set up their account with nothing but an iCloud address. If that's you, the screen looks a little different: you'll see Change Email Address instead of Remove from Account. Choosing it changes only your existing iCloud address, so pick that option and carry on with the onscreen steps.
What stays the same after you switch
The worry most people have is losing things. Changing your primary email doesn't lose your contacts, your purchases or any other account information. Everything stays put; only the address that leads the account changes.
That makes it a low-risk change. The bigger risks sit around the address you're moving away from, which is where the catch comes in.
The 30-day catch when you remove an address
If you remove a non-iCloud address from your account, it can't be linked to another Apple Account for 30 days. Once that window passes, someone else may be able to claim it.
So pause before you take an old work or personal address off. If there's a chance you'll want it on a different Apple Account later, or you'd hate for a stranger to pick it up, the safer move is to leave it attached and simply let a different address lead.
What to check when the change won't go through
Two things can stop a new address being accepted, and both come down to where that address already sits.
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The new address is refused
An address that's already in use by another Apple Account can't be used. If you have an old account sitting on that address, it's tied up there, so pick a different one or sort out the other account first.
The address came off a different Apple Account recently
If that address was removed from a different Apple Account in the last 30 days, it can't be linked to yours until the hold ends. Use another address for now and come back to it later.
Changing your Apple address is often part of a wider tidy-up. If you're moving other accounts over at the same time, we've also covered updating your email on Instagram, switching the address on your LinkedIn profile and changing the email on your Facebook account.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to verify the new address?
Yes. You'll be asked to verify it as part of the change, so make sure you can get into that inbox first.
Can I do this on an iPad?
Yes. It follows the same path as an iPhone: Settings, your name, then Sign-In & Security.
Is there a way to hold on to the old address?
Yes, as long as you turn off Primary Email rather than removing it.
Can I use an email that's on my partner's Apple Account?
Not while it belongs to their account.
Could a stranger end up with my old address?
Possibly, once the 30-day hold on a removed address ends.
Does my software version matter for an iCloud-only address?
Apple lists version requirements for changing a sole iCloud address, so check its help page before you start.
