Apple identifies each user by Apple ID email address. But the problem happens when you’re unable to access your email address anymore. Different types of email accounts, for example, work emails, school emails, etc. You can easily lose access to those email accounts.
Suppose, If your Apple ID is associated with your work email which you don’t have access to after quitting the company. But what if you still want to keep it by changing this to your current account without any problem? Luckily, if you’re still logged in to your Apple ID account then you can easily change your email address.
In this article, we’ll be discussing how to change your Apple ID email you no longer have access to. Follow the simple guide till the end that we’ve managed to provide you. So without wasting much of your time, let’s get started.
What is Apple ID?
Basically, Apple ID is email-built authentication to access Apple hardware. This ID contains user personal information and can be created free through Apple ID official website. Keeping privacy and security in mind, Apple launched (optional) two-step verification for authentication feature. However, the same feature uses the Find My iPhone service to provide a four-digit verification code to the trusted device linked to Apple ID whenever required.
Besides this, having an Apple ID allows you to access iTunes Store, Apple Books, iCloud, FaceTime, and different Apple Apple services. So if you’re using any Apple hardware, it is highly recommended to create an Apple ID.
How to change the Apple ID email address associated with your account
This step is for those Apple users whos still remember or have a password of Apple ID. Then follow the steps mentioned below:
Step 1: Visit appleid.apple.com website.
Step 2: Sign in with your Apple ID email that you no longer have access to.
Step 3: Click on Edit under Account section.
Step 4: Click on Change Apple ID under Apple ID section.
Step 5: Enter the email address that you will like to keep as your new Apple ID.
Step 6: Click on continue.
If you have iDevice that supports iOS 10.3 or later
You can change Apple ID email from your iDevice. Here’s how to do that:
Step 1: Visit Settingg.
Step 2: Tap on your Apple ID card located at the top.
Step 3: Select on Name, Phone Numbers, and Emails.
Step 4: Choose Edit.
Step 5: Tap on the red mark located right next to your old email in order to delete.
Step 6: Choose on Continue on the window that we’ll appear.
Step 7: Enter the email address that you will like to have.
Step 8: Tap next.
Here, Apple might ask you to validate using security questions.
I forgot my password, what to do?
Unfortunately, if you’ve loosed the password of your Apple ID, then they’re fewer chances to change the email address, but you can do a couple of things though.
This scenario depends on the security option you have set up earlier.
If you don’t use Two-Factor Authentication
If you don’t use Two-Factor Authentication, then you have to go through the security questions you’ve set up earlier. Here’s how to do that:
- You can use any iOS device.
- Open Find My iPhone.
- Make sure that the email address is blank.
- Tap on Forgot Apple ID or Password.
If you use Two-Factor Authentication
On iOS device: Just Reset Apple ID password on a trusted device.
- Visit Settings > iCloud > (Your Name) > Password & Security > Change Password.
On Mac device:
- Visit Apple > System Preferences > click on iCloud > Click on Account Details > then click on Forgot Apple ID or Password.
If nothing is working and you have Two-Factor Authentication enabled, you can use Apple’s account recovery process, it’s the last thing you can do to reset your Apple ID.
Recovery Key
If you’ve luckily update Apple ID from two-step authentication to two-factor authentication on iOS 11 or macOS High Sierra+, and you have the recovery key. Then you can use the recovery key to reset your password, click here to learn more.
How to be more careful
Here’re some quick precautions that you can take to avoid this type of nightmare situations.
- Always have a secondary email account, Apple lets you keep the “rescue email address” that will come in handy in the future.
- Set up two-factor authentication, also generate recovery key, and save it to a safe place.
- Avoid using corporate, school, or work email for your Apple ID.
What to do if Nothing is working?
If you’ve tried everything mentioned above and lost your password while two-factor authentication is enabled, including your trusted device. Your Apple account could be permanently lost for real.
That’s it for now, hope this helps. Also, check out our guide that will help you to create Apple ID without a credit card, till then stay tuned.