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Change Apple id

Hi, I currently have a gmail.com account as my Apple id. I want to change it to a new @icloud.com I set up. But when I go to change it, it says “You can only add the @icloud.com address that is already on file in your account.”

if I try to add it, it says “This email address is not available. Choose a different address.” Can this not be done?

Posted on Jul 7, 2021 8:26 AM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 7, 2021 8:46 AM

When you set up a new @iCloud.com, did you do that on your ID or did you create it separately. If you did it on your ID, you created an alias and aliases can't be used as the Apple ID email address. If you created it separately, you created a new Apple ID. Apple IDs can't be merged.

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 7, 2021 8:46 AM in response to PRush90

When you set up a new @iCloud.com, did you do that on your ID or did you create it separately. If you did it on your ID, you created an alias and aliases can't be used as the Apple ID email address. If you created it separately, you created a new Apple ID. Apple IDs can't be merged.

Jul 7, 2021 1:40 PM in response to PRush90

You are welcome. Based on what I have read, I suggest you leave your Apple ID email address as a 3rd party email address because you have more flexibility if you need to change the email address. For example, if the Apple ID got compromised, you can change it to another address. I also have read of many people who were locked out of their accounts when they forgot their password. Since the recovery email address is the @iCloud email address, if you forget your password, you also can't access your email to get emails from Apple to recover your account. You can set a rescue email address, but for some people, this hasn't worked.

Change Apple id

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