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justadam Author
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Apple Terminology - Please Help

This is a list of Apple terminologies that I need help with:


  1. Apple ID
  2. iCloud Account
  3. Lock Screen
  4. User
  5. Appleid.apple.com


My Apple ID is my personal email address. My Apple "User" is my name. When I log into iCloud.com on my MacBook Pro with my Apple Watch on, it first prompts me with:


Do you want to sign in to icloud.com with your Apple ID “{Email address}”?


I click "Continue with password". It then prompts me with:


Continue to sign in on Safari with user “{FIRST NAME} {LAST NAME}”.


Are there any expert Apple users out there who can help clear this mess up?


  1. Is the Apple ID and USER interchangeable? i.e. Are they the same thing, but just used interchangeably to confuse everyone?
  2. Is the Lock Screen password on my Mac simply my Apple ID password? Or are they separate terminologies?
  3. When I change my Apple ID password at iCloud.com, it doesn't appear to work anywhere. What is the difference between iCloud.com and Appleid.apple.com in terms off changing passwords?


Please just try to answer these questions directly. Thank you.

Posted on Feb 12, 2023 12:07 PM

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User profile for user: justadam
justadam Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Posted on Feb 12, 2023 3:45 PM

@muguy


I just got off the phone with Apple Support. I got the appropriate response that I was looking for. It's very difficult to get the right people on the phone who know what they are talking about. I was fortunate to speak with someone who knew what they were talking about. Here is a breakdown of what I have learned, in hopes of passing along knowledge to other Apple users.


  1. The Apple ecosystem is based in the Apple ID. The Apple ID is like the King of the kingdom. Underneath the Apple ID are USERS! Yes, there is a difference between the Apple ID and a USER. In most cases, Apple ID's have one USER because we typically use our Apple devices on an individual basis. If you go to System Settings/Users & Groups and click on the i next to your USER name and then click 'Change Password', this will change the password for this user. IT WILL NOT CHANGE THE PASSWORD FOR THE APPLE ID. It will change the "Lock Screen" password for your MacBook if you set a password login for your user. So really, there isn't necessarily something called a "Lock Screen" password. It's really just your USER password.
  2. If you are using your own personal MacBook and you go to iCloud.com, it's possible that it will ask you to enter your USER password, and NOT your Apple ID password. This is what happened to me and why I was getting confused. The reason for this is because it's your computer and it knows it's you. If you were on a public computer and you went to iCloud.com, you would have to enter the Apple ID password. They are two completely different passwords. iCloud.com or appleid.apple.com can be use to change Apple ID password, but not USER password.


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User profile for user: justadam
justadam Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Feb 12, 2023 3:45 PM in response to muguy

@muguy


I just got off the phone with Apple Support. I got the appropriate response that I was looking for. It's very difficult to get the right people on the phone who know what they are talking about. I was fortunate to speak with someone who knew what they were talking about. Here is a breakdown of what I have learned, in hopes of passing along knowledge to other Apple users.


  1. The Apple ecosystem is based in the Apple ID. The Apple ID is like the King of the kingdom. Underneath the Apple ID are USERS! Yes, there is a difference between the Apple ID and a USER. In most cases, Apple ID's have one USER because we typically use our Apple devices on an individual basis. If you go to System Settings/Users & Groups and click on the i next to your USER name and then click 'Change Password', this will change the password for this user. IT WILL NOT CHANGE THE PASSWORD FOR THE APPLE ID. It will change the "Lock Screen" password for your MacBook if you set a password login for your user. So really, there isn't necessarily something called a "Lock Screen" password. It's really just your USER password.
  2. If you are using your own personal MacBook and you go to iCloud.com, it's possible that it will ask you to enter your USER password, and NOT your Apple ID password. This is what happened to me and why I was getting confused. The reason for this is because it's your computer and it knows it's you. If you were on a public computer and you went to iCloud.com, you would have to enter the Apple ID password. They are two completely different passwords. iCloud.com or appleid.apple.com can be use to change Apple ID password, but not USER password.


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User profile for user: justadam
justadam Author
User level: Level 1
21 points

Feb 12, 2023 2:43 PM in response to muguy

This community, unfortunately, isn't very helpful at all.


  1. There is in fact something called a 'USER'. I have a screenshot that will show that.
  2. If there is no such thing as a Lock Screen password, and only an Apple ID password, then that would mean that absolutely no one with a MacBook could have a complex Apple ID password. That would make it impossible to sign into said MacBooks each time.
  3. Incorrect based on my original inquiry. I changed my Apple ID password on iCloud.com and it didn't work when I tried to log in.
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Apple Terminology - Please Help

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