When you first register for an Apple Account (formerly Apple ID), you can use either a new email address provided by Apple (with an @icloud.com address) or one you already have. You can have multiple email addresses associated with your Apple ID, but only one primary address—the core address you’ll use to log in and to which important Apple Account-related emails would be delivered.
It used to be a pain to change this, involving a multi-step process that you can only do on the web. With iOS 18.1, Apple has made it a lot easier to change your primary Apple ID address, and you can do it right from your iPhone or iPad. (The web still works, too.) Here’s how you do it.
Change your Apple Account primary email on your iPhone or iPad
First, ensure your devices are running iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, or a later version.
- Open Settings, then tap your name at the top to access your Apple account settings
- Tap Sign-In & Security
- Tap the email address marked “Primary email”
- Turn off the Primary Email switch to remove this as your main email. You’ll be prompted to select a new primary email address, either from another email associated with your Apple Account or by adding a new one
- Follow the onscreen steps to enter and verify your new primary email address
If you have a third-party email address (not an @icloud.com or @me.com address) associated with your Apple Account and you want to remove it, just select it and tap Remove from Account. If it’s your Primary address you’ll be prompted to choose or create a new primary.
For Apple-supplied email address (@icloud.com or @me.com) you’ll instead see an option to Change Email Address, which lets you pick a different email address but not remove it from your account.
Change your Apple Account primary email on the web
If you don’t have an iPhone or iPad (you only use a Mac, or maybe an Apple TV or something) you can change your primary email on the web.
- Go to account.apple.com and sign in
- Select Sign-In and Security on the left menu, and then Email & Phone Numbers
- Click the Remove button (-) next to your primary email
- Follow the onscreen steps to enter and verify your new primary email address
