What happens when you change your iCloud email

When you change your iCloud email address, Apple replaces your current @icloud.com or @me.com email with a new one. The old address stops working for new messages, but you can set it to forward incoming mail to your new address for up to 30 days. Any accounts linked to your old iCloud email — banking apps, social media, work systems — will not automatically update, so you need to change them separately before you lose access.

The change takes effect immediately on your Apple devices and on iCloud.com. If you use iCloud Mail on a phone or computer through an email app like Outlook or Gmail, you will need to update those apps with your new address and password after the change is complete.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your iCloud email address through Settings on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, or through iCloud.com on any computer.
  • Apple lets you keep your old email for 30 days and forward messages to your new address, giving you time to update other accounts.
  • You must update your password and sign back into iCloud Mail on any email app or device that uses the old address.
  • Any third-party accounts — banking, social media, work email — linked to your old iCloud address will not receive password resets or notifications unless you update them first.

Change your iCloud email on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Tap iCloud, then scroll down and tap iCloud Mail. Tap Change Email Address or Edit (the wording varies by iOS version). You will see your current address and a field to enter a new one.

Type your new email address. It must be a new @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com address that you have not used before. Tap Next or Continue. Apple will ask you to confirm your choice and may ask you to re-enter your Apple ID password. Tap Change Email or Confirm. The change is immediate on that device and syncs to your other Apple devices within a few minutes.

Change your iCloud email on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (on macOS Ventura or later) or System Preferences (on earlier versions). Click your name at the top of the window, then click iCloud. Look for iCloud Mail or Mail & Notes in the left sidebar and click it.

Click Edit Email Address or Change Email Address. Type your new address in the field provided. Click Next or Change. You may be asked to enter your Apple ID password to confirm. Once you click the final confirmation button, the change takes effect immediately on your Mac and syncs to your other devices.

Change your iCloud email on iCloud.com

Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Click the settings icon (gear or menu icon, depending on your browser) in the top-right corner. Select Account Settings or Settings. Click Edit next to your email address, or look for a section labeled Email Address or iCloud Mail.

Type your new email address. Apple will confirm that the address is available and has not been used before. Click Change Email, Save, or Confirm. You will be asked to re-enter your Apple ID password. Once confirmed, the change is live across all your devices and on iCloud.com.

Set up forwarding from your old email

After you change your address, Apple automatically offers to forward mail from your old address to your new one for 30 days. If you accepted this option during the change process, you do not need to do anything else — messages sent to your old address will arrive in your new inbox.

If you did not set up forwarding or want to turn it off early, go to iCloud.com, sign in, and look for Mail Settings or Forwarding under your account settings. You can enable or disable forwarding and see how many days remain. After 30 days, forwarding stops and messages sent to your old address will bounce back to the sender.

Update your email on other devices and apps

Any email app on your phone, tablet, or computer that connects to iCloud Mail will stop working after you change your address. Open the app, find the iCloud Mail account in settings, and delete it. Then add the account again using your new email address and your Apple ID password.

Common apps that need updating include Outlook, Gmail, Mail (on Mac or iPhone), Thunderbird, and any work email client that syncs with iCloud. If you are not sure whether an app uses your iCloud email, check the app's settings or account list. Look for your old @icloud.com address and remove it, then re-add the account with your new address.

Update accounts linked to your old iCloud email

Before the 30-day forwarding period ends, change your email address on any account that uses your old iCloud address for sign-in or password recovery. This includes banking apps, social media, work systems, online shopping, and subscription services. If you do not update these accounts, you will not receive password reset emails or two-factor codes if you need to recover access.

For each account, go to its settings or account page, find the email address field, and change it to your new iCloud address. Save the change. If the account asks you to verify the new address by clicking a link in an email, check your new iCloud inbox or your forwarding inbox (if you set it up) for the verification message. Complete the verification before the 30-day forwarding period ends.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get my old iCloud email address back?

No. Once you change your iCloud email, the old address is retired permanently and cannot be reused by you or anyone else. Choose your new address carefully. If you change your mind within a few days, contact Apple Support to see if they can reverse the change, but this is not may provide.

What happens to emails sent to my old address after 30 days?

After 30 days, forwarding stops and your old address no longer receives mail. Messages sent to it will bounce back to the sender with a delivery failure notice. This is why updating linked accounts before the 30-day window closes is important.

Do I need to change my Apple ID password when I change my iCloud email?

No. Your Apple ID password stays the same. Your email address is just the username you use to sign in. You will still use the same password after the change. However, you will need to re-enter your password on any device or app that connects to iCloud Mail.

Will changing my iCloud email affect my iCloud storage or backups?

No. Your iCloud storage, backups, photos, documents, and all other iCloud data remain the same. Only your email address changes. Your backup and storage settings do not need to be updated.

What if I share an iCloud family plan with others?

Your email change affects only your account. Other family members' accounts and email addresses are not affected. However, if family members have your old email address saved in their contacts or in shared documents, they should update those records to your new address.