Reset Your Apple ID

This article will show you how to reset your Apple ID by changing it,recovering it, and resetting your password.

10 Second Summary

Steps

Recovering Your Forgotten Apple ID

  1. Visit iForgot and click Forgot Your Apple ID. Open your browser and navigate to https://iforgot.apple.com. Click "Forgot your Apple ID," underneath the Apple ID text entry box.
  2. Enter your information. Along with your name, enter as much information as possible, then click "Next." If Apple finds a match, you will be give the choice of receiving an authenticating email, or answering security questions.
    • In "current email" enter a personal email account you can access. This is where Apple will send your Apple ID information.
    • In "prior email" boxes, enter as many of your old emails as you can think of. Apple will check to see whether these are your Apple ID. If none of these were ever used for an Apple ID, you'll have to remember the answers to your security questions instead.
  3. Enter a new password. Whether you choose email authentication or answer the security questions, you'll be asked to create a new password. Your Apple ID will be shown in bold.[1]

Resetting Your Password

  1. Visit iForgot. Open your browser and navigate to https://iforgot.apple.com, enter your Apple ID, and click "Next."
  2. Prove that you are really you. In the authentication window, choose one of two methods to verify you are the account holder.
    • Email authentication. Apple will send an email that gives you a link to reset your password. Do not choose this option if you can no longer access the email account associated with your Apple ID.
    • Answer security questions. If the email on file for that Apple ID is no longer valid, Apple provides a second method: answering the security questions you entered when you originally set up your Apple ID.
    • Contact Apple Support if neither of the methods above work.[2]
  3. Provide additional information if you use two-step verification. This more secure form of account protection requires additional steps before you can obtain your password. Enter the Recovery Key Apple gave you when you enabled two-step verification, and respond to the verification message sent to one of your "trusted devices" (typically a phone).
  4. Enter a new password. Enter a secure password, re-enter to confirm it, then click "Reset Password."
  5. Click on "Return to My Apple ID." Your password is reset, and can return to the main Apple ID page to change preferences, privacy settings, and more.
    • If you couldn't remember the answers to your security questions, use this management screen to change the questions to something more memorable.

Changing Your Apple ID

  1. Sign out of all accounts that use your ID. This includes iCloud, the iTunes store, the App Store, FaceTime, Find My Friends, Find My iPhone, and iMessage.[4] Do this for all devices you own that use the ID.
  2. Sign in to your account. Visit appleid.apple.com and click Manage your Apple ID. Enter your ID and password. Note that the ID is the same as the email address you used to create the account.
    • If you've forgotten either of these, click on "Forgot your Apple ID?" or "Forgot your password?" or refer to the other sections for more information.
    • If a notice says your ID has been disabled, most likely you or someone else has entered the wrong password too many times. Follow the instructions in the password reset section below.[5]
  3. Edit your Apple ID. Once you're logged in, look for the section titled "Apple ID and Primary Email Address." Click the Edit link to the right of your Apple ID email address. Type your current email address into the box once it appears, and click Save.
  4. Verify the address. In a new tab or window, log into the email account you just entered as your new Apple ID. You should receive an email from Apple. If a Verify Now link is listed, click it to complete the change. If the email is just a summary of your changes, with no verify link, then the change should already be complete.
    • The verification email should arrive within a few minutes. If it does not, return to the Apple ID management screen and click Resend. If you still can't find it, check your spam folder, as well as the email addresses listed under "alternate email addresses" on the Apple ID management screen. Also log in to the "Password and Security" section to find your "Rescue Email Address," and check that as well.
  5. Sign in to services with your new Apple ID. If you're already signed in to an iOS device or an Apple service, sign out again and sign in with your new ID so your information is stored, or use the Settings menu to change your ID. A few services will update automatically, but may take up to 24 hours to do so. If you encounter any issues, see this Apple support page for more specific information on each service and application, or these instructions for iOS devices.

Tips

  • You can reset your password from your mobile Apple device. Either navigate directly to https://iforgot.apple.com on your mobile browser, or open Settings, tap on "iTunes & App Stores," then tap "Forgot Apple ID or Password" under the Sign In button. It will open iForgot in Safari. Continue as described above.
  • If the Apple website or Apple services are not behaving as described in these instructions, check apple.com/support/systemstatus to find out whether any services are currently offline.
  • If you want to change your Apple ID a second time within the next 90 days, you'll need to turn off automatic downloads first.[6]

Warnings

  • When changing passwords, you cannot use a password you have used within the last 12 months.
  • You may not be able to change your Apple ID if the associated email address ends with @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com.[6] Add your current email as an alternative email address instead.
  • Using multiple Apple IDs on the same device can cause login problems with some applications. Try Clear-Your-Browser's-Cookies if this happens, or delete the Apple ID cookie.[7]

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://support.apple.com/kb/HE37
  2. ↑ http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201485
  3. ↑ http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202649
  4. ↑ http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202667
  5. ↑ http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204106
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 http://www.macworld.com/article/2046132/solving-apple-id-frustrations.html
  7. ↑ http://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204161
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