iOS 18.1 Includes Option to Set 'Primary' Email Address and Change iCloud Email

In iOS 18.1, there is a new option to set a "Primary" email address in the Settings app, which means it is easier to change the main email address associated with your Apple Account. The Primary email address is the one that is visible to other people when collaborating on and sharing documents, sending calendar invites, and more.

ios 18 1 make primary
Apple did not previously make it easy to change an Apple Account (or Apple ID) email address, despite the fact that it is sometimes visible to other people. To change an Apple Account email before, you had to delete the email you were using, choose another, and go through a verification process.

You can now change the email address and continue to use the prior email for login purposes right alongside the new primary. This setting also comes with an option to change an iCloud.com or me.com email address, so if you have an address you're not fond of, it can finally be swapped to something else.

Prior to iOS 18.1, Apple did not allow users to delete, change, or turn off a primary iCloud Mail address. You could set an alias and use that instead, but the primary email would still sometimes be visible to others. For those who have an embarrassing ‌iCloud‌ email address, there's now an option to change it entirely rather than relying on an alias.

(Thanks, Converseallstar95!)

Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

Second Generation AirTag Feature

Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More

Monday January 26, 2026 6:07 am PST by
Apple today introduced the second-generation AirTag, with key features including longer range for tracking items and a louder speaker. For those who are not familiar, the AirTag is a small accessory that you can attach to your backpack, keys, or other items. Then, you can track the location of those items in the Find My app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and iCloud.com. The new...
imac video apple feature

Apple Unveils First New Products of 2026

Monday January 26, 2026 1:55 pm PST by
Apple today introduced its first two physical products of 2026: a second-generation AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided Solo Loop for the Apple Watch. Read our coverage of each announcement to learn more:Apple Unveils New AirTag With Longer Range, Louder Speaker, and More Apple Introduces New Black Unity Apple Watch BandBoth the new AirTag and the Black Unity Connection Braided...
M5 MacBook Pro

Apple Reportedly Aiming to Upgrade the MacBook Pro Twice This Year

Sunday January 25, 2026 11:46 am PST by
Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Studio, and Studio Display models in the first half of this year, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his Power On newsletter today, Gurman added that redesigned MacBook Pro models with an OLED touch screen "should be hitting toward the end of 2026," meaning that the MacBook Pro line would be upgraded twice this year. First up...
iPhone 5s

iPhone 5s Gets New Software Update 13 Years After Launch

Monday January 26, 2026 3:56 pm PST by
Alongside iOS 26.2.1, Apple today released an updated version of iOS 12 for devices that are still running that operating system update, eight years after the software was first released. iOS 12.5.8 is available for the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6, meaning Apple is continuing to support these devices for 13 and 12 years after launch, respectively. The iPhone 5s came out in September 2013,...
Apple Logo Spotlight

Apple to Launch These 20+ Products This Year

Sunday January 25, 2026 6:02 pm PST by
2026 promises to be yet another busy year for Apple, with the company rumored to be planning more than 20 product announcements over the coming months. Beyond the usual updates to iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches, Apple is expected to release its all-new smart home hub, which was reportedly delayed until the more personalized version of Siri is ready. Other unique products rumored for ...

Top Rated Comments

kevpnw Avatar
17 months ago
One step closing to merging accounts?
Score: 28 Votes (Like | Disagree)
soapropos Avatar
17 months ago
being able to change iCloud address is huge. I think I panic picked mine back when they iCloud first came out and have hated it ever since
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kagharaht Avatar
17 months ago
i wonder if Apple will get rid of @mac.com address. Mine is perfect since I got on that soon as it was available. Beta testing itools and MobileMe days was fun back then.
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
211 Avatar
17 months ago
I created my Apple Account way back when only a username was needed, not even an email address, with AOL. Later, I had to create another Apple Account as Apple no longer recognizes non-email addresses for iCloud, etc. So all my iTunes purchases are in my username-only Apple Account and everything else is in my email Apple Account. It’s such a mess.
Score: 16 Votes (Like | Disagree)
cjsuk Avatar
17 months ago
Ok now this is actually good.

Hopefully it’ll work with my custom domain and I can lose the @icloud.com completely. That is by far my favourite feature of iCloud and it really would tie everything up neatly.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Aaronp613 Avatar
17 months ago

How can we see this option if we're on iOS 18.1? I've been searching Settings for "Email & Phone Numbers" and don't see anything.
Go to "Sign-In & Security" under your name in settings
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)