With the iOS 18.1 update, iPhone users will finally be able to change their primary email address directly from their device. This includes users with iCloud.com, mac.com, or me.com email addresses. This change is a significant departure from Apple’s previous policy and will give users more flexibility in managing their Apple accounts. iOS18.1, it was not possible to change the main iCloud email address. If you regret your initial choice or no longer use a particular address, you’re stuck with it. The only workaround was to create an “alias” email address that could be used for various purposes. However, your primary email address will not change and will now be visible in certain situations.
With this update, Apple has simplified the process. Users can now change the primary email address associated with their Apple Account (formerly Apple ID). After the change, you will be able to log in using both the new address and the old address. This saves you the previous hassle of deleting your old email address and verifying your identity again to select a new one.
Option to change the primary email address for your Apple account in iOS 18.1. |Image credit — MacRumors
Even if you use an alias, your primary email address may be visible to others in certain circumstances. For example, your primary email is displayed when you send a request to share or collaborate on a document, or when you send an invitation through a calendar app. This may be a privacy concern for some users.
This change is especially useful if the @icloud.com, @mac.com, or @me.com address you originally selected is no longer in use. Perhaps they chose a less serious address and now prefer a more professional one. Or maybe your circumstances have changed and you need a different primary email. Whatever the reason, iOS18.1 gives you the flexibility to easily update your primary email address. In addition to changing the primary email address, this update also allows users to turn off their primary iCloud email address. Previously, the only option was to delete it completely.
I see this as a positive move by Apple. This gives users more control over their online identity and interactions with Apple services. The ability to change your primary email address is a basic feature that should have been available all along, and it’s good that Apple finally implemented it.
