About your Apple ID email addresses

Learn how to add, change, or delete the different types of email addresses that you can use with your Apple ID account.

Email addresses you use with your Apple ID

Your Apple ID uses email addresses to sign you in to your account with Apple. With your Apple ID, you can access services like the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and more. We use your email addresses to send you information about your account, and to help friends and family communicate and share with you.

Apple ID email address
In most cases, your Apple ID is also the primary email address of your Apple ID account.

Additional email addresses
Add extra email addresses to your account to help people find you on Apple services like FaceTime, iMessage, and Find My.

Rescue email address
Most people have a notification email address instead of a rescue email address. Apple uses this to send you important account and security related information. If you don't use two-factor authentication or two-step verification (learn how to check what security method you use), you have the option to add a rescue email address to your account for more security. You can see it when you sign in to your Apple ID account page.

Before you can use a new or updated Apple ID, we'll send you a verification email to make sure that the email address belongs to you.

Apple ID email address

When you create an Apple ID, you enter an email address. This email address is your Apple ID and the username that you use to sign in to Apple services like Apple Music and iCloud. It's also the contact email address for your account. Be sure to check your email address regularly. We'll send you email notifications to help you manage your account and make the most of your Apple ID.

Change your Apple ID email address

Reset your Apple ID password

Get a verification code

* If you use two-factor authentication, in some cases you might be able to speed up the account recovery process or reset your password immediately by verifying a six-digit code sent to your primary email address.

Additional email addresses

Many of us have more than one email address that friends and family use to reach us. Add an email address that you commonly use to your Apple ID account, so people can easily find and communicate with you on Apple services like FaceTime, iMessage, Shared Albums, iWork collaboration, and Find My.

Add an additional email address

  1. Sign in to your Apple ID account page.
  2. Click Edit in the Account section.
  3. Under Reachable at, select Add More.
  4. Enter your additional email address. Make sure you're not already using it as an Apple ID.
  5. We'll send a verification to that address. Didn't get the email?
  6. Enter the verification code and click Verify.

Delete an additional email address

  1. Sign in to your Apple ID account page.
  2. Click Edit in the Account section.
  3. To delete one of your additional email addresses, click  next to the address.

Rescue email address

Having a rescue email address is optional but recommended if you do not have two-factor authentication or two-step verification. If you ever forget your security questions, you can use your rescue email address to reset them. We also send any account security-related notifications to your rescue email address. If you have two-factor authentication or two-step verification, you have a notification email address instead of a rescue email address and won't need to remember security questions.

Add or edit a rescue email address

  1. Sign in to your Apple ID account page.
  2. Click Edit in the Security section. You might be asked to answer one or more security questions before you continue.
  3. To add a rescue email address:
    • Under Rescue Email, click Add an Email Address, then enter your rescue email address. We send a verification to that address. Didn't get the email?
    • Enter the verification code and click Verify.
  4. To edit a rescue email address:
    • Select Change Email Address under the address you want to edit, then enter the new address. We send a verification to that address. Didn't get the email?
    • Enter the verification code and click Verify.

If you had a rescue email address on file when you upgraded to two-factor authentication or two-step verification, you can also use these steps to edit your notification email address. If you remove the notification email, you won't be able to add a new one.

Delete a rescue email address

  1. Sign in to your Apple ID account page.
  2. Click Edit in the Security section. You might be asked to answer one or more security questions before you continue.
  3. To delete a rescue email address, click  next to the address.

Reset your security questions

Learn more

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