Change Your Apple ID Email in the App Store

To change the Apple ID used by the App Store, sign out of Media & Purchases and sign in with the Apple Account you want to use. To change the email on the same account instead, edit its primary email without switching accounts.

Apple now calls an Apple ID an Apple Account. Your existing sign-in details and account continue to work.

Where do I find the Apple ID used by the App Store?

The App Store account screen shows which Apple Account is currently being used for apps and other store content.

On an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open the App Store app, not the App Store page in a browser.
2. Tap your photo or initials in the upper-right corner.
3. Check the account information at the top of the Account screen.

The setting used to switch accounts is elsewhere on an iPhone or iPad. Its path is Settings > your name > Media & Purchases.

On a Mac:

1. Open the App Store app.
2. Click your name in the lower-left corner. If no account is signed in, that area shows Sign In.
3. Click Account Settings near the top of the window if you need the full account screen. Apple may ask you to authenticate again.

How do I change the Apple ID in the App Store?

Use these steps when the other Apple Account already exists. Signing out of Media & Purchases does not sign the iPhone or iPad out of iCloud, iMessage, or the main Apple Account shown at the top of Settings.

On an iPhone or iPad:

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap Media & Purchases.
3. Tap Sign Out, then confirm.
4. Tap Media & Purchases again.
5. Choose the option indicating that you are not the displayed person rather than continuing with the suggested account.
6. Enter the email address or phone number and password for the different Apple Account.
7. Complete any verification prompt, then reopen the App Store.

On a Mac:

1. Open the App Store.
2. Choose Store > Sign Out from the menu bar.
3. Click Sign In in the lower-left corner.
4. Enter the email address or phone number for the other Apple Account, followed by its password.
5. Complete any requested verification.

These steps answer “how can I change Apple ID in App Store?” when the goal is to switch accounts. They do not rename or alter either account.

How do I change the email address on my existing Apple ID?

Changing the primary email keeps the same Apple Account, account information, and associated content. It is different from signing into the App Store with another account.

1. Open {site} and sign in to the Apple Account whose email you want to change.
2. Open Sign-In and Security.
3. Select Email & Phone Numbers.
4. Select the primary email address and follow the displayed options to replace it or choose another address already associated with the account.
5. Enter the verification information Apple sends to the new address.
6. After the change is confirmed, use the updated address when Apple asks you to sign in again.

Apple may redirect the change to a trusted device. A trusted device is an Apple device already signed into the account with two-factor authentication. On that device, use Settings or System Settings > your name > Sign-In & Security, select the primary email, and follow the prompts.

An email address cannot be used if it is already associated with another Apple Account. Do not remove the address from an unrelated account unless you understand how that account will be affected.

What happens to apps and purchases after switching Apple IDs?

App Store content remains associated with the Apple Account originally used to obtain it. Simply switching the App Store account does not automatically move that history to the new account.

• Apps already installed normally remain on the device, but an update or another download may request the password for the original Apple Account.
• The account’s App Store history shows content associated with the Apple Account currently signed into Media & Purchases.
• Subscriptions remain tied to the account through which they were started. Switching the App Store sign-in does not transfer them.
• Deleting an app obtained through the former account may mean that account is needed to download it again.
• Family Sharing can affect which eligible content is visible, but it does not change which account originally obtained an item.

Before switching, note the email address used for important apps and subscriptions. Also remember that an app’s own login is separate from the Apple Account used to download the app.

What should I do if the App Store will not accept the new Apple ID?

1. Confirm that the email address or phone number belongs to the intended Apple Account. Check for typing errors and unwanted spaces.
2. If the password is rejected, use Apple’s password-reset option instead of repeatedly guessing.
3. If two-factor authentication appears, enter the current code shown on a trusted Apple device or sent to a trusted phone number.
4. If no code arrives, request a new code from the verification screen and confirm that the trusted number has service. A trusted device may also display a code in its Sign-In & Security settings.
5. Check Settings > your name > Media & Purchases on an iPhone or iPad to make sure the old account was fully signed out.
6. On a Mac, reopen the App Store and confirm that the name in the lower-left corner belongs to the intended account.
7. Restart the device and try again if the App Store continues displaying the former account.

If an app update requests the old account, the app was probably obtained with that account. Sign in with the original account for the update, or remove and download the app under the new account only if doing so will not erase app data stored solely on the device.

When should I contact Apple Support about changing the App Store account?

Contact Apple Support when self-service steps cannot establish that the account is yours or when the device reports an account restriction that you cannot resolve.

• The Apple Account is locked, disabled, or unavailable.
• You cannot access any trusted device or trusted phone number needed for verification.
• The new email is reported as already in use, but you cannot identify the other account.
• The App Store repeatedly returns to the former account after a confirmed sign-out.
• Content or subscriptions are missing even though the correct Apple Account is shown.
• A work or school Managed Apple Account is involved; the organization’s administrator may also need to help.

Open {site}, choose the support option for Apple Account or App Store, and follow the official contact choices offered for your location and issue. Never give anyone your password, device passcode, or two-factor verification code.