How to Change Your Apple ID on an iPad

You can change your Apple ID on an iPad by signing out of your current account and signing in with a different one

The process takes about five minutes and works the same way whether you're switching to a brand-new Apple ID or moving to one you've used before. You'll need the password for whichever Apple ID you're signing into, and you should know that some of your apps and data may not transfer over — that depends on what you're switching between and what you had set to sync.

The steps are straightforward: you go to Settings, tap your name at the top, scroll down and sign out, then sign back in with the new Apple ID. The tricky part isn't the signing in — it's understanding what happens to your stuff on the way, and knowing when you might need to back things up first.

Key Takeaways

You sign out of your current Apple ID in Settings under your name, then sign in with a new one using its password.
Apps you bought with your old Apple ID will stay on your iPad but won't update unless you sign in with that ID again.
Photos, notes, contacts, and calendar events synced through iCloud will disappear from your iPad if they were only stored in iCloud, not saved locally.
If you have important data you want to keep, back up your iPad to a computer or iCloud before you sign out.
Two-factor authentication on your new Apple ID will ask you to verify on another device the first time you sign in.

What happens to your apps and data when you switch

Apps you purchased with your old Apple ID stay on your iPad, but they won't update anymore. The App Store ties updates to the Apple ID that bought the app, so if you want those apps to keep working and getting security fixes, you'll need to either buy them again with your new ID or sign back in with the old one just to update them. Some people keep both IDs on their iPad for exactly this reason — one for the apps they bought years ago, one for everything new.

Data that syncs through iCloud — like photos in Photos, notes in Notes, contacts, calendar events, and reminders — will vanish from your iPad if you were only seeing them through iCloud sync, not storing them on the device itself. If those things matter to you, you need to back them up before you sign out. The safest way is to plug your iPad into a Mac or Windows computer and back it up through Finder or iTunes, or to make sure everything is saved to iCloud under your old account first, then read it before you switch.

Messages, Safari bookmarks, and Siri shortcuts also sync through iCloud and will disappear the same way. Anything stored only in the cloud under your old ID won't be there once you sign in with the new one.

The step-by-step process for signing out and signing in

Open Settings and tap your name at the very top of the screen — it's the first thing you see after you scroll past Airplane Mode and Wi-Fi. Scroll all the way down and tap "Sign Out" in red text at the bottom. Your iPad will ask for your Apple ID password to confirm you're the person signing out. Type it in and tap "Sign Out" again.

Your iPad will ask what you want to do with your iCloud data — specifically, whether to keep a copy on your device or delete it. If you have photos, notes, or contacts you care about, tap "Keep on My iPad" so they don't vanish. If you're switching because you want a clean break, you can delete them, but you can't undo that choice.

Once you're signed out, go back to Settings and tap "Sign in to your iPad" at the top. Enter the email address or phone number tied to your new Apple ID, then your password. If your new account has two-factor authentication turned on — which Apple recommends — you'll get a prompt on another device (your iPhone, Mac, or another iPad) asking you to approve the sign-in. Tap "Allow" on that device, and you're done.

Backing up before you switch if you have important data

If your iPad has photos, notes, contacts, or messages you don't want to lose, back it up before you sign out. The easiest way on a newer iPad is to plug it into a Mac with a USB-C cable, open Finder, click your iPad in the sidebar, and click "Back Up Now" under General. On Windows or with an older iPad, use iTunes the same way.

You can also back up to iCloud instead: go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, tap iCloud Backup, and tap "Back Up Now." This takes longer and uses your iCloud storage space, but it means you don't need a computer. Either way, wait for the backup to finish before you sign out — you'll see a progress bar or a checkmark when it's done.

After you sign in with your new Apple ID, you can restore from that backup if you want your old data back. But understand that restoring will also restore your old Apple ID settings, so you may end up signing out again. The cleaner approach for most people is to back up, sign out, sign in with the new ID, and then manually copy over the specific things you need — photos through AirDrop or email, notes by screenshotting or exporting them, contacts by exporting them as a file.

Handling apps you bought with your old Apple ID

Apps stay on your iPad even after you sign out, but they're now tied to your old Apple ID. If an app needs an update, you have two choices: sign back in with your old ID just to update it, or delete it and buy it again with your new ID if it's still available in the App Store.

Some apps let you use them without owning them on your current Apple ID — they'll just show a message saying you don't own this app, but you can still open it. Others will lock you out completely. If you have apps you use every day and you bought them with your old ID, it's worth keeping both IDs on your iPad. Go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down to "Media & Purchases," and tap "Add Another Person" to set up a second Apple ID on the device. Then you can switch between them in the App Store without signing out of everything.

If you need to sign back in with your old Apple ID later

You can add your old Apple ID back to your iPad without signing out of your new one. Go to Settings, tap your name, scroll down, and tap "Media & Purchases." Tap "Add Another Person" and sign in with your old Apple ID. Now you can update apps you bought with that ID, and you can read them again if you delete them.

This setup is especially useful if you're switching to a new Apple ID but want to keep using apps you paid for years ago. Your new ID is your main account — it's what syncs your photos, notes, and everything else — but your old ID sits there in the background so you can access your purchased apps whenever you need to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my photos disappear if I change my Apple ID?

Only if they were stored in iCloud and you don't back them up first. Photos saved directly on your iPad will stay. To be safe, back up your iPad to a computer or iCloud before you sign out, or make sure all your photos are saved locally by going to Settings, Photos, and turning off iCloud Photos temporarily while you're still signed in with your old ID.

Can I use two Apple IDs on the same iPad?

Yes. You can add a second Apple ID for media and purchases without signing out of your main one. Go to Settings, tap your name, scroll to "Media & Purchases," and tap "Add Another Person." This is useful if you want to keep updating apps you bought with an old ID while using a new ID for everything else.

What if I forget the password to my new Apple ID?

Go to iforgot.apple.com on a computer or another device and follow the steps to reset it. You'll need access to the email address or phone number tied to that ID. Once you've reset the password, come back to your iPad and try signing in again with the new password.

Do I need to back up my iPad before changing my Apple ID?

Only if you have data you want to keep that syncs through iCloud — photos, notes, contacts, messages, or reminders. If you're only using your iPad for apps and don't care about losing that data, you don't need to back up. But backing up takes five minutes and costs nothing, so it's worth doing if you're unsure.

Will my Safari bookmarks transfer to my new Apple ID?

No, not automatically. Safari bookmarks sync through iCloud, so they'll disappear when you sign out. If you need them, export your bookmarks before you sign out by opening Safari, going to File, and clicking "Export Bookmarks," then save the file. After you sign in with your new ID, you can import them back the same way.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.