Sign in to your Apple account on any device

Your Apple account — called an Apple ID — is the single login you use across all Apple devices and services. To sign in, go to appleid.apple.com in any web browser, click "Sign in", and enter your email address and password. If you have two-factor authentication turned on (which Apple enables by default for most accounts), you will see a prompt on one of your trusted devices asking you to approve the sign-in. Tap "Allow" on that device to complete the login.

On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can also sign in through Settings. On iPhone and iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap "Sign in with your Apple ID" if you are not already signed in. On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, and enter your credentials. Once you are signed in on a device, you stay signed in until you manually sign out — you do not need to log in every time you use it.

If you cannot remember your password, click "Forgot password?" on the sign-in screen. Apple will send a reset link to your recovery email address or let you verify your identity using a trusted device. If you cannot access either of those, you may need to answer security questions you set up when you created the account.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Apple ID is a single email address and password that works across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple services like iCloud and the App Store.
  • Two-factor authentication is turned on by default and requires you to approve sign-ins on a trusted device, which makes your account harder to break into.
  • You can view and change your account information, payment methods, and security settings at appleid.apple.com without needing to sign in on a device.
  • If you forget your password, Apple can send a reset link to your recovery email or let you verify your identity using a device you have already signed in on.
  • Signing out of your account on a device removes access to iCloud, the App Store, and other services on that device until you sign back in.

Find your account information and payment methods

Once you are signed in at appleid.apple.com, you see your account overview. The left sidebar shows sections for Account, Security, and Resources. Under Account, click "Personal Information" to see and edit your name, phone number, and email addresses. You can add multiple email addresses to your Apple ID — one is your primary address (the one you use to sign in), and others are aliases you can use to sign in as well.

To view or change your payment method, click "Payment and Shipping" in the Account section. Here you can add a credit card, debit card, or Apple Pay account, set a default payment method, and see your billing address. If you have a gift card balance, it appears here too. Any payment method you add here is used when you buy apps, music, or other content from Apple services.

Your account also stores your Apple ID balance — money you have added through gift cards or refunds. This balance is spent first when you make a purchase, and any remaining cost is charged to your default payment method.

Manage your security and recovery options

The Security section at appleid.apple.com is where you control how your account is protected. Under "Security", you can see your password strength (Apple rates it as weak, fair, good, or strong), change your password, and manage two-factor authentication. If two-factor authentication is on, you can see which devices are trusted — these are devices Apple will not ask for a verification code when you sign in from them. You can remove a device from this list if you sell it or no longer use it.

Below that, you can set up recovery contacts and recovery keys. A recovery contact is a trusted person (usually a family member) who can help you regain access if you forget your password and cannot use your recovery email. A recovery key is a long code you write down and store somewhere safe — if you lose access to your email and your trusted devices, a recovery key is your only way back in. Apple recommends setting up at least one of these before you need it.

You can also see your login history — a list of recent sign-ins showing the device, location, and date. If you see a sign-in you do not recognize, you can mark it as suspicious, which will sign you out of that session and prompt you to change your password.

Control what data is stored in iCloud

iCloud is Apple's cloud storage service, and it is tied to your Apple ID. When you sign in on a device, that device can automatically back up photos, messages, contacts, calendar events, and other data to iCloud. To see what is being backed up and how much storage you are using, go to appleid.apple.com, click "iCloud" in the left sidebar, and then click "Manage your storage".

Here you can see which apps and services are using iCloud space. Photos usually take up the most room. You can turn off iCloud backup for any app by clicking it and toggling the switch off. If you turn off iCloud for an app, that data will no longer sync across your devices, but it will stay on each device where it already exists.

Apple gives you 5 GB of free iCloud storage. If you need more, you can buy a plan: 50 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB per month. The cost varies by region. Any storage you buy is shared across all the apps and services using your Apple ID.

Sign out of your account on a device

When you sign out of your Apple ID on a device, that device loses access to iCloud, the App Store, Apple Music, and other services. On iPhone and iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, scroll to the bottom, and tap "Sign Out". Apple will ask whether you want to keep a copy of your iCloud data on the device — if you say yes, your photos, contacts, and other data stay on the device but stop syncing with iCloud. If you say no, iCloud data is removed from the device.

On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, scroll down, and click "Sign Out". You will see the same choice about keeping iCloud data. On a Mac, you can also choose whether to keep your Mac's encryption key, which protects your files — if you do not keep it, you will not be able to access encrypted files on that Mac after you sign out.

If you are selling or giving away a device, sign out of your Apple ID before handing it over. This removes your personal data and prevents the new owner from accessing your account. You can also sign out remotely using Find My iPhone or Find My Mac if you have lost a device.

Recover a lost or hacked account

If you think someone else has accessed your account, change your password when ready at appleid.apple.com. Click "Security", then "Change Password", and enter a new password that is different from any you have used before. If you have set up two-factor authentication, you will need to approve this change on a trusted device.

After changing your password, check your login history to see if there are sign-ins you do not recognize. If there are, click the sign-in and mark it as suspicious. This will sign out that session and prompt you to change your password again. You can also remove devices from your trusted device list if you think one has been compromised.

If you cannot sign in at all — because you forgot your password and cannot access your recovery email — go to appleid.apple.com and click "Forgot password?". Apple will walk you through identity verification using a trusted device, recovery key, or security questions. This process can take several days if Apple needs to verify your identity by other means.

Manage family sharing and child accounts

If you have set up Family Sharing, your Apple ID is the organizer account. Family members can share purchases, subscriptions, and iCloud storage under one plan. To manage Family Sharing, go to appleid.apple.com, click "Family" in the left sidebar, and you will see all family members and their accounts. Here you can add or remove family members, manage parental controls for child accounts, and see who is sharing your subscriptions.

If you have a child account set up under your Apple ID, you can control what that child can buy, which apps they can use, and what content they can access. You can also see their location if they have shared it with you. These controls are managed through the Family section of your Apple ID account.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between my Apple ID and my iCloud email?

Your Apple ID is the account itself — the email and password you use to sign in. Your iCloud email is an email address that comes with iCloud storage, usually in the format yourname@icloud.com. You can use either your Apple ID email or your iCloud email to sign in to your account, and you can add multiple email addresses to your Apple ID.

Can I change the email address I use to sign in?

Yes. Go to appleid.apple.com, click "Personal Information", and look for "Reachable at". You can change your primary email address here, but Apple will send a confirmation link to the new address first. The old email address becomes an alias you can still use to sign in.

What happens if I forget my Apple ID password?

Go to appleid.apple.com and click "Forgot password?". Apple will send a reset link to your recovery email address or let you verify your identity using a trusted device. If you cannot access either, you can answer security questions or use a recovery key if you set one up beforehand.

Do I need to sign in on every device I own?

No. You only need to sign in once per device. After that, you stay signed in until you manually sign out. However, if you change your password, Apple will sign you out of all devices for security reasons, and you will need to sign in again.

Can I use the same Apple ID on multiple devices?

Yes. You can sign in with the same Apple ID on as many devices as you want — iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Your purchases, photos, and other data will sync across all of them as long as they are all signed in with the same account.