Your Apple ID is the email address or phone number you use to sign into Apple services

Your Apple ID is the account that connects you to everything Apple — your email through iCloud, your App Store purchases, your photos in iCloud Photos, your backups, and your device settings. It is not a separate username you create. It is almost always the email address you chose when you first set up an Apple device, or a phone number if you set one up that way.

You probably created your Apple ID without realizing it. When you turned on a new iPhone, iPad, or Mac for the first time, Apple asked you to sign in or create an account. That account became your Apple ID. If you do not remember creating one, you already have one — it is just the email address associated with your device.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Apple ID is the email address or phone number you use to sign into any Apple device or service.
  • You can find which email is your Apple ID by going to Settings on iPhone or iPad, tapping your name at the top, or by visiting appleid.apple.com on any computer.
  • Your Apple ID controls your purchases, your backups, your photos, and your ability to find your device if it is lost.
  • You can change the email address linked to your Apple ID, but the process takes time and requires access to both your old and new email accounts.

Finding your Apple ID on an iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap your name at the very top of the screen. The email address or phone number shown there is your Apple ID. If you do not see your name at the top, you are not signed in to an Apple ID on that device — tap "Sign in to your iPhone" or "Sign in to your iPad" and enter the email address you think you used.

If you have forgotten the email address entirely, you can still recover it. On the sign-in screen, tap "Forgot password or do not have an Apple ID?" and then tap "Do not have an Apple ID or forgot it?" Apple will ask you for your first name, last name, and the email address you think you might have used. It will search and show you any Apple IDs associated with that information.

Finding your Apple ID on a Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). Click your name in the left sidebar. The email address shown under your name is your Apple ID. If you do not see your name, your Mac is not signed in to an Apple ID.

On very old Macs running older versions of macOS, the path is slightly different: click the Apple menu, select System Preferences, then click iCloud. Your Apple ID appears at the top of that window.

Finding your Apple ID on a Windows computer

If you use iCloud on a Windows PC, open iCloud for Windows (you can search for it in the Start menu). The email address shown at the top of the window is your Apple ID. If iCloud for Windows is not installed, you can still find your Apple ID by visiting appleid.apple.com in any web browser and signing in.

The online method works on any device with internet access, so if you are away from your computer or phone, you can always check your Apple ID through a web browser on a library computer, a friend's device, or any other machine.

Checking your Apple ID online

Go to appleid.apple.com in any web browser on any device. Click "Sign in" and enter the email address you think is your Apple ID, then enter your password. Once you are signed in, you will see your full Apple ID account information, including the email address or phone number associated with it, your payment methods, your devices, and your iCloud storage.

This is also the place to change your password, update your payment information, or see which devices are currently signed in under your Apple ID. If you have lost access to your Apple ID email address, you can start the recovery process here by clicking "Account" and then "Edit."

What your Apple ID controls

Your Apple ID is the key to everything on your Apple devices. It controls your App Store purchases — if you buy an app on your iPhone, you can read it again on your iPad or Mac using the same Apple ID without paying twice. It controls iCloud, which backs up your photos, contacts, calendar, and documents. It controls Find My, which lets you locate your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch if it is lost or stolen.

Your Apple ID also controls your Apple Music subscription, your iCloud+ storage plan, and your ability to use Apple Pay. If someone else has your Apple ID password, they can access your photos, your location, your payment methods, and your devices. This is why changing your password when ready is important if you think someone knows it.

If you cannot remember your password

Go to appleid.apple.com and click "Forgot password or do not have an Apple ID?" Enter the email address that is your Apple ID. Apple will send you a link to reset your password — check the email inbox for that address. If you do not have access to that email account anymore, you will need to verify your identity using a trusted phone number or a recovery key that you may have saved when you first set up your Apple ID.

If you have a device that is already signed in with your Apple ID, you can also reset your password through Settings. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, tap Password & Security, then tap Change Password. On Mac, go to System Settings, click your name, click Password & Security, then click Change Password.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I have more than one Apple ID?

Yes. You can create multiple Apple IDs using different email addresses, and you can sign into different Apple devices with different IDs. However, you can only be signed into one Apple ID per device at a time. If you want to use two IDs on the same device, you will need to sign out of one and sign in to the other.

What happens to my Apple ID if I stop using Apple devices?

Your Apple ID stays active. You can still use it to sign into appleid.apple.com, manage your account, and access any purchases or data you stored in iCloud. If you want to delete your Apple ID completely, you can do that through appleid.apple.com under Account Settings, but this will delete all your iCloud data and you will lose access to any apps you purchased.

Can I change my Apple ID email address?

Yes, but it takes time. Go to appleid.apple.com, sign in, click Account, then click Edit next to your Apple ID. You can change it to a different email address, but Apple requires you to verify both your old and new email addresses. The change takes effect after a few days.

Is my Apple ID the same as my iCloud email?

Not necessarily. Your Apple ID is the account you use to sign in. Your iCloud email is an email address that comes with iCloud storage — it might be the same as your Apple ID, or it might be different. You can have an iCloud email address without using it as your Apple ID.