The Truth About Apple ID and .Mac

Like many Apple customers, I have had a .Mac account since they started offering one. A few years ago Apple merged it's .Mac and Apple ID usernames to become one in the same. So when I log into Apple support or even iTunes Music Store, I just use my .Mac email address. This was really nice to have one username for all Apple services. But what happens when you have to renew .Mac just to keep your Apple ID? Do you have to pay $100/year for the username? Surely it must be easy to change your Apple ID, right? It's not. You can't change your Apple ID if it's a .Mac username. Apple's MyInfo, Account Settings page states you can log in to .Mac to change your Apple ID, but you'll never find the tool to do it. It simply doesn't exist.

If you have a .Mac account as your Apple ID good luck changing your Apple ID. The good news is you do not have to, even if you are not renewing .Mac. Apple has a little known support file that states .Mac: Expired User Names Still Valid for Other Services. That's significant. You are free to cancel your .Mac account and preserve your Apple ID with a .Mac extension.

Recent .Mac renewal emails have stated that once you give up your .Mac address it can be used by someone else. What they fail to mention is, if it's your Apple ID too, you have a unique username preserved.

Tags: apple, dotmac