You can change your iCloud account on an iPhone by signing out of the current account and signing in with a different one
Switching iCloud accounts on your iPhone means removing your current Apple ID and signing in with a different one. This affects everything tied to that account: your email, photos in iCloud, contacts, calendars, and backups. Before you start, understand that signing out will remove access to these items on your phone, though they remain stored in iCloud under the old account.
The process takes about 10 minutes and happens entirely in your phone's Settings app. You do not need a computer. Have your new Apple ID and password ready before you begin, because you will need them immediately after signing out.
Key Takeaways
- Signing out of iCloud removes your current Apple ID from the phone but does not delete anything stored in iCloud under that account.
- You must have your new Apple ID password ready before you start, because the phone will ask for it right after you sign out.
- If you forget your old Apple ID password, you will need to reset it through Apple's website before you can complete the sign-out process.
- After signing in with the new account, your phone will download that account's photos, contacts, and other data from iCloud.
- If you use iCloud Keychain, you will need to enter your new account's security code during setup.
How to sign out of your current iCloud account
Open Settings and tap your name at the very top of the screen. Scroll to the bottom and tap "Sign Out". The phone will ask you to enter your Apple ID password — this is the password for the account you are currently signed into, not the new one. Type it in and tap "Turn Off".
A menu will appear asking what you want to do with your data on the phone. You will see options for Photos, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, and other items. For each one, you can choose "Keep on My iPhone" or "Delete from My iPhone". Choose "Keep on My iPhone" for anything you want to stay on the phone. Choose "Delete from My iPhone" only if you are sure you do not need it — these items will still exist in iCloud under your old account, but they will be removed from this phone.
After you make these choices, tap "Sign Out" again to confirm. The phone will remove your account and return you to the Settings screen.
How to sign in with your new iCloud account
You are still in Settings. Tap "Sign in to your iPhone" at the top of the screen. Enter your new Apple ID email address and password, then tap "Next". If you have two-factor authentication turned on for this account, the phone will send a code to one of your trusted devices. Enter that code when prompted.
Next, the phone will ask about iCloud Keychain, which stores passwords and payment information. If you want to use it, tap "Use iCloud Keychain" and follow the prompts. You will need to enter a security code — either a six-digit code you create or your device passcode. If you do not want to use Keychain, tap "Don't Use iCloud Keychain".
The phone will then ask which data you want to sync from iCloud: Photos, Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and others. Turn on the toggle for anything you want to download to this phone. This data comes from your new account's iCloud storage. The process may take several minutes depending on how much data you have.
What happens if you forget your old Apple ID password
If you cannot remember the password for the account you are currently signed into, you cannot complete the sign-out process on the phone itself. You will need to reset the password through Apple's website first.
Go to iforgot.apple.com on a computer or another device. Enter the Apple ID email address for your current account and follow Apple's password reset process. You can reset it using your recovery email, a trusted phone number, or your security questions, depending on what you set up when you created the account. Once you have reset the password, return to your iPhone and try signing out again.
What to do if the phone asks for your old account password after signing out
Sometimes after you sign out, the phone will ask for your old Apple ID password again before letting you sign in with the new one. This is a security feature. Enter the password for the account you just signed out of, not your new password.
If you do not remember this password, you will need to reset it using iforgot.apple.com before you can proceed. The phone will not let you move forward without it.
How to handle iCloud backups when switching accounts
Your old account's backups stay in iCloud under that account. They do not transfer to your new account. If you want to keep a backup from your old account, you can download it to a computer using a Mac or PC before you switch accounts, though this requires some technical steps.
Once you sign in with your new account, the phone will start creating new backups under that account. These backups include everything on your phone at the time they are created. If you ever need to restore from an old backup, you would need to sign back into your old account to access it.
Troubleshooting common problems during the switch
If the phone gets stuck on the sign-out screen, force-quit Settings by swiping up from the bottom of the screen (or swiping down from the top-right on older iPhones) and closing the app. Wait 30 seconds, then open Settings again and try signing out once more.
If you see an error message saying "Cannot Connect to iCloud", check that you are connected to Wi-Fi and that the password you entered is correct. If the password is correct and you still see the error, wait a few minutes and try again — Apple's servers may be temporarily slow.
If your new account's data is not appearing on the phone after you sign in, go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, and make sure the toggles are turned on for the items you want to sync. Then tap "iCloud Backup" and tap "Back Up Now" to force an immediate sync.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my old photos and contacts disappear if I switch accounts?
No. Your old photos and contacts stay in iCloud under your old account. When you sign out, you are removing access to them from this phone, but they are not deleted. If you sign back into your old account later, they will be there. You can also download them to a computer before switching if you want to keep them.
Can I use the same phone number for both Apple IDs?
No. Each Apple ID must have its own phone number or email address. If you want to use the same phone number for your new account, you will need to remove it from your old account first by going to appleid.apple.com and signing in with your old credentials.
What if I do not have a password for my new account yet?
You cannot sign in without a password. If you just created the new Apple ID, check your email for a confirmation message from Apple. If you forgot the password, go to iforgot.apple.com and reset it before trying to sign in on your phone.
Will my apps stay on the phone after I switch accounts?
Apps you downloaded with your old account stay on the phone, but you will not be able to update them without signing back in with that account. Apps you want to keep updated should be re-downloaded using your new account after you sign in.
How long does it take for my new account's data to show up?
Photos, contacts, and other data usually appear within a few minutes if you have a fast Wi-Fi connection. Large photo libraries can take longer. If nothing appears after 15 minutes, go to Settings, tap your name, tap iCloud, and check that the toggles are turned on for the items you want to sync.