How to Switch to a Different iCloud Account in iOS?

Switching to a different iCloud account on your iPhone or iPad can be useful if you want to access content synced to another account or if you've changed Apple IDs. While the process is straightforward, there are some important steps to follow to ensure a smooth transition without losing any data. This guide will walk you through how to switch to a different iCloud account on your iOS device.

Back Up Your Device

Before making any account changes, it's crucial to back up your device. This provides a safety net in case anything goes wrong during the transition process.

How to Back Up an iPhone or iPad

There are a couple ways to back up an iOS device:

• iCloud Backup - Enable iCloud Backup in Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Then connect your device to power and WiFi to back up automatically.
• iTunes Backup - Connect your device to a computer with iTunes installed. In iTunes, select your device and then select Back Up Now.

Backing up provides a copy of your settings, app data, photos, and other information. Having a recent backup lets you restore if needed after switching iCloud accounts.

Sign Out of iCloud and Media Services

Before changing iCloud accounts, you'll want to sign out from your current account on the device. Signing out dissociates your device from that iCloud account.

How to Sign Out of iCloud

To sign out of iCloud on your iPhone or iPad:

1. Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
2. Tap Sign Out.
3. Tap Sign Out again to confirm.

This will sign you out of iCloud services like iCloud Drive, iCloud Keychain, and iCloud Backup.

Sign Out of Media and App Store

In addition to iCloud, sign out of any media services linked to your Apple ID:

• Settings > TV > Sign Out
• Settings > Music > Sign Out
• App Store > Tap your Apple ID > Sign Out

Signing out of these services ensures your content and purchases aren't still tied to the old account.

Disable Find My iPhone

If Find My iPhone is enabled, you'll need to turn that off before switching iCloud accounts.

Here's how to disable Find My iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > Your Name > Find My.
2. Tap Find My iPhone.
3. Toggle Find My iPhone to the off position.
4. Enter your Apple ID password to confirm.

With Find My disabled, your device can now be associated with a new iCloud account.

Enter the New iCloud Account Details

Once signed out from your old account, you can enter details for your new iCloud account.

Here's how to add a new iCloud account:

1. Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
2. Tap Sign Out to confirm you're signed out from any account.
3. Tap Sign In and enter your new Apple ID and password.

Your device will then be associated with the new iCloud account for syncing data.

Re-download Content from New Account

With your new account setup, you can re-download synced content like photos, calendars, and more.

Here are some tips for accessing that content again:

• Photos - Open the Photos app and your photo library will resync from iCloud.
• Contacts - Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud and toggle Contacts to sync them.
• Calendars - Enable iCloud Calendar syncing to get your events.
• Notes - Toggle on Notes in iCloud settings to sync your notes from the new account.
• Keychain - Saved passwords and credit cards will sync after a short delay.

Take time to check that important data is accessible again through the new account.

Update Billing Information

If you purchased apps, music, movies or other media with your old Apple ID, you'll likely want to update your billing info.

Here's how to change billing information:

1. Go to Settings > Your Name > Media & Purchases.
2. Tap View Account.
3. Tap Payment Information to enter updated billing details.

Updating this ensures any future purchases are charged to the correct account.

Transfer Device Ownership

If you want to fully transfer ownership of your device to the new account, you can initiate a transfer.

Transfer Ownership via iCloud

To transfer ownership via iCloud:

1. Make sure you're signed in to the new account on the device.
2. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
3. Tap Transfer to New iPhone/iPad.
4. Follow the on-screen steps to transfer device ownership.

The new account will then fully own and manage the device.

Transfer via iTunes

Alternatively, you can transfer ownership through iTunes on a computer:

1. Connect your device to the computer via USB.
2. Open iTunes and select your device.
3. Click Summary then click Transfer to New iPhone/iPad.
4. Select your new account and click Continue to transfer ownership.

Important Considerations

When switching iCloud accounts, keep these important points in mind:

• Only one iCloud account can be signed in per device at a time.
• You can't merge data between two accounts - content is either on one account or the other.
• Purchased apps and media stay tied to the old account unless you transfer purchases.
• iCloud Backup and restore is useful if anything goes wrong with the transition.

Following the steps in this guide will help ensure a smooth transition to the new account.

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to ever lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply Download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Conclusion

Switching to a new iCloud account on your iPhone or iPad takes a few steps, but following this guide will ensure the process is smooth and successful. Be sure to back up your device, sign out from your old account, sign in to the new one, re-download synced data, and consider transferring ownership if desired. With some care taken during the transition, you'll be up and running with your new iCloud account on iOS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about switching iCloud accounts:

Will my purchased apps transfer to the new account?

No, purchased apps stay tied to your old Apple ID and won't transfer automatically. You'll need to enter the previous account details to update and redownload paid apps.

Can I transfer app data like game progress?

Some app data can transfer if the developer supports iCloud syncing between accounts. But most apps associate data with a specific account.

What happens if I'm using iCloud Family Sharing?

Before switching accounts, you'll want to leave the Family Sharing group so your new account isn't affected. Ownership of shared purchases may need to be transferred as well.

Will I keep any iCloud storage paid for under old account?

No, any iCloud storage subscription is tied to the account that purchased it. You may need to pay for more storage under the new account.

Can I switch back to my old iCloud account?

Yes, you can switch between accounts as needed in the future. Just sign into the old account again and follow the steps above.