Using your phone number for Apple Account instead of an email address
When you create a new Apple Account in China mainland or India, you can use your mobile phone number to sign in to your Apple Account.
This article applies to users that created their Apple Account using a phone number in China mainland (+86) or India (+91). If you instead have a primary email address for your Apple Account, learn how to change it.
Create an Apple Account using your (+86) or (+91) phone number
If you live in China mainland or India, you have the option to create an Apple Account using your phone number.
Follow the onscreen instructions to create your Apple Account, and use a phone number instead of an email address.
Change your Apple Account primary phone number to a different mobile phone number
If you no longer use the primary phone number that’s associated with your Apple Account, or you no longer have access to it, you can change it. You won’t lose access to your contacts, purchases, or other account information.
The easiest way to change the primary phone number associated with your Apple Account is with your iPhone or other trusted device. A trusted device is a device that you’re already signed in to with your Apple Account.
In China mainland, your new primary Apple Account phone number must be another (+86) mobile phone number. In India, your new Apple Account phone number must be another (+91) mobile phone number.
On your iPhone or iPad
Go to Settings, then tap [your name].
Tap Sign-In & Security.
Tap your primary phone number to make changes.
To remove this phone number from your account, tap Remove from Account. If you want to keep the current phone number associated with your Apple Account but change to a different primary phone number, turn off Primary Phone Number.
You’re prompted to choose another primary phone number. You can choose one of the other phone numbers already associated with your account, or you can add a new primary phone number.
Follow the onscreen steps to enter and verify your new primary phone number.
If your new mobile phone number is already connected to your Apple Account as a Messages phone number, shared phone number, or trusted phone number, then you don’t need to verify it.
On the web
Go to account.apple.com and sign in to your Apple Account.
Go to Sign-In and Security, click Apple Account.
Enter the mobile phone number that you want to sign in to your Apple Account, then select Change Apple Account.
A verification code is sent to you at that number. Enter the verification code from the text into the fields provided.
Change your Apple Account primary phone number to an email address
You might be prompted to change your Apple Account primary phone number to an email address if you no longer own the mobile phone number being used to sign in to your Apple Account. You can also change your Apple Account primary phone number to an email address to make sign in and recovery easier.
On your iPhone or iPad
Go to Settings, then tap [your name].
Tap Sign-In & Security.
Tap your primary phone number to make changes.
To remove this phone number from your account, tap Remove from Account. If you want to keep the current phone number associated with your Apple Account but change to a different primary email address, turn off Primary Phone Number.
Choose Add New Primary Phone or Email. If you already have an email address associated with your Apple Account, you might be prompted to make it your primary email address instead.
You can either choose Existing Email Address if you have an email you can use already, or choose New iCloud Email Address if you want to create a free iCloud email for your account.
Follow the onscreen steps to enter and verify your new primary email address. Learn what to do if you didn’t get the email.
If you move to a different country or region
Make sure that your new mobile phone number can be verified by SMS. First, change your Apple Account country or region. Then change your Apple Account phone number to a mobile phone number in your new country or region, or change it to an email address.
About messages from Apple
If your phone number-based Apple Account doesn’t have an email address associated with it, you’ll receive communications from Apple as an SMS message sent to the phone number you use with Apple Account. You can also view your messages on account.apple.com.
If someone else uses your phone number to sign in to their Apple Account
It’s possible that someone who previously owned your phone number is still using that number to sign in to their Apple Account. In this case, you aren’t able to use your phone number to sign in to your own Apple Account. You can still sign in with the email addresses on file in your Apple Account.
The previous owner of your phone number cannot access any of your account information or use your number for iMessage and FaceTime. It’s simply how they sign in to their own, separate Apple Account.
In order for you to use your phone number to sign in to your Apple Account, the previous owner of your phone number would have to remove it from their Apple Account.
