'Apple ID' Renamed to 'Apple Account' Across iOS 18 and Other Updates

Earlier this year, we reported that "Apple ID" would be renamed to "Apple Account," and this change has now been officially announced.

iOS 18 Apple Account Name Feature 2
Apple confirmed the change in a press release today, with "Apple Account" branding now used across iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and watchOS 11:

With the releases of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, macOS Sequoia, and watchOS 11, Apple ID is renamed to Apple Account for a consistent sign-in experience across Apple services and devices, and relies on a user's existing credentials.

There are still some places where Apple ID branding remains for now, such as the Apple ID sign-in page on the web. The transition to "Apple Account" will likely be completed by time iOS 18 and the other software updates are publicly released later this year.

"Apple Account" is certainly a more straightforward name, but "Apple ID" had been used for over two decades and had a lot of sentimental value.

Related Forums: iOS 18, iPadOS 18

Popular Stories

iOS 26

iOS 26.1 Coming Soon: New Features for Your iPhone and Release Date

Monday October 27, 2025 7:55 am PDT by
The upcoming iOS 26.1 update includes a handful of new features and changes for iPhones, including a toggle for changing the appearance of the Liquid Glass design, "slide to stop" for alarms in the Clock app, and more. Below, we outline key details about iOS 26.1. Release Date Given that Apple has yet to seed an iOS 26.1 Release Candidate, which is typically the final beta version, the...
maxresdefault

Apple TV 4K Could Still Launch Before 2025 Ends: All the Rumored Features

Monday October 27, 2025 4:51 pm PDT by
Apple is designing an updated version of the Apple TV 4K, and rumors suggest that it could come out sometime in the next couple of months. We're not expecting a major overhaul with design changes, but even a simple chip upgrade will bring major improvements to Apple's set-top box. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We've rounded up all the latest Apple TV rumors. ...
iOS 26

6 New Things Your iPhone Can Do in iOS 26.1

Wednesday October 29, 2025 4:22 am PDT by
Apple is about to drop iOS 26.1, the first major point release since iOS 26 was rolled out in September, and there are at least six notable changes and improvements to look forward to. We've rounded them up below. Apple has already provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of iOS 26.1, which means Apple will likely roll out the update to all compatible...
M6 MacBook Pro Feature 1

M6 MacBook Pro: Release Date, Pricing, and What to Expect

Monday October 27, 2025 9:15 am PDT by
Apple this month refreshed the 14-inch MacBook Pro base model with its new M5 chip, and higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with M5 Pro and M5 Max chips are expected to follow in early 2026. However, these machines will represent the final update to the current design, with Apple reportedly developing a completely new version of the MacBook Pro packed with next-generation hardware...
iOS 26

Apple Seeds iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, and macOS Tahoe 26.1 Release Candidates

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:07 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate versions of upcoming iOS 26.1, iPadOS 26.1, macOS Tahoe 26.1, tvOS 26.1, watchOS 26.1, and visionOS 26.1 updates for testing purposes. The RCs betas come a week after Apple released the fourth betas. The new betas can be downloaded from the Settings app on a compatible device by going to General > Software...
iOS 26 Battery Glass Feature

iOS 26.1 Beta Liquid Glass Battery Drain Test: Tinted vs Clear Mode

Friday October 24, 2025 2:30 pm PDT by
In the fourth iOS 26.1 beta, Apple added a "Tinted" option that reduces the translucency of Liquid Glass for those who prefer a more opaque look. I saw some comments wondering whether the setting might preserve battery life, so I thought I'd do some testing. Test Settings I did four separate tests using the iPhone 17 Pro Max, and I kept the parameters as similar as possible. Here are the...
ios 26 digital id passport wallet

Apple Says U.S. Passport Feature on iPhone is Coming Soon

Monday October 27, 2025 7:41 am PDT by
You will "soon" be able to add a digital version of your U.S. passport to your iPhone, according to Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. Bailey reiterated that the feature is coming soon during her keynote at the Money20/20 USA conference in Las Vegas on Sunday. On its iOS 26 page, Apple says the delayed feature will be "coming later this year." Apple's...
All Screen iPhone 2027 Feature 1

iPhone XX? 6 Features Rumored for Apple's 20th Anniversary iPhone

Monday October 27, 2025 4:01 pm PDT by
For the 10th anniversary iPhone that came out in 2017, Apple introduced the iPhone X with Face ID, notch, and minimized bezels, providing more display space than ever before. The 20th iPhone anniversary is approaching and Apple wants to take the iPhone X design even further. We're two years away from the 2027 iPhone, but it's tough for Apple to keep major changes under wraps. We've rounded...
macos tahoe

Here Are Apple's Release Notes for macOS Tahoe 26.1

Tuesday October 28, 2025 1:21 pm PDT by
Apple today provided developers and public beta testers with the release candidate version of macOS Tahoe 26.1, which means the update will likely see a public launch next week. The release candidate includes notes on what's in the update, so we have a full picture of the new features that Apple has included. macOS Tahoe 26.1 adds AutoMix support over AirPlay, improved FaceTime audio...

Top Rated Comments

tothemoonsands Avatar
18 months ago

Any hope for being able to merge Apple IDs?
PLEASE APPLE WE BEG YOU.

It’s crazy how they punish legacy users in this way. For those who don’t know, there was a time when they forced separate accounts for iCloud and iTunes, thus creating this mess where they have to allow for separate logins to this day.

It’s simply not easy to reconcile because all iTunes purchases are on one account, and all iCloud data is on another. It would be an utter pain to do it manually, not to mention you’d effectively give up your current iCloud email address. Basically, it’s not possible without Apple creating a merge tool.
Score: 40 Votes (Like | Disagree)
rockstarjoe Avatar
18 months ago
Any hope for being able to merge Apple IDs?
Score: 38 Votes (Like | Disagree)
RealJerzy Avatar
18 months ago
I liked Apple ID more. It felt more unique and personal.
Score: 35 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jwdsail Avatar
18 months ago
Seems like change for the sake of change .. (it's worked perfectly fine for two decades) but.. ok?

I guess someone had extra time after wrapping up an important emoji project..
Score: 20 Votes (Like | Disagree)
jent Avatar
18 months ago
Anyone else in the same boat as me? I have an iCloud account for syncing iCloud content, and a separate Apple ID (well, soon Apple Account) for App Store purchases and non-iCloud stuff. And it's so old that it's still a username and not an email address.
Score: 19 Votes (Like | Disagree)
klasma Avatar
18 months ago
Finally some accountability!
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)