How To Create A New Apple ID: Quick & Easy Steps

As an iOS user, it is imperative that you create an Apple ID. This is your gate pass into the iOS platform, which will allow you to maximize full usage of your Apple products.

You need an Apple ID to log in and use Apple devices and services like iPhone, iPad, Mac, iCloud, App Store, iTunes, etc.

What is an Apple ID?

Apple ID is an authentication method used by Apple devices and services like iPhone, iPad, Mac, iCloud, App Store, iTunes Store, etc. It is an account that you use to access all Apple devices and make all of your devices work together.

With an Apple ID, you can save data to iCloud, sync files across devices, download and purchase apps, games, movies, etc.

What is an Apple ID used for?

Your Apple ID is your gateway to your Apple device, and it is the account that is used for all Apple services and devices. We’ve listed some of the ways the Apple ID is used below.

Syncing content like contacts, photos, files, messages, backups, and more when ‌iCloud‌ services are enabled.
Locating a lost or stolen device with ‌Find My‌.
Making ‌App Store‌ purchases.
Making Apple Store purchases.
Using services like ‌Apple Music‌, Apple Arcade, and ‌Apple TV+‌.
Activation Lock so a stolen device can’t be used.

Create an Apple ID on iPhone or iPad

You can create a new Apple ID when you set up your device, or set it up later in the App Store.

Create your Apple ID when you set up your device

Tap “Forgot password or don’t have an Apple ID?”
Tap Create a Free Apple ID.
In the pop-up Create Apple ID window, you can enter your first name and last name, your birthday, and your email address. You can use an existing email address (like an email address from services like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc.) or get a free iCloud email address (@icloud.com).
Follow the instructions to verify your email address. Create a strong password for the Apple ID account.
Set your device region, and set up two-factor authentication. If you choose to skip this step, you’ll be prompted to do this later in Settings.

Create A New Apple ID using the App Store on your device

To create a new Apple ID via the App store:

Open the App Store and tap the sign-in button .
Tap Create New Apple ID. If you don’t see this option, make sure that you’re signed out of iCloud.
Follow the onscreen steps to provide an email address, create a strong password, and set your device region. The email address that you provide will be your new Apple ID.*
Enter your credit card and billing information, then tap Next. You can also choose None. You won’t be charged until you make a purchase.
Confirm your phone number. This can help to verify your identity and recover your account if needed. Tap Next.
Check your email for a verification email from Apple and verify your email address.
After you verify your email address, you can use your Apple ID to sign in to the iTunes Store, App Store, and other Apple services such as iCloud.

Create A New Apple ID on Mac

Choose Apple menu > System Settings. In earlier versions of macOS, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
Click Sign In with your Apple ID from the sidebar. In earlier versions of macOS, click Sign In.
Click Create Apple ID, then follow the onscreen steps to provide an email address, create a strong password, and set your device region. The email address that you provide will be your new Apple ID.*
Enter your credit card and billing information, then click Continue. You can also choose None. You won’t be charged until you make a purchase.
Check your email for a verification email from Apple and verify your email address.

After you verify your email address, you can use your new Apple ID to sign in to the App Store and other Apple services such as iCloud.

Create a new Apple ID on a Windows PC

You can also create an Apple ID on non-IOS platforms like Windows with the following steps:

Open iTunes for Windows. Make sure that you have the latest version.
From the menu bar at the top of your computer screen or at the top of the iTunes window, choose Account > Sign In. Then click Create New Apple ID.
Follow the onscreen steps to provide an email address, create a strong password, and set your device region. The email address that you provide will be your new Apple ID.*
Enter your credit card and billing information, then click Continue. You can also choose None. You won’t be charged until you make a purchase.
Check your email for a verification email from Apple and verify your email address.

Create a new Apple ID on another device

To create your Apple ID on an Apple TV, Android device, smart TV, or streaming device, you can usually follow the steps provided onscreen and enter your full name, date of birth, email address or phone number, and payment method. If you set up the Apple TV app on your smart TV, you might be redirected to activate.apple.com to create your Apple ID.

You can also use the steps below to create your Apple ID on the web.

Create a new Apple ID on the web

Go to appleid.apple.com and click Create Your Apple ID
Follow the onscreen steps to provide an email address, create a strong password, and set your device region. The email address that you provide will be your new Apple ID.*
Enter a phone number that you can always access.
Check the boxes to subscribe to Apple Updates if you’d like. This keeps you up to date on the latest news, software, products, and services from Apple.
Click Continue.
Follow the onscreen steps to verify your email address and phone number.

After you verify your email address, you can use your new Apple ID to sign in to the iTunes Store and other Apple services such as iCloud.

If you created your Apple ID on the web and see a message that you need to sign in to iTunes, follow the steps below for your device:

On iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Open Settings, then tap Sign in to [device]. Then sign in with your Apple ID.
On Mac: Choose Apple menu > System Settings (or System Preferences), then select Apple ID and sign in with your Apple ID.
On Apple TV: Sign in to the App Store, iTunes Store, or Apple Music with your Apple ID.
On a PC or Android device: Go to tv.apple.com or music.apple.com and sign in with your Apple ID

Sign in with your Apple ID

Sign in on your iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app.
Tap Sign in to your [device].
Enter your Apple ID and password.
If prompted, enter the six-digit verification code sent to your trusted device or phone number and complete the sign-in.

If you’re already signed in to iCloud on the iPhone paired with your Apple Watch, you will automatically be signed in to that Apple ID.

Sign in on your Mac

Here is how to sign in to your MacBook:

Choose Apple menu > System Settings. In earlier versions of macOS, choose Apple menu > System Preferences.
From the sidebar, click Sign In with your Apple ID. In earlier versions of macOS, click Sign In.
Enter your Apple ID and password.
If prompted, enter the six-digit verification code sent to your trusted device or phone number and complete the sign-in.

Sign in on Apple TV

If you own an Apple TV, you can sign into your Apple ID on it via the following steps:

To open Control Center, press and hold the TV button on the Siri Remote or Apple TV Remote.
Select Add User and follow the onscreen instructions.

Sign in on the web

Use your Apple ID to sign in to Apple websites.

iCloud.com – Use iCloud from anywhere by signing in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID.
Apple Account – Manage your Apple ID by signing in to appleid.apple.com with your Apple ID.

If you are already signed in to your device with your Apple ID and your device has either Touch ID or Face ID, you can use it to sign in to iCloud.com or appleid.apple.com.

After you sign in, you can use the App Store, iCloud, iMessage, Apple Music, Apple TV+, and more.

Sign in on apps and other devices

You can use your Apple ID on some third-party devices to sign in to Apple services like Apple Music, the Apple TV app, and more. Depending on your device, you might need to use an app-specific password.

If you see a Sign in with Apple button on a participating third-party app or website, you can use your existing Apple ID to quickly set up an account and sign in.

Sign in to use iCloud on your other devices

On your Windows PC, you can set up and sign in to iCloud for Windows to access photos, documents, and more.

You can also sign in to iCloud from your browser.

Where can I use my Apple ID?

You can sign in to all Apple services with a single Apple ID and password.

Your Apple ID is the account that you use to access Apple services like the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and more. It includes the email address and password that you use to sign in as well as all the contact, payment, and security details that you use across Apple services.

These are some of the most widely used services that you access with your Apple ID:

App Store & Apple Arcade
Apple Books
Apple Fitness+
Apple Music & music purchases
Apple News
Apple Online Store
Apple Pay, Apple Pay Later, Apple Card, and Apple Cash
Apple Podcasts
Apple Retail services and programs (Concierge, workshops, and youth programs)

Apple Store app
Apple Support Communities
Apple TV, Apple TV+, and Apple TV channels
FaceTime
Family Sharing
Find My
Game Center
iCloud and iCloud+
iMessage
iTunes
Sign in with Apple

To manage your Apple ID account details, go to your Apple ID account page.

Do I really need an Apple ID?

Yes. If you use an Apple device or want to use an Apple service like Apple TV+ or Apple Music, an Apple ID is required. On an Apple device, Apple ID allows you to access ‌iCloud‌, track and protect your iPhone with ‌Find My‌, sync settings if you have more than one Apple device, make ‌App Store‌ purchases, sync photos to ‌iCloud‌, and more.

An Apple ID linked to an Apple device is invaluable if your device is ever lost or stolen because it can be tracked with the ‌Find My‌ app. A feature called Activation Lock, which is linked to the Apple ID, prevents someone who has stolen your ‌iPhone‌ from being able to use it with a new account, effectively rendering it useless.

Can I have 2 Apple IDs?

You can create multiple Apple IDs, but it is best to stick with one account. If you want all of your Apple services to work properly and your devices to sync, you need to make sure to use the same Apple ID everywhere you sign in.

How do I secure my Apple ID account?

It is a good idea to add an extra layer of security to your account with Apple’s two-step verification system.

Two-step verification uses one of your Apple devices or a phone number to verify your identity before it allows you to make changes to your account, sign into ‌iCloud‌, or make ‌App Store‌ or iTunes purchases from a new device. It also includes a recovery key for safekeeping that will allow you to access your Apple ID account if your password or your Apple device is ever lost.

You should also put this code in a secure place because there’s often no way to recover an Apple ID account with no recovery key available and no known password.

When setting up an Apple ID, it’s also good practice to make sure to use a strong, secure password that uses a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols and is not used for other sites. Also, choose security question answers that are difficult to guess.

Starting with iOS 15, Apple also allows you to set an Account Recovery contact that can help you access your Apple ID if you forget your password and don’t have a secondary device. You can set this up by tapping on your profile picture in Settings, selecting Password & Security, tapping on Account Recovery, and then tapping the “+” button next to Add Recovery Contact.

How To Create A New Apple ID: Quick & Easy Steps

Table of Contents Hide

What is an Apple ID?

What is an Apple ID used for?

Create an Apple ID on iPhone or iPad

Create your Apple ID when you set up your device