Note
This article is being edited to more accurately reflect the exact messages that Apple sent. It will be updated no later than 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 4, 2026.
On February 2, 2026, Apple Account owners who were using an @cmich.edu email address as the primary address for their Apple Accounts received an email from Apple notifying them that they needed to update their accounts within 30 days of receipt. Two days later, OIT sent an email to the same recipient list notifying them that the Apple email was legitimate and that they were required to take action. Reminder emails will be/were sent on February 12th and 23rd. If you received these emails, we are offering this article to answer frequently asked questions, provide guidance, and to explain why it is important for you to act before the deadline.
Are the emails from Apple legitimate?
Yes.
What if I didn’t receive an email from Apple?
On Monday, February 2, 2026, Apple sent an email to all Apple Account owners who were using an @cmich.edu email address as the primary email address for the account as of that date. It included links and instructions to follow. If this applies to you, but you did not receive an email from Apple:
- Check your spam/junk folder.
- If you forward your email to another email address, check the inbox, spam, and junk folders of that account.
- Visit https://account.apple.com, sign in to your account, and change the primary email address to a non-CMU email address. Do not use any address that ends in cmich.edu.
If your Apple Account's primary email address does not end in @cmich.edu, then this change does not affect you, and Apple did not send you an email.
What do I need to do?
Return to the email from Apple and select Keep as a personal account.
DO NOT choose Transfer to a work account.
- You will be prompted to update your primary email address to one that doesn’t include @cmich.edu. If you don’t have an alternate email address, you will need to create one.
- After updating your email address:
- You will use it to sign in to your Apple Account, devices, and Apple services like Apple Music and iCloud.
- The password associated with your Apple Account will not change.
- People you share with will see the new account name in Messages and other Apple services.
- You retain access to all data and purchases associated with your account.
- CMU will not have access to your data.
What should I NOT do?
DO NOT choose the option to Transfer to a work account when reading and taking action within the email from Apple. Doing so will transfer ownership of your personal account to CMU and will cause cancellation of Apple subscriptions and loss of data such as apps, in-app purchases, photos, music, books, tv shows, movies, etc.
What is the deadline to update the email address on my Apple Account?
CMU OIT reserved the @cmich.edu email domain with Apple on Monday, February 2, 2026 On that date, Apple sent emails to all impacted account owners. The date you received yours may vary depending upon how long it took for the system to process the bulk email. Apple set a 30-day window to take action, so, to be safe, we recommend doing so as soon as possible but no later than Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
What happens if I don’t take action or missed the deadline?
If you don't Keep as a personal account by updating your primary email address to a non-@cmich.edu within 30 days, your Apple Account will be updated with a temporary username that includes @temporary.appleaccount.com. For example, swift1ta@cmich.edu will be updated to swift1ta-cmich.edu@temporary.appleaccount.com. Apple will notify you by email with the new temporary username.
After 30 days, you will need to sign in with your temporary Apple Account email address and Change your Apple Account primary email address.
Why is this happening?
Apple has designed certain features of its hardware, systems, services, and software to only work when an organization has reserved a specific email domain. By reserving @cmich.edu with Apple, CMU is ensuring that we can maintain proper security, achieve operational goals using administrative tools, and utilize all services and features on CMU-owned and managed devices.
Do I need to create a new Apple Account?
No. All you need to do is change the primary email address associated with your existing Apple Account.
How do Apple Accounts work?
An Apple Account exists independently of its primary email address, and the email address of an Apple Account can be changed at any time. Due to CMU reserving @cmich.edu with Apple, those who have historically used @cmich.edu email addresses as the primary email address on their Apple Accounts are no longer able to do so.
What if I don't have a non-CMU email address?
If you don't have a non-CMU email address, you will need to create one. There are numerous free and paid options available. Popular sources include iCloud.com, Outlook.com, Gmail.com, and Proton Mail. CMU does not officially endorse any of these services.
After you have created a new, non-CMU email account, you can follow the instructions provided by Apple to change the primary email address on your Apple Account.
Where can I learn more?
Apple support articles: