"Update your Apple Account" emails from Apple in February 2026

On or shortly after February 2, 2026, Apple sent email to individuals using CMU email addresses with their Apple Accounts informing them of upcoming changes to those accounts. On February 3, the CMU Office of Information Technology sent email to the same individuals notifying them that the Apple emails were legitimate and that they might be required to take action. CMU will send reminder emails on February 12 and 23. Apple will continue to notify you in various ways until you take action.

Are the emails from Apple legitimate?

Yes.

Does this affect my ability to use CMU email?

No. Nothing is changing about your CMU email account. You will still be able to use your CMU email account on any device.

Does this affect my ability to use my Apple device?

Possibly. This does not affect your cellular service or the functioning of your device, but it may affect your ability to access your services and data on your device. You may need to take action related to your Apple Account. More details are below.

What did Apple send?

Apple sent two different emails to individuals using CMU email addresses with their Apple Accounts.

• If you are using a CMU email address ending in @cmich.edu as your primary email address on your Apple Account, Apple sent a message with subject line "Update your Apple Account by March 04, 2026".
  
  Here is an example where a Global ID email address was used as the primary email address on an Apple Account:
  
   
• If you are using a CMU email address ending in @cmich.edu as a non-primary email address on your Apple Account, Apple sent a message with the subject line "Apple Account Update".
  
  Here is an example where an email alias was used as a non-primary email address on an Apple Account:
  
   

What if I didn’t receive an email from Apple?

If you received a pop-up on your Apple device about this change, and when requesting help from OIT, were directed to this page, but you didn’t receive an email from Apple, you may still need to take action. Follow the instructions in the pop-up on your Apple device, or do the following:

• Visit https://account.apple.com and sign into your account. Then,
  • If your primary email address on your Apple Account ends in @cmich.edu, change it to a valid non-CMU email address. Do not use any address that ends in @cmich.edu.
  • If one of your non-primary email addresses on your Apple Account ends in @cmich.edu, be aware that Apple will remove it on March 4, 2026. You can add other email addresses as non-primary addresses to help ensure that you have alternative ways to access your Apple Account.

If you received email from CMU directing you to this page, but you didn’t receive an email from Apple, that means that Apple did send you a message, but you missed it for some reason. Take these steps:

• Check your Junk Email folder.
• If you forward your CMU email to another email address, check the Inbox and Spam/Junk folders of that account.
• If you still can’t find it, you can take action anyway. Visit https://account.apple.com and sign into your account. Then,
  • If your primary email address on your Apple Account ends in @cmich.edu, change it to a valid non-CMU email address. Do not use any address that ends in @cmich.edu.
  • If one of your non-primary email addresses on your Apple Account ends in @cmich.edu, be aware that Apple will remove it on March 4, 2026. You can add other email addresses as non-primary addresses to help ensure that you have alternative ways to access your Apple Account.

If you are not using an email address ending in @cmich.edu with your Apple Account, then this change does not affect you, and that is why Apple did not send you an email.

What do I need to do?

Personal Use (Most Common). If your Apple Account is for personal use, skip the Business Use paragraph and continue with the instructions below.

Business Use (Extremely Rare). If you use your Apple Account solely for CMU work purposes, such as a departmental shared email account, please request assistance here so we can review this with you: Other Department-specific Requests.

If you received an email with the subject line, “Update your Apple Account by March 04, 2026”:

1. Click the link in the email.
2. Follow the instructions provided by Apple.
3. When prompted, choose Keep as a personal account.
   
   DO NOT choose Transfer to a work account.
   There may be some limited cases where an account should be transferred to a work account, but please do not select this option without instructions from an OIT staff member.

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.
   

If you received an email with the subject line, “Apple Account Update”:

As the email states, you do not need to take any action. Your primary email address on your Apple Account does not end in @cmich.edu, so you are not required to make a change. You do, however, have an @cmich.edu email address as a non-primary email address, and Apple will automatically remove it from your Apple Account on March 4, 2026. You can sign into your Apple Account at any time to add other email addresses and telephone numbers as alternative sign-in methods to your Apple Account. We recommend that you ensure that you have at least two sign-in methods on your Apple Account.

What should I NOT do?

The vast majority of people SHOULD NOT choose the option to Transfer to a work account if that option is presented. 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.

If you think your account is an exception, and you want to choose Transfer to a work account, please request assistance here so we can review this with you: Other Department-specific Requests.

What is the deadline to update the email address on my Apple Account?

CMU claimed 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:

• If you are asked to transfer your Apple Account or keep it as a personal account
• About your Apple Account email addresses

Need help?

Apple Accounts are owned by Apple, and CMU OIT team members have no access to Apple Account information or administrative interfaces. Please visit the Apple Account Support page for assistance on account-specific matters.