How to create a new Apple ID on your iPhone or iPad

Learn how to sign up for an Apple ID on your new iOS device

The Apple ID is the foundational account that powers all of Apple’s digital services. It provides you with a digital identity to access Apple’s online services across multiple iOS devices, such as your iPhone, iPad, and your Mac. The Apple ID allows you to sync your data such as Contacts, Calendars, Bookmarks, Reminders, etc. through iCloud, download apps like PDF Expert or games from the iOS and Mac App Stores, music and media from the iTunes Store, and even to buy products from the Apple Online Store. Your Apple ID is the single account that works as the key to all these services.

When you buy a new iPhone or iPad and set it up, you will be prompted to create a new Apple ID if you don’t have one. That step is optional though, and if you have skipped that step or want to create a fresh Apple ID on your iPhone or iPad device, follow these simple steps to get Apple ID.

How to Create New Apple ID on your iPhone or iPad

1. First, tap on the Settings app.
2. Then tap on the ‘Sign in to your iPhone’ text at the top.
3. Tap on the ‘Don’t have an Apple ID’ text in blue.
4. You’ll now be prompted to ‘Create Apple ID’ account that you can tap on and begin the Apple ID account creation process.
5. Enter your Birthday, followed by your First & Last names and your Email Address.
6. You can enter an existing email address, or get a free iCloud email address, such as [email protected].
7. Next, enter a new Password and once again to Verify it.
8. Choose three Security Questions and type in the Answers to them.
9. When you see the Terms and Conditions screen, tap ‘Agree’ at the bottom right.
10. Choose if you’d like to Merge existing data on your phone, or ignore it.
11. iOS prompts you to enable the ‘Find my iPhone’ feature, and we recommend that you tap OK to enabled it.

Your Apple ID has now been created and can be used to sign in on your other devices too. Learn how to manage your Apple ID.

How to Create a New Apple ID from App Store on iPhone or iPad

If you haven’t used the App Store on your iPhone or iPad devices, then you can sign up for a new Apple ID when you launch the App Store app for the first time. iOS will prompt you to log in with an existing Apple ID to buy or download apps from the App Store, or you can tap on the Create New Apple ID option towards the bottom of the screen. Using this method, you can also create Apple ID without credit card, so that when you set up Apple ID, you see a Payment Method of ‘None’.

Here’s how to make Apple ID using the App Store on iPhone or iPad:

First, ensure that you are signed out of your iCloud account.

1. Launch the App Store app.
2. Tap on the Create New Apple ID option at the bottom.
3. Enter your existing email address and choose a strong password for your new account. These details will be the username and password of your new Apple ID, so make sure you enter them correctly.
4. Then, choose the country of your billing address. All Apple IDs are region locked, so make sure you choose your billing address wisely.
5. On the next screen, read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, then tap on Agree followed by Next.
6. Fill in your name, birthday, and choose if you’d like to subscribe to updates from Apple.
7. Now, enter your credit card and billing information. Choose None if you don’t want to set up a payment method right away.
8. Enter and confirm your phone number, then proceed further.
9. Apple will send you a confirmation email to your email address. Click on the verification link in this email when you receive it.
10. Your Apple ID is now ready to be used.

Apple ID vs. iCloud Account: What’s the Difference?

Many users are often confused about the difference between Apple ID and iCloud account, especially considering both are types of accounts offered by Apple for iPhone and iPad. To understand how an Apple ID differs from an iCloud account, let’s take a quick look at the core functionality offered by each account.

What is Apple ID?

In simple terms, an Apple ID is the digital identity of any Apple user. The Apple ID is what allows an iOS or Mac user to log into Apple’s services and take advantage of the host of features offered by the company. If you buy music from the iTunes Store, rent movies or TV shows on your Apple TV, buy and subscribe to apps or games on your iOS or Mac devices, or shop on the Apple Online Store, you need to have an Apple ID. Creating an Apple ID is free and easy, and we’ve already detailed the steps to create an Apple ID free on your iPhone or iPad. Just in case you are confused and are currently wondering, “What is my Apple ID?” — don’t worry. You can easily look up your Apple ID here using your First Name, Last Name, and Email Address.

What is an iCloud account?

As the name suggests, iCloud is Apple’s cloud-based storage, syncing and computing service. It is the services that syncs your personal data across all of your devices. Apple offers a set of products under the “iCloud” banner, such as iCloud email — a Gmail like service that offers free @icloud.com or @me.com email accounts, iCloud Drive, iCloud Photo Library, iMessages with Messages in the Cloud, etc. To use any of these services on your iPhone, iPad, or your Mac, you need to sign up for an iCloud account.

The similarities between an Apple ID and an iCloud account are simple — an Apple ID may or may not have a separate iCloud account, but an iCloud account is automatically an Apple ID.

Apple allows you to sign up for a new Apple ID using any of your existing email addresses from services like Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook, etc. For example, email addresses like [email protected] or [email protected] can be used to sign up for an Apple ID. However, when you create a new iCloud account, you must choose a fresh and unique @icloud.com email address.