# Apple mavens: need help switching from old to new iPhone, with wrinkles.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-mavens-need-help-switching-from-old-to-new-iphone-with-wrinkles/853002>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 1, 2020, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-mavens-need-help-switching-from-old-to-new-iphone-with-wrinkles/853002 "2020-05-01T20:41:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-mavens-need-help-switching-from-old-to-new-iphone-with-wrinkles/853002/21 "2020-05-04T04:12:57Z")

</div>

> [@commasense](#):
>
> Does the Apple ID have to be an e-mail address? Can I make it some other string? Considering how evanescent e-mail addresses can be, it seems a little short-sighted to use them as a key identifier that is something of a pain to change

There’s nothing short-sighted about it, it just sounds like you went through a comedy of errors, digging yourself deeper in the hole at each step.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-mavens-need-help-switching-from-old-to-new-iphone-with-wrinkles/853002/22 "2020-05-04T14:48:19Z")

</div>

> [@zbuzz](#):
>
> There’s nothing short-sighted about it, it just sounds like you went through a comedy of errors, digging yourself deeper in the hole at each step.

Thanks for your help.:rolleyes:

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-mavens-need-help-switching-from-old-to-new-iphone-with-wrinkles/853002/23 "2020-05-04T16:52:13Z")

</div>

> [@commasense](#):
>
> But why do we even need Apple IDs in the first place? PC’s don’t have PC IDs.

They do now. As I understand it, you now need a Microsoft account to install Windows 10. I need to reinstall Windows on my PC soon and I’m afraid I’m going to have to create a Microsoft account.

> **[Confirmed: Windows 10 Setup Now Prevents Local Account Creation](https://www.howtogeek.com/442609/confirmed-windows-10-setup-now-prevents-local-account-creation/)**
>
> Windows 10 Home now forces you to create a Microsoft account during the setup process. (Unless you disconnect your PC from the network, but most people will find that.)

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/apple-mavens-need-help-switching-from-old-to-new-iphone-with-wrinkles/853002.md?page=1)