Apple users who use their Purdue email address in their Apple ID will need to change to non-Purdue email for Apple ID

Purdue Apple users who have their purdue.edu email address in the user name for their Apple ID, or who use it as a recovery email address with Apple, will soon be asked by Apple to change to a different, non-Purdue email address.

The requirement is necessary as Purdue and Apple implement a “federated” system that will make it easier to set up and share Apple devices for classroom and other purposes. Students, faculty and staff who use such devices will find it easier to sign in and start working, requiring only their Purdue username and password. 

The federated system should go into effect in on June 3, but some Apple users will continue to receive notices about the change into early 2021.

  • Apple users who have included a Purdue email address in their Apple ID user name will receive an email from Apple.
  • Apple users who use a purdue.edu address as a recovery email address with Apple will also receive Apple’s email.
  • Apple’s email will ask them to substitute a non-Purdue email address – such as an @google.com, @icloud.com or @yahoo.com account – with a link and instructions for doing so.
  • Until the change is made, they will be prompted to make the change each time they sign into their Apple accounts.

Once they receive the email notification from Apple, users will have 60 days to make the change via Apple's web-based system. After that, they will have to work directly with Apple support to make the change.

Making an Apple ID user name change to incorporate a new email address is easy. Apple users can do it now at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202667.

Questions? Contact your campus unit's information technology staff or, if unsure, email itap@purdue.edu.

Purdue is not taking over individuals’ Apple accounts, only the email address space @purdue.edu. There is no risk to users' personal Apple account data, purchases and content. None of this affects users who do not use a purdue.edu email in their Apple ID or as an Apple recovery email.

A number of campus units have begun using shared Apple devices for classroom and other purposes or are considering it. The College of Science, for example, is deploying iPads that will be used by nearly 10,000 biology and chemistry students for what will be, in effect, paperless classes with nearly everything accessible through the tablets. Those devices have to be set up more or less by hand now. The federated system will automate the process to a large extent and allow users to sign in and start working simply by entering their Purdue user name and password.

Last updated: Jan. 20, 2021