What is Me.com Email Address?

If you’ve seen an email address ending in @me.com, it’s a real Apple address and it still works. It belongs to Apple’s old MobileMe service, which iCloud replaced in 2012. Today, a me.com address is simply another name for an iCloud Mail inbox.

This guide explains what a me.com email address is, who has one, how it compares to @icloud.com and @mac.com and how to manage it if you’re one of the people who still has one.

Quick Answer

A me.com email address is a old Apple email address from the MobileMe era. It now works as part of iCloud Mail and delivers to the same inbox as your @icloud.com address. New users can’t create one. Only people who had an Apple email account before September 2012 have a me.com address.

A Short History of Apple Email Addresses

Apple has changed its email domain three times, but it has kept the older addresses working for existing users.

• @mac.com (from 2000): Came with Apple’s iTools service, later renamed .Mac.
• @me.com (from 2008): Introduced when .Mac became MobileMe.
• @icloud.com (from 2011-2012): Arrived with iCloud, which replaced MobileMe. MobileMe shut down in mid-2012.

Apple moved existing users to iCloud instead of shutting down their addresses. That’s why some long-time Apple users have two or even three addresses that all reach the same inbox.

Who Has a Me.com Email Address?

According to Apple, it depends on when you set up your account:

• Created an iCloud account on or after September 19, 2012: You have an @icloud.com address only.
• Created an iCloud account before September 19, 2012, or moved from an active MobileMe account before August 1, 2012: You have both @me.com and @icloud.com addresses.
• Had a working @mac.com address as of July 9, 2008, kept MobileMe active, and moved to iCloud before August 1, 2012: You can use @mac.com, @me.com, and @icloud.com.

In every case, the name before the @ is the same. If your address is jane@me.com, you also have jane@icloud.com.

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Me.com vs Mac.com vs iCloud.com

In practice, there’s no difference in storage, features, or security. The only difference is the address people see when you email them.

Is a Me.com Email Legitimate or a Scam?

The me.com domain belongs to Apple, so an email from a me.com address is usually from a real person with an older Apple account. Like any email provider, though, it can be used by scammers.

Be careful if a me.com email claims to be from Apple itself. Apple’s official messages usually come from addresses ending in @apple.com or @email.apple.com, not a personal me.com address. Don’t click links or share codes in emails asking you to “verify” your Apple Account. If in doubt, go to account.apple.com directly.

How to Check Which Apple Email Addresses You Have

1. Go to icloud.com/mail and sign in with your Apple Account.
2. Click the Settings (gear) button at the top of the mailbox list and choose Settings.
3. Open the Accounts section. Your primary address and any aliases, including @me.com or @mac.com, are listed there.

If you see a Create Email Address button instead of an inbox, you don’t have iCloud Mail set up yet, which also means you don’t have a me.com address.

How to Choose Which Address Your Emails Come From

If you have more than one Apple address, you decide which one people see when you send mail. Changing it doesn’t affect incoming mail. Messages sent to any of your addresses still arrive in the same inbox.

On iCloud.com

1. Go to icloud.com/mail and sign in.
2. Click the Settings button at the top of the mailbox list and choose Settings.
3. Under Send From, select the email address, then tick every address you want to send from.
4. Choose your preferred address from the Default Send Address menu and click Save.

On iPhone or iPad

1. Open Settings and tap your name.
2. Tap iCloud, then iCloud Mail (or Mail).
3. Tap iCloud Mail Settings and choose the address you want to send from.

On a Mac

1. Open the Mail app and choose Mail > Settings.
2. Click Accounts and select your iCloud account.
3. Pick the address you want from the Email Address menu.

You can also switch addresses for a single email by tapping or clicking the From field while writing it.

Can You Get a New Me.com Address?

No. Apple stopped giving out @me.com and @mac.com addresses when it moved to iCloud. Every new Apple Account gets an @icloud.com address instead. You also can’t buy, transfer, or claim someone else’s old me.com address.

Also Read: How to Change Yahoo Email Address

How to create an iCloud email address instead

1. Visit the iCloud Sign in page on your browser.

2. Click on Create Apple ID from the bottom of the page as shown below.

3. Enter your first name and last name, COUNTRY/REGION, and date of birth.

4. Then, scroll down and enter the desired Apple ID you want to set.

Note: You can set any of your Email addresses as your Apple ID.

5. Enter and confirm the desired password in the associated fields, as shown below.

Note: Choose carefully. You can’t rename your primary iCloud address later.

6. Set security questions and answers for your Apple ID from the related fields, as shown below. 

7. If you want, select the desired Receive fields to allow Apple to send you information about Apple updates, announcements, and various recommendations.

8. Enter the code characters displayed in the adjacent image and click on Continue.

9. Enter the 6-digit verification code in the given field you received in the email on the email address you submitted as your Apple ID. 

10. Click on Continue.

11. Agree to the Terms and Conditions window and popup, as depicted below.

12. Finally, click on Start Using iCloud to open your newly created iCloud account.

Your iCloud email address will be created.

Should You Delete Your Me.com Address?

You can turn off or delete a me.com or mac.com alias in iCloud Mail settings, but think twice before you do.

• A deleted @me.com or @mac.com alias can’t be added back. It’s gone for good.
• Old contacts, banks, or services may still send mail to that address. Once it’s deleted, those emails won’t reach you.
• If you simply prefer your @icloud.com address, set it as your default send address instead (see above). Your me.com address keeps receiving mail in the background.

You can’t delete your primary @icloud.com address. It stays with your Apple Account.

Alternatives If You Want a Different Apple Address

• Add an alias: Every iCloud Mail user can add up to three extra @icloud.com addresses for free. These are useful for separating newsletters, shopping, or work mail.
• Hide My Email (iCloud+): Creates random, unique addresses that forward to your inbox, so you never have to share your real address with apps or websites.
• Custom email domain (iCloud+): Use your own domain, such as you@yourname.com, with iCloud Mail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do me.com email addresses still work in 2026?

Yes. They send and receive mail normally through iCloud Mail, as long as the Apple Account they belong to is active.

Can I sign in to iCloud with my me.com address?

Not on iCloud.com. Apple doesn’t allow sign-in with an email alias. Use your @icloud.com address or the email address of your Apple Account.

If I email someone from my icloud.com address, will they see my me.com address?

No. Recipients only see the address you send from. If you’ve always used me.com and want to keep it, make sure it’s set as your default send address.

Is me.com the same as icloud.com?

For people who have both, yes. They’re two names for the same inbox, with the same storage and settings.

What happens to my me.com address if I close my Apple Account?

All addresses tied to that account stop working, and Apple doesn’t reissue them to anyone else.

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A me.com address is a piece of Apple history that still works perfectly well. If you have one, keep it. It costs nothing and may still catch mail from old contacts. Just set whichever address you prefer as your default for sending. If you’re a newer Apple user, @icloud.com is the only option, and iCloud+ offers Hide My Email or a custom domain if you want more flexibility.