Take Control of Your Apple ID, 3rd Edition

Take Control of Your Apple ID, 3rd Edition

by Glenn Fleishman
Released November 2021
Publisher(s): Take Control Books
ISBN: 9781947282650

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Book description

Prevent (or solve) problems with your Apple ID!
Version 3.1, updated November 23, 2021

This book covers everything someone needs to know about configuring an Apple ID account, interactions with iCloud-based services, and troubleshooting account access.

Your Apple ID is much more than a simple username. It's a key that unlocks a long list of Apple products and services on any of numerous devices. iCloud uses an Apple ID, as does Apple Music; the App Store; the Music, TV, and Books apps; and more. An Apple ID protects your personal information, including email and iOS/iPadOS backups; helps you find a lost iPhone; and can even unlock your Mac. So it goes without saying that if something goes wrong with your Apple ID, you could be in for a world of hurt.

Unfortunately, things go wrong with Apple IDs all the time. Fortunately, Glenn Fleishman, a veteran technology journalist and the author of Macworld's "Mac 911" column, is ready to help with expert advice on how to manage your Apple ID—including how to prevent, solve, or work around most common problems!

In this book, Glenn answers questions like:

  • What all is my Apple ID used for?
  • How does my iCloud account relate to my Apple ID?
  • What problems can two-factor authentication (2FA) solve, and how do I use it?
  • Are there other mechanisms I can use to ensure that I can recover an Apple ID in the event of a problem? (Spoiler: yes!)
  • What if I have a device that's too old to work with two-factor authentication?
  • What should I do if I have two or more Apple IDs or iCloud accounts?
  • Will I lose access to all my Apple media purchases if I move to another country?
  • Can I share an Apple ID with someone else?
  • What exactly should I do if I think someone is hacking my Apple ID account?
  • How can I recover a forgotten Apple ID password?
  • What steps should I take if Apple locks me out of my account?
  • If I lose access to an email address associated with my Apple ID, what can I do?
  • What Apple ID changes in iOS 15/iPadOS 15 and macOS 12 Monterey do I need to know about?
  • How does "Sign in with Apple" work?
  • How can I use Family Sharing to share data and purchases within my family?
  • What types of subscriptions can I manage with my Apple ID, and how?
  • Which payment methods can I associate with my Apple ID, and how do I manage them?

And that's just the beginning. Glenn has packed a remarkable amount of concise problem-solving information into this compact, 136-page book. Read it before you encounter Apple ID problems to minimize your risk, and if you've already encountered a problem, read it to find the best path to a rapid solution.

Table of contents

  1. Read Me First
    1. Updates and More
    2. What’s New in Version 3.1
    3. What Was New in the Third Edition
  2. Introduction
  3. Apple ID Quick Start
  4. Where to Log In with Your Apple ID
  5. Understand Your Apple ID
    1. What’s an Apple ID?
    2. From a Murky Past, Apple ID Emerged
    3. How Apple Uses the Apple ID
    4. Manage Payments with Your Apple ID
  6. Prevent Apple ID Problems
    1. Make Sure You Can Self-Recover
    2. Avoid Losing Access
  7. Use Two-Factor Authentication
    1. How 2FA Works
    2. Enable Apple’s 2FA
    3. Log In with 2FA
    4. Work with 2FA
    5. Troubleshoot 2FA Problems
  8. Recover Your Account
    1. Pick a Recovery Pathway for 2FA
    2. Recover iCloud Data with a Trusted Contact
    3. Leave Permission with a Digital Legacy
  9. Sign In with Your Apple ID
    1. Learn How Sign in with Apple Works
    2. Use Sign in with Apple
    3. View and Remove Linked Accounts
  10. Manage Multiple Apple IDs
    1. Use Separate Accounts for Purchases and iCloud
    2. Work with Apple ID Across Countries
    3. Manage Two iCloud Accounts
  11. Split or Migrate Apple IDs
    1. Split an Apple ID Between Two People
    2. Migrate from One Apple ID to Another
  12. Share with Your Family
    1. Enable Family Sharing
    2. Review Family Subscriptions
    3. Manage Family Members as Organizer
    4. Turn Off Family Sharing
  13. Subscribe to Services
    1. Apple’s Many Subscription Offerings
    2. Apple One
    3. Cancel Subscriptions
  14. Cope with a Hack of Your Apple ID Account
    1. Recognize an Attack in Progress
    2. Stop an Attack in Progress
    3. Deal with an Account Lost Forever
  15. Solve Common Problems
    1. Set Up 2FA Without a Device
    2. Reset a Password-Only Account’s Password
    3. Deal with a Locked Account
    4. Update a Credit Card for Purchases
    5. Manage an Unavailable Email Address
  16. About This Book
    1. Ebook Extras
    2. About the Author
    3. About the Publisher
  17. Copyright and Fine Print

Product information

  • Title: Take Control of Your Apple ID, 3rd Edition
  • Author(s): Glenn Fleishman
  • Release date: November 2021
  • Publisher(s): Take Control Books
  • ISBN: 9781947282650