Apple ID Renamed to Apple Account in Latest Operating System Releases

In macOS 15 Sequoia, iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and watchOS 11, Apple has officially renamed Apple ID to Apple Account. Nothing has changed except what we call it. The new name is a slightly more sensible term because you can sign in to an Apple Account that holds your information, whereas the term ID suggests it's an identifier—in this case an email address—that didn’t inherently imply that it stored data. Think of it this way: having a social security card is an ID, a form of identification. But your social security card is different from your Social Security account which has information about your work history, contributions, dispersements, etc. So Apple is simply making it clear that your Apple login is an account, not simply a "handle".

This makes it more similar to nearly every other website. You don't talk about a Microsoft ID or a Facebook ID. You have a Microsoft account or a Facebook account.

The name change is mostly a distinction without a tangible difference, but you should be aware of it when reading support documentation or tech articles. You’ll see the new term in System Settings on the Mac and Settings on the iPhone and iPad. I do think it's a much simpler and more clear name change. In years to come, the term Apple ID will be long gone.

(Featured image based on an original by iStock.com/Armastas)