How do I create a new Apple ID?

Apple’s AppleID system has long since become a mess and I have three different IDs of my own due to various systems they have in place. Indeed, when I recently called Apple to talk about consolidating them — they can’t! — I was told that my Apple ID that’s just an account name, not an email address, is “wow, really old. how long have you had that?” Not so helpful.

Still, until the iTunes “Family” system comes out with iOS 8 (wherein you can tie your account to your children’s accounts) you’ll need to set up separate Apple ID’s for your children. Which means you also need to set up unique and different email addresses for each of them too, and that email address is going to end up as their account name so there’s no way that the children won’t know about it.

Ready for that? Can be a bit tricky if they’re part of the under-10 crowd, in my opinion.

To get started once you do have an email address set up for this purpose, go to http://appleid.apple.com/

It’s big, it’s shiny, and it has two big buttons:

Click on “Create an Apple ID” to proceed and you’ll face a rather daunting form, starting with your name:

Apple doesn’t ask for your blood type or mother’s maiden name (yet) but there’s still plenty of info they’ll want.

At a certain point you’ll specify the email address and password, and pick a few security questions and enter answers you’ll remember:

All looks good? Keep scrolling down as you fill things in.

Finally, pick a favorite language (peek at the choices, it’s quite impressively global), sign up for Apple’s newsletters if you’d like, and enter the CAPTCHA code because you’re not a robot, right?

All filled in? Then click on that “Create Apple ID” button. Booyah!

Now it’s time for some verifications…

The first verification email is to the actual email address of the new Apple ID. In your situation, this’ll be your child’s email address.

The message Apple sends looks just like this:

Click on the “Verify now” link.

If you don’t get this message in a few minutes after signing up for the new Apple ID check your spam filter to see if it’s been snagged. Still nothing? Send a message to your child’s email address and make sure it doesn’t bounce!

Now you’ll need to verify your account credentials again, but do me a favor here: Look up at the address bar of your Web browser before you enter the new credentials. If you don’t see a lock and verified security certificate, if it’s not a domain that’s “.apple.com”, then bail. Scammers with phishing attacks sometimes send these sort of ‘verify your account’ messages and you were almost suckered by one. *phew* close call!

Assuming it’s legit, here’s what you’ll see:

Sign in one more time and you’re done!

Good to go:

For bonus points verify your rescue email address (I use my own address for this on my children’s accounts) but for all intents and purposes you’re done and ready to share that new Apple ID with your child.

Not too onerous, really.