Apple ID on Mac
Your Apple ID is an account that lets you access all Apple services. Use your Apple ID to download apps from the App Store; access media in Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and Apple Books; keep your content up to date across devices using iCloud; set up a Family Sharing group; and more.
You can also use your Apple ID to access other apps and websites (see Use Sign in with Apple on Mac in the macOS User Guide).
Important: If you forget your Apple ID password, you don’t need to create a new Apple ID. Just click the “Forgot Apple ID or password?” link in the sign-in window to retrieve your password.
If other family members use Apple devices, make sure that each family member has their own Apple ID. You can create Apple ID accounts for your kids and share purchases and subscriptions with Family Sharing, described later in this section.
To view the services you can use with your Apple ID, see the Apple Support article Where can I use my Apple ID?
All in one place. Manage everything related to your Apple ID in the same place. Open System Settings on your Mac mini—your Apple ID and Family Sharing settings are at the top of the sidebar. To sign in with Apple ID, if you haven’t already, click “Sign in with your Apple ID” at the top of the sidebar.
Update account, security, and payment information. In System Settings, click your Apple ID in the sidebar, then select an item to review and update the information associated with your account.
Overview: Lets you know if your account is set up and working properly—if not, you see tips and notifications here.
Name, Phone, Email: Update the name and contact information associated with your Apple ID. You can also manage Apple email newsletter subscriptions.
Password & Security: Change your Apple ID password, turn on two-factor authentication, add or remove trusted phone numbers, and generate verification codes to sign in to another device or iCloud.com. You can also manage which apps and websites use “Sign in with Apple.” See Use Sign in with Apple in the macOS User Guide.
Payment & Shipping: Manage the payment methods associated with your Apple ID, and your shipping address for purchases from the Apple Store.
iCloud: Click iCloud, then choose which iCloud features you wish to turn on or off. When you turn on an iCloud feature, your content is stored in iCloud and not locally on your Mac, so you can access any content on any device with iCloud turned on and signed in with the same Apple ID.
Media & Purchases: Manage the accounts linked to Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple TV, and Apple Books; select purchasing settings; and manage your subscriptions.
See all your devices. See all the devices linked to your Apple ID. You can verify that Find My [device] is turned on for each one (see Find My), see the status of iCloud Backup for an iOS or iPadOS device, or remove a device from your account if you no longer own it.
Family Sharing. With Family Sharing, you can set up a family group for up to six members. Then you can share and manage purchases, share device locations, or mark devices as lost in Find My. You can also manage how your children use their devices by creating Apple ID accounts for your kids and set Screen Time limits (see Screen Time on Mac). To manage your family sharing settings, click Family in System Settings. To learn more, see the Apple Support article Set up Family Sharing.
Share purchases and storage with Family Sharing. Up to six members of your family can share their purchases from the App Store, Apple TV app, Apple Books, and iTunes Store, and share the same storage plan—even if they each use their own iCloud account. You can pay for family purchases with one credit card, while approving your kids’ spending right from your Mac mini.
Account Recovery. Add one or more people you trust as a recovery contact or set up a recovery key to help you reset your password and regain access to your account. Click Password & Security, then click Manage for Account Recovery.
Legacy Contact. Designate one or more persons as Legacy Contacts so they can access your account and personal information after your death. Click Password & Security, then click Manage for Legacy Contact.
Learn more. To learn more about iCloud and Family Sharing, see Access your iCloud content on your Mac mini and Manage a Family Sharing group on Mac in the macOS User Guide.