Can't add new email address with iCloud+ Custom Domain

I've set up a couple of domains (seemingly) successfully with iCloud+ Custom Domains. All the DNS entries are correct.

Now, when I attempt to add an email address I get the error "There was a problem with adding this email address. Please try again later."

This has been happening for over 24 hours. I'm not quite sure how to proceed - I know this is in Beta, but I keep reading how it is working for other people so its hard to think this is a general problem.

I'm adding entirely new domains so there is no chance that the email addresses are previously known by Apple / used for a previous AppleID.

Any ideas please?

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Posted by
hepto
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  • I'm experiencing this issue as well. I've tried multiple domains with multiple different TLDs, multiple usernames (short and long ones), and multiple browsers. No luck—I get the "There was a problem adding this email address. Try again later." error each time.

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    wells34134

  • I have the same error "There was a problem adding this email address. Try again later.", I can't even get to the DNS entries section.

    —
    DWYutzy

  • Getting the same issue with same error code.

    —
    Slice105
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Well apparently this feature is now out of Beta with the launch of iOS 15 and is available for configuration on standard iCloud.com.

AND YET I still cannot add any email addresses after configuring brand new domains.

Posted by
hepto
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  • same here. i also tried calling Apple Support and it doesn't seem they've been trained on or have internal documentation yet for this feature. Unless someone has a suggested fix, my guess is that we're going to have to wait for the dust to settle a bit.

    —
    wells34134

  • Same here. The address I am adding used to be my Apple ID. Wonder if a record of it somewhere is causing the issue.

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    pjvd3

  • There are a few reports of old Apple IDs preventing the use of that email address OR when the address is used as a recovery email on a different Apple ID. Basically if it’s been known to Apple before it can cause a problem.

    I’m not sure how you resolve that, but for the record I’m trying to add entirely new addresses that can’t possibly have been used or seen by Apple before so that is not this issue.

    —
    hepto

How many characters are your addresses? I am trying to create an email with 2 (two) characters before the @. I know iCloud.com has a limitation on the amount of characters you can use in an email address and I wonder if this limitation is not pulled through to the Custom iCloud+ domains feature.

Posted by
pjvd3
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  • Yep I was aware of this but I’m not trying a short name and increasing length of the address doesn’t seem to matter, always gives me the same generic error.

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    hepto

  • I've noticed it as well. I tried many aliases. My family however could create email addresses on the domain I added. The issue seems to be with my account rather than the email addresses I try to add.

    —
    pjvd3

  • i have tried short, long, periods, alphabetical, and alphanumeric with no luck. also tried different domains including a .com

    —
    wells34134

I have a suspicion that this might be due to being an Apple One subscriber but having separate iCloud and App Store accounts - in that case you are billed via the App Store account, but iCloud+ gets added to the iCloud account. I wonder if this is making it look like I don't have iCloud+ as the account I am logged in on is not the billing account which leads to this generic error.

Can anyone else who has this exact error confirm whether or not they have a similar setup please?

Posted by
hepto
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  • I don't have this setup. My App Store account and iCloud account is linked to the same Apple ID. My family (Linked via Family Sharing to my account) can create custom email addresses no problem, just my account. Apple Support was no help.

    —
    pjvd3

  • Just tried again and it seems to have worked this time ...

    I tried last night and it didn't, so they must have deployed an update overnight.

    —
    hepto
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Tried mine today and just worked?

  • I have an @me.com address from MobileMe days
  • I am an AppleOne subscriber

Did nothing different besides try on Safari browser on newly updated to iOS 15 iPhone. Doubt this was the solution, but now working?

Posted by
Slice105
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  • Thats good to hear. Do you have a separate App Store account (that probably doesn't have an iCloud email address associated with it), or do you sign into both iCloud and App Store with the one me.com address?

    —
    hepto
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Alright scrap that - it's working! 🙌

Also did nothing differently than when I tried late last night.

Posted by
hepto
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I can confirm it's working for me now as well!

Posted by
wells34134
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Still not working for me.

Posted by
pjvd3
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Workaround:

Rule (from Apple):

  • You need to have one address that will administer your new domain.
  • You need to verify this address
  • This has to be done before you point your MX at apple
  • You need to press the verify button to have Apple send a verification link
  • But: this email cannot ever have been an ApplieID - so not used for any apple product ever.

Your problem:

  • You login to Apple with *janedoe @ gmail.com - its your personal AppleID and you bought iCloud+ with it
  • You own the domain foobar.com and use it for your work - but its costing money to host and you already pay for iCloud+
  • You have janedoe @ foobar.com as your email, and its already an AppleID
  • You want to receive email with janedoe @ foobar.com on Apple iCloud+ custom domain email but the above rules are blocking you

Solution / workaround:

  • Ensure your email domain - call foobar.com is currently hosted and receiving email - say with GoDaddy or whoever
  • Dream up a new email name - eg help or admin or support @ foobar.com - that has never been an Apple address
  • Ensure that email alias help , account or whatever can receive email at your current host
  • You might be able to do it by creating a "catch-all" address - google for that + your current email host
  • Start here: https://www.icloud.com/icloudplus/customdomain
  • Send a verify email address request to admin @ foobar.com via Apple's 4 step wizard
  • Go to your current host and verify the address.
  • Go back to https://www.icloud.com/icloudplus/customdomain
  • Get the instructions to update your hosting to point your MX records to Apple
  • Make sure "Allow all incoming messages" is turned on - here: https://www.icloud.com/icloudplus/customdomain
  • Wait some time - make a coffee
  • Go and click the check button and you should now be all set up on your new custom domain.

You should find that you can now send email to janedoe @ foobar.com it will turn up in the inbox on the iCloud account, when you login in. This is because of the "Allow all incoming messages".

  • Go here and log in with your Apple ID that owns the iCloud+ account
  • Click through to email settings and you can see the email addresses that you have access with.

Drawbacks:

  • Its difficult to send email as the janedoe @ foobar.com account - you don't have it in the dropdown
  • Third party email clients might allow that - could try Thunderbird, using an Apple ID app specific password.

The above works for me since I just want to be able to monitor that address. If I really need to respond to an email I can do it as help @ foobar.com

Posted by
sez
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