How to create a North American ID to use the new iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia blocked in the European Union

Some of the new features that arrive with iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia have been temporarily restricted by Apple until clarifying how they would affect the DMA or European Digital Markets Act. As we have told you in Applesfera, and with official statements from Apple, with a high probability three functions of these operating systems They will not arrive in 2024.

These three Apple features will take longer to reach European users

Let’s go into detail about the features that will be delayed for users with a European Apple ID. And it is that will generally affect all operating systems to a greater or lesser extent, although one of the most affected will be the Mac.

Apple Intelligence

Although Apple already announced that it would be available only in English this year, and in more languages ​​throughout 2025, now it is necessary add to this the blocking of its AI to citizens of the European Union. Therefore, even by configuring our iPhone, iPad or Mac in English, we will not be able to use Apple Intelligence.

iPhone Mirroring

The star feature of macOS Sequoia is being able to mirror the screen of our iPhone on the Mac and even interact with it. For legal security, users in Europe will not be able to access this functionality until Apple and the European Commission reach an agreement.

Share screen

Thanks to SharePlay, you can Share screen, draw and control it remotely to help someone remotely. This feature will also be restricted to European citizens at launch.

How blocking works and what you can do to avoid it

Faced with this situation, there are users who want to try the features anyway. To do this, we are going to explain to you How Apple Restriction Works and what you can do to get iPhone Mirroring, Apple Intelligence, and screen sharing with SharePlay. Changing the iPhone region is not enough and the restriction has been applied directly to Apple ID. So, if you have your iPhone, iPad or Mac synced with a Spanish Apple ID or another member country of the European Union, you will have these three restricted functions.

It should be noted that all these features are in beta phase, and in fact, Apple Intelligence hasn’t even been released in previewThe final versions of iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia will be released in mid-September.

Changing your Apple ID to a US one may be the solution

Now that we know that the blocking of functions for Europe is based on the origin of our Apple ID, We have three paths to follow:

• Wait for Apple and Europe to come to an agreement and release the features.
• Create an Apple ID from scratch in the United States.
• Move your Apple ID from Spain to the United States.

We understand that if you have come this far it is because you are interested in having these functionalities beforeso let’s explore the last two options.

Create a new US Apple ID

This option is perfect if you want to test the feature or start from scratch with a new Apple ID. Please note that you will need to be logged in Sign in with this Apple ID on your iPhone and Mac for iPhone Mirroring and the rest of the features of the Apple ecosystem to work. The same if you have an iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV… You will have to log out and log in again with the American Apple ID.

Be aware of data “loss” and subscriptions that you currently have with the Spanish Apple ID. That is, contacts, notes, photos… All of these will not be on the new US Apple ID and you will have to transfer the data manually. There is no way to migrate them automatically. You will have to download the photos to the Mac physically and upload them to iCloud againcopy text from notes, share calendar events, etc.

Steps to create the United States Apple ID

With everything above explained and taken into account, these are the steps to create an Apple ID in the United States and thus be able to enjoy Apple Intelligence (when available) or iPhone Mirroring (in its beta phase):

1. On your Mac, go to appleid.apple.com/account.
2. Fill in your details and choose the United States as the region. Your phone number and email address can be Spanish.
3. With your Apple ID created and validated, sign in to your Apple devices.

The process of creating a US Apple ID is actually simple. The most complicated thing will be to migrate all that data and subscriptions such as Apple Music or Apple One.

Change the region of your Apple ID from Spain to the United States

If you don’t want to create a new Apple ID and just want change the region from your current Spanish to the United States, you can do it too. This way, you won’t have to migrate your data or photographs. However, to transfer a Spanish Apple ID to one from the United States, you must meet certain requirements, which can be complicated if you have an Apple family.

• You have to spend all the balance remaining on your Spanish Apple ID.
• Cancel any subscription and wait until the end of the period. This is especially difficult if you have a one-year subscription, as you will have to wait until it ends.
• You will lose purchases of applications made.

As you can see, changing your Apple ID country also has certain “risks” or inconveniences. Still, if you decide to go ahead, here’s what you need to do:

1. Open the app Settings > Your name > Content and purchases.
2. Tap on View account > Country/Region.
3. Select the New country.
4. Accept the terms and conditions.
5. Select a payment method and enter the new billing address.

With this done, you will now have a US Apple ID and You will be able to enjoy without limitations from Apple Intelligence or iPhone Mirroring. Plus, you’ll get access to other Apple services that are only available there, like Apple News.

Still, since iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia are still in beta, and Apple Intelligence will be available only in English, Perhaps the most sensible thing to do is to wait a few months. and observe how the process between the European Commission and Apple progresses in reference to the currently restricted functionalities.

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