Unable to update Apple ID

I use a gmail address as my Apple ID. I recently made an icloud address using my mac. Now I wanted to change my Apple ID to my icloud address today.

I found these official instructions. https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT202667

I did whatever was mentioned there. I signed out Apple ID on my mac. I don't have any other apple device. And I went to the apple ID site to make the change but it only gives me the following error.

Your Apple ID cannot be updated at this time. Please try again later.

If that matters, yes my icloud address is added as secondary address for my Apple account and I can login using this address. But I want this as my primary address not the gmail one. I have tried changing multiple times but nothing happens other than that error. Please help!

I spoke to the customer support again. This time an attentive guy there was able to point out the issue that is happening with my account.

Apparently Apple has put some restriction on new iCloud email accounts and they cannot be used as primary Apple ID for first 30 days.

They have added the following note in the documentation page as well but it is written in fine text so it goes unnoticed. One has to pay attention to notice it. It says:

"If you try to change your Apple ID to an @icloud.com email address created within the last 30 days, you might be asked to try again later."

I made my @icloud address 2 days back, so I guess in my case I have wait for 28 more days after which I hope I will be able to change my primary Apple ID address. Let's see.

The problem that you have is that the iCloud address you created with your Mac is already an Apple ID in its own right!

So, instead of changing your old Apple ID to your new iCloud address, you need to think of it in terms of either only using your new iCloud Apple ID, or of using both with each one used for different purposes.

For example, you can still use your old one to remain signed in for your App Store purchases, but use your iCloud one for all your iCloud services, etc.

Another option is to just juggle between them if/when you need to.

In my case I have an iCloud Apple ID and my original Apple ID. My iCloud Apple ID is used for syncing Contacts, Calendar events, Reminders, Notes, Safari bookmarks/history, Find My iPhone, iCloud Drive and so on. My original Apple ID is used for iTunes and the App Store as I have a lot of purchases on that account, so it's just more convenient. However, if/when I need to, I can log out of iTunes or the App Store and then log in with my other Apple ID.

Also, of particular relevance to you, is the following statement by Apple:

If your Apple ID email address ends with @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com, you can only change your email address to another @icloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com email that's already associated with your account.

Source: https://support.apple.com/en-in/HT202667

Finally, for a long time users have requested the ability to merge Apple IDs. Apple has never allowed this, so until they have a change in policy, there is no way around this.