Consolidate Apple IDs

vp719 said:

I've been on the phone with Apple for a half hour now and have been Googling all day but no luck, hopefully someone here can point me in the right direction -

When I first started using iTunes years ago I registered my Apple ID under my old hotmail email, but have long since switched a couple times and now use my MobileMe account as my primary. I recently realized I never switched my default login on iTunes so I have been purchasing music, apps, ibooks, etc. with my old hotmail ID and when I sign in with my new @mac.com ID it won't let me update my apps.

Is it possible to merge my old ID (the hotmail email isn't even active anymore, its worthless) and all of its permissions to my new one?

If so, who should I talk to/how do I go about it?

Thanks

Click to expand...

They will do it for you. But it's probably best to go to an Apple Retail Store.

I've just been through exactly the same thing - and it was REALLY painful...until I managed to speak to the right person at iTunes support: Barbara Jacobs.
She's awesome, sorted everything very quickly, and even arranged a refund for the applications which I ended up being charged for a second time after following the (incorrect) steps given to me by the guys in the Apple store.

So, my advice: go to the apple website / support / iTunes support / Account issues (see this screenshot: http://awesomescreenshot.com/0b33o9q13)

then send them a detailed, well-explained message via the website. Everything'll get sorted quickly.

Good luck!

EDIT:
It seems it is no longer possible.

OLD:
There is in fact an incredibly simple solution to all of this. If you have not bought apps on multiple accounts then this method should be good for you. Otherwise you may have to re-buy apps.

The problem comes from the fact that when you create a mobileme account, it automatically creates an iTunes account with that e-mail so you can't change your account name to that e-mail address. The trick is to not use an e-mail as your iTunes account name.

Go to http://appleid.apple.com and then click on "Manage your account" on the right. Login using your apple account that you bought all the apps on. From there you can change your account name to something that is not an e-mail address.

For example my email address is firstname.lastname@me.com. I set my account name as firstname.lastname. Then you can set the e-mail address tied to that account seperate from the username. I have my mobileme e-mail tied to my old iTunes account that I purchased all my apps on. You can even set alternate addresses.

aresinferno said:

There is in fact an incredibly simple solution to all of this. If you have not bought apps on multiple accounts then this method should be good for you. Otherwise you may have to re-buy apps.

The problem comes from the fact that when you create a mobileme account, it automatically creates an iTunes account with that e-mail so you can't change your account name to that e-mail address. The trick is to not use an e-mail as your iTunes account name.

Go to http://appleid.apple.com and then click on "Manage your account" on the right. Login using your apple account that you bought all the apps on. From there you can change your account name to something that is not an e-mail address.

For example my email address is firstname.lastname@me.com. I set my account name as firstname.lastname. Then you can set the e-mail address tied to that account seperate from the username. I have my mobileme e-mail tied to my old iTunes account that I purchased all my apps on. You can even set alternate addresses.

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This used to be the case, but Apple has recently changed its policy regarding this. Your Apple ID can no longer be changed to anything but an e-mail address. I have a problem where someone is obviously trying to break into my itunes account based on my email and every day my account has been disabled due to bad passwords. I was advise by multiple apple reps/support people that I had to set up a new email address to be my Apple ID. I tried to combine with my MobileMe and I was told that it was impossible, and to simply run two accounts in itunes. I told them that my old account would still keep getting disabled unless I was able to combine or set up a new e-mail (which I don't want to do), but no one seemed to grasp this point. I am fed up with the whole situation since resetting your account every day gets old. There should definitely be a mechanism to combine your old Apple ID with your new MobileMe account but as of yet I cannot find anyone that will, or knows how, to do it.

MUBiomed said:

This used to be the case, but Apple has recently changed its policy regarding this. Your Apple ID can no longer be changed to anything but an e-mail address.

Click to expand...

Very annoying for those who have left it too late. I still seem to be able to change my username separately from my e-mail but it seems someone who has not already done this will not get the option. It is a shame that apple had to do this.

Would it be possible to log in to the mobileme account and switch that e-mail to to a different address, allowing the original account to use the mobileme e-mail?

merging apple ids

In response to your query you won't be able to merge those ids. I would suggest that you use your current itunes id with the permissions that you already have and utilize the other for other applications.