2 Apple IDs - how to get the content from 1 to the other

[JulesJam]

My relative's first Apple ID is an email address that she doesn't use anymore. That is the one on her iPhone. She received an iPad for Christmas and used her current email address to set up another Apple ID and uses that on the iPad.

I know she can't merge the 2 accounts, but she would like to use the new Apple ID on the iPhone too. Currently the iCloud backup is done through her first Apple ID. Is there any way to keep the content on her phone but change the Apple ID?

I know she could pull her pictures off of the phone to a computer but she likes having at least some of them on her phone. And if she does that and copies them back to the phone after a reset and activation with the new Apple ID, won't that change the time stamps on the pictures to the date they were recopied back to the phone?

I know she could use Verizon b/u assistant to move her contacts b/t Apple IDs on the phone but is there any way to do this through iCloud?

What about apps purchased using the first Apple ID? Would those have to be repurchased using the new Apple ID?

 

[gnasher729]

I'd recommend that she makes an appointment with a genius at the nearest Apple Store to get this sorted out, which will work as long as she knows the password for the old Apple ID. It's just too complicated to do this yourself using instructions over the internet.

You can't move content from one Apple ID to another. You can, however, change an Apple ID from one email address to another. (And your Apple ID can be an email address that you don't use anymore, that will work fine as well).

 

[JulesJam]

I'd recommend that she makes an appointment with a genius at the nearest Apple Store to get this sorted out, which will work as long as she knows the password for the old Apple ID. It's just too complicated to do this yourself using instructions over the internet.

Thanks! Yes, she knows the password to both Apple accounts. OK so they can do this for her as long as she can access both accounts? She has AppleCare+ so it wouldn't be a problem to make an appointment.

You can, however, change an Apple ID from one email address to another.

Gtk. Can they do that over the phone if she has both passwords? I can have her call and ask but I thought I would ask here first in case the answer were simple.

(And your Apple ID can be an email address that you don't use anymore, that will work fine as well).

Right that is what she is doing now but the problem is that she can't remember the password to the old email address and AOL has inactivated the email account. So she doesn't want that email address associated with her Apple ID anymore.

 

[Apple_Robert]

"Is there any way to keep the content on her phone but change the Apple ID?"

Support won't merge and or mix accounts (and content) like that. You can ask but, policy (as stated to me recently by a manager) was that they can't do such things.

 

[JulesJam]

"Is there any way to keep the content on her phone but change the Apple ID?"

Support won't merge and or mix accounts (and content) like that. You can ask but, policy (as stated to me recently by a manager) was that they can't do such things.

Got it. So it looks like what she needs to do is change the email on her first Apple account. Looks like the problem she is going to have is that she used her current email address to open a second Apple account.

Hopefully they can close out the second Apple account to free up her email to use for the first one? Or did she mess that up by creating a second Apple account with her current email?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Got it. So it looks like what she needs to do is change the email on her first Apple account. Looks like the problem she is going to have is that she used her current email address to open a second Apple account.

Hopefully they can close out the second Apple account to free up her email to use for the first one? Or did she mess that up by creating a second Apple account with her current email?

I had a manager kill one of my old accounts. I didn't really have anything on it of note. I don't see why they couldn't do that for her. No harm in asking.

 

[JulesJam]

I had a manager kill one of my old accounts. I didn't really have anything on it of note. I don't see why they couldn't do that for her. No harm in asking.

I just got off the phone with Apple. The rep said she thought an Apple Security Adviser could do it over the phone. Do you think trying over the phone would be best or going in store?

 

[Apple_Robert]

I just got off the phone with Apple. The rep said she thought an Apple Security Adviser could do it over the phone. Do you think trying over the phone would be best or going in store?

Over the phone is best. That is how I handled my account. You will get better attention and service with Apple Security Adviser.

Make sure to have all the pertinent security question answer in front of you, before getting on the phone. Once he or she can verify your account, it should be a fast process.

 

[JulesJam]

Over the phone is best. That is how I handled my account. You will get better attention and service with Apple Security Adviser.

Make sure to have all the pertinent security question answer in front of you, before getting on the phone. Once he or she can verify your account, it should be a fast process.

OK just got off the phone with a Security Adviser. They said all she has to do is make another email address and change the second Apple ID to that email address. That would free up her current email address to be put on the first Apple account as the Apple ID. She has to be signed out of iTunes, App Store and iCloud on all devices to make the change.

The security adviser said that they can't delete an apple account, but I know that is not true.

When I get her signed out of all of her devices then I will walk her through it and post the results.

Thanks!