Unfortunately, my non-icloud email is linked to my Apple Card, so I can't see a way to merge to my icloud account. For me, the ideal situation is to be able to update my primary accounts email address to my icloud account.
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Now Lets You Move Digital Purchases From One Apple Account to Another
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
The support document explains the primary vs secondary nomenclature. Primary is your iCloud account. Secondary is any account that’s only used for media.
As for how it works, as far as I can tell it effectively links the 2 accounts together, makes the secondary account read only and makes it so that the primary account sees the secondary account’s purchases, etc as its own. Going forward though all purchases are made on the primary account so if you undo the migration the secondary account reverts back to before you migrated it.
Has anyone been able to figure out what is preventing them from migrating? I’ve checked and rechecked and can’t figure it out.
Spoke too soon. So it didn’t go away. It still wanted to verify my secondary account multiple times after work today. I tried updating my Home app on my iPhone to update my media account as suggested, that doesn’t seem to have helped. Hopefully it just goes away over the course of the next couple days. If not, at least there’s a ticket open with the Feedback app. I might suggest anyone else do the same or create a ticket with Apple support about it. It can be quite annoying.
I saw the migration button yesterday on my iPhone and iPad, but it's no longer there today, even if I have completed
I noticed that Apple's support document has been updated, now mentioning TestFlight. I followed the instructions to remove all beta testing under my secondary/purchase ID, but the migration button has not reappeared. My media ID is not part of Family Sharing since it's not registered as a family member.
What to do before you migrate purchases
per the supporting document.I noticed that Apple's support document has been updated, now mentioning TestFlight. I followed the instructions to remove all beta testing under my secondary/purchase ID, but the migration button has not reappeared. My media ID is not part of Family Sharing since it's not registered as a family member.
I've tried logging out of my media ID (gmail.com) and signing in with my primary ID (mac.com) on iPad, because I was confused with the following statement:
- You can’t migrate purchases if both the primary Apple Account and the secondary Apple Account have music library data associated with each of them.
It seems that the migration isn't possible because my primary ID is now associated with a music library. My question is: if I remove those songs from my music library, will the migration button reappear? Even if removing those, the purchase history will be still under the primary ID, though..
Yeah I’m facing same issue. Removed my test flight betas, but now the migration button has disappeared entirely. Feels like Apple is personally trolling me. Next the button will appear but zip around the screen…
I checked my library and all it had was the free u2 album they gave to everyone…deleted that from my library, but migration button still hasn’t showed up yet though.
Since this situation is quite odd, I deciced to try again using my "innocent" 2017 MacBook. I logged in with my primary ID after ensuring that all music files were removed from the Music folder.
Now, my primary ID's music library no longer shows any of those songs. (It seems the songs on iPad were just residual files from switching between the two IDs.) However, it still displays the U2 album <Songs of Innocence> that another user mentioned earlier. I hid the album as I cannot fully remove purchased albums, leaving my primary ID's music library completely empty – except for the hidden album.
When I checked my iPhone, the migration button is still missing, but I will keep tryring.
Last edited:
Wasn't that correct? Yeah, the album isn't even something i purchased in September 2014!!
According the supporting document, the primary ID's music library should be completely empty, meaning Apple only grants this migration miracle to users who created their accounts after the free giveaway??
Same state as you guys. Button was there a couple days ago, but I decided to wait. Now it's gone. I don't know of any reason I'd be ineligible. It's like Apple has hit pause on the rollout of this.
The option to undo migration disappeared from the media account page. It no longer shows for me.
I had was enrolled in a few Test Flight apps before I migrated. Apple now says that prevents you from migrating. It appears if you already migrated it prevents you from un-migrating as well.
I had was enrolled in a few Test Flight apps before I migrated. Apple now says that prevents you from migrating. It appears if you already migrated it prevents you from un-migrating as well.
But I still do not get it… I have the right to watch/listen to media in both accounts and both are for the same region. So why can’t I transfer the right to listen to a specific purchase from one account to the other (in particular since I am the owner of both accounts).
To be clear, I have no idea what I’m talking about, but I imagine there must be some sort of “Apple can’t let one song be associated with two accounts” language or “Apple can’t facilitate the transfer of purchased music from one account to another” language in their contracts with the record companies and maybe getting that language changed is harder there?
Or maybe it is something legal. Would some clause in the GDPR (or DMA) somehow prevent Apple from doing this? Or if Apple does it, it would also have to allow transferring the data to a non-Apple provider (but how would that even work)? Does India have a similar law? Wouldn’t be the first time those sorts of regulations have resulted in unintended consequences.
Again, I don’t know what I’m talking about, but it’s clearly not a technical issue since it’s allowed in all the other jurisdictions, so it has to be either related to licensing or the law.
In regards to the above conversation regarding the free U2 album, I don’t believe this is the cause. I can not migrate purchases (although the option has not disappeared for me completely). My secondary and primary both have the free U2 album, but so does my partners accounts. He is able to migrate. He is also able to migrate if he switches his secondary account to my secondary account and leaves his primary as his. So the U2 album is not the cause.
I am still confused with the wording about music library data. It’s listed as a reason you can’t migrate, but in the about purchase migration support article, it states music library data will replace with the secondary on the primary and nothing will change if there is no music library data on the secondary account. I am attempting to escalate to customer relations regarding this issue.
I am still confused with the wording about music library data. It’s listed as a reason you can’t migrate, but in the about purchase migration support article, it states music library data will replace with the secondary on the primary and nothing will change if there is no music library data on the secondary account. I am attempting to escalate to customer relations regarding this issue.
Last edited:
Similarly, I was seeing the button on 18.3.1 prior to removing test flight betas and now it’s gone.
Can only assume it means I’m not eligible, but I’m still going to keep trying to do whatever I can to change that. It’s quite infuriating really.
Just a note to share that the documentation was updated today with some clarifying information. The bits I noticed:
- the 15 day window thing apparently only applies to mainland China and South Korea.
- This: "You can’t migrate purchases if your secondary Apple Account is used with TestFlight for testing beta versions of apps from a developer. Open TestFlight and select Stop Testing for each app to remove it from your account."
Personally, I've been unable to migrate ("ineligible"), but I WAS definitely violating that 2nd rule. The button had disappeared over the last 24 hours. I've just removed myself from the TestFlight apps, but the button isn't back.
I'll add, the one line that still confuses everyone was untouched.
"You can’t migrate purchases if both the primary Apple Account and the secondary Apple Account have music library data associated with each of them."
- the 15 day window thing apparently only applies to mainland China and South Korea.
- This: "You can’t migrate purchases if your secondary Apple Account is used with TestFlight for testing beta versions of apps from a developer. Open TestFlight and select Stop Testing for each app to remove it from your account."
Personally, I've been unable to migrate ("ineligible"), but I WAS definitely violating that 2nd rule. The button had disappeared over the last 24 hours. I've just removed myself from the TestFlight apps, but the button isn't back.
I'll add, the one line that still confuses everyone was untouched.
"You can’t migrate purchases if both the primary Apple Account and the secondary Apple Account have music library data associated with each of them."
Last edited:
This!
"You can’t migrate purchases if both the primary Apple Account and the secondary Apple Account have music library data associated with each of them."
I totally agree with you and I am totally confused by that statement. It doesn't even make sense. I am unwilling to even try to migrate even tho I have been waiting YEARS for this to happen.
And the reasons why one is ineligible to migrate should be well explained and documented as to why, so one can proceed and correct. What the heck has happened to Apple? Are the people working on this the ones who got demoted from Apple Car fiasco or what? I am so mad!
I spent over an hour on the phone with support yesterday, all to find out it wouldn't work because I have had Apple Music/iTunes Match on both of my accounts. It's like they're screwing us over for actually using their products.
It's frustrating, because I had to start purchasing from my iCloud account ID once I wanted to do family sharing with Apple One a few years ago. It was a sacrifice to lose almost 20 years of purchases so my son and I could share Apple One. Now to view any movies I have to switch out to my old ID. I've given up on the music.
It's frustrating, because I had to start purchasing from my iCloud account ID once I wanted to do family sharing with Apple One a few years ago. It was a sacrifice to lose almost 20 years of purchases so my son and I could share Apple One. Now to view any movies I have to switch out to my old ID. I've given up on the music.
This seems to be supports common answer but is contradicted by Apples own support documents on the subject. Yes, the migration checklist says if you have music library data associated you’re not eligible for a transfer, however the document about migrating states:
“The secondary Apple Account’s music library data, personalization profile, social profile, and Apple Music Replay in the Apple Music app will migrate to the primary Apple Account. If you don’t have a music library on your secondary Apple Account, then nothing will change..”
It’s very confusing and honestly would make no sense to exclude people because of this. So because I paid for Apple Music on both accounts, I can’t merge? My subscription carries over, so if I stop paying, I lose access. I can’t transfer different regions, so it’s not like I can access items not available to me any way. Apple needs to provide clarification on this, or fix the broken process.