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Can i remove my mac from the existing apple ID?

C

CyrusOz

macrumors regular
Original poster
Mar 15, 2009
145
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I couldn't find this answer on here or on google, at least not one that gave me enough confidence to try it.

I recently separated from my girlfriend and we had a number of devices on one apple account. I want to remove my mac from that apple id and put it on a new one without losing any apps etc that i've purchased under my old apple id.

Is this possible to do without losing anything?
 
You can't move your purchases from one Apple ID to another. But you can change the e-mail address if that is what you need?
 
The Apple ID can easily be changed in iCloud, App Store and iCloud preferences. Unfortunately apps are forever associated with the ID that purchased them. If you change the ID they will remain on your computer but you won’t be able to update them or redownload them without inputting the original ID.
 
Longkeg said:
The Apple ID can easily be changed in iCloud, App Store and iCloud preferences. Unfortunately apps are forever associated with the ID that purchased them. If you change the ID they will remain on your computer but you won’t be able to update them or redownload them without inputting the original ID.
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Ok thanks, does that inclue apps like pages, key note etc?
 
Ohhh right thanks. At the risk of sounding even more confused, how does that affect other apps that are not made by Apple e.g. Adobe Premiere etc??
 
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chscag said:
Yes, but it doesn't matter since they're now free with any Mac from Apple. Just download them again with your new Apple ID. You won't be able to do that though with paid apps from Apple.
Click to expand...

This used to require registering the app with the AppleID at least once, is that not a requirement anymore?

For example - I bought my MBP before they became free and my Mini after. I wasn't able to install them on my MBP until after I had booted my Mini once and completed some process in the App Store.
 
CyrusOz said:
Ohhh right thanks. At the risk of sounding even more confused, how does that affect other apps that are not made by Apple e.g. Adobe Premiere etc??
Click to expand...

Adobe account is totally separate. Not linked to Apple ID or App store.

FYI, this is exactly why it just never works out (in the long run) to NOT have your own Apple ID, and why it is wise not share. Always gets too messy.

And, bonus: it is possible to put apps on a machine from multiple Apple IDs. So even as shared machine...YOU log into the app store and buy YOUR apps with YOUR ID.

User #2, #3, etc. log into the app store with THEIR IDs and buy update THEIR apps.

Does not affect use or access, just the ability to own an update. Best way to retain maximum flexibility, when machines or people come and go.

Family sharing works great too and is even easier, but all purchases are linked to one account...so same issue of ownership. Ownership always stays with ID.
 
Ok thanks very much, so i get to keep my existing itunes songs and any future songs will just be downloaded on the new user ID but held on the same MAc within my usual itunes?? Is that correct?
 
CyrusOz said:
Ok thanks very much, so I get to keep my existing iTunes songs and any future songs will just be downloaded on the new user ID but held on the same MAc within my usual iTunes?? Is that correct?
Click to expand...


Pretty much. I was referring to apps, which only typically need ID access to purchase and update it.

But, music too...can be played (last time I tried) as long as you know the Apple ID info for the account that purchased it.

Make no mistake, it is a pain to get prompted enter ID to play a song, but it works.

One way you could legally strip out DRM is to burn to disk, and then import music. Last time I did it, worked fine (been years). A pain if you have tons of music, but doable if it is a small collection, and you have a burner.
 
I think Apple no longer bothers with DRM on the songs (music) they sell. Just videos. "Get Info" tags on song files say "Purchased" while video files say "Protected." I'm pretty sure AppleID won't be required for iTunes purchased music... Just video.
 
Longkeg said:
I think Apple no longer bothers with DRM on the songs (music) they sell. Just videos. "Get Info" tags on song files say "Purchased" while video files say "Protected." I'm pretty sure AppleID won't be required for iTunes purchased music... Just video.
Click to expand...

I have not tested it in years, but this seems unlikely. I would expect it would part of the licensing deal from labels. Otherwise, one person could buy a song, and share to EVERYONE.

Hello legal Napster.
 
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But what about songs i haven't purchased through itunes but have imported into itunes?? Will they still play through itunes on the new app id?
 
Longkeg said:
This from Macworld in 2009:
iTunes Store and DRM-free music: What you need to know

https://www.macworld.com/article/1138000/software-graphics/drm-faq.html
Click to expand...


Thanks for the link. Good info.

Glad to be wrong!

The only potential complication I can see is that if any purchased-through-iTunes songs are old, and still include DRM...one would (I assume) have to authenticate with the original ID used to purchase in order to upgrade to DRM free (iTunes Plus).

In the OPs's case, if he does not have the original Apple ID credentials (supposing the PW gets changed, etc.)used for the purchase, would he be able to open or update (remove DRM) the tracks purchased with the no-longer-known ID?

My guess is: No.
 
Just for the purpose of being totally clear... 99% of my songs were not downloaded through itunes. I import them into itunes for convenience to play them. If I create and use a new apple ID, are you saying that I lose all of these songs too? Or are you saying that I'll simply need to import them into itunes once the new ID is activated and them I'm back in operation like I was before but with the new apple ID???

Thanks peeps
 
CyrusOz said:
Just for the purpose of being totally clear... 99% of my songs were not downloaded through itunes. I import them into itunes for convenience to play them. If I create and use a new apple ID, are you saying that I lose all of these songs too? Or are you saying that I'll simply need to import them into itunes once the new ID is activated and them I'm back in operation like I was before but with the new apple ID???

Thanks peeps
Click to expand...
.

To be clear... When you change Apple IDs nothing is lost. Nothing is erased. Nothing goes away. You loose nothing except perhaps the ability to play the song or update the app that was associated with the original AppleID. The 99% of your music library, that wasn't purchased through iTunes, will function as it always has since those songs were never tied to any AppleID. You won't need to reimport them because they won't have gone anywhere. Now enough of this chit chat. Time to pull the trigger and do this thing.
 
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