Can't download apps onto my Mac Mini - blocked by ancient user account

[Davout]

Many years ago when I first owned an iPad I registered as a user under one particular email address (for the sake of this question let's call it fred@fred.com)



Now even though i am signed in under my current Apple account name (e.g. mycurrent@current.com), when it comes to downloading an app from the App Store onto my mac mini 4, when I select to install the app it presents a login screen using the ancient fred@fred.com account user id.



When I check my account settings on the App store it shows that I am logged in using the current 'mycurrent@current.com' account name.



What's going on? I cant find a way of getting around this, and for the moment I'm blocked from downloading apps.

 

[bogdanw]

You can try to Sign out from System Settings, log in from the App Store with the new account.

 

[Darth.Titan]

I saw something like that years ago with an old email appearing in the login field in the App Store.
I just deleted the incorrect email address from the field and logged in with the correct credentials.
Eventually it stopped.

 

[Fishrrman]

If nothing else helps with this issue, I believe you can "nuke it" and start from "moment zero" again by using the "erase all content and settings" option.

This should clear out all your previous associations with Apple and any prior accounts you had there as well.

BUT... BE AWARE THAT ALL YOUR PERONAL INFO AND DATA WILL BE GONE, as well.

So... YOU MUST be backed up BEFORE you attempt this!

 

[NoBoMac]

Wild guess as I’ve never juggled Apple IDs…

Was the Mini setup via Migration Assistant? Could see problems as apps have a receipt as part of the downloaded app that assigns an app to a particular Apple ID. Thinking apps like Pages, Notes would be prime candidates for this issue as you have to “buy” them and from then on your copy is tied to that ID.