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wvphysics

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jul 7, 2010
176
0
My wife and I have two phones using one apple ID so we could share app and music purchases. With iCloud coming up I've been considering giving her her own apple ID so she can have her own icloud syncing. Music can be copied from one folder to another for syncing, but what about apps. I keep seeing people say you can share apps through home sharing, but my understanding was that homesharing was only to allow you to stream from pc to pc or pc to device. I haven't really set up home sharing yet so I havent tested anything out. Can you actually share apps through home sharing or is this something some people are assuming and saying but are actually incorrect?
 
Well, let's back up.

I'm the same...my wife and I currently share 1 Apple ID between two phones. Using music playlists and the app-management pane we have totally different things on each of our phones. Ok, so far our situation is the same as yours.

I, however, am planning on using the same iCloud name for both of us as I was under the impression that we'd be able to set its settings in such a way that we could do the same thing then as we do now: Manually choose the apps and playlists we want, even though it's happening over the air.

So my question to others is, should the OP be worried or should I? One of us needs to change their plans here (since we want the same thing but are planning different actions) but I don't know which one of us that is.
 
My wife and I have two phones using one apple ID so we could share app and music purchases. With iCloud coming up I've been considering giving her her own apple ID so she can have her own icloud syncing. Music can be copied from one folder to another for syncing, but what about apps. I keep seeing people say you can share apps through home sharing, but my understanding was that homesharing was only to allow you to stream from pc to pc or pc to device. I haven't really set up home sharing yet so I havent tested anything out. Can you actually share apps through home sharing or is this something some people are assuming and saying but are actually incorrect?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620
First off, you do NOT need to have the same AppleID. When setting up home sharing on each system, you will enable it. It asks you what ID, so you enter in your appleID. On the next system (wifes) enable home sharing, it will ask you the ID. Just use the same one as the first. Make sure you also authorize her iTunes on that computer with your ID too. After that, with iTunes running on both computers you should then see each others libraries. You can also set up what each is allowed to see or not.
 
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620
First off, you do NOT need to have the same AppleID. When setting up home sharing on each system, you will enable it. It asks you what ID, so you enter in your appleID. On the next system (wifes) enable home sharing, it will ask you the ID. Just use the same one as the first. Make sure you also authorize her iTunes on that computer with your ID too. After that, with iTunes running on both computers you should then see each others libraries. You can also set up what each is allowed to see or not.

Im a little confused, uou started saying we do not have to use the same ID but your instructions have us using the same ID across everything. Ok so, My computer I authorize iTunes and home sharing with my ID, I authorize itunes and home sharing on Her computer using my ID also. This is all using the same apple ID, how will syncing work with her computer when iCloud comes out and she is using a different ID.

I could be wrong but I thought home sharing wouldn't work for apps just movies and music?

That's been my understanding too.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Im a little confused, uou started saying we do not have to use the same ID but your instructions have us using the same ID across everything. Ok so, My computer I authorize iTunes and home sharing with my ID, I authorize itunes and home sharing on Her computer using my ID also. This is all using the same apple ID, how will syncing work with her computer when iCloud comes out and she is using a different ID.

Ok, I see the confusion. I'll use myself & wife as an example. I have computer and she has laptop.

I have my own appleid on my computer itunes. She has her own appleid on her laptop itunes.
So far so good.
We want to use home sharing.
On my itunes, I go in and enable Home Sharing (iTunes, Advanced, Turn On Home Sharing).
You will then supply it with your Apple ID and password.

Now to go her laptop. Go to iTunes, Advanced, Turn On Home Sharing. Enter in the exact same ID you used on your computer (this is ONLY for home sharing and not for the itunes store).
With iTunes running on both systems, you should then see on the LEFT side of iTunes the name of the remote library.
On the bottom right, click on Settings button. This will enable you to automatically copy from the other library what you wish.
I would recommend you change the "Show: All Items" to "Show: Items not in my library". Makes it easier.
 
Ok, I see the confusion. I'll use myself & wife as an example. I have computer and she has laptop.

I have my own appleid on my computer itunes. She has her own appleid on her laptop itunes.
So far so good.
We want to use home sharing.
On my itunes, I go in and enable Home Sharing (iTunes, Advanced, Turn On Home Sharing).
You will then supply it with your Apple ID and password.

Now to go her laptop. Go to iTunes, Advanced, Turn On Home Sharing. Enter in the exact same ID you used on your computer (this is ONLY for home sharing and not for the itunes store).
With iTunes running on both systems, you should then see on the LEFT side of iTunes the name of the remote library.
On the bottom right, click on Settings button. This will enable you to automatically copy from the other library what you wish.
I would recommend you change the "Show: All Items" to "Show: Items not in my library". Makes it easier.

This is my experience as well. Exact same way I have mine and my wife's set up. We use my AppleID for Home Sharing but my wife uses her own AppleID for her iTunes account purchases. She never has to monkey with the Home Sharing info once it's entered in the device(s).

m&c
 
I could be wrong but I thought home sharing wouldn't work for apps just movies and music?

My understanding is if you follow the advice of the commenter providing the detailed steps then you will be able to share apps in iTunes on the computer and then from there to the iPhone, you can't do it directly to the iPhone like you can with music and videos.
 
i've been doing this since it was first announced. kind of shocked that more people don't know about this.
 
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620
When setting up home sharing on each system, you will enable it. It asks you what ID, so you enter in your appleID. On the next system (wifes) enable home sharing, it will ask you the ID. Just use the same one as the first. Make sure you also authorize her iTunes on that computer with your ID too. After that, with iTunes running on both computers you should then see each others libraries. You can also set up what each is allowed to see or not.

Can someone expand on that part in bold.
Everything I've ever read says that Homesharing is an all or nothing deal.
If there is a way to limit access to certain items or even groups of items I haven't been able to find it.
 
Yeah, this home sharing is very confusing. I didn't think it had anything to do with apps just music.

My wife and I share a a iMac at the house, and I have a Macbook Pro I use while on the road. I don't really ever sync my iPhone 4 to the iMac since all of my work and what not is done on the road with the Macbook pro.

I'd love to be able to share some or all of my apps with my wife and vice versa but didn't know you could do this.
 
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