iMessage question

[DawnM]

We have 4 different devices for 4 different people in our family.

Can we create 4 different iMessage accounts without creating new iTunes accounts?

If you can just point me to the instructions I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you,

Dawn

 

[MrMacMack]

Yes. You can create four Apple ID's and have each device connected to one of them.

On each device use the unique Apple ID here:

Settings > iCloud
Settings > Messages > iMessage
Settings > FaceTime

And then use the shared Apple ID here:

Settings > iTunes & App Stores.

 

[dictoresno]

Or just assign each device an email account to iMessage from that's different than the others. If you all share one apple ID, just add a new email to each device, a different one to each device. Then set up iMessage to send/receive to that one only. That way, everyone is sharing the same apple ID, but has their own personal iMessage email as well.

Lets say your apple ID is "jonesfamily@gmail.com". Everyone's device will have to be logged into it. Then lets say everyone has their own personal email, for example "sarah@gmail, rob@gmail, kevin@gmail and sue@gmail". Have Sarah go into email set up and have her add her gmail account. Then go into iMessage settings and have it send/receive to that email only, not to both that one and the apple ID one. Have everyone do the same and then your done. 4 devices, one apple ID, 4 different iMessage accounts.

 

[DawnM]

THANK YOU! This will help!

 

[MrMacMack]

That's a great solution. Only potential problem I see with that is eating into the 5Gb icloud storage quickly. Unless purchasing additional space isn't a concern.

 

[Gav2k]

That's a great solution. Only potential problem I see with that is eating into the 5Gb icloud storage quickly. Unless purchasing additional space isn't a concern.

Why if the op gives each device an iCloud address they will each have 5gb.

 

[MrMacMack]

My solution OP would have separate Apple ID's so no worries there. I was talking about dictorenso's solution. Which is great. But like I said, sharing the same Apple ID on four devices will eat up the icloud storage space fairly quickly.

 

[Night Spring]

We have 4 different devices for 4 different people in our family.

Can we create 4 different iMessage accounts without creating new iTunes accounts?

An Apple ID isn't an iTunes account. The confusing part is that the same email address can be used for both Apple ID and iTunes account, but never mind. Just set up an Apple ID for each person, and use that for iMessage.

As for dictoresno's suggestion, I'm not sure it'll work. My guess is that all messages will appear as if coming from the same person, so it would look like you are talking to yourself, instead of talking to your other family members. Also, while you can set which email the message sends from, I'm pretty sure that all emails will receive all messages. So you couldn't just send a message to Child #1, Child #2 & #3 will get them too.

 

[DawnM]

But then we will have to buy apps and music and movies and books for each device individually.

My solution OP would have separate Apple ID's so no worries there. I was talking about dictorenso's solution. Which is great. But like I said, sharing the same Apple ID on four devices will eat up the icloud storage space fairly quickly.

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Thank you. Does that mean we can Facetime with each other as well or is this only for iMessage?

An Apple ID isn't an iTunes account. The confusing part is that the same email address can be used for both Apple ID and iTunes account, but never mind. Just set up an Apple ID for each person, and use that for iMessage.

As for dictoresno's suggestion, I'm not sure it'll work. My guess is that all messages will appear as if coming from the same person, so it would look like you are talking to yourself, instead of talking to your other family members. Also, while you can set which email the message sends from, I'm pretty sure that all emails will receive all messages. So you couldn't just send a message to Child #1, Child #2 & #3 will get them too.

 

[Night Spring]

[/COLOR]Thank you. Does that mean we can Facetime with each other as well or is this only for iMessage?

Works too for FaceTime, just make sure to sign in to FaceTime -- it's a separate setting from iMessage.

Bbasically, make one Apple ID for each person, and use that for everything except for iTunes /App store. For that, make a "family" iTunes account (or use an existing iTunes account as the family account) and sign in to that account in Settings under "iTunes & App Stores."

 

[DawnM]

Thank you.

 

[MrMacMack]

Works too for FaceTime, just make sure to sign in to FaceTime -- it's a separate setting from iMessage.

Bbasically, make one Apple ID for each person, and use that for everything except for iTunes /App store. For that, make a "family" iTunes account (or use an existing iTunes account as the family account) and sign in to that account in Settings under "iTunes & App Stores."

That's what I stated in my first response.