All iPads Using two iTunes accounts?

[Big Stevie]

yeah as an example for you:

my ipad and iphone
itunes store=hisandhers@gmail.com
icloud=his@icloud.com

my wifes ipad and iphone
itunes store=hisandhers@gmail.com
icloud=hers@icloud.com

so we both have the same itunes store account to share purchases etc. but for email/calendar/contacts/icloud we each have our own. This helps as we don't have to buy apps or songs multiple times. Also, don't have to share email/calendar/contacts with her and she can have her own.

That sounds perfect. But how do I set this up on the new iPad? Currently we have..

My MacBook & iPhone
My iTunes account
My Apple ID
My iCloud account

Wifes iPhone
Wifes iTunes account
Wifes Apple ID
Wifes iCloud account

When going through the set up process on the iPad its prompting me to either get a new iCloud email address, or use a current email address, but then states that this will also be the new Apple ID

Id like to be able to use my MacBook to transfer films etc onto the iPad, and to use findmyipad etc. Im finding all these new accounts a little confusing

 

[MacManTexas56]

That sounds perfect. But how do I set this up on the new iPad? Currently we have..

My MacBook & iPhone
My iTunes account
My Apple ID
My iCloud account

Wifes iPhone
Wifes iTunes account
Wifes Apple ID
Wifes iCloud account

When going through the set up process on the iPad its prompting me to either get a new iCloud email address, or use a current email address, but then states that this will also be the new Apple ID

Id like to be able to use my MacBook to transfer films etc onto the iPad, and to use findmyipad etc. Im finding all these new accounts a little confusing

R u trying to create an all new id or use yours as the main accounting for iTunes purchases?

 

[Big Stevie]

R u trying to create an all new id or use yours as the main accounting for iTunes purchases?

Ive created a new Apple ID for the iPad as Im wanting to keep everything on the new iPad completely separate from any other accounts we might have, seeing as other family members will use it.

But I do have some films etc (non iTunes purchases) on my MacBook that I might want to put on the iPad. But I want to keep everything I do on the iPad separate from my existing accounts.

 

[s2mikey]

This is all doable but it's a pain for the most part. If everyone stats having a lot of their own content then it gets ugly quick IMO. At some point it's easier but certainly more expensive for people to get their own devices. That's what apple wants, of course .

 

[Nevaborn]

This is all doable but it's a pain for the most part. If everyone stats having a lot of their own content then it gets ugly quick IMO. At some point it's easier but certainly more expensive for people to get their own devices. That's what apple wants, of course .

This is one of the two reasons i am against shared accounts and mutiple users on devices like iPads.

Me and my sister are the Apple users and the only real apps we have in common is Facebook, she prefers social messaging and things to do with One Direction. I prefer social media, retro games and productivity apps. Also my movie and music tastes are far better. i am not eing subjected to her rubbish on the same itunes account.

As for multiple device user accounts, to me its just aiding thieves and makes lovking down a device harder. Unless it is done where only the primary account holder when signed in can create secondary user accounts. But the more doors you add to a system the more likely aome is to get in. I would rather security and just get someone their own ipad. Besides it sucks you wantjngto do something and someone is udin the damb thibg constantly running down the battery.

 

[Night Spring]

That sounds perfect. But how do I set this up on the new iPad? Currently we have..

My MacBook & iPhone
My iTunes account
My Apple ID
My iCloud account

Wifes iPhone
Wifes iTunes account
Wifes Apple ID
Wifes iCloud account

When going through the set up process on the iPad its prompting me to either get a new iCloud email address, or use a current email address, but then states that this will also be the new Apple ID

Id like to be able to use my MacBook to transfer films etc onto the iPad, and to use findmyipad etc. Im finding all these new accounts a little confusing

If I understand correctly, you want to set up the iPad with its own Apple ID / iCloud account, but use the same iTunes account on all your devices? Oh, and all iCloud accounts are Apple IDs. But not all Apple IDs are iCloud accounts, if that makes sense? Just don't worry about it -- for your purposes the two are the same.

Anyway, just go through the setup with the iCloud / Apple ID you want for the device. After you complete the setup, go to Settings > iTunes & App Store, tap on the Apple ID, sign out, and sign back in with the iTunes account you want to use for purchases. Do this on your wifes iPhone too if you want to switch her to share your iTunes purchases. Leave everything else as is, all you want is just switch the iTunes store account. It really is not that complicated -- it just seems complicated because there are so many different terms being thrown about.

 

[Big Stevie]

If I understand correctly, you want to set up the iPad with its own Apple ID / iCloud account

Yes, which I have now now done

but use the same iTunes account on all your devices?

No, I think i need a new iTunes account for the iPad so that it is independent of mine and my wifes current iTunes accounts. I want the iPad to have its own content and be completely separate of our current accounts.

But I have films on my MacBook that Ive ripped from dvd that I'd like to put on the iPad. But when I connect my iPad to my MacBook it opens up my iTunes account. I want a new account to open so I can then drag films etc into it.

Hope that makes sense?

 

[Night Spring]

No, I think i need a new iTunes account for the iPad so that it is independent of mine and my wifes current iTunes accounts. I want the iPad to have its own content and be completely separate of our current accounts.

But I have films on my MacBook that Ive ripped from dvd that I'd like to put on the iPad. But when I connect my iPad to my MacBook it opens up my iTunes account. I want a new account to open so I can then drag films etc into it.

Hope that makes sense?

What do you mean by the iPad having its own "content"? If your iPad has its own iTunes account, and you want to put any paid apps or media content on the iPad, you'll have to pay for them again. I don't think that's quite what you want to do, is it?

And if you want to copy ripped DVD to your iPad, it doesn't matter which iTunes account is open on your MacBook. I think the easiest way is to connect your iPad, set it to manually manage music and videos, then drag and drop the ripped DVD files to your iPad in iTunes.

Having the various iDevices on the same iTunes account doesn't mean they have all the same content. They will have access to all the stuff, but you can pick and choose which things you want on each device. It's like you and your wife can have all your clothes in the same closet, but doesn't mean you are going to wear your wife's clothes!

 

[Big Stevie]

What do you mean by the iPad having its own "content"? If your iPad has its own iTunes account, and you want to put any paid apps or media content on the iPad, you'll have to pay for them again. I don't think that's quite what you want to do, is it?

Well yes I guess I do really. Me and the wife don't have many paid for apps etc so we can afford to have a new iTunes account for the iPad and start over.

I think your probably right about the rest Night Spring, maybe I could just manually select the apps/films/music to be synced. But in the meantime I think I've overcome the problem by doing the following...

In my iTunes account I went to Store > Sign Out at the top of the screen. I was then able to sign back into iTunes using the new Apple ID I'd created for the iPad, and then connect the iPad. This seemed to open a fresh new iTunes account where I was then able to drag files over from my MacBook, then sync it all.

I could then log out of the iPad iTunes account, and log back into mine. It seems to have worked nicely

 

[Night Spring]

In my iTunes account I went to Store > Sign Out at the top of the screen. I was then able to sign back into iTunes using the new Apple ID I'd created for the iPad, and then connect the iPad. This seemed to open a fresh new iTunes account where I was then able to drag files over from my MacBook, then sync it all.

I could then log out of the iPad iTunes account, and log back into mine. It seems to have worked nicely

I don't think that does what you think it did.

Switching your iTunes account shouldn't change how your device syncs with your computer. You could have synced your iPad while being logged into your own iTunes account and it would have worked. And if you sync your iPhone while being logged into your iPad account, that would work, too.

Moreover, logging in and out of different iTunes account on a computer doesn't keep the contents of the two accounts separate. In fact, that would combine the contents of the accounts into one iTunes library.

Again, I don't understand why you want the iPad to have its own iTunes account. Having its own iCloud account, good. Having its own iTunes account -- I can't really think of anything that would accomplish.

 

[Night Spring]

Ive bought one for the wife for Xmas and she will be using it with her iTines account. But I will also be using it, mainly for magazine/newspaper subscriptions and wondered if I could do this under my iTunes account?

Hold on. Rereading this original post, you wanted to read your magazine subscriptios on your wife's iPad. Are those magazines ones in the Newsstand? Because I just realized, magazines in the Newsstand have separate sign-ins not connected to your iTunes account. That is, for instance, I know my boss' Scientific American subscription ID and password (long story, don't ask). I can download Scientific American on my iPad, and log in using his ID/password, and read. I'm still signed in to my own iTunes account, but that doesn't matter, because the magazine subscription is independent of iTunes.

 

[RedOrchestra]

I have 2 accounts (different countries) and there are problems.

I have the 2 accounts for use in the BookStore. I can make purchases, download the books and read 'em as usual BUT what I am no longer able to do is sync my iPad with my computer. The sync only acknowledges one account and immediately wants to erase the other accounts material. Yeah, I know, I can just reload them after the sync - well some books are no longer available in the BookStore so I lose them.

I manually move music to the iPad from my computer and I do a back-up but that would pretty much be useless if I ever need it.

I have no idea how my 2 accounts work in the Cloud nor am I interested in finding out.

 

[Big Stevie]

I don't think that does what you think it did...

Mmmmm, you might be right, but I'm not sure how else to do it, and it does seem to have worked. Maybe I will encounter issues in the future?

Hold on. Rereading this original post, you wanted to read your magazine subscriptios on your wife's iPad....

True, but I was thinking into the future as I haven't got any magazine subs yet. But id like to do so.

The reason I thought Id need separate iTunes accounts is because I haven't really got my head around how these things work, and I didn't want someone using the iPad and altering my iTunes settings.

 

[Night Spring]

The reason I thought Id need separate iTunes accounts is because I haven't really got my head around how these things work, and I didn't want someone using the iPad and altering my iTunes settings.

You mean your iTunes settings on your computer? No, no way for that to happen.

As for someone potentially changing things on your iPad, you should look through the Parental Control settings. There are a whole bunch of things you can set so people can't change things unless they know the Parental Control password.

 

[Big Stevie]

OK, maybe I've been a little over cautious, but I now seem to be in a position where any of us can pick up the iPad and whether intentionally/accidentally we can add or delete apps, movies, photos etc without the worry of tampering with our own individual accounts.

I seem to be in the place I want to be, but perhaps I could have done it in a simpler way?

 

[Night Spring]

OK, maybe I've been a little over cautious, but I now seem to be in a position where any of us can pick up the iPad and whether intentionally/accidentally we can add or delete apps, movies, photos etc without the worry of tampering with our own individual accounts.

I seem to be in the place I want to be, but perhaps I could have done it in a simpler way?

Well, that's the thing -- whatever you do on the iPad would affect only the iPad. If you delete apps, movies, photos, etc from the iPad, they would still remain on your computer and other devices. If you add things to the iPad, then you can potentially add them to other devices on the same iTunes account, but if you don't want them there, it's not like they'll magically appear. (Well, there's a setting you can turn on where if you purchase something on one device, they automatically download on your other device(s), but it's a setting you can turn on or off as YOU want.)

So what I'm saying is, you didn't need to do anything special to get where you wanted. You overthought things a bit.

 

[Big Stevie]

So what I'm saying is, you didn't need to do anything special to get where you wanted. You overthought things a bit.

Yes, that kind of sums me up. But you know what it's like when there's a new toy on Xmas day, you just want to be able to use it straight away

So to summarise, are we saying I should have controlled the iPad via my own iTunes account, and performed manual syncs so that only the required apps/files were transferred to the iPad? And if so, should I now revert to that option?

 

[Night Spring]

So to summarise, are we saying I should have controlled the iPad via my own iTunes account, and performed manual syncs so that only the required apps/files were transferred to the iPad? And if so, should I now revert to that option?

Yes, that's what I think you should do. You already have two iTunes account in your family, you and your wife's. Having a third iTunes account is just likely to cause confusion in the long run.

 

[Big Stevie]

If I had used my original accounts then I feared that my iPhone & MacBook photo stream would have synced to the iPad, which I didn't want. But to stop that happening I guess I just needed a different iCloud account?

 

[Night Spring]

If I had used my original accounts then I feared that my iPhone & MacBook photo stream would have synced to the iPad, which I didn't want. But to stop that happening I guess I just needed a different iCloud account?

Yes exactly. The iPad could also use your iCloud account (or your wife's) with PhotoStream turned off, and the pictures won't sync.

 

[Big Stevie]

Thanks for all your help, I'll give it all some thought and consider my options

What future problems might I encounter if I left thing as they are?

 

[Night Spring]

Thanks for all your help, I'll give it all some thought and consider my options

What future problems might I encounter if I left thing as they are?

You mean if you left the iPad on its own iTunes account? I mean, it's simple enough to change it, on your iPad just go to Settings > iTunes & App Store, sign out and sign in to your regular iTunes account.

If you don't, well... It depends on two things.
1. Will you buy/download apps/music/videos/iBooks etc on your iPad?
2. Do you want to sync your iPad with your computer?

If the answer is yes to both of the above, then you will end up with contents from both accounts on your computer, and then every time you upgrade to a new computer, you will have to remember to deauthorize both accounts from the old computer and authorize both accounts on the new one. Lots of busy work for no purpose.