Cannot update apps on ipad after changing Apple ID to my child's Apple ID.

I had gotten an ipad for my child. At that point i did not see the point of creating separate apple IDs and emails so the ipad was used under my account. Once the child become older i did what was needed and I transferred the ipad from my account to respective one I created for my child. I did not delete any apps or wiped the ipad clean. Apps are shared through family sharing. Even free apps will not update needing to sign in through my account. This is nuts for free apps. It does not make sense for me to have to delete all and re-install. Any other solutions to this? Thank you in advance.

iPad (6th gen) WiFi

Posted on Dec 18, 2022 6:21 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Dec 18, 2022 6:43 AM

Installed Apps are digitally signed and associated with the AppleID with which they were purchased. As such, given that the iPad was not properly prepared for “transfer” to a new user, you will now encounter a mismatch of digital signatures regardless of Family Sharing.


There are possibly three ways resolve your current issue…


1) Start again, properly preparing the iPad for its new owner. This will entirely erase the iPad, removing both the Activation Lock and all links to your own AppleID:

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


After preparing the iPad, the new user can set-up the iPad “as new”, with their own AppleID - installing Apps that have been made available via Family Sharing.


2) Assuming the iPad is currently signed-in to iCloud with the new users AppleID, ensure that your have a current iCloud backup - then reset the iPad and restore the iCloud backup. While App-data is included in the backup, Apps themselves are not included in the actual backup. When the backup is restored, Apps that are both available (including those available through Family Sharing) and compatible with the iPad will be automatically reinstalled from the App Store.


To reset the iPad:

Settings > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content & Settings


After reset, the iPad is set-up from the initial “hello” page with the new users AppleID - restoring from the iCloud backup when prompted.


3) Instead of deleting Apps (which will also delete all associated App Data), offload the Apps (preserving associated data), then reinstall the Apps from the App Store.

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/

Similar questions

5 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Dec 18, 2022 6:43 AM in response to lyi176

Installed Apps are digitally signed and associated with the AppleID with which they were purchased. As such, given that the iPad was not properly prepared for “transfer” to a new user, you will now encounter a mismatch of digital signatures regardless of Family Sharing.


There are possibly three ways resolve your current issue…


1) Start again, properly preparing the iPad for its new owner. This will entirely erase the iPad, removing both the Activation Lock and all links to your own AppleID:

What to do before you sell, give away, or trade in your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


After preparing the iPad, the new user can set-up the iPad “as new”, with their own AppleID - installing Apps that have been made available via Family Sharing.


2) Assuming the iPad is currently signed-in to iCloud with the new users AppleID, ensure that your have a current iCloud backup - then reset the iPad and restore the iCloud backup. While App-data is included in the backup, Apps themselves are not included in the actual backup. When the backup is restored, Apps that are both available (including those available through Family Sharing) and compatible with the iPad will be automatically reinstalled from the App Store.


To reset the iPad:

Settings > Transfer or Reset iPad > Erase All Content & Settings


After reset, the iPad is set-up from the initial “hello” page with the new users AppleID - restoring from the iCloud backup when prompted.


3) Instead of deleting Apps (which will also delete all associated App Data), offload the Apps (preserving associated data), then reinstall the Apps from the App Store.

https://9to5mac.com/2020/01/21/how-to-offload-apps-in-ios-to-save-space-without-deleting-their-data/

Dec 18, 2022 11:09 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thanks. For the sake of anyone else looking into this offloading the apps and then reinstalling them from the main account through family sharing works with minimal hassle. It might require multiple rounds as the apps get updated but hopefully at some point all will have the account installed replaced.


As a scientist and power user I understand your point and why it is like this but as a parent and end user that wants simplicity the companies need to do more in such cases. I stumbled accidentally into this because I wanted to upgrade a paid app on my child's device - there were several months that any app was upgraded without any kind of warning.

Dec 18, 2022 11:25 AM in response to lyi176

This mechanism exists to prevent unauthorised (read - unlicensed) use of software. All software is cryptographically protected by digital signatures.


Unlike days of old where software could be freely shared between users, using the same installation media, this is no longer possible. PKI signatures are designed to inhibit unauthorised use of software.


While fully understanding what you have done - and perhaps why - perhaps consider that your actions are technically indistinguishable from an attempt to circumvent software licence restrictions. Providing that software titles (i.e., Apps) are installed and used within terms of licence, they will install and update without issue.


Apple will not relax their App licensing controls - as this is a revenue protection mechanism designed to protect software licensing for all Developers - both Apple and third-party who market their products through the Apple App Store.

Dec 18, 2022 6:58 AM in response to LotusPilot

Thank you for the detailed reply. As far as following the proper transfer procedure I did what was suggested by disabling find my ipad, then signing out and re-singing with the new apple ID. For what I read they were no mention in any articles about issues with apps updating. Some of suggested solutions are definitely workable but this a case (and this is not the place for this to be debated) where software is made to be rigid without thinking about real case scenarios that need to be addressed. And Apple is not unique to that , MS has similar issues. Thank you again for taking the time to send such a detailed response.

Dec 18, 2022 7:08 AM in response to lyi176

No debate at all.


You have encountered a fundamental element of how all Apps distributed via the Apple App Store are digitally signed - this signature being locked to the AppleID with which the App is “purchased”.


An App that has been shared via Family Sharing is available for download by members of the Family Sharing Group. When a family member installs an App from the App Store, including those that have been shared, the App is digitally “signed” and associated with their own AppleID account.


As such, the App that you download and install on your devices will have a different signature to those downloaded by each member of the Family Sharing Group. Although the App itself is the same, the digital signatures that confer entitlement to download and update the App will differ between users.


So, in practical terms, the Apps originally downloaded by you to the iPad have a different signature to that of the subsequent user’s AppleID. It is for this reason that you have encountered a problem.

This thread has been closed by the system or the community team. You may vote for any posts you find helpful, or search the Community for additional answers.

Cannot update apps on ipad after changing Apple ID to my child's Apple ID.

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.