Merging different email accounts for iCloud purchases and subscriptions

Hi! Years ago, when iTunes was still used to buy songs, I created an account using a Yahoo! email.

As @mac addresses became available later on, I created an @mac.com account but kept using my Yahoo address for purchases.


Then iCloud accounts became available, and I had the possibility to keep my Yahoo address for purchases, though the main account was now @mac.com.


I would like to remove the Yahoo address / account so that all the purchases / subscriptions are made with the @mac.com address instead.



I can't figure out how to do that. Does anyone have a clue?


Thanks a lot!


[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Posted on Jan 2, 2025 2:57 PM

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Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jan 3, 2025 3:12 PM

Wait, there is more than the previous post provided, particularly as far as sharing apps from the other account.


Indeed it is true Apple has no formal account merging or transferring process. However, the things below will help you in doing ongoing or one-time transfer of as much as possible from one account to the other. Other items (such as purchases) can be shared though.


You can use various iCloud sharing features for some ongoing data sharing.

Share folders with iCloud Drive --> Share files and folders in iCloud Drive on iCloud.com - Apple Support


Read How to use Shared Albums in Photos on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Apple Support about how to share photos.


Sharing music playlists —> How to share an Apple Music playlist on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


Apps and media downloaded with one Apple account are permanently associated with that account. Look into using Family Sharing to continue to be able to use items purchased with one Apple account with other Apple accounts, and for some data sharing features.

- Family Sharing - What is Family Sharing? - Apple Support

- Set up Family Sharing - Set up Family Sharing - Apple Support


The next section may sound tricky but it lets you merge some things on a device where you have already signed in with an old account but want to use a new account and incorporate data that is already on the device from the old account. Incidentally, the data will then propagate to other devices using iCloud with that new account. (I haven't tried this with a computer but it may also work with a computer account signed into an old account.)


If you have signed into the first Apple account on a device then fortunately when you sign out of that account it asks you if you wish to retain the data from the old account on your device (toggle the ones you want to on). If you keep data on the device then when you sign in with the other account it will merge this data with the account signing into the device. You can later delete individual items from the old account that you do not want. Similar information can be found in this post: I have 2 apple IDs i want to merge them h… - Apple Community , and a step-by-step in this User Tip: How to “unshare” an Apple ID - Apple Community . Note that only content physically present on the device such as contacts, photos and videos will be retained. Meta data such as a game play scores that are tied to a specific account or are only on a vendor's Apple Account-specific database remotely will not be retained. Also turn off storage optimization before doing this. With Optimize Storage, smaller, space-saving photos and videos are kept on your device while all of your original, full-resolution versions are stored in iCloud. Make sure photo optimization is turned off so the full quality versions from the old account are actually on the device before merging the content into your new account. Manage your photo and video storage - Apple Support You can turn optimization back on again once you are fully using your new account on the device.


Even though apps may remain on a device and may work for a while, you will not be able to update them or redownload them unless you buy them again with this account or download them with this account using Family Sharing.


Sign out of iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac --> Sign out of iCloud on your devices - Apple Support


If this involves a device changing ownership, the person should also change the ID set in Find My. Turn off Find My on your devices and items - Apple Support





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4 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jan 3, 2025 3:12 PM in response to StephanieJDMV

Wait, there is more than the previous post provided, particularly as far as sharing apps from the other account.


Indeed it is true Apple has no formal account merging or transferring process. However, the things below will help you in doing ongoing or one-time transfer of as much as possible from one account to the other. Other items (such as purchases) can be shared though.


You can use various iCloud sharing features for some ongoing data sharing.

Share folders with iCloud Drive --> Share files and folders in iCloud Drive on iCloud.com - Apple Support


Read How to use Shared Albums in Photos on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac - Apple Support about how to share photos.


Sharing music playlists —> How to share an Apple Music playlist on your iPhone or iPad - Apple Support


Apps and media downloaded with one Apple account are permanently associated with that account. Look into using Family Sharing to continue to be able to use items purchased with one Apple account with other Apple accounts, and for some data sharing features.

- Family Sharing - What is Family Sharing? - Apple Support

- Set up Family Sharing - Set up Family Sharing - Apple Support


The next section may sound tricky but it lets you merge some things on a device where you have already signed in with an old account but want to use a new account and incorporate data that is already on the device from the old account. Incidentally, the data will then propagate to other devices using iCloud with that new account. (I haven't tried this with a computer but it may also work with a computer account signed into an old account.)


If you have signed into the first Apple account on a device then fortunately when you sign out of that account it asks you if you wish to retain the data from the old account on your device (toggle the ones you want to on). If you keep data on the device then when you sign in with the other account it will merge this data with the account signing into the device. You can later delete individual items from the old account that you do not want. Similar information can be found in this post: I have 2 apple IDs i want to merge them h… - Apple Community , and a step-by-step in this User Tip: How to “unshare” an Apple ID - Apple Community . Note that only content physically present on the device such as contacts, photos and videos will be retained. Meta data such as a game play scores that are tied to a specific account or are only on a vendor's Apple Account-specific database remotely will not be retained. Also turn off storage optimization before doing this. With Optimize Storage, smaller, space-saving photos and videos are kept on your device while all of your original, full-resolution versions are stored in iCloud. Make sure photo optimization is turned off so the full quality versions from the old account are actually on the device before merging the content into your new account. Manage your photo and video storage - Apple Support You can turn optimization back on again once you are fully using your new account on the device.


Even though apps may remain on a device and may work for a while, you will not be able to update them or redownload them unless you buy them again with this account or download them with this account using Family Sharing.


Sign out of iCloud on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV, or Mac --> Sign out of iCloud on your devices - Apple Support


If this involves a device changing ownership, the person should also change the ID set in Find My. Turn off Find My on your devices and items - Apple Support





Jan 2, 2025 11:34 PM in response to StephanieJDMV

Apple will not merge Apple Accounts. You will need to delete all the content that you acquired through the @yahoo account and redownload it with the @mac account. You will need to repurchase paid content.


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Merging different email accounts for iCloud purchases and subscriptions

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