delete wrong apple ID from the appstore login

See if this works.

Please note that you will need the username (and password) of the Apple ID that you no longer wish to use/update from - whether it is an old one or a friend's.

If it is an old Apple ID you have forgotten the password for you can retrieve it at

appleid.apple.com

The following works on iTunes on a Mac, I am not familiar with a Windows iTunes interface, but I assume it will be similar.

On your Mac/PC open iTunes (make sure it is updated). On the tabs on the left click on "iTunes Store". This will change the window on the right to the iTunes store. The top right corner should have your Apple ID or Sign In written. If there is an Apple ID written click on it and Sign Out. The corner should then change to "Sign In".

Now click on Sign In and sign in with the wrong/incorrect Apple ID that you no longer wish to use or update from.

Once logged in, click on the down arrow that shows when you move the pointer on the top right corner where it should now show the apple id, and select Account.

The page that opens up should have a section called "iTunes in the Cloud" with a tab on the side saying "Manage Devices".

Click on Manage Devices. Its should list your iPhone or iPad that you no longer wish to use with this Apple ID. And click Remove.

Once its confirmed click "Done" and from the top right corner select Sign Out.

Hope it helps.

Chris-this does not work. I have signed in and out multiple times and the correct apple ID is listed in...settings/store. The correct apple ID is also listed in the app store at the bottom of the categories page yet when I go to update or purchase apps the wrong apple ID pops up in the box and I cannot change it. Please help! This is ridiculous!

I am having the same problem and am so fed up, I am taking my ipad back to Best Buy as it looks like this problem has been around a long time and apple doesn't care. i bought an ipad because i thought they worked better but this is sooooo ridiculous I can't believe it. I have spent hours trying to fix this and finally figured I would delete my kindle app and redownload it using my new appleid but now it is gone and I don't see any way to get it or any other apps or updates on this stupid machine! Steve Jobs would be very upset or maybe not....

I too am still having the same problem. Although it seems to be with apps that were downloaded before a certain point. New apps don't seem to have this problem.

I have found that the app updates that ask for the wrong apple ID can still be updated if I download the updates to my computer first then sync my iPhone. It still ***** cause I can't just update the dumb apps without a computer.

I find I hard to believe that there's not a single programmer out there that can't tell us where the file is that keeps record as to what apple ID the app was downloaded with. Find that file and you can fix the bleepin problem.

I even tried resetting the ipad and it still says my apple id has been disabled. I tried calling support but they are trying simple things I have already tried and guess they have a time limit because she said to call back. This is so frustrating. Now it says my credit card cannot be used which i googled and that has been a problem since at least 2007. Guess I was naiive to think apple was better than pc.

That's it. Taking it back. If Apple ever straightens this out, I may buy another one but this is too ridiculous for the price I paid, not to ever be able to update or buy any apps. Good luck.

None of the answers posted here really solves this common problem, which apparently is difficult even to explain, due to too many irrelevant details, and sometimes unreasonable requests or explanations, often posted along with it, which make it frustrating even just reading this and other forums looking for a solution.

I'll try to explain the issue I'm having, which I'm sure is the same as almost everybody else, in clear terms, in 3 lines:

Long ago I've bought several, relatively expensive, apps with an old Apple ID.

I then created another Apple ID, and bought (many) more paid-for apps under it.

Now I want all my purchased apps under my new Apple ID, because I'm absolutely SICK of having to switch IDs all the time to check and get updates, and of course I don't want to pay for them again, as this would be unfair.

The problem IS NOT the free apps: I can just download them again under any ID, at any time.

The problem IS NOT having the same (paid-for) apps under more than ONE Apple ID: that'd be just confusing, and still that's what some seem to be asking.

The problem IS NOT having the same (paid-for) apps available to more than ONE USER (as in "person", ie. authorised PC) while only paying once: that'd be unreasonable, and yet it's what some seem to be asking.

The problem IS NOT switching IDs in iTunes or the iPhone, which seems so difficult for many: just sign out from an ID and back in with another, if you like complicating your life as I'm FORCED to do by the Apple store's silly ID policy.

The problem IS: moving (merging) all my purchased apps between two Apple ID that demonstrably belong to me, in order to have all my apps under one Apple ID only. This ought to be possible. Apple gurus: HOW TO DO THIS, PLEASE?

Of course when I created a new account I was blissfully unaware that the Apple store links the apps to the Apple ID with which a user happens to be logged in at the time of the purchase/download, rather than to the USER, via the authorised PC: otherwise what's exactly the purpose of authorising a PC? This critical information is nowhere to be found, until you infer it when you stumble in this problem, of the course.

The fact that the Apple ID is an email address, which seems disposable by its very nature, leads many people (like me) create and use more than one without knowing what they're in for: I actually thought it was only for receiving emails from the Apple Store, NOT for authorising (ie. locking) my purchases: this isn't explained anywhere.

If Apple doesn't let me manage MY OWN legitimate purchases in such a trivial way as allowing me to have them all under ONE account, to be able to update them all easily, without effectively being FORCED to constantly switch IDs just to check (!) for updates to them, then their system is very poor and an incentive to use something else, and better.

The option that is sometimes suggested by Apple staff, to download them under the new ID and PAY AGAIN for them, is just an insult.

(a frustrated user)

Even though I know what you're talking about and it's something I would love to have as well, "moving" apps from multiple account into one account so they're easier to manage, I think the issue cldeschenes and others, including me, are having is the following:

Being logged in with account A you download some apps. You login with a different account B, maybe because someone else is using your iPad, or because you have an account from a different country. You download some apps again. Now you wanna update all your apps. On my iPhone it just asks me for the passwords of the different accounts A and B and updates all the apps. Now, on my iPad, it only asks me for the password of one of my accounts (the one that is stuck, say account A) and for the apps from my other account B it tells me that you can only update apps you've bought and if I wanna buy that app again (with the stuck account A, not the one it was originally purchased with, account B). Even if I login with the other account B, when I want to update the app, either by clicking update all, or manually just that one app, it asks me for the password of account A.

It's difficult to explain properly...maybe someone else can do a better job, but I hope it's clear now which issue this thread is about.

marcoecc wrote:

Long ago I've bought several, relatively expensive, apps with an old Apple ID.

I then created another Apple ID

Why?

Why didn't you simply update your old AppleID?

Of course when I created a new account I was blissfully unaware that the Apple store links the apps to the Apple ID with which a user happens to be logged in at the time of the purchase/download,

Hmmm? You are logged into iTunes and you make a purchase so that is extremely odd that the purchases would go against your iTunes account.

/s

The problem IS: moving (merging) all my purchased apps between two Apple ID that demonstrably belong to me, in order to have all my apps under one Apple ID only. This ought to be possible. Apple gurus: HOW TO DO THIS, PLEASE?

For whatever reasons, this cannot be done.

rather than to the USER, via the authorised PC: otherwise what's exactly the purpose of authorising a PC?

So all users on that computer cna use all music on that computer.

Each user (computer login) can be logged ino their own iTunes account, which is shown at the top right of iTunes when you select Store.

If Apple doesn't let me manage MY OWN legitimate purchases in such a trivial way as allowing me to have them all under ONE account,

They do but for some reason, YOU made purchases under MULTIPLE iTunes accounts, not ONE account

I think what would have helped would have been to change your appleid instead of creating a new appleid. HE40 How to change the name you use for your Apple ID is a good article to follow. If you did not download any paid apps with the new appleid I would got through the process of trying to change your old appleid to the new email address. It can be done but let me know how many appleids you have. A good place to get a lot of good information is http://www.apple.com/support/appleid/multipleaccounts/.

Hello Chris,

thanks for a message that might be useful and help explain things better.

1. What do you mean by "update your old Apple ID"? Of course at the time (about 2 years ago) I went to the relevant pages, but the only things you could change were details like your billing address and contact preferences -- NOT the email address or the ID itself.

However, right now at http://support.apple.com/kb/HE40 I find the following image that seems to contradict me:

which seems to imply I can change both my ID and password. I'm almost sure this was NOT the case about 2 years ago when I had the problem, but things might have changed since then.

(BTW, right now going on appleid.apple.com -- both https or plain http -- as found on many Apple's support pages, always gives: The requested application was not found on this server.") -- very nice.

HOWEVER, right now on my iTunes on my PC, under Account Information, it shows "Apple ID: <my email address>" and below Payment Information and Billing Address, all 3 fields with a "Edit" button.

The "Edit" button next to the "Apple ID = <email address>" takes me to the "Edit Apple ID Details", with exactly and ONLY TWO fields: email and password.

I'm more and more confused: the two "pages" (appleid.apple.com, if it was working, or as in the picture -- and iTunes' "Account Information" page) could not be more different. And FOR ALL PRACTICAL INTENTS AND PURPOSES, for my iTunes my Apple ID and my Email address are the one and identical thing.

But the above just confirms what I (and others) said often: the Apple ID is a badly designed mess: all our problems are due to a technical decision that was made years ago, and turned out to be incorrect.

This "Apple ID" should certainly be obvious and straightforward, and surely consistent between the various interfaces.

BUT BUT BUT -- I argue your comment is anyway beside the point: I don't need to change my "Apple ID" (even provided I can change it in all possible ways I could dream of): what I need, and I think Apple ought to allow me, is to change the **** Apple ID "tied" in the apps and songs I bought with my "old" Apple ID, and change it to my "new" Apple ID. They all (apps, songs and 2 IDs) legitimately belong to me.

OR anyway to change WHATEVER authentication info (which anyway is 1:1 with a Apple ID) is embedded in the apps' andf songs' files and stops me from updating what I bought under ID1 while logged in under ID2.

btw, 2 years ago I changed my Apple ID not because I didn't have anything better to do, but just because I forgot my EMAIL (not STORE) password, since I hadn't needed to use it in ages, and since the 2 passwords, despite being linked to the same email address (used also as Apple ID) NEED NOT be the same.

My situation would be the same if that was the email address of, say, a old girlfriend or a old job -- or the address of a husband/wife who now want to keep all their apps and songs together under one ID to share ipads and iphones without constantly having to switch IDs (using the same home computer and user -- why not?!?!).

Please keep in mind that when I had that problem 2 years ago (and even RIGHT NOW for my brand-new, freshly installed iTunes on a brand-new PC with a brand-new iPhone!!!), APPLE ID and EMAIL ADDRESS were/are one and the same thing -- albeit with different passwords.

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/4117725?answerId=18962866022#18962866022&ac_cid=op123456#18962866 explains this in more detail.

2. you wrote: "

Hmmm? You are logged into iTunes and you make a purchase so that is extremely odd that the purchases would go against your iTunes account.

/s

"

I do not understand what you mean here, or if you're being sarcastic. In this case, my comment that prompted your then-inappropriate answer still makes sense: NOWHERE does iTunes, the Store or Apple tell you that your purchases will be TIED FOREVER to the Apple ID (which seems just a disposable email address) which you happen to be logged in as at that particular time (old job, old gf/bf, test), and NOT to your payment details, or MAC address, or PC serial number, or credit card, or firstname.lastname-dob-city, or whatever else any reasonable person could assume. At the very least, Apple ought to tell you in advance.

3. "for whatever reason, this cannot be done" -- because they don't care for their users' rights and convenience, because it's a technical glitch, not because it's an "impossible" thing to be asking.

4. your explanation about authorized pc and listen to music makes little sense, I think: authorization info is embedded in the physical songs' and books' and apps' files: so that for exampole you can listen to them, or use them, on any iPhone or iPad (more than one) you might have -- but not give them to your friends who have their separate Store account(s).

5. Exactly: I did purchases under different accounts, and now I want them under one account only: i own them all, so why on earth should this be prohibited? it's just the chaning of some embedded auth information -- that as explained elsewhere can be done in a perfectly safe and traceable way: iTunes (whether on my PC or in the Cloud) has access to all my IDs (and auth info) and purchases at the same time: it CAN change this **** info and allow me to use MY PURCHASED stuff on all my devices without FORCING me to switch IDs all the time.

BTW, You seem to imply a difference between the two concepts of "iTunes account" and "Apple ID": how are they different? I have 2 Apple IDs, and as far as I know this means I have 2 corresponding iTunes accounts: there's a 1:1 relationship between the two concepts, correct?

I said:

If Apple doesn't let me manage MY OWN legitimate purchases in such a trivial way as allowing me to have them all under ONE account,

When saying "...manage my own legitimate purchases..." I was meaning: "Changing the Apple ID (the "old", "wife's", "dad's" one) associated with *some* of the purchases with the Apple ID (the "new", "husband's", "kids'" one) associate with *most* of the purchases: the one under which I want to merge all my purchases.

You answered:

"They do but for some reason, YOU made purchases under MULTIPLE iTunes accounts, not ONE account"

Can you elaborate on this point? this might be the key...

The "sum" of what I was asking and what you replied means that you seem to imply that there can be MORE THAN ONE "Apple ID" associated with ONE "iTunes Store" account. Is that correct? In this case, perhaps I would be able ("They do") to manage my Apple IDs under the same iTunes Store account, to some extent.

As I understand it, "Apple ID" <==> "iTunes Store account" -- 1:1, they're two names of the same thing.

But I would love nothing more than being corrected, as this could be a step towards a solution.

thanks,

M

https://appleid.apple.com now works again -- it was just a temporary glitch.

This is EXACTLY what it shows me (fields obviously edited for privacy, and links removed):

Manage your Name, ID, and Email Addresses.

Below are the name and email addresses on file for your account.

Apple ID and Primary Email Address

Alternate Email Addresses

https://appleid.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyAppleId.woa/138/wo/rDH7cOxjk5eynH KdGc7Usw/5.0.35.145.11.EditNameAndEmailAddress.1#

As it can be seen, and rather differently from the image I copied & pasted earlier, even in the Web interface my Apple ID and my Email address are ONE and only thing. I DO NOT have the separate fields "Apple ID" and "Primary email address" showed in that picture.

The issue of "changing" the details of a Apple ID is however moot: the issue, as explained in this thread, is to change the "Apple ID" (or corresponding Auth info) embedded into the apps' and songs' files, to allow a user to check and update them without constantly being forced to switch (on their iPhones and iPads, and on their PCs and Mac's) Apple IDs / iTunes Store accounts: this requires "merging" all of a user's legitimate purchases under one of that same user's Apple ID: this OUGHT to be possible.

The alternative are that Apple either FORCES the users to constantly switch IDs (which is annoying at the very least), or to buy the apps and songs again under the "new" Apple ID. Both are unfair (the former because no warning is given of this mad situation in advance) to the users.

Since no-one in their right mind would pay twice for the same goods (unless very cheap, and for the principle), the only option FORCED on users by Apple is similar to having to remember your old postal address (or a friend's or ex-partner's) whenever you want to watch a TV (or listen to a CD) that you happened to have bought while living in your previous home, or with your previous partner, or while visiting a friend by chance.

Thanks. Simple when you know how. I have been sitting here for hours, going nuts, going around in circles, trying to fix the same problem on my iTouch.

same problem here