iTunes automatic downloads restricted to one user per computer?

Just discovered this ridiculous issue. My wife and I share our computer, while each of us has our own iPhone. We have separate user accounts on the computer, and we share the iTunes library. When I am logged in, I buy iTunes music using my account; when she's logged in, she uses her iTunes account.

I turned on Automatic Downloads on my iTunes account. When I went to turn on Automatic Downloads for her iTunes account, I was told I could not do that, and that if I wanted to do that I would have to wait 90 days to do so.

This is obscene. Is there a way to escalate this issue so that someone outside of our consumers-with-issues caste actually reads this? It's nice to vent to others having this issue, but is there a way to get someone with an @apple.com email address to even care? It's funny that they'll respond within 1.3 seconds if I use profanity (****!), but they could care less that their products are plagued by arbitrary restrictions that do nothing except waste my Saturday afternoon having to pound out this diatribe.

Now that I've actually cussed, go ahead and remove this post--but at least acknowledge that this is at least on the Radar bug-tracking system used internally at Apple. A 'Yes'--heck, even a 'Maybe'--would work for me at this point.

Totally agree with you Patrick. The responses to my complaint to Apple was just full of mere platitudes. It would me appreciated by myself and the others on this thread if we could at least get an acknowledgement that these comments are being seen or directed to the people who manage the Apple ID process.

Totally agree with Patrick. However the fate is that these are community forums, which apple does not give a **** about.

I have the same symptom for a similar scenario. I just submitted an iTunes Store Customer Support request with the following:

Issue: I am not authorised/allowed to download songs I have previously purchased.

Background:

My friend doesn't have a computer so I created an iTunes library for him on my new MacBook Air.

He logged in to his iTunes Store account and we setup Automatic Downloads to download his songs into his iTunes library and then his phone.

Then, on the MacBook Air, I switched back to my iTunes Store account and wanted to download my previously purchased songs from the iCloud into my local iTunes library. However, I was presented with a non-negotiable error message saying that I can't do that for another 90 days.

We each have a local iTunes library on my MacBook Air; we each connect to the iTunes Store legitimately; yet only one of us can download our music from the iCloud. This is not right, as you're withholding my purchases for no reason. I want my songs for which I have paid you. In fact, we both want our songs.

What can be done about this?

Thanks,

Brian.

I'll let you guys know what I receive.

This issue has obviouslly gone on for at least six months and so far not a peep from Apple that this is even a concern or that there is any plan to fix it. This is so infuriating that it really turns me off from using the iTunes store to buy anything. Ease of use and freedom from annoying issues like this is why I started using Apple for music/books/movies. I can just as easily go elsewhere. I want to hear from Apple about whether they consider this a problem and if they are going to do anything about it. If not, I want to hear why not. I don't see why a computer with multiple legitimate users couldn't be associated with multiple AppleIDs.

christovaughan wrote:

I want to hear from Apple about whether they consider this a problem and if they are going to do anything about it. If not, I want to hear why not.

If you expect them to answer you, you should ask them.

-> http://www.apple.com/contact/

Just hit this issue myself - it's infuriating! I'm prevented from getting access to music I've purchased - this sounds almost illegal, if not immoral, by Apple to have the auto-download restriction on a Mac to one Apple ID. 😠

We've got a multi-user computer (an iMac) but only one of us can use all the features that are provided. Fortunately, I set up my wife's account first - my life wouldn't be worth living if she had to wait 90 days! 😀

Me too. Since this seems to be a restriction on the computer maybe if I use another computer to download all past purchases and burn everything to a disk and then import all the music into my main computer and then use iTunes Match to have the music linked to my main account - then maybe I can have all the music I purchased legally!!!!

Gregg Green1 wrote:

Me too. Since this seems to be a restriction on the computer maybe if I use another computer to download all past purchases

This thread is about Automatic downloads meaning when you purchase something on your iPhone, it will download automatically on your computer.

Why not just use your regular computer to download past purchases?

In iTunes, select the iTunes store then click Purchased on the right side under Quick links.

As promised, here is the response from iTunes Support. It isn't encouraging and provides no way for more than one iTunes user to download their purchases on a single computer.

Read from the bottom up.

Not only is it not encouraging, it's barely readable. Appalling grammar from Apple guy.

pasiphae wrote:

provides no way for more than one iTunes user to download their purchases on a single computer.

Your statement above is incorrect.

This thread and your email are discussing ONLY automatic downloads (as noted in my previous post, just before yours).

It is very simple to download purchased music from multiple users on the same computer and was noted in the repsonse from Apple you posted a link to.

Log in to the iTunes store and click Purchased on the right side.

All purchases made by that user are shown and available to download.

Chris CA, I'm trying to download like you said and still can't. I haven't used automatic downloads, just clicked the link and download all.

Sorry, but think pasiphae is actually correct.

I don't believe you can download even manually to multiple Apple IDs on the same computer. One only per 90 days will be allowed.

Hi Chris,

I agree that this conversation is regarding automatic downloads that are only available for one iTunes Store user every 90 days. However, the same issue is experience when manually downloading from iCloud via the Purchased link in the iTunes Store. It also results in the same 90 day issue, which the iTunes Support guy confirmed. The root cause of the problem is what is in common. Whether I allow iTunes to attempt an automatic download or try a manual download myself, the same issue is encountered.

In response to your note about accessing purchases via the Purchased link within the iTunes Store:

Chris CA wrote:

Log in to the iTunes store and click Purchased on the right side.

All purchases made by that user are shown and available to download.

Response: I did mention in my original email to iTunes Support that I tried clicking on Purchased and came across the problem - see below. Acccessing Purchased items the way I describe below (via the Purchased playlist then Download Previous Purchases) navigates to the exact same page that you've mentioned above (via the Purchased link within the iTunes Store):

> The problem is that we *both* can't download our previous purchases from
> iCloud. These are the steps to recreate the problem:
>
> 1. Hold Option key, start iTunes, and select my friend's library or my
> library --> iTunes starts successfully.
> 2. Click on *Purchased* under the Store heading on the left.
> 3. Click on *Download Previous Purchases* at the bottom-right of the
> main window --> iTunes Store displays all Music, TV Shows, Apps, and
> Books
> previously purchased.
> 4. Click on the iCloud download link beside any item: *This computer is
> already associated with an Apple ID.*

I can confirm that I receive the 90 day warning both ways. There is no workaround, as the iTunes Support guy has confirmed, so unfortunately I'm just waiting until the 90 days expires. The only issue then is that my friend and I will experience this problem in turns, each turn lasting 90 days. It's really inconvenient.

Regards,

Brian.