can i check/edit authorized computers??

Authorising computers has got nothing to do with connecting devices - it is authorising the computer for your iTunes account, which you may or may not then connect an iOS device to. And no, there is no way to centrally check which computers are authorised for your account, it can only be individually for each computer in iTunes.

Really good hein!

Now that I reformated and sold 2 of the authorized machines how do you de-authorized them?

You can only de-authorise computers either directly on each, or when you've reached the 5 computer limit by logging into your account in iTunes and doing 'de-authorise all', which you can only do once every 12 months - you can then re-authorise the computers that you still use. If you've sold 2 without de-authorising them, then you'll have to wait until you've reached the 5 limit.

This article explains what King Penguin is describing for you.

http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1420

Seems kind of dumb not to be able to deathorize a computer remotely. I also have sold computers that I (apparently) did not deathorize, since I only currently have two, but show three authorized computers.

That aside, thanks for the information. It's a good explanation.

One small correction to what King Penguin said: you can deauthorize all if you have reached at least 3 computers on your authorization limit, not necessarily the full 5.

Message was edited by: Claidheamdanns, indicating small correction, based on personal experience, and Mac support docs.

Claidheamdanns wrote:

One small correction to what King Penguin said: you can deauthorize all if you have reached at least 3 computers on your authorization limit, not necessarily the full 5.

Where do you see this?

(edit - I see ti now though the article KP linked to still needs to be updated)

And FYI:, deauthorizing all does not actually prevent it from playing any content unless that computer connects to the iTunes store with that account.

Well, that's rather disconcerting! But, I actually sipe any computers I sell anyway, so, even though they may have had authorization, there would have been no content on there.

I also did the mistake not to deauthorize one iMac. I called Apple in Italy and I was told I could deauthorize all my Macs online every 12 monthes but they did not mention any limit (3 or 5). Any way I still have 3 authorized now and will not do any action since I buy a new Mac every 3-4 years

If the computer is wiped/ OS reinstalled, that will remove the authorization (which is stored in /Users/Shared/SC Info/ SC Info.db file) from the computer itself.

But it apparently does NOT wipe the record with Apple, since I was left with "3 authorized computers" showing, and I only have 2. I did the deauthorize all option, and all is right with the world again.

Claidheamdanns wrote:

But it apparently does NOT wipe the record with Apple,

Correct.

You should deauthorize a computer prior to selling or reisntalling OS/wiping it.

This clears the authorization from your computer and from iTunes.

Please correct me if i'm wrong but it is not really the computer that gets autherized but the operating system.

I'm running a PC I set up with a dual boot. One for Windows 7 and the other for Windows 8 (alpha), the Windows 7 side is authorized but Windows 8 is not. And based on what I am reading it would be best if I do not authorize Windows 8 iTunes until I have the retail version in about a year.

Mark

It is acombination hardware/software.

The OS/boot drive gets the authorization though tou could not pull the drive and put it into another comnputer and it would be authorized.

So I've got a new one:

iTunes asked me to authorize my computer tonight after the iOS 5 upgrade, I did, and it said I've used 3 of my 5 authorizations.

But here's the thing - I've only ever plugged it into ONE computer. That computer hasn't been reformatted or had any major changes except for normal system updates.

***, Apple? Why can't I go in somewhere and at least SEE what computers it thinks I'm authorized on? Because right now it's totally wrong.

nearly same happened to me. i only have 2 computers one is macbook air other is sony vaio. and it says i have autrhorized 4 computers and i never plugged my iphone to any other device other than my two laptops....dunno what to do?...