Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT
I have an iCloud account that I have set up on my iPhone, iPad, and Mac Book. Can I set up an iCloud account for my wife and her account be synced to another iPad that is registered to my iTunes account? She also has a destop Mac and iPhone registered to her own iTunes account.
MacBook, Mac OS X (10.6.8)
If the iPad is "Associated" with your Apple ID then it can only be transfered to another one 90 days from the day it was first associated.
What does "Associated" mean?.. If you have set up "Automatic Downloads" or downloaded previous iTunes purchases through the iTunes app on the iPad it will automatically be associated. If however you've just synced the iPad using a computer with your iTunes account (and been playing the content ect) that simply means its "Authorised".
To check what devices are associated with your Apple ID, go to iTunes, from the menu bar go, store > view my account > Under where is says 'iTunes in the Cloud' click Manage Devices. Here you can check the date it may have been associated, and also choose to remove it. Warning: Simply removing it will not reset or erase the 90 day counter.
If you cannot see the iPad, or it was longer than 90 days from when it was associated just remove it from your device list. Then you can use this iPad with your wife's iCloud account.
Now, I assume your wife wishes to sync her iTunes purchases with this iPad? Or are you trying to use the her iCloud account while continuing to use your iTunes account for purchased content? Note: This will only work if you yourself have a separate account for iTunes and iCloud! Do you recall using your iTunes account to setup iCloud on any of your devices including your computer, or did you create a different Apple ID?
It is recommended that you use the same Apple ID for iTunes purchases and iCloud. So I would recommend backing up your iPad to your iTunes and then 'Erase all content and settings' so your essentially setting it up as a new device. Then when your wife first turns it on she can enter her iTunes account details when it asks you for an Apple ID to set up iCloud.
For more information see:
Setting up iCloud: http://www.apple.com/au/icloud/setup/
Apple IDs and iCloud: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4895#
Associating a device or computer to Apple ID: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4627
I hope that helps Ruskin :]
Thanks itsJash for your excellent response. Even a non-techie like me understands most of it. I checked as you instructed and my Mac Book is the only device associated with my iTunes account and the date is August 5, 2011 so I'm well beyond the 90-days. The iPad my wife uses is not listed at all.
My wife gave me the iPad as a gift over a year ago. I set it up with iTunes (I thought) but my wife quickly starting using it personally. She has purchased games, music, and books through my iTunes account but it has never been synced for automatic downloads, MobileMe or iCloud mail, or anything else. She has been retrieving her email from another server (not MobileMe or iCloud). In fact, that is why we want to set her up on iCloud. Her current email server does not interact well with Apple devices. It's a pretty common problem in this area with this particular server.
I now have a new iPad 3 for myself and have it set up for my iCloud account. I have synced with my iTunes and downloaded music and games but it is not listed on my iTunes either.
Based on your excellent explanation, it seems that it would be OK for her to setup the older iPad on her iTunes account and establish an iCloud account that will sync with the iPad as well as her iPhone and desktop Mac. When she does this, will she have to repurchase all of the games? Will everything on the older iPad (from my iTunes account) be erased the first time she trys to sync with her iTunes account? I assume the answer to that is yes but it is an important to know before we start the transition for her.
I tried to get her to take the new iPad 3 but she didn't want to start all over with her games, music, etc. so now we have this problem that I am not optimistic can be resolved.
iCloud and iTunes are different accounts. If the iPad you wish your wife to use is currently using your iCloud and your iTunes account, simply delete the iCloud account (settings > iCloud > delete account) and set it up again using the new ID and password you have created for your wife.
She can continue to use your iTunes account if she wishes, or change that to her own too, but she won't be able to make use of the books, apps and some of the iTunes content that is on the iPad.
There is no 90 day waiting period for changing accounts.
Where do you find this: settings > iCloud> delete account?
iCloud
