You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

marcoecc Author

Level 1

6 points

I have 2 Apple IDs. How can I move all my purchased (paid-for) apps under only 1 of my Apple IDs?

Long ago I bought several, relatively expensive, apps under a old Apple ID.

I then purchased many more paid-for apps under a new Apple ID.

I was unaware that the purchased apps are tied to the Apple ID which I happen to be logged in with, at the time of the purchase: I thought they'd be tied to my authorised PC(s).

Now I'm absolutely sick of having to constantly switch between IDs, even just to CHECK for updates.

What I want to do is move all the paid-for apps which I bought under the old Apple ID to the new Apple ID. Both ID demonstrably belong to me.

Having all my apps under 1 only Apple ID would allow me to update them easily, and no longer be FORCED to switch IDs all the time.

In short I want to use only 1 Apple ID for the future.

If the Apple Store locks the apps to the Apple ID (as it does) instead than to the authorised PC (as it should do), then it should also PREVENT a user from creating a second Apple ID (at least, from the same iTunes installation on the same PC!), or at the very least display a HUGE warning that any paid-for apps purchased under another, older Apple ID will be unavailable under the new Apple ID! The apple Store, and iTunes, do neither thing,

Then the Apple Store and iTunes should at the very least allow a user to put all apps under the same Apple ID!

After all, the Apple Store and iTunes on my PC and iTunes on my Iphone can all "see" that I own TWO legitimate Apple IDs (with purchases and updates): it must be possible to move these apps from one ID to the another ID, at least once! They're MY OWN purchases, paid: can I manage them a bit easier?

Marco

iPhone 4, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Jul 18, 2012 2:57 PM

18 replies

AlRed

Level 1

0 points

Feb 17, 2013 11:55 AM in response to marcoecc

I am in the same boat. Only my old email service no longer exists, and therefore, that ID is defunct. Because of that I had to make a new Apple ID, but now cannot update anything purchased under the old ID.

AlRed

Level 1

0 points

Feb 18, 2013 12:00 PM in response to AlRed

I figured out my problem. It turns out that my dad had merely changed the email on the original ID when the old email went defunct, and I was unaware of it (hence the reason I made another ID). So everything still works the way it should. Thank goodness. The only thing I have to deal with now is whenever I need to update apps or something, I have to sign out of mine & into the old one. Which, as many above have rightly stated, is inconvienent & a terrible model since you can't transfer pruchases you made on your old account with the same credit card, to your new account.

Sep 11, 2015 12:34 PM in response to marcoecc

I have this problem that I stumbled into by accident. My wife wanted to purchase a new phone, but we did not have access to her computer so I backed up her phone to my computer and authorized access. Unfortunately I left I tunes logged into my account. When I reloaded her new phone It reloaded some apps with my account and some with hers attached. I understand I can erase the apps and let them reload from the app store, but what do I do with the Apple apps I can not delete? To ask another way. How can I exchange the apps on her phone that are tied to my Apple ID and replace them with the same App from her ID and not lose any data associated with the Apps? Including the Apps that were installed by Apple and I can;t seem to remove. iTunesU for one example.

I have 2 Apple IDs. How can I move all my purchased (paid-for) apps under only 1 of my Apple IDs?