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How many devices can use one iCloud account?

I'm currently working with a school that have bought 15 new iPads. I was wondering whether all of these could be set up under 1 iCloud account, or whether there was a limit to the number of devices that can be registered. The reason for asking this is the we would like to use Find My iPhone to keep track of the devices within the school, and send messages to any that are misplaced, so we can alert nearby staff to return them to us. We aren't interested in music or movies, as they will primarily be used as learning tools, so any restriction specifically on that content doesn't matter to us. The only thing that would is if there is restrictions on app usage within a single account. For example, if we download an app using the single iCloud account, and had automatic downloads switched on for all 15 iPads, would the app be able to be installed on all of those 15? Sorry if this has been a little long winded, and thanks in advance for your answers.

iPad 2, iOS 5.1.1

Posted on Sep 15, 2012 1:36 AM

Reply
12 replies

Jan 25, 2014 5:04 AM in response to NoobianGod

Hi NoobianGod,


For some closure, I contacted Apple Support on this matter, who said something very similar. In the end, the school created one Apple ID per classroom, and dedicated a set number of iPads to each ID (they bought a further 15 to allow for 3 per room). This was mostly down the the requirements of teachers, each wanting certain apps and books etc, so it was easier that way. As far as your device count goes, unless I'm very much mistaken, you have 5 devices logged into your iCloud that count towards the limit; Apple TVs have a special status that means they don't require a free space in your FairPlay list.

Sep 15, 2012 3:06 AM in response to drewmunn

There doesn't seem to be any upper limit on the number of devices that can sync the same account info.

if you set up icloud through all the ipads on all the one same account then yes you should have all the apps that are downloaded through that one account. Find My iPhone will show all the devices that you have on that one account aswell.


Hope all goes well!

Jan 22, 2014 12:47 PM in response to GE TAG

*GE TAG - Don't you just love how people in forums answer their own question rather than the one being asked.


Let me help those that have responded so far, and those still awaiting an answer.


An account for iCloud does also include log-ins for the iOS App Store / Mac App Store / iTunes Desktop Application , but an iCloud account on any device iOS / Mac / PC does not have to match the App Store / iTunes account which certainly has its account login limitations per device as has been pointed out.


What seems to be ommitted is if there is a limit to an iCloud account per X number of devices.


In my estimation there appears to be no limitation for iCloud accounts per device. I say this only with the experience of having my own iCloud account on a MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, iMac, Apple TV Gen2, Apple TV Gen3, iPhone 5S, and an iPad Mini Gen 1.


That is 7 separate devices. Never once have I been prompted about a limit when setting up my iCloud account (which constitues Contacts / Calendar / Notes / Reminders / Documents in the Cloud / Keychain / and Photo Stream and not purchased content through App / iTunes "stores" which do give such prompting upon authorizing your respective device for being able to use / sync said purchases)


I've really only come to this realizatoin upon thinking this through after reading this thread. I was actually searching for this answer myself until now. If I'm wrong I will welcome a rebutal with proof.

Jan 22, 2014 12:57 PM in response to NoobianGod

NoobianGod wrote:


An account for iCloud does also include log-ins for the iOS App Store / Mac App Store / iTunes Desktop Application , but an iCloud account on any device iOS / Mac / PC does not have to match the App Store / iTunes account which certainly has its account login limitations per device as has been pointed out.


An example of this situation in my personal life (and one I would recommend for persons that have a significant other) is that my wife and I share an iTunes / iOS App Store / Mac App store account. It is my Apple ID / Password used for signing in when making purchases and registering iTunes or the App store on a device.


However, we each utilize a different iCloud account so that we are not getting each other's iMessages (forgot that one in my reply above) Calendar Notices / Reminders / Notes / etc.


Keeping iCloud separate essentially make us our own person, but with iTunes accounts being the same for purchases we are in the same boat for adding iTunes gift cards / charging our cards for purchaes / downloading purchased items already bought before / etc.


I hope that clears up that part up and maybe gives a good recommendation for all as well. I've seen plenty of people become incredibly frustrated not understanding how these two things are actually separate and SHOULD be separated.

Sep 23, 2014 10:38 AM in response to drewmunn

I am the Tech supervisor with a school and manage 90 iPads both in MDM and outside of MDM (Mobile Device Management Software).


The answer that you had accepted:

"Your Apple ID can have up to 10 devices and computers (combined) associated with it."

Is incorrect.

That answer and the link provided are in regards to the itunes account and Apple ID for that. Notice how under the general settings of any iPad you can both log into that and then log into the iCloud with a different account. There is no upper limit on how many devices you can link with the iCloud, only the Itunes and app store apple ID limit which is what that answer was referencing.

I have had my schools IP address blacklisted for creating 55+ apple IDs. I have had 6 different accounts blacklisted for using them on too many devices. I even went as far as blacklisting my own Social Security number because I went out and bought 11 Visa Green dots to link to the Apple IDs that we created for student and teacher use. Point in fact I am VERY aware of limits and consequences to said limits.

Oct 27, 2014 2:52 PM in response to matthewfromlargo

MatthewFromLargo


So just to clarify, we can use 1 single iCloud account to "Activation Lock" the 90 iOS devices without issues? I'm about to deploy 80 iOS devices and am having trouble deciding whether these 80 devices should each get its own Apple ID (due to the 'popular believe' of only 10 devices per account) or whether I should (CAN?) use a single ID to lock these 80 corporate-owned devices.


Thanks!

Rumballer

Feb 15, 2015 7:19 PM in response to matthewfromlargo

I'm in a similar boat. My department has over 500 iPads deployed using an MDM with configurator or DEP and recently we started having issues with the iPads requiring AppleID passwords every day. This wasn't a problem till recently. I have been told there is a way to connect only the find my iPad without actually logging in the iCloud account on each device.

Now we are trying to figure this out or any other resolution to this problem. It would be too much work to generate enough AppleID to cover 1 for every 10 devices. Any ideas?

Jun 24, 2015 3:21 PM in response to WhatchaMaThingy

So from personal experience the limit is 7 if you are sync'ing keychains (as far as I can figure) - if not then I *believe* it is 100 (read that somewhere in relation to find my iPhone)


I have 2 iMacs, 4 MacBooks (varying ages), 2 iPads, 2 current iPhones (6 and a 6+), and 3 old iPhones (a couple of 4s' and a 5) with pay as you go SIMS in them that I use simply to run Spotfy and various sports activity tracker apps on. If I turn on keychain sync on all of them, as soon as I add one more beyond 7 devices, one of them gets dropped off and reports that it is no longer sync'ing keychain.


So at the moment I just have keychain sync'ing on 7 and use the apple ID for iCloud without keychain turned on for the others.

How many devices can use one iCloud account?

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