Multiple Devices, One Apple ID, iMessage Chaos

Question

Level 1

13 points

Multiple Devices, One Apple ID, iMessage Chaos

Hi all,

Wanted to bring up a new "feature" of iOS 6 - probably already has been discussed here a few times, but this is a real pain and something that I think Apple has backwards.

My wife, daughter and I each have an iPhone 4, and son has an iPod Touch. All of us have upgraded to iOS 6, and we all share one Apple ID.

Everyone is able to turn iMessage on without any issue, but - every OTHER device is given the option of accepting messages sent to the newly activated device. They can either accept or deny the ability to do so, but then going into the iMessage settings they can reactivate this "feature."

Shouldn't the setup be that when activating iMessage from a device, it gives THAT device and only that device the option of whether the other devices have the ability to send / receive messages?

We were all wondering why on earth we were all receiving iMessages from friends of my wife, friends of my daughter, people I work with, etc. It's a huge hassle - so much so that we have all turned iMessage off.

Big disappointment in this implementation - the option to share should be owned by the device that is turned on, not the other devices that are already on the account.

Thanks,

Scott

iOS 6

Posted on Sep 28, 2012 3:30 PM

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Answer 1

razmee209

Level 10

191,382 points

Sep 28, 2012 3:32 PM in response to Trasmc

Your family should'nt be using the same apple id for imessage, to correct this you can either create a new id for each user or in settings - message - receive&send, - check that the phone number is the default for imessage.

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Answer 2

ShadyMac

Level 4

1,277 points

Sep 28, 2012 3:45 PM in response to Trasmc

The issue is that you should not all be using the same Apple ID...

That's not the intent behind iMessage and thus why you're having these issues...

If you continue to share the ID please be sure to have each person go into their iMessage settings and alter the Send/Receive from numbers....since you're sharing the ID each phone can and will get ANY iMessage sent to anyone unless you each uncheck the other peoples numbers under the send/receive from selection

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Answer 3

Trasmc Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 28, 2012 3:47 PM in response to razmee209

We all have the same Apple ID - one account for iTunes for the family - it's a nice way to help control what songs / apps / videos the kids download or want to buy. Last go around with iOS 5 we set up an individual e-mail address associated with each device while still using one Apple ID - worked great the entire time.

Now there is the option in iMessage settings to turn on or off any phone number or e-mail address associated with every device on that ID for every other device. Yes you can "forget this email" in the settings (althought they seem to come back), but there is no way to "forget" a phone number that belongs to another device.

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Answer 4

ShadyMac

Level 4

1,277 points

Sep 28, 2012 3:51 PM in response to Trasmc

I can't picture the setting you'd be seeing but I know someone else who was getting iMessages from the wrong people inside the family due to sharing the ID and they were able to change the numbers and email that they send and receive to and from...

Again iTunes does play nice when mult devices share an ID... iMessage was never meant to be used that way and thus why you see these issues

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Answer 5

Trasmc Author

Level 1

13 points

Sep 28, 2012 4:03 PM in response to ShadyMac

OK, thanks Shady and razmee for your help!

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Answer 6

razmee209

Level 10

191,382 points

Sep 28, 2012 4:04 PM in response to Trasmc

your welcome.

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Answer 7

cwebber1

Level 1

70 points

Oct 17, 2012 8:23 PM in response to ShadyMac

ShadyMac wrote:

I can't picture the setting you'd be seeing but I know someone else who was getting iMessages from the wrong people inside the family due to sharing the ID and they were able to change the numbers and email that they send and receive to and from...

Again iTunes does play nice when mult devices share an ID... iMessage was never meant to be used that way and thus why you see these issues

I think I'm missing a key concept here.

You're saying to use one common AppleID per family to share iTunes Music on say, 4 devices.
You're saying use four separate AppleIDs for the four people in that family.

I don't get it. If each of us has a phone, how to we use a common AppleID for iTunes Music, but separate AppleID's for iMessage.

When you register a new device, should you always create a new AppleID?

Is there some place that concept is described?

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Answer 8

Leann O.

Level 3

642 points

Oct 17, 2012 8:29 PM in response to cwebber1

Here is an informative article. I hope it helps you.

http://www.macworld.com/article/1163006/how_to_configure_icloud_if_you_share_an_ apple_id.html#lsrc.rss_main

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Answer 9

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Oct 17, 2012 8:35 PM in response to cwebber1

cwebber1 wrote

I don't get it. If each of us has a phone, how to we use a common AppleID for iTunes Music, but separate AppleID's for iMessage.

When you register a new device, should you always create a new AppleID?

No. Each of you should have your own AppleID and then register your own devices to your own AppleID.

You don't need to add a credit card to your kids accounts. They can use gift cards if they want to purchase..

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Answer 10

Oct 17, 2012 9:35 PM in response to Chris CA

Chris is right, you should each be using your own individual Apple ID for each device. However, what the OP is asking can be done. You can use a separate ID just for iMessage.

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Answer 11

Ocean20

Level 6

13,727 points

Oct 17, 2012 9:41 PM in response to Trasmc

Multiple Devices, One Apple ID, iMessage Chaos=recipe for disaster

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Answer 12

cwebber1

Level 1

70 points

Oct 17, 2012 10:24 PM in response to Jeremy Bohn

OK, I think I'm getting it.

Example: dad, mom, son. (we need 4 AppleID accounts)

Dad's iPhone:

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = dad@ me.com

Dad's iPad

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = dad@ me.com

Mom's iPhone

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = mom@ me.com

Son's iPod

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = son@ me.com

Family Computer -- each person has their own User Login. So just like individual devices, we use the shared (family@ me.com) for AppleID on iTunes, but use our personal (dad@ me.com) appleID for Messages.

When Mom finally buy's an iPad and powers it up for the first time, it prompts her for an Apple ID.

From reading literature at Apple, I believe it initially applies this single AppleID to everything on your new device. It's up to the user to go in and change iMessage (within iMessage, sign-out of current AppleID and sign-in with a different one)

Is this correct?

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Answer 13

Leann O.

Level 3

642 points

Oct 17, 2012 11:51 PM in response to cwebber1

Yes, this is correct.

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Answer 14

Oct 18, 2012 12:12 PM in response to cwebber1

Correct cwebber1.

Dad will get iMessages on both devices.

Plus the iPhones don't need an email address for iMessage, they can just use the phone number (iPad too if it has cellular). And I don't think technically it has to be an @me.com address.

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Answer 15

Chris CA

Level 10

82,434 points

Oct 18, 2012 4:22 PM in response to cwebber1

Better yet, this.

Dad's iPhone:

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = nothing. Just use the phone #

Dad's iPad

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = dad@ me.com

Mom's iPhone

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = nothing. Just use the phone #

Son's iPod

iTunes AppleID = family@ me.com

iMessage AppleID = son@ me.com

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