How do I separate 3 different devices all using the same apple ID

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Level 1

2 points

How do I separate 3 different devices all using the same apple ID

HELP PLEASE!! My wife has a macbook which is about 5 years old. We used our only email address at that time as our apple ID. Since then we have bought her an iphone 4 and registered it with the same apple ID. Then a few months later I made the jump from my blackberry to an iphone 4 and used the same apple id. All these devices are now tethered to the same apple id as well as our family itunes account. So, we have a family itunes account, an older macbook and 2 iphone 4's all with the same apple id. With me so far? Now, everything was cool until the iOS update came out for our 2 iphones and came with the new icloud app. When my wife and I set up our icloud accounts everything that was on her phone showed up on mine and everything that was on mine showed up on hers. How do I change the apple id's on her phone and computer, keep the apple id we already have on my phone and continue to share the itunes account? An important note here is that the apple id's are my email address. HELP!!!!

iPhone 4, iOS 6

Posted on Oct 7, 2012 4:40 PM

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Answer 1

Oct 7, 2012 4:44 PM in response to gr8fandini

You can continue to share the same Apple ID for the iTunes Store and have a separate Apple ID registered with iMessage and FaceTime on each device. She can create her own iCloud account without it affecting the Apple ID being used for the iTunes Store.

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Answer 2

gr8fandini Author

Level 1

2 points

Oct 7, 2012 6:48 PM in response to Allan Sampson

Can somebody tell me how to do this in detail, or direct me to a place or person that can walk me through this. I've tried changing id's and such but I can't seem to do any changing without changing everything. Would like to start by changing the apple id on the wife's macbook to her email address.

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Answer 3

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Oct 7, 2012 8:46 PM in response to gr8fandini

You will eventually do that, however it will be the Apple IDs relating to iCloud, not to the store. It should be explained in that document. Once you have made the new Apple IDs for iCloud, you will go into iCloud on each of the devices and log into iCloud with the new IDs. You will have to do a little more preparation if you are using iCloud for backup, etc.

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Answer 4

gr8fandini Author

Level 1

2 points

Oct 7, 2012 8:56 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Well, I was using icloud for backup. That's why the problem started. I've worked on this problem off and on now for about a year and haven't been able to accomplish anything other than thoroughly confusing myself. I have never been good with this stuff, but I can build heck out some houses, baths, kitchens and stairs. What I was thinking I needed to do was first go into each device and change the apple id. By the way, how do I check or find out the apple id each device is currently using.

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Answer 5

Oct 7, 2012 9:27 PM in response to gr8fandini

OK this might help you

you need both iphones and the mac next open itunes and click on itunes prefrences now you will need to go to devices and erase all iphone back ups

next plug the phone with your info to the mac and rename that iphone with your name and back it up, After the back up safely remove it

next plug the phone with your wifes info into the mac and follow the same steps.

after the back up is done restore your wifes iphone and when ask to restore as a new iphone you need to scroll down to her name and click on it then do the same with your phone

this will put all info into the corresponding phones

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Answer 6

gr8fandini Author

Level 1

2 points

Oct 7, 2012 10:05 PM in response to mrapplegalore

OK, when you say rename the phone would that new name be a new apple id as well? In other words would the new name be the same as a new apple id? I feel like I'm asking a lot of really dumb questions here but I can't help it. Sorry.

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Answer 7

gr8fandini Author

Level 1

2 points

Oct 8, 2012 8:53 AM in response to mrapplegalore

Sorry, got late around here. Went to bed. I haven't done anything yet cause I'm still trying to understand what I'm doing. Sorry guys, just really bad at doing anything like this and I'm really unsure. So Mr Apple galore, when I rename the phone does that change my apple ID?

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Answer 8

Oct 8, 2012 11:39 AM in response to gr8fandini

You will have to make a new apple iD account on the apple website and then erase your apple ID from her phone then go to the Mac and open a new user account and after you do the phone backing up she will be able to do a iCloud account of her own

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Answer 9

Keiichi_K

Level 2

385 points

Oct 8, 2012 2:45 PM in response to gr8fandini

Truly separating all content requires creating separate user accounts on the computer. New appleid's will help but all info, apps, contacts etc will save togetther in itunes. You will need to remember all passwords becasue if you sync content from different appleid you will need it's password, not yours.

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Answer 10

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Oct 7, 2012 4:44 PM in response to gr8fandini

You can still use a family Apple ID for the purchase of things in iTunes. You need to create separate Apple IDs for iCloud to separate that information.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4436

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Answer 11

ChrisJ4203

Level 10

236,381 points

Oct 7, 2012 8:20 PM in response to gr8fandini

I believe the link that I supplied you will guide you through most of that. It seems to be quite detailed regarding the setup and use of the Apple ID in association with iCloud. Check it out again.

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Answer 12

gr8fandini Author

Level 1

2 points

Oct 7, 2012 8:44 PM in response to ChrisJ4203

Shouldn"t I change the apple ID's on the devices so they don't all share the same apple ID. Seams like that would help simplify things, would it not?

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Answer 13

gr8fandini Author

Level 1

2 points

Oct 7, 2012 9:15 PM in response to gr8fandini

Also, I'd like my apple id on each device to match the apple id used in the cloud for that device if possible. Just a lot less id's and passwords to remember.

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Answer 14

Oct 7, 2012 10:11 PM in response to gr8fandini

on the left panel on itunes you should see the phone come up

next double click the iphone name and rename it

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Answer 15

Oct 7, 2012 10:25 PM in response to gr8fandini

where you able to do it

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