This computer is already associated with another Apple ID

Question

Level 1

60 points

This computer is already associated with another Apple ID

Hi people! 🙂

Please excuse me if I described anything not exactly as it may appear on English systems but Spanish is my language of choice.

At home, my boyfriend and me share a Macbook Pro and we have a user account for each one. In each account, each of us has an Apple ID with their music or apps purchased. Problem is, I can't login and download my purchases or use iTunes Match because the computer is already linked to another Apple ID, I guess that is my boyfriend's account.

Can't we use our respective Apple ID in our user accounts? If I wait for 38 days and then I use my account, will he be able to use his, or will he be "punished" like me? This is cumbersome. I've tried to solve this with Apple Support but never could finally arrive to a solution with them. Thanks for any hints.

MacBook Pro, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2)

Posted on Oct 31, 2012 9:01 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Limnos

Level 10

411,217 points

Oct 31, 2012 12:04 PM in response to Carola Clavo

iTunes Store: Associating a device or computer to your Apple ID - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4627 - In connection with, "When you turn on iTunes Match or Automatic Downloads, or when you download past purchases on an iOS device or computer, that device or computer becomes associated with your Apple ID." "Your Apple ID can have up to 10 devices and computers (combined) associated with it. Each computer must also be authorized using the same Apple ID. Once a device or computer is associated with your Apple ID, you cannot associate that device or computer with another Apple ID for 90 days." - Additionally instructions for "Removing an associated device or computer from an Apple ID"

It's done that way because the media owners who can tell Apple what to do don't want people going around to their friends' houses and downloading all their iTunes music on the friends' computers too. If you're going to share a computer make sure you avoid doing the things listed above that will cause this message to appear. Keep a backup of your purchases on an external drive.

Reply