Q: This computer is already associated with an 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. You can view which devices or computers are currently associated, remove unused devices or computers, and see how long before they can be associated with a different Apple ID from the Account Information page in iTunes on your computer:

1. Open iTunes.
2. Sign in to your Apple ID by choosing Store > Sign In from the iTunes menu.
3. Choose Store > View My Account from the iTunes menu.
4. From the Account Information screen, click Manage Devices.

Next to each device or computer name, you will be able to see when each was associated to your Apple ID. You will also be able to track how many days are remaining before your associated devices or computers can be associated to a different Apple ID.

I have the same problem as the initial poster EXCEPT I've never had this computer associated with another Apple ID!  One day, for no obvious reason, it just started giving my the same pop-up box when I tried to download previous purchased music with my account.  Somehow, Apple screwed up, and it is frustrating me beyond belief.

I can confirm similar behavior on my Mac, which I have owned for two years and used iTunes without issue throughout the entirety. I buy music on my iPad/iPhone and sync it from the cloud to my desktop. Now, I'm getting this error when I try to download an album I purchased a few days ago on the ipad. I have verified that I am not over my allotment of devices, and previous purchases appear to play fine.

So, to sum up, I'm getting this message after successfully using iTunes previously to purchase, sync and play back other purchases from the app store (working as recently as one week ago).

Apple: Please take note - I probably spend around $100 a month in music and have been reluctant to come back to iTMS because of previous experiences with your DRM. This issue, and having to enter my ID and password 3 times to get onto this message board indicate a step down in customer service and usability.

Update: My problem can be summed up in this article: http://www.techbeast.net/2011/12/16/this-computer-is-already-associated-with-an- apple-id/ My fiance has an account on this mac, and got an iTunes gift card for Christmas. Now I can't get my Christmas purchases because iTunes cloud associates by computer, not account. This is very disappointing.

Hi.  Another frustrated user with the same problem.  My iTunes library has worked perfectly up until yesterday.  My wife (who has a separate user account on our Mac) downloaded an album to her iPad which, as she also had automatic downloads enabled, downloaded to he iTunes library.  After this, I purchased a track on my iPad which I then tried to download to my iTunes library on my user account on the Mac.  It was then it told me that

This computer is already associated with an Apple ID

which it had never done before.  I now can't download music to my library which I have legitimately paid for.  This cannot be right?  Please please, if anyone has a solution to this bizarre problem I'd be grateful to know it.  I'm very uncomfortable with the prospect of not being able to enjoy music I've paid Apple for on my system before the end of March!

Yours Angrily,

John.

I contacted Apple support through email, and after a few failed attempts, somebody refreshed some setting on Apple's side and fixed this problem.  It is frustrating that it took so long, but at least it now works.

Contact Apple and pester them until they fix this for you!

Good luck!

Hi.  Thanks.  I'll do that.  Did they give any indication of how to avoid this problem in the future?

No.  I gather that it is a fault on their side and that Apple isn't very eager to discuss it much more than required to fix the problem...

Sorry!

Unfortunately (for Apple) all I've gathered is two non-call-Apple-for-help solutions:

1) Make sure you only have one user who uses a MacOS system for iTunes cloud/match services. OR

2) Purchase your digital music elsewhere. There are other providers, and are less bundled/integrated with Apple product, but if this is an issue that can't be solved by the previous, it seems to be the only option.

The Techbeast entry I linked above is from 12/2011, so Apple's probably known about customers running afowl of this for at least a year. There's been a few iTunes releases since then with no fix, so I doubt it's even considered a bug or missing feature.

Now my music won't play and I get this message. It's true that my son, who has  his own account on this iMac, has a separate apple id. So does my wife. We got all these before Apple came up with the family sharing stuff.

So does this means only a single apple id can be used on a given computer? If so, I'm switching from Apple.

Actually, all of a sudden I can't play ANY of my music on MY iMac. Great. This *****.

How do you contact Apple Support? When I go through the website, it says my computer is no longer under warranty and I can't continue. For iTune issues? Really?

Upon further investigation, it turns out that I'm the only one in the family who has iTune match. I'm getting this message, apparently, because I renewed my iTune match after the previous one expired. So I'm paying for this "service," but can't use it because the software is confused.

This is complete and utter crap. I have 2 accounts on my iMac - 1 for me, 1 for my kids. In order to listen to my iTunes music, I had to use 2 of 5 authorizations on one machine. But to be able to d/l material from 2 different accounts iTunes says it's a single machine? Total crap. I can't believe this is somehow OK in Cupertino.

Same problem here. This is ridiculous. I just got a new Macbook Pro Retina and can't use iTunes Match on it because of this error message.