This computer is already associated with an Apple ID

This HAPPED to my, but with my iPad, I was re-downloading my Music while accidentally deleting it and then I got a pop-up on my iPad saying something about my iPad being associated with this ID for 90 days or something, I don't know, can anyone help me, and what is the bad thing about this, will I still be able to download my music, btw, my Music downloaded succesfully after that.

No offense but this is unhelpful in several ways.

1. You're using a different platform (iOS)

2. That platform is single user

3. The version of iTunes is different on iOS (different code)

The problem you had is unrelated. To recap:

1. ITunes and iTunes Match users sometimes have multiple users who share a machine

2. Apple has decided to key authorization for match/cloud based on machine rather than login ID and credentials

3. Any user who authorizes after another has also done so with their account on the shared machine is locked out of match/cloud for three months, thus unable to get their content.

The reason this is bad and it didn't inconvenience you on a single user device is this: there can only be one user allowed to download their purchased content on a macosx machine at any given moment. All other users will get blocked.

Other providers do not use this scheme. Macs have always marketed their systems as family computers so it stands to reason they built in multiuser logins partially for that reason, yet have failed to accommodate those users by this authorization method (I.e. by machine).

My solution to this, unfortunately, was to stop purchasing at iTMS, go with a provider who provides physical media as well as a cloud service with content that works on all my devices no matter how many users use them or the operating platform.

Nailed it. Great recap. Thanks for contributing positively to the thread.

Found this thread while researching the issue, here's my configuration:

- OS X 10.8.3

- iTunes 11.0.2

- 2 user accounts, each with its own Apple ID

- My Apple ID has Match (bought as soon as Match was launched), the other ID does not

- Two computers are linked to my ID, both with Match enabled (the other machine is a Win 7 PC running iTunes 11.0.3.42)

I purchased two albums from iTunes today, directly on my iPhone. No problems, downloaded the songs as normal and was able to play them. When I got home, I attempted to download and play those tracks on iTunes in OS X, but got the "This computer is already associated with an Apple ID" error. Turns out, the other user account on this Mac received the same error the other day. So, my purchase today doesn't seem to be a cause, just the catalyst for me to receive the error when I attempted to play the content on my Mac.

I have only ever had one Apple ID, and have had it for several years without a problem. The only issue I've seen in the last year is my Win 7 machine occasionally losing its Match setting, so I have to re-connect it to the Match service. It doesn't lock my content, just makes me go through the process of "re-adding" the machine, then everything works again. Don't think this problem is related, because it's been going on for a year.

As an interesting side note, the Win 7 PC that also has my ID and Match turned on, won't sync with Match tonight. It seems stuck, just continually saying that it's "accessing iTunes Match". I can't download or play the tracks I bought today on my phone (download button is grayed out), or any other content that's associated with my Match account that isn't already on the Win 7 PC.

I have the exact problem !!! Let me know if you have any solution! We even have about the same configuration.

Well, we know that Apple is at least watching this thread because a disparaging comment was deleted from the thread. It's a shame that effort's being spent on policing threads for disgruntled customer comments but not on fixing real issues.

And really doomouder, this problem goes back to 2011 (at least, based on the techbeast article I posted) so it's unlikely Apple's going to do anything to fix this. There've been several revisions of iTunes since then and no correction or public acknowledgement appears to have been made.

My solution was, unfortunately for Apple, to stop using iTMS to purchase my content and go with another provider who gives you hard copies of your music as well as cloud storage. I waited out my 90 days on that machine, got the missing content and backed it up so I never have to worry about Apple's service failings again.

it is a pity...one idea...if I turn on itunes match at my wife's profile...will that help ? in this case we will have 2 apple ids with itunes match on one mac...

I also got this same error/warning, but I chatted with an Apple Support rep online and they were able to resolve it. At first they said I should choose the Transfer option, but when I said, "are you sure?" they said, "let me check with a specialist." After asking me a few more questions, they resolved the problem on their end and I was able to subscribe to iTunes match without getting this error message.

Same problem here as everyone else. One iMac with two user accounts (my wife). Now iTunes Match will not work on this computer, getting the "This computer is already associated with an Apple ID" error. You would think that this is bug is prevalent enough to warrant an immediate fix. iTunes Match has been out for nearly 2 years now.

I suppose I can complain to Apple but it seems if they reset my account as soon as my wife signs back in to her iTunes acct. the same thing will happen. Sigh.

I just wonder, why, oh, why didn't my girl-friend get this message when she was associating my computer with her apple id? Why I have to suffer when I HAVE THE ADMIN ACCOUNT ON THIS COMPUTER and she's not? Why I have to get this BS message when I associated MY id first? I want my money back!

Ditto here. Wow.

Mac OS 10.8.4

iTunes 11.0.4

5 user accounts, 2 are admin

The 2 admin accounts have unqiue apple IDs. Computer authorized for both.

1 admin account has match, the other doesn't

I'll tell my kid she has to wait 8 days to watch the movie I just bought for her. Swell.

Agree. This is absolutly mind blowingly ********. My girlfriend and I just bought a new iMac, so we could clear some space and share the computer using multiple user accounts. We both PAY for iTunes Match, and all we want to do is both use the service that we each PAID for, in our seperate totally isolated accounts whoes only commonality is that they happen to reside on the same computer. But apparenetly we not only can't both use the service that we both paid for at the same time, but we have to "take turns" in a cycle of 90 day.. Outrageous. I have some choice words for the exec at Appl that put that restriction in place. Don't advertise the multi-user 'features' of your OS if don't actually exist.

Same issues here with multiple user accounts on the same MacBookPro with different apple ids.

What is the recommended solution besides just dropping itunes altogether and move on?

Am I the only one in feeling that Apple products seemed to work better in the past? 3 years ago when I bought this MaBookPro everything just worked! Now after a couple of issues I feel like the new slogan should be: It just used to work!

Add me to the list, I have an iMac, I am the admin, I have iTunes match, I wanted to purchase it for my wife, but I cant as explained above. The only solution is to setup itunes match for my wife on a different pc. i am very disappointed with this. I fully understand having this block on end user devices, iphones to stop people abusing sharing. But the iMac is a hub product, me, my wife and my kids all use it. Personally i think Match should recognise familys in the first place, but I was willing to pay Apple more money to listen to my/our own music collection, sadly they don't want it. I want to have a top drawer user experience, I am not having one. Come on Apple this is not good enough. Music is for sharing.

This is definitely a bug. It's telling me (this computer is already associated with an Apple ID) like I was trying to take it off or readd it I don't know what! I don't have iTunes match nor do I have more than one apple account (ID) only on my computer and iPod.

One night I was on my iPod and the automatic downloads buttons shut themselves off, I turned them back on and they shut off again and then this pop up came up (This computer is already associated with an apple ID) like I don't already know that and I'm like what the heck does this mean or what is it talking about? This pop up came right after the buttons for auto download kept shutting to off and I kept turning back on several time in a row.

So then in the pop up it says cancel or transfer and I'm thinking also what does this mean so I press transfer thinking it must just be some kind of bug. Then I go on my Mac and see it reassociated my ipod on that day kept it on the same ID though just changed the date the error happened because the date has changed on the day of the error (pop up message) when I hit the transfer button and said I have 90 days till I can associated it with another Apple ID. I didn't know what transfer meant either. All I know is that it was a screwy message and already knew it was already associated with and Apple ID so I got this message for nothing. Just because the buttons wouldn't stay turned on and kept sliding to the off position. This usually happens when you sign out of iTunes on your iPod the buttons will turn off in auto download but I was signed into iTunes on my iPod all along while this was happening.

It was associated with the same ID all the time never any other so I don't understand this message or what it meant and like it happened because I couldn't get the auto download buttons on the iPod to stay in the on position then finally I get the pop up. Now it reassigned to my computer on the date that it happened it didn't take the device under list of devices off under (my account section in iTunes) but says I have 90 days before I can associate this device with another ID. This must have reassingned my device on the day it happened on a new date on the day it happened probably because I pressed the transfer button.

But no I do not want to sign this device up with a different ID and I didn't understand why I got this pop up in the first place. The iPod was associated with this Apple ID from day one so why do the auto download buttons keep shutting off and then I get the pop up on the iPod (This computer is already associated with and Apple ID) LIke I already didn't now that. I didn't know what this meant or why the auto download buttons on the iPod kept turning off but now their back on. My iPod is still under my devices in my account section on my Mac and everything works but the date has changed on the day this error happened and its counting down days till I can associated with another ID. I didn't know what pressing the transfer button was do I pressed it because I knew this was a bug but didn't think it would redo the date on my Mac the day the error happened and then countdown from 90 days. I (do not) want to associated this with a different Apple ID anyway's.

What a mess up for what? What does this box mean and again I'm only a single user with one account and no iTunes match so it even happens to users with just one account. Don't understand, definitely a bug!