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Keep iCloud contents but separate iTunes purchases

I have been using one Apple ID for purchases of iTunes apps, music, books on 5 Macs and AppleTV movies and using the same Apple ID for iCloud so that my Mac and iOS devices can sync. The purchased apps need frequent Update and need the password of the Apple ID every time they update. But the same Apple ID and password can access to my emails, calendars, notes and so forth.


I know I can use one Apple ID for iCloud and another Apple ID for iTunes purchases, if I start to do so at the beginning!


I know the purchased apps, musics, books and movies cannot be transferred to another Apple ID account due to DRM problem.


How can I retain all contents and move them to another iCloud account (a new Apple ID) that I am going to create?

MacBook Pro (13-inch Early 2011), OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), 8GB 1333 MHz DDR3

Posted on Jan 23, 2013 7:28 PM

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15 replies

Jan 24, 2013 4:04 AM in response to Ivan H

The basics of the process are to log out of your current iCloud account and sign into your new account (system preferences > iCloud). The next step is to log back into your old account as a secondary account (system preferences > mail, contacts & calendars), so that you can now move data from one account to another.


If you have any difficulties moving any data, let me know.

Jan 25, 2013 1:54 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Hi Winston


"The basics of the process are to log out of your current iCloud account " that you said. When I attempted it, It asked me if I wanted to keep or delete the Contact from my Mac. It then told me if I continued the Calendars and Reminders would be deleted from my Mac.


I don't know what will be told to delete further, but up to that point I felt very uncomfortable. Because I have no idea if I have everything not on iCloud. Will it delete all my notes not on the iCloud? Will iCloud only keep up to a certain date and no further for calendar events 2 years ago...? The contents I needed are all in the first iCloud account but my intention is to switch to the new / 2nd iCloud account. In the process you suggested, none of my contents will be available after logging on to the 2nd iCloud account.


Is there a sure way to backup the iCloud contents from one iCloud account and restore all of them to the 2nd iCloud account and without resetting any attributes of the information?

Jan 25, 2013 3:51 AM in response to Ivan H

Deleting the account from your Mac will only delete the data from that account from your Mac and not from the account itself, so when you log back in the data will be returned. However if you have any doubts, make back ups of your data before you begin.


In the example of notes, deleting the iCloud account will only remove notes from the iCloud account and not any notes in your 'On My Mac' or other accounts.

Jan 25, 2013 5:34 AM in response to Ivan H

Your iCloud account includes contacts, calendars etc, it doesn't contain any content such as music, books, apps etc, it's your iTunes account that includes these items.


As I understood your aim, you currently have one Apple ID, let's call it you@icloud.com which you use for both iTunes and iCloud. You wish to use a new Apple ID, let's call it you2@icloud.com for iCloud, but continue to use you@icloud.com for iTunes.


Are you saying you wish to use the new ID for iTunes too. This will cause you problems when you want to update apps or use features such as automatic downloads etc. Is there a good reason to do this, it's usually something I would recommend not doing.

Jan 26, 2013 3:28 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Hi Winston,


Thank you very much. But I guess you've never tried your method. It doesn't work. Sorry to say that.


When you log out of an iCloud account, the data on the Mac/iOS devices will be deleted, except Contacts so far. That means, your method cannot carry data from one iCloud account to another.


Can someone else give a hand and help?

Feb 1, 2013 10:53 PM in response to Winston Churchill

Hi Winston,


Pardon me for not able to comprehend your method yet... At which step can I keep all data on my computer so they all can be transfer to another iCloud account? You said ".... unless you choose to keep it ..."


From Apple Logo > Systems Preferences > iCloud, I tried to sign out and then I choose "Keep Contacts" on the first window, then the next one telling me that my Calendars & Reminders will be deleted from my Mac and there is no choice to keep it.


I date not to continue because I don't want to lose my calendars and reminders. Of course, the Notes, Safari and Documents and Data are definitely my intention to keep as well.


Winston, I really have no idea how to transfer everything from one iCloud account to another... Did I miss any step from what you said?

Feb 2, 2013 12:33 PM in response to Ivan H

What you are essentially going to do is log into both accounts at the same time so that you can transfer the data from one to another. Some features such as contacts will ask if you want to keep data when you turn them off, some won't. Personally, I believe it would be simpler not to save any data when prompted. Remember that any data removed from your Mac is only removed from your Mac, it is still in your account in iCloud.


Once you are logged into both accounts the transfer process will be more apparent, so I was only going to provide instructions when needed, so as to avoid confusion, however calendars is an awkward one to move so here are the instructions.


  1. Create a new empty calendar from the iCal file menu, select which account you want to create it in.
  2. If you have only a few appointments you can move them individually by editing them and changing the calendar in the edit options.
  3. Alternatively you can copy all the appointments in one calendar to another and delete the original.
  4. To copy a calendar ctrl-click on it from the menu that appears when you select the calendar button (top left corner of iCal) and choose export (export it to your desktop for ease)
  5. Double click the exported file and choose the new empty calendar to import them into.
  6. Ctrl-click on the original calendar from the menu that appears when you select the calendar button and choose delete.

Feb 26, 2013 9:50 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston I am having the same problem as Ivan

He is right your method just doesn't work.

And how in the world are going to log in with the two accounts at the same time?

I want to that in my iphone. If I delete my old icloud account it does keep the contacts but deletes the notes

and then I log with my new account and nothing happens. I am not able to keep my notes logging in with the new account.

Thanks

Feb 26, 2013 9:27 PM in response to willjms9

Over two years ago, Apple allowed transfer of everything from one account to another, once only per account, from iTunes. (I read it somewhere and made a note wishing one day I could use it if I had to.) They wiped out this flexibility.


Anyway, iOS and OS X are designed for single account only. Maybe that's the limitation of DRM, or Apple just want more sales.


What I think is: Apple doesn't want a potential second hand market, esp. apps, It's more a business strategy than a consume-driven / technical issue.

Keep iCloud contents but separate iTunes purchases

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