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Level 1

11 points

Multiple users on an IPad?

Hi, my Girlfriend has just bought a 64gb iPad. It’s on it’s way.

She wanted it for Uni, but I will also be using it for showing of my photography. And we’ll both use it for entertainment and business/work.

Is there any way to set up 2 user accounts on an iPad? I’ve heard it’s not possible (not on a stock iPad anyway), so if it isn’t, what are my options?

- Basically, I want us to have separate mail accounts (preferably that require a password to view, rather than just clicking mail, as I do on my iPhone).

- I also want to make sure that my facebook posts/comments/messages don’t get pushed to the iPad when she is using it.

- Same goes for other apps such as Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

- Plus, we each have our own accounts for those services. How can we both use the same iPad?

- Finally, I’d like to be able to hide my web surfing habits from her (Nothing dodgy here. But if, for example, I was using it to search for presents for her upcoming birthday, it would suck if she found out my plans that way).

Also, on a related note…

Of the two of us, I have the better music library, and also, a USA iTunes account (Hers is Australian), so apps and music are cheaper for me to buy than for her.

So:

Is it possible to merge our music libraries on the iPad? (She’d only have a few songs that I don’t, but I’d have a lot that she doesn’t.
If the iPad was linked to her account (which it may be since it’s technically her iPad), can I buy apps on my account and put it on that iPad?
If not, and we each buy apps that we need, is there any way to split the apps into hers and mine later when we get a second iPad?

Thanks in advance.

Ben

Posted on Apr 10, 2013 2:30 AM

28 replies

Dec 14, 2013 8:07 PM in response to montycat

That would be a pretty awesome feature! It doesn't make sense for the phone but it looks like the droid tablets come with it now. Microsoft surface had it from the beginning.

amries

Level 1

5 points

Sep 16, 2014 2:26 PM in response to .Jynn

If you read this post and still thought it was possible to do what you wanted to do, you should not be worrying about how to function an ipad as much as you should work on your reading and linguistics skills. iPad's are single user devices and in order to use them as a "family" device you are going to have to have a "family" icloud account that May have the same card associated with it but is not the same as yours. Good luck everyone else. You can jailbreak iOS and install a profile manager to do what you want to do but it isn't worth the security risks.

Sep 16, 2014 2:54 PM in response to amries

Pretty useless response considering it has been a year since that user posted, don't you think?

RockyMM

Level 1

14 points

Nov 13, 2014 5:29 AM in response to Ben_McPhee

I would LOVE to see iPad with multiuser support. Currently my girlfriend and I are sharing the iPad and that is... less than optimal. Having user accounts really seems the right way for pads - unlike phones which are by concept personal devices.

Nov 13, 2014 5:54 AM in response to RockyMM

Submit your feedback to Apple:

http//www.apple.com/feedback

RockyMM

Level 1

14 points

Nov 13, 2014 2:48 PM in response to IdrisSeabright

TThanks, I will do that!

gaetant

Level 1

0 points

Nov 16, 2014 8:05 AM in response to Ben_McPhee

This device is designed to sell one to everyone.Very well designed. Wy would you share... just buy another one and another copy of all your apps 😉

RockyMM

Level 1

14 points

Nov 16, 2014 9:40 AM in response to gaetant

While I agree that iPad's design is excellent, with its philosophy... I don't agree. Unlike iPhone, which due its size is very personal device, iPad, again due its size is very much a device to share. That is my take after spending two weeks wih it. If I had bought iPad mini maybe I would have different opinion, but with iPad... It just feels natural to share it.

"Hey, check this site"

"Hey, let's play this game together"

"Give our little cousins ipad for a while so they can play Angry Birds "

"Let me just at check the weather"

I know that Apple stockholders would be happy if we bought two iPads but I would be happy if I could share this one without my little cousins checking my business emails.

jfk1917

Level 1

0 points

Aug 7, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Kilgore-Trout

... and for this reason I'll never understand why so many people buy Apple products. I've tried many Apple products on many occasions spanning several years, and the conclusion is always the same; I HATE THEM!! This is just another example of why. Unfortunately, I'm forced to use one for work at times. It took me over three hours of required updates and reading online just to figure out how to transfer a freaking file from my Windows PC to the iPad Mini without the use of a USB. I am an avid hater of all things Apple.

Fix this issue and maybe I'll hate them slightly less. >.<

Aug 7, 2015 4:45 PM in response to jfk1917

jfk1917 wrote:

It took me over three hours of required updates and reading online just to figure out how to transfer a freaking file from my Windows PC to the iPad Mini without the use of a USB. I am an avid hater of all things Apple.

And apparently not very technologically competent. Not everyone can be. However, as the saying goes, it's a poor craftsman who blames his tools.

Aug 10, 2015 4:34 AM in response to jfk1917

jfk1917 wrote:

... and for this reason I'll never understand why so many people buy Apple products. I've tried many Apple products on many occasions spanning several years, and the conclusion is always the same; I HATE THEM!! This is just another example of why. Unfortunately, I'm forced to use one for work at times. It took me over three hours of required updates and reading online just to figure out how to transfer a freaking file from my Windows PC to the iPad Mini without the use of a USB. I am an avid hater of all things Apple.

Fix this issue and maybe I'll hate them slightly less. >.<

That may say more about your level of general competence than it does about Apple's products. And seriously, no one here really cares if you are "a hater of all things Apple".

Nov 28, 2015 2:51 PM in response to Ben_McPhee

I am not sure about the whole different country thing but you can setup a "Famliy Account" and it links the account together and with gmail and programs like that you can switch accounts on and off here a list of things that might help

Switching Google Accounts On/Off:https://support.google.com/mail/answer/3114694?hl=en

Private Browsing:https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ChwDPe3tt6k

Setting Up A Famliy Account:http://parentclub.ganzworld.com/tech-sense/family-friendly-itunes/

Mar 23, 2016 6:20 PM in response to montycat

From a business point of view it's easy to understand why (more devices per user). But it´s the long-term strategy that I can´t quite get: are they looking at client retention or not? Hopefully iOS 10 will show us that Tim is paying attention to what the clients need.

Multiple users on an IPad?