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maximum devices allowed one apple id

I have an older MBP (early 2011) and use it as my main computer. My iOS devices are all synced to this MBP. I believed I understand the concept about AUTHORIZED devices (the MBP). What I am unclear on is the ASSOCIATED devices and any limits for the single Apple ID I use.


The iOS devices are mine or my children's and we have no problems with this set up. In all, I have eleven iOS devices (iPad, iPod).


However, I want to buy a new iPad Pro and don't want to find that I've reached some limit and am unable to download apps and music. I do not download movies.


Is there a limit of devices which can be associated with my setup?

MacBook Pro, OS X El Capitan (10.11.4)

Posted on May 21, 2016 3:38 PM

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14 replies

May 22, 2016 8:48 PM in response to MikeeW

Yes, there is a limit. You can have a total of 10 devices (with a maximum of 5 computers) associated with your Apple ID.


An associated device is a device that is signed on to a specific Apple ID and has been used for one or more of the following:


- Family Sharing

- Apple Music

- iTunes Match

- Downloading Past Purchases

- Automatic Downloads


When any of those actions are set up on a particular device or computer using your Apple ID, that computer or device becomes associated with your Apple ID. Once associated, the computer or device is locked for 90 days to that ID. Once the 90 days has passed, a different ID can be associated with it.


Here is the Support Article for Associated Devices:


View and remove associated devices in iTunes - Apple Support


And just to clarify - when you Authorize a particular Apple ID to an iTunes Library, you are basically giving "permission" for that Apple ID to be able to play the media in that Library.


Cheers,


GB

May 21, 2016 6:22 PM in response to gail from maine

Thanks for the response.


Presently I have eleven iOS devices and five MacBooks. There are three of those I've not been using to download any music or apps in a couple of years. Nor have they been updated with the latest OS.


The remaining devices are used regularly. I will typically sync the devices to a single MBP and make any changes to playlists, new music, or apps at the time of the sync.


I don't use:


Apple Music

Match

Family Sharing

AUtomatic downloads


I'm not clear about the MacBooks with regard to this process. They have been AUTHORIZED to download from the App Store as well as iTunes.


If I go to iTunes and remove some devices as being associated, I understand that prevents them from being associated for 90 days. In effect, they cannot download or update. Am I to assume this applies to the MacBooks? They remain AUTHORIZED bit not associated?


I've never had any issues over several years of buying new devices. I hadn't considered that the MacBooks are part of this total (10 devices) so it seems odd that I've had no problems getting apps to install. in all, I have 16 devices. My chief concern is that Apple seems to adjust their policies occasionally and I could find myself with a new device I can't get apps or music onto.

May 22, 2016 8:48 PM in response to MikeeW

There is possibly some confusion here between authorization and association.


Up to 5 computers can be simultaneously authorized for each Apple ID. iPods & iOS devices are limited to DRM protected content from up to 5 different accounts. There is no limit to the number of devices that you can load up with content using iTunes. You can deauthorize computers that you no longer wish to use to access protected content so that you can authorize others. You either do this on the specific machine or deauthorize all and then reauthorize as needed. Having used deathorize all you cannot use it again for a year, though Apple Support may be able to perform a reset if you can explain why you need to use the feature again before it becomes available to you.

HT201251: Authorize your computer in iTunes - Apple Support


A mix of up to 10 computers and iOS devices (no more than 5 computers) can be associated with your Apple ID for iTunes Match or automatic downloads of past purchases. There is a 90 day limit before a computer/device can be switched to another ID or the association removed. You associate a device or computer by enabling certain features, typically automatic downloads of past purchases. You don't necessarily need to associate a device with your Apple ID to use it with your content.

HT204074: View and remove associated devices in iTunes - Apple Support


tt2

May 21, 2016 7:54 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks. I appreciate the useful information.


I just checked my iTunes account. It shows I have ten devices associated with my Apple ID. Fair enough,

The weird part is that the list shows eight iOS devices (iPads, iPods) and two of my five MacBooks (big family).

WHen when I check my status in the Mac App Store It shows I have five devices associated with my Apple ID.

Again, fair enough.

What seems weird is that the five authorized computers should show up as associated devices, correct?

This creates a dilemma for me. I have a need to deauthorize all computers to get the five correctly authorized. At this point I'm not sure if all five are authorized, because one of the computers recently rejected a download of a purchased iBook because the computer was not authorized. Had not had a problem before. So, to make sure each computer is correctly authorized, I need to deauthorize all and reauthorize each individually.

This means those five computers are locked in for one year from being changed. Not the 90 days if it was simply done by association. As well, when the five get authorized/associated, how will I know which of the ten get bumped from the association listing.

Hope I've made sense. Your response was clear. My comments may not be.

May 21, 2016 8:48 PM in response to MikeeW

No, Authorized computers and Associated Devices are two different things.


Authorized computers are those computers that you have signed your Apple ID into iTunes with, and then Authorized for your Apple ID via iTunes. Only computers are Authorized.


Associated devices are both iDevices and computers that you have done any of the activities on that were listed above. So, with your Associated Devices list, since you don't use Family Sharing, iTunes Match, Apple Music, or Automatic Downloads, that means that on the eight devices and the two computers showing, you have signed your ID into the iTunes Store, App Store, or both, and have downloaded past purchases using that ID to those 2 computers and 8 devices. You can find out how long each of those have left on the 90 day period by going to your Account in iTunes on one of your computers, click on "Manage Devices" under iTunes in the Cloud. You will see when the device or computer was associated.


For the Authorizations, you can only "Deauthorize All" once a year. If, on your iTunes Account, it is showing that "5 computers are authorized to play content purchased with this Apple ID" under the Account Summary section, then all 5 of your Macs are already authorized for your Apple ID. You wouldn't need to Deauthorize them.


Authorized Computers and Associated Devices are two entirely separate functions.


Computers Authorized to your Apple ID allows you to play content on your Macs in iTunes that were purchased with your Apple ID.


Devices Associated with your Apple ID allows you to download past purchases to the Associated Computer or device when it is signed into the iTunes Store, App Store (or on a device both) with your Apple ID. (and, also allows you to use the other services discussed for that Apple ID for those Associated Computers or Devices).


And again, you can find the detail of when the 90 day period would be up on the Associated Devices by clicking on the Manage Devices in your iTunes account. When you purchase your new iPad Pro, you will want to remove one of the devices on your list in order to add the Pro. Just remove one that you think you won't be needing to download any past purchases to.


Post back with any questions 🙂


GB

May 22, 2016 9:02 PM in response to gail from maine

I was able to remove two of the devices from the list of ten, using iTunes That was kinda sorta easy. There was no name assigned to two of my older iPods, so I removed them.


Now the list of associated devices is eight......including two MacBooks. That still leaves me a bit confused, since only two MacBooks show up. I would have assumed all five would have been included.


If all five are properly associated/authorized, then the iBooks app should have allowed me to download purchases. It did not with one of the MacBooks.


This is why I am considering deauthorizing all five and reauthorizing. Just of concern since I am presently overseas and don't want to have some sort of issue. No Apple store or genius where I live.


Thanks for the help.




May 22, 2016 9:46 PM in response to MikeeW

The other three Macbooks were not associated with your Apple ID because they had not been used to re-download past purchases made with your Apple ID. Until you do that, they won't be associated.


Again, what is Authorized and what is Associated are two entirely different functions.


Re-authorizing the Macs will not change the Associations. To add two of the Macs to your Associated List, you need to re-download a past purchase made with your Apple ID to the Macs that you want Associated.


Cheers,


GB

May 22, 2016 10:10 PM in response to gail from maine

The other three MacBooks have multiple apps from previous purchases. To get these onto the MacBooks, I logged into the Mac App Store and went to purchased and downloaded apps. I don't recall doing this, but I'm sure I would have opened the Mac App Store, gone to the menu and authorized the macbooks and then made the download.


I don't download music, podcasts or anything else in several of the MacBooks......using the iTunes Store. The MacBooks were essentially for school and studies, so no iTunes use.


Not sure of this is why there is a difference. That is, the MacBooks are authorized, but not showing up as associated.


I am assuming the reason some MacBooks don't show up as associated is because they didn't use the iTunes Store. The two that do show as associated up are my MacBooks and I have used iTunes on those two.


May 22, 2016 10:24 PM in response to MikeeW

Well, it is possible that they were Associated at the time you did those downloads. However, if, after the initial 90-day period, you then downloaded a past purchase on one of the other devices that is currently Associated, they would have replaced one of the Macs. The same could have occurred with the other two that are no longer showing on the Associated device list.


This all occurs in the background, so you wouldn't really be aware if it unless you had been keeping track of your Associated devices from the beginning. If you have not downloaded past purchases on the two iPods you removed within the last 90 days, then you can associate two of the three Macs by downloading past purchases from either the iTunes or the App Store.


Cheers,


GB

May 22, 2016 10:58 PM in response to gail from maine

Thanks for sticking with me on this. Im getting close to understanding.


Frankly, I am unclear about the 90 day limitation, but understand the concept. That is, of course it makes sense for Apple to prevent unauthorized repeat downloads. Hence, the "built in" delay. Otherwise I could share my apps with friends and others. The 90 day deadly prevents/discourages this.


What is puzzling is the "bumping" (my term) you describe. .......


"However, if, after the initial 90-day period, you then downloaded a past purchase on one of the other devices that is currently Associated, they would have replaced one of the Macs."


....


That is puzzling.


I did notice some odd dates with the associated devices. Odd, meaning the dates didn't associate to any particular time that I could recall. The devices and MacBooks are all older than one year, varying from five years ago to 2014. However, the association dates were all 2015 or 2016 dates.


So I start off with the MacBooks all neatly authorized and associated. If I were to have looked, I would have seen five MacBooks and five devices.


Then, over time, I use one or more devices to download some music or an app and a MacBook gets "bumped" from the list of associated devices?

May 23, 2016 3:24 AM in response to MikeeW

As a follow on, I just checked the status of the MacBook which was showing as NOT AUTHORZED. It still is.


I attempted to get it to authorize but got a notice I had reached the five computer limit.


This tells me that the MacBook was once AUTHORIZED but has become unauthorized.


Not sure how the ASSOCIATION process would cause this.

maximum devices allowed one apple id

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