teufs

Q: multiple devices and family sharing, 2 iCloud accounts, need advice

Hi all.

 

I have an iCloud account using my gmail.  Have used it for long time. I am just getting around to family sharing with 1 iPad, 3 macbook pros and 4 active iPhones with at least 2 older ones being used for music players.  However, I learned that I have an @me.com iCloud account in my name (i may have set it up years ago, who knows) and it is set up for family sharing with my gmail iCloud account.  So, when I am logged into my iCloud account, I cannot use family sharing because my gmail account is already in use. I have tried to delete/cancel the family sharing from the @me.com iCloud account, but that option is not available (not really sure why).

 

I am not sure what to do next.  I am logged into my gmail iCloud account on my devices only.  I want to be the family administrator.

 

If I try to remove or change the iCloud address (gmail) associated with family sharing from the @me.com iCloud account, it says the following: confirm the Apple ID you want to use to share iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases.  Family members will be able to view and download your purchased music, movies, TV shows, books, and apps.  Then, I get an alert:  are you sure you want to change your account?  after you change this account once, you will not be able to share purchased with a different account for 90 days.

 

so, I am not sure what to do next.  Ideally, I want to use my gmail iCloud account to manage family sharing.

 

Any thoughts on how to proceed are appreciated.  I tried searching through previous solutions without success. 

 

If you need more info, please just let me know.

 

Thanks, Cathy

MacBook Pro (15-inch Mid 2012), OS X Yosemite (10.10.5)

Posted on Jun 4, 2016 9:14 PM

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Q: multiple devices and family sharing, 2 iCloud accounts, need advice

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  • by gail from maine,

    gail from maine gail from maine Jun 4, 2016 9:25 PM in response to teufs
    Level 7 (25,734 points)
    iCloud
    Jun 4, 2016 9:25 PM in response to teufs

    Here is what the Apple support article says about your question:

     

    Share content from a different Apple ID

    You can change the Apple ID that you use to share once every 90 days. After you change your Apple ID, you'll start sharing from the new account instead of your previous one. Your family members will no longer be able to access or download purchases from your previous account.

    Any DRM-protected music, movies, TV shows, books or apps previously downloaded from that account will no longer be usable by family members. If they made any In-App Purchases from an app originally downloaded from your account, they will need to get the app themselves to regain access to the In-App Purchases.

     

    So, you can change the @me.com Apple ID to the @gmail.com apple ID. The alert is simply stating that you cannot then change again for 90 days. But as the paragraph above also indicates, any purchases that were made under the @me.com ID by you that was being shared, will no longer be available. If you just set it up and no one has started using it, then you won't have any issues.

     

    Here is a link to the entire article:

     

    Share purchased content with Family Sharing - Apple Support

     

    Cheers,

     

    GB

     

     

  • by teufs,

    teufs teufs Jun 5, 2016 7:21 AM in response to gail from maine
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Photos for Mac
    Jun 5, 2016 7:21 AM in response to gail from maine

    Thanks for the reply and help GB.

     

    I want to use the @gmail iCloud for family sharing, which is being used under the @me apple ID/iCloud account.  So, I think I will change the family sharing account (@gmail) under the iCloud account (@me) and then in 3 months, under MY @gmail account, start using the @gmail for family sharing. 

     

    Does that make sense?

     

    Cathy