Two accounts - two factor authorisation

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Level 1

33 points

Two accounts - two factor authorisation

I'm one of the dinosaurs who have two Apple ID because of how things used to work with Apples services. One account is where I have done all my purchases - let's call it my ShopID, the other is my me.com/icloud.com address that is used for various purposes both within the Apple world and outside. As far as I can see there is still no way of merging two accounts.

I've had both accounts set up to use two-step authorisation but thought I would change to two-factor authorisation and it seem that I have successfully done that with my me.com/icloud.com account. Judging from the set-up process and the help documents I have found, it seem like I have to use some device where I have my ShopID set up to be the "iCloud account" on some device ...

Am I missing some obvious way to use two-factor authorisation on two accounts? Or do I leave my "ShopID" as a two step account? Or even better, is there some mysterious, secret, magic way of merging two accounts (which keeps all purchases and the email adress)?

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS Sierra (10.12.2)

Posted on Apr 5, 2017 4:32 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Michael Black

Level 10

80,262 points

Apr 5, 2017 4:45 AM in response to Vittra

You will have to leave shopID on 2-step verification. While baked into iOS, 2-factor authentication also requires the AppleID be associated with an iCloud account to function.

You cannot merge accounts, and since your ShopID AppleID is not associated with an iCloud account, you cannot setup 2 factor authentication with it (nor can you have the same trusted device associated with multiple iCloud accounts and their AppleIDs).

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Answer 2

FelipeV

Level 6

10,600 points

Apr 5, 2017 4:45 AM in response to Vittra

Vittra wrote:

Or even better, is there some mysterious, secret, magic way of merging two accounts (which keeps all purchases and the email adress)?

No

That being said, you can use 2 factor on both accounts. And each account must have at least one trusted device (where you get the authorization code) associated with it. I do not know if you can have the same device be a trusted device for multiple accounts.

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Answer 3

FelipeV

Level 6

10,600 points

Apr 5, 2017 4:51 AM in response to Vittra

I went in and tried to turn on 2 factor authentication on a secondary account on a device using my primary account. The process has changed slightly since it was first introduced. You could originally set up 2 factor from the Apple ID web page.

Now it must be done from the device it self (iOS device or Mac) and requires you to sign out of your Apple ID and sign in to the second Apple ID.

It seems that you cannot have one device serving as a a trusted device on multiple accounts.

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Answer 4

Vittra Author

Level 1

33 points

Apr 5, 2017 5:18 AM in response to FelipeV

Yes, this matches my experience. Thanks for checking.

What is kind of interesting is that my accounts didn't behave in the same way despite both being listed as two-step accounts.

One, always sent a message to a trusted device while the other seem to send the code to an iPhone (SMS ??).

Anyway, it's probably to much to hope for but I really wish that Apple finally comes up with a way to merge two accounts.

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Answer 5

JBActors

Level 1

8 points

Apr 8, 2017 4:03 PM in response to Vittra

Hi,

While you cannot literally merge accounts, which is idiotic of Apple to not attend to, you can basically eliminate any Apple IDs that are iCloud only. You do this very carefully.

I've lost masses of data in the past because the ding dongs at Apple don't HIGHLIGHT IN BIG FAT LETTERS that often the files that appear to be either uploaded or downloaded on iCloud drive ARE NOT REALLY IN FRONT OF YOU.

They have a hidden extension when they are phantom files that is called -- invisibly without using a command line or MacPilot or TinkerTool System (awesome, safe, responsible, utility program...) -- .icloudsynchronizationfile or something. Can't exactly remember.

Anyway, so if you download everything from your iCloud...and really make sure you really did download them...then you can upload them to your SHOPID, and eliminate all those clouds. I'm one to talk, I currently and super annoyingly have four...And it's mass confusion. Plus OneDrive, GoogleDrive...I do not recommend the addiction to these toys that leaves me so confused about where everything is. And the duplicates...So, I'm in favor of streamlining...and...ahem...I'll get it to myself soon! :-) Hope this helps.

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Answer 6

Apr 8, 2017 4:18 PM in response to FelipeV

Since roll-out, 2-factor authentication has become indivisibly coupled to iCloud (note your verification codes now include the map of approximate location). No device can be signed in to multiple iCloud accounts so it is a one to one relationships between AppleID, the iCloud linked to that AppleID and the devices signed in to that iCloud account.

As to merging accounts I don't ever see it happening. Since AppleIDs are also associated with purchases, and online purchases are mired in legal issues related to copyright, trademark, digital software license rights, digital media content restrictions and so forth, no company will ever want to even attempt to deal with the legal nightmare of allow people to move content between IDs that are created remotely and based on an email.

And it's not just AppleIDs that have that limitation. Other remotely created online IDs that are tied to purchases of digital content have the same issue (I cannot transfer my Nook library content to another Barnes and Nobel account, or my Sony PS content to another account either).

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Answer 7

Vittra Author

Level 1

33 points

Apr 12, 2017 2:06 AM in response to JBActors

I contacted Apple Support which suggested Family Sharing which doesn't really solve my problem since I need to use both accounts anyway ...

But since you seem to have gone through this:

My two accounts is that SHOP-ID where I've bought all my stuff, the other - let's call it ONLINE-ID - is the one which I've used for emails etc.

The obvious thing seem to start using my SHOPID as my real account everywhere, and I have no problem abandoning the ONLINE-ID except for the email address (I've paid for more space but that isn't a problem since I can fairly quickly move documents and I manage photos etc outside Apples World).

The SHOP-ID has a user which is an email address on my personal domain - I've never used the email etc here so it doesn't have an email address on the icloud.com domain. When I log into this account it looks like I should be able to change my user name - an option isn't available on my ONLINE-ID - and when I log in on icloud.com it asks me to create a new email account to be able to use it.

My question: if I delete my ONLINE-ID will I be able to change my SHOP-ID account to the email address of my ONLINE-ID? (I assume not since that would be a security problem)

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