How do I authorize older iTunes content that were purchased on an old Apple ID on a newer device?

Question

Level 1

5 points

How do I authorize older iTunes content that were purchased on an old Apple ID on a newer device?

I have an old iMac and I have my iTunes content on an external drive because the internal HD was not big enough to store it all. I had been using the iMac for basically my media hub. Thru Home Sharing I'm able to access my iTunes content stored on the external drive and ran thru the iMac to all my other devices.

However, the iMac is starting to really show its age and is really slowing down. Recently I bought a used MacBook Air that's a bit newer than the iMac, and I've come to the conclusion I may need to start using it as my media hub, and I thought I did everything I needed to to plug that external drive in and use my iTunes content on the MacBook Air.

I am able to use most of my iTunes content using the MacBook Air, BUT I have a few purchased TV episodes (and I imagine this is true for some songs and movie, but I haven't tried to play them) I bought using an old Apple ID I haven't used in years. When I try to watch any of those episodes either under Home Share on my Apple TV or directly on the MacBook, it tells me I need to authorize the purchase on the MacBook Air. The prompt appears with an old email address in the ID field. I don't remember the password, but when I try to find it with Forgot Password?, it tells me that Apple ID is not valid.

Now when I plug the external drive back into the iMac, and then try to watch that content locally or on another device using HS, it works fine, including the older content. Apparently my iMac has the authorization info for those media files stored somewhere.

Can I copy that information to the MacBook Air so it will recognize those older files as authorized?

Or is there some other way for the MacBook Air to be able to identify those files at authorized so I can play them?

I really don't want to have to repurchase that content. I don't even know if this will affect any of my older music, but I know I bought a few hundred songs using that old Apple ID.

MacBook Air, macOS Sierra (10.12.5), mid 2011

Posted on Jun 16, 2017 5:47 PM

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Answer 1

Kappy

Level 10

362,093 points

Jun 16, 2017 6:12 PM in response to weaselmac73

Authorization

iTunes Store - Authorize or deauthorize your Mac or PC.

In iTunes, you use the Authorize This Computer or Deauthorize This Computer option under the Store menu in iTunes' menu bar. For Windows use the ALT-S keys to access it. Or turn on Windows 7 and 8 iTunes menus: iTunes- Turning on iTunes menus in Windows 8 and 7.

You can authorize a new device or computer provided you have not used up all your slots. You can authorize up to 5 computers with 5 devices. If you use up your five slots then you need to deauthorize one or more as needed. See:

Deauthorization

You can de-authorize individual computers, but only by using those computers. Your other option is to "de-authorize all" from your iTunes account.

Open iTunes on a computer
From the Store menu, select "View my Account..."
Sign in with your Apple ID and password.
Under "Computer Authorizations" select "De-authorize All".
Authorize each computer you still have, as you may require.

You may only do this once per year.

After you "de-authorize all" your authorized computers, you may re-authorize each one as required.

If you have de-authorized all computers and need to do it again, but your year has not elapsed, then contact: Apple - Support - iTunes - Contact Us.

For more information on authorization and de-authorization: iTunes Store- Authorize or deauthorize your Mac or PC.

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Answer 2

weaselmac73 Author

Level 1

5 points

Jun 16, 2017 6:55 PM in response to Kappy

I already know how to use the authorization feature under accounts. That isn't the problem. The problem is I have certain content I bought using an Apple ID that Apple apparently deactivated because I haven't used it in about 7 years, and I can't use that content on a newer Apple computer.

I can't recover the password because Apple says that old ID is now invalid, so I can't authorize that old content on my newer computer.

I'm being prompted to authorize individual items, not for the whole library, only the items I bought with a previous Apple ID I don't use anymore.

When I go back, reconnect my content and access my iTunes library on my old iMac again, I get no prompts for authorizing any content.

I used that iMac to buy that content at the time, using that old ID. My iMac apparently contains information that allows that content to be authorized. My MacBook Air apparently does not. I want to know if that same authorization info is importable from my iMac to my MacBook Air?

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Answer 3

Kappy

Level 10

362,093 points

Jun 16, 2017 9:38 PM in response to weaselmac73

Only when using the same Apple ID. If you change the Apple ID then you start from scratch because everything obtained under one Apple ID is forever tied to that Apple ID. Only Apple can change that. You cannot. You must contact Apple directly to resolve the issue of moving everything under an old Apple ID to another Apple ID.

Contacting Apple Customer and Support Service

Apple Store Customer Service at 1-800-676-2775 or visit online Help for more information.
To contact product and tech support: Contacting Apple for support and service including international calling numbers.
For Mac App Store: Apple - Support - Mac App Store.
For iTunes: Apple - Support - iTunes.

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Answer 4

Jun 16, 2017 9:41 PM in response to weaselmac73

Unless your old Apple ID was not an email address (like if it was an AOL user ID), then it would only give you that message if the email address for that Apple ID was changed. Apple does not "deactivate" Apple IDs. You have to go through a lot of rigamarole to get them to remove an old ID, and then it is only done at a customer's request.

So, if it is saying "Not an Apple ID", then that means that you changed the email address at some point, and you would need to try to figure out what you changed it to.

Best of luck,

GB

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