HT204053 family id?

I have an iMac and sevaral devices (iPod shuffle, iPod touch, etc) that we use as a family (my wife, me, and four young children).  I am trying to figure out the best way to set up my iMac and devices so that we can each use/share the various systems.  And also wonder if it is best if we use a single Apple ID for the family or set one for each individual? If we each have individual, will the rest of the family not have access to my iTunes library and downloads/purchases?  I do most of the media for the family and am concerned this would not be possible.

BobMats,
When the kids are young, it is tempting to have everybody on a single account.  But once they get a bit older, nothing will work right except one ID per person.  So IMHO it is best to get started on that foot from the get go.
Songs can esily be shared across users, either by copying files, or by using iTunes Home Sharing.

Similar Messages

  • HT204053 Family shared Apple ID, Icloud and Itunes passwords & accounts confusing

    We started out sharring itunes when kids were smaller and now they are older and have their own iphone5.  How do you share itunes (with one password) with the family and all have their own icloud with individual icloud information without it all crossing.  The Apple store said it was possible.  Any ideas how to separate the passwords?  Every time I change mine it makes the Apple ID and my Icloud the same and the kids have their own Icloud email and passwords they just set up.  Trying to make Apple ID and Icloud separate passwords and family share itunes or even split itunes up somehow if we have to. 

    You can continue to share the same Apple ID for iTunes on all your devices; it does not need to be the same as the ID used for iCloud.  If you change your iCloud account to a new ID you will be creating a new account, which will leave your current iCloud email address and photo stream behind.  Is that what you want to do?

  • HT204053 I have multiple family members using one apple id account and all of each others information is going onto each others phones/how do i stop this?

    I have multiple family members using one apple id and all of our data is going onto each others phones/how do i stop this?

    Each person needs to have their own separate Apple ID along with their own separate computer user account and iTunes Library.

  • HT204053 I have multiple people in my family that use Itunes under my account. Is it possible for them to have different user names? The reason why I am asking is when I go to FaceTime my daughter's iPhone it also rings to my husbands iPhone.

    When I used facetime on my Macbookair for the first time I facetimed my daughter's iphone and it also rang to my husbands iphone. How do I keep that from happening? We all use the same itunes account so does it have something to do with that? do we each our own apple ID? and is it possible to do that?

    Create an AppleID under different email addresses for each family member at http://appleid.apple.com
    If they don't already have their own email address just setup a free one with Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or whoever you prefer.
    Then on each device sign into iMessage with the users own AppleID in:
    Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Tap AppleID at top > Sign Out, then sign back in again with the correct AppleID.

  • HT204053 The entire family has used one itunes account for years. How do we all set up separate iCloud accounts now?

    The entire family has used one itunes account for years. How do we all set up separate iCloud accounts now? Or should we? 5 macbooks, 2 ipads, 4 iphones, 2 itouch, 2 imacs.   How does one decide what to sync, share and what not to? Green Jeans.

    You need to start by understanding the distinction between iTunes and iCloud - Apple confuse the issue by referring to 'iTunes Match' as part of iCloud. It isn't.
    You don't have to have the same login (Apple ID) for iTunes and iCloud; many people don't and there's no problem about it.
    Your iCloud ID gets you email, calendars, contacts, iWork documents and PhotoStream syncing between devices.
    Your iTunes ID gets you the iTunes Store, the App Store for iOS, the Mac App Store for OSX,, 'iTunes in the Cloud' (downloading of purchased items to any logged-in device) and 'iTunes Match' (uploading of songs not purchased in the iTunes Store).
    Your family members can easily each get their own iCloud account to keep email etc. separate - in each case they will need a different non-Apple email address (a free one from Yahoo etc. would do) to set up the ID. If they are sharing a Mac they need to be using a separate user account.
    They can have their own iCloud accounts and still all sign into the same iTunes account: or they can open their own iTunes accounts using their new iCloud Apple IDs.
    BUT they cannot transfer items purchased under the present iTunes ID to different iTunes IDs.

  • HT204053 Naive question I know but here goes. One apple ID, multiple apple IOS devices (touch/pad/phone). Books purchased via Kindle sync to ALL devices via iCloud. How can I stop this? I want to separate each of the family's reading prefernces from the d

    Naive question but here goes.
    As a family we have one Apple ID. All devices are synced via my PC and backed up to it rather than to iCloud.
    Books purchased via Kindle App appear on all the devices within the "cloud" option. How do I separate each reader's prefernce to their own device? I want to make sure that the younger one's dont have access to anything unsuitable.
    Thanks.

    You can have one AppleID for your purchases so that all teh devices can use all the apps without having to buy them again, and at the same time, have different iCloud accounts for each user so that their content is not intermingled with everyone else's.  You can even go so far as to have your iCloud Account enabled for "Find my iPhone" for each of the other devices allowing you to keep track of where tehy are when they get misplaced.
    If you need/want, you can share iCloud Calendars between different iCloud accounts as well.  This is exactly what my wife & I have done.  We share calendars so I know when she has classes or dog competitions, and she can see my work schedule so she knows what nights I have to be in late, etc.

  • HT204053 I have one apple ID that my entire family has been using.  How do I create new apple ID's for each of us and move the appropriate content to each new ID from the original apple ID now that we all have our own devices?

    I have been using one apple ID for 4 family members.  Up until now it hasn't been a problem but now that we all have our own devices how do I create new apple ID's for each of us and them move the approprioate things from the original apple ID account to the new ones for each of us?

    stuartx4 wrote:
    Thanks Csound1, wish I have seperated everything from the beginning but when your kids are little and start buying music etc it just didn't seem like an issue.
    That has a familiar ring to it

  • HT204053 can you have multiple apple id's for the family but we all use the same iCloud?

    Can you have multiple apple id's for the family members but we all us the same iCloud account?

    You'll have to have an ID you all share in order to have a shared iCloud account. It would be sensible for each person to have their own ID and their own iCloud account for email and their own data (each would be on their own computer/iOS device or user account on a Mac) and then have a common account which everyone would sign into in System Preferences>Mail, Contacts and Calendars to access shared data.
    You don't want to be all using the email in a common account - if people are using email aliases remember these can't be detached from the account and transferred to another one. Having all your emails mixed up together can be somewhat impracticable.

  • HT204053 What's the best way to set up a family of devices in order to use one apple id for purchases on itunes and the app store?

    we are trying to face time between devices, but it won't work whn multiple devices are tied to one apple id.
    How do you designate one id to pay for purchases and one so that we can facetime from device to device?

    The ID used for purchasing is in Settings>Store.  This ID does not need to be the same one used for other services such as FaceTime, iMessage, etc. (in fact you're far better off if you use separate Apple IDs for these other services).  To change the ID used for iMessage, go to Settings>Messages>Receive At, tap the ID at the top, sign out, then sign back in using a separate (and unique) ID.  You can similarly change the ID used for FaceTime in Settings>FaceTime.  To sycn data with iCloud such as calendars, contacts, etc., without merging your data across devices, set up different iCloud account with different Apple IDs for each device.  You can go to Settings>iCloud and turn off syncing for your data, and when prompted, choose to keep the data on the device.  Then scroll to the bottom and tap Delete Account.  Then set up a new iCloud account using a different Apple ID for each device and turn data syncing back on in Settings>iCloud.
    This article may be of interest: http://www.macstories.net/stories/ios-5-icloud-tips-sharing-an-apple-id-with-you r-family/.

  • HT204053 Our family uses one Apple ID for all of our iPhones.  We installed the update and now we are all getting each others photos and texts.  How do we stop this?

    Our family uses one Apple ID for all of our iPhone 5's.  We installed the update and now we are all receiving each other's pictures and texts.  How do we stop this? 

    Have a look here...
    http://macmost.com/setting-up-multiple-ios-devices-for-messages-and-facetime.htm l

  • HT204053 My family owns 3 computers, how can we share, or better yet, centralize our music when we have 3 different apple ID?

    My family owns 3 computers, how can we share, or better yet, centralize our music when we have 3 different Apple ID?
    How can we sync all 3 computers music content on itunes Match? Even when only one purchases music?

    Welcome to the Apple Community.
    To begin with, I would like to try to explain Apple's confusing nomenclature in regard to iCloud.
    Apple have called the whole cloud thing iCloud, there are a number of features under the iCloud umbrella, some of which require their own login. iTunes is one of these, another is what Apple have unfortunately also called iCloud.
    You can use the same Apple ID (account) to login to both iCloud and iTunes, but you don't need to and often users will login to each service using a different ID.
    The part that you need to remember is that the services available when you log into iCloud are completely different and unrelated to those when you log in to iTunes. Your iCloud login enables mail, contacts, calendars, find my phone, Back to My Mac, Documents & Data sharing and photosstream, it does not affect any of your iTunes services.
    To avoid confusion when discussing your problem, when I mention iCloud, I am referring to the services under the iCloud login, Whereas I will refer to the whole cloud thing as The Cloud.
    If only one of you purchases content from iTunes (this includes Books and apps too) then I suggest you use that account for each of you for iTunes only.

  • HT204053 I want to play newly purchased music but cant, i get the message "You can use iTunes Match on this computer with just one Apple ID every 90 days. (mobileme family pack is the problem i think)

    I purchase a new album on my phone but then cannot download it to my laptop -  I get the message:
    "You can use iTunes Match on this computer with just one Apple ID every 90 days. All I can think is that the problem stems from purchasing a mobileme family & some of the music being my daughters. (she is 9 & I need to be ble to listen to more than Katy Perry & Justin Bieber) Please help! :-(

    Welcome to the Apple Community.
    Youll get that message when you change the iTunes account you are logged into, you can't keep changing it.

  • HT204053 I only have one e-mail, how do I set up separate apple IDs for three family members ?

    How do I create apple IdS for three family members with the same e-mail? They are kids and have no e-mail.

    You can configure a new email address for them using the @cloud.com server suffix. Do that when you open an iCloud account for each and set up the separate Apple IDs that will each be tied to a different email address.
    Apple iCloud - Pertinent Questions
    Apple IDs and iCloud
    iCloud Help
    Creating an iCloud account- Frequently Asked Questions

  • HT204053 Is it possible to have two (or more) different icloud mail accounts (not alias) under the same apple id? If not what is you best advice for all family members to have their own e-mail and still share the purchases under the same apple id. Thanks

    Is it possible to have two (or more) different icloud mail accounts (not alias) under the same apple id? If not what is you best advice for all family members to have their own e-mail and still share the purchases under the same apple id. Thanks

    mannyace wrote:
    Thanks for the response.
    So I basically won't run into any trouble? I
    There should be no issues. Its designed to work like that.  You don't change Apple IDs just because you get a new device.
    mannyace wrote:
    Thanks for the response.
    Is there any chance that the phones can fall out of sync?
    Unlikely. But nothing is impossible.   Though I don;t see how that would happen. As long as both are signed into the Same Apple ID / iCloud Account they will be N'Sync. (Bad Joke)
    mannyace wrote:
    Thanks for the response.
    If I get a message or buy an app or take a photo on the iPhone 5, how do I get those things onto the iPhone 6?
    If you buy an App, you have 2 ways to get it to the iPhone6: If Automatic Downloads is enabled in Settings->iTunes & App Store, it will automatically download to the iPhone 6 when you buy it on the 5 and vice versa if you buy it on the 6, it will download to the 5.
    Alternatively, you can simply go to the App Store App->Updates->Purchased and look for the App there and download it. Purchased Apps will not require payment again. i.e They'll be free to download to the iPhone 6 once purchased.
    SMS Messages will sync over using Continuity as long as they are on the same Wifi network. Otherwise, restoring the iPhone 5 backup to the iPhone 6 will transfer all messages received up until the backup was made onto the iPhone 6.
    Images, can be transferred either through Photo Stream
    My Photo Stream FAQ - Apple Support
    Or any Cloud service you want such as Dropbox, or One Drive.
    mannyace wrote:
    Also, something i forgot to ask initially: Should I update the iPhone 5 to iOS 8 first or does that not matter?
    If you want the Continuity features as explained above you need to update the iPhone 5 to iOS 8. Otherwise its not all that important.

  • HT204053 how can i create multiple icloud accounts for my family members

    how can i create multiple icloud accounts for my family members

    Thanks...  I appreciate the reply.  Since I wrote the previous email, I actually went and changed my apple id (the main id) and the documentation I looked at said iCloud will set mail up automatically(?)...  I had it working before. 
    Also, I tried to manually set up the ID via the Mail Accounts screen(s) and I can't figure out what my server information is...  Pop or Imap?  What's the outgoing server and the incoming server?
    I typically have never had problems setting up mail accounts (in apple mail) with no problem.
    Can anyone point me in the right direction?
    Thanks in advance!

Maybe you are looking for