One Apple ID, 2 iMacs...separate iTune accts?

Our family has one Apple ID and 2 iMacs. Can we have 2 separate iTunes accts, one for each iMac, w separate ID's? .... or must we sign in on both iMacs using my apple ID to purchase & redeem? Just trying to keep 'mine' and 'theirs' separate.

You can do whichever you prefer.

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Multiple emails under one Apple ID - how to separate iMessages?

We are trying to set up one idevice to use a separate email address under a master Apple ID. It is for a child so they should not have access to all account settings and whatnot. Everything works fine except one element.
On the device that gets all email addresses under the one Apple ID, if someone from a different Apple ID sends an iMessage to any one of the few email addresses under that one Apple ID, all messages show up in one single thread from that person.
So for example, there are the following addresses under the first apple ID:
AppleID1-add1
AppleID1-add2
The main iDevice gets both of these addresses under Apple ID 1. But then there is another iDevice that ONLY sends and receives via AppleID1-add2.
Now, someone under another account, call it AppleID2 has routinely sent iMessages to AppleID1-add1 historically.
The problem is that if AppleID2 sends an iMessage to AppleID1-add2, on the second device it shows just fine. But on the first device under Apple ID 1, ALL iMessages from AppleID2 show up under one thread, regardless of if on AppleID2's device, the message was intended for AppleID1-app1 or AppleID2-app2.
Hope that makes sense. Essentially we want it that if AppleID2 sends an iMessage to AppleID1-add1 it shows up as one thread, and if they send an iMessage to AppleID1-add2, it shows up on a separate thread on the device #1 (which has both -add1 and -add2 enabled).
Make sense? Hope there is a straightforward approach to do this. I was surprised it didn't work this way when we set it up.
Thanks!

You can't separate iMessages to different email addresses on the same Apple ID. However, you can create a separate Apple ID just for iMessages on the device, and leave everything else (Find my iPhone, iTunes & App Stores, etc) on the shared Apple ID.

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/.

We have 1 ipod 5, 2 iphone 4s, one computer. Each have own iTunes acct. How can I sync/or download each one to it's own music? I can't plug in one iPhone because it says it's syncing to my acct.

I need help trying to download music to three different devices. iPod5, 2iPhone 4s, one of which is the main name on account. However when I go to plug one of the 4s' in the computer, it starts to sync to my own "named" device, my itunes acct.(needless to say, I don't have any music on the one iphone.) How can I prevent syncing my daughters' ipod, iPhone to my name. They have their own accounts/emails, but we have one computer. Can someone walk me through having each of our own syncing and downloading of songs/cd's? Also, I assume you can only have one iTunes account on one computer, is that correct?

Well not exactly. We've had the same computer for a long time. It started with two ipod 3's. We tried to add a third ipod3 and for some reason were not successful. (it never recognized one of these ipods). Okay, since then we've had an ipod4gen, ( I think I have generations right, not that it matters) anyway, I see in my itunes, that there are three "list" names. However, we now have new devices, an ipod5th gen, and two iphone4s. We don't sync them hardly ever, just plug them into wall for charging. Okay, my daughter(w/ iphone4s) wants music downloaded on hers, and yes as you have already read, when I plug it in it says it's syncing to my iphone. I don't want to mess hers up. So you are saying try to log out of my acct. and log in using her password? I get that part. However at this time I don't have her phone to try this. But like I said, I believe I tried doing that and it still said syncing to my account. So I "pulled the plug". We need three different accounts so they/we can plug in with no hassle from eachothers accounts. This may be a simple fix, but I am not "computer savvy" with this stuff.LOL! Thank you for your help, I truly appreciate your input on this matter!:) (I'll have to try this on hers later today, as far as logging in and out of corrrect itunes accts.).

Do we need separate itunes accts?

Do we need separate itunes accounts ?
My wife and I share an iTunes account amongst my iphone, and her iphone and ipad. Since we added her iphone, all devices receive Txt Msgs intended for her, and when others FaceTime me, her iphone and ipad ring.
Do we need separate itunes accounts ?

You can continue to share a common Apple ID for purchases in iTunes, but many use separate Apple ID for iCloud to prevent this. You can still use the same on if you want. We have 4 devices, 3 phones and an iPad mini that share an Apple ID for iCloud. You just go into the settings area for iMessage and FaceTime for the devices and set the Send and Receive. For the phones, just set the actual phone number for the device, and for the iPad you can set the email address. The alternative is to set up new Apple IDs for iCloud for each device.

I have four devices on one Apple ID, i have separate emails and phone numbers for each device but when I tried to add one to my iPod, it said that the email was already in use.

I have four devices on one Apple ID, i have seperate emails and phone numbers for each device but when I tried to add one to my iPod, it said that the email was already in use. I have tried many things and the only guess I have is that either someone else has this email as their iMessage but is fake or it wasn't taken off my old iPod when I reset it. Any ideas on what to do?

Thanks but that doesn't give me the information I need. I am putting an email on my ipod for people to contact me for iMessage and FaceTime but when I put the email in, it gives me an error saying that the email cannot be veirified because it is already in use. My Apple ID can be varified, just not the email that they will contact me with.

HT5622 Can I have more than one apple id associated with my itunes

Can I have more than one apple id associated with my itunes

Yes.
You can authorize a computer for up to 5 accounts, I believe

Two users share one Apple ID, on two phones. can they be separated without losing phone backups? IE creating a new ID for one of the users?

my in-laws share one apple id for two separate iPhones. They would like to create a new ID for one of the users but maintain his current backup. can this be done?

If you want to create a new account make sure you sign out of everything via the settings. (ICloud, iTunes, facetime, messages, etc) APPS: since the apps were downloaded with a different apple ID, you will always need to use the password for the apple ID that downloaded that particular APP when it needs to be updated. Unless it is free, you can simply delete it and download it under the new apple ID. As for the music, you can keep it on the IOS device, but if it's accidentally deleted, you'd have to sign back into the original account and download from the cloud. (But, you risk getting the 90 day lockout. )

Automatic Downloads and Strange Error Message: "You can auto-download purchases on this computer with just one Apple ID every 90 days"

Hi gang-
Yesterday I noticed that iTunes on my iMac had not auto-downloaded several new songs that I had recently purchased on my iPhone.    In iTunes Preferences, under Store -> Automatic Downloads, I always have Music selected so all songs purchased from any device using my Apple ID normally download automatically.
To troubleshoot this, I double-checked my Preferences and sure enough, Music was de-selected under Automatic Downloads.   I then Selected it and clicked OK.   Here's where it gets weird and I get this error message:
This computer is already associated with an Apple ID. You can auto-download purchases on this computer with just one Apple ID every 90 days. You cannot associate this computer with a different Apple ID for 84 days.
I read and re-read this message and none of it seems to apply to me.   I have only one Apple ID.   I am currently logged in with iTunes to that one Apple ID.   All my iTunes Music ever has been purchased with that one Apple ID.   I am not trying to associate this computer or any other with a different Apple ID.
I logged iTunes out and then back in again and tried all the above- but same error message.
So, as it is now, I am unable to turn on Automatic Downloads in iTunes.
Anyone know what the heck is going on?
Thanks!
Dave

Hey gang-
Okay, this gets more and more bizarre.   I sent a support email to Apple and basically they said "...it seems that someone else associated your Mac with their Apple ID. That's the reason your purchases won't download."
Yikes!   My wife and I live alone- and we have exactly one and only one Apple ID.    Would somebody have needed physical access to my iMac to do that?
Support then said "You can view which devices or computers are currently associated, remove unused devices or computers, and see how long before they can be associated with a different Apple ID from the Account Information page in iTunes on your computer."
Okay- so I logged into My Account in iTunes.   On the list of associated devices, my own iMac is NOT on that list.   But I am logged in under the same Apple ID I've had for years on that iMac.
So my big question right now is...if my iMac (that I've owned for 5 years) has somehow been dis-associated from my Apple ID, how do I find out what Apple ID it is associated with?
Thanks gang for trying to help me unravel a mystery.
Dave
PS- Here's an Apple Tech article on iTunes associations, but it doesn't really go beyond what we've discussed above:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4627

I have one apple ID for multiple devices in my family. I'd like to keep it that way for itunes/app purchases. I would like a simple step 1, step 2, step 3 response on what I need to do to separate all other features like imessage, contacts, emails, etc.

I have one apple ID for multiple devices in my family. I'd like to keep it that way for itunes/app purchases. I would like a simple step 1, step 2, step 3 response on what I need to do to separate all other features like imessage, contacts, emails, etc.
I have been reasearching how to do this on the internet, but I haven't found an easy explanation yet. My family is going crazy over each others imessages being sent to others in the family and not being able to use FaceTime because of conflicting email addresses. I have read that if each person gets their own iCloud account, this would work. However, I need to know what to do after I set everyone up with their own iCloud account. Do I make that the default email address to be contacted or can they still use their hotmail email addresses. Any help- with easy explanation- would be much appreciated!!

We do this in my family now. We have one account for purchases, so it is used to share music and apps (I think that is in Settings/iTunes & App Stores). Each iDevice has this configured.
Then, each of us has our own iCloud account that is configured under Settings/iCloud. That then allows us to have our own Mail/Contacts/Calendars/Reminders/Safari Bookmarks/Notes/Passbook/Photo Stream/Documents & Data/Find My iPhone/and Backup. That Backup piece is pretty sweet and comes in handly if you replace your iDevice. You can just restore from it.
So we all share the Apple Store account but we all have our own iCloud accounts to keep the rest seperate or things like you mentioned are a nightmare.
In answer to what iCloud does for you: http://www.apple.com/icloud/features/
Think of it as an internet based ("cloud") area for all of those items listed in my response. What you need to remember is photo stream only maintans the last 1000 pictures so don't count it as a complete backup solution for your pictures. Even though I rarely sync with a computer these days, I do still try to sync my phone with iPhoto (I have an iMac) so that I have copies of all of my pictures. 1000 may not stretch as far as it sounds.
Message was edited by: Michael Pardee

HT204053 What are the pros and cons of 1) choosing to use the SAME Apple ID for iCloud services on one side, and purchases on the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore, on the other side; or 2) to have and use two separate Apple Ids for these "two sides

All is in the title, so I repeat it below with a better identation.
What are the pros and cons of
1) choosing to use the SAME
Apple ID for iCloud services on one side, and
purchases on the iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore, on the other side; or
2) to have and use two separate Apple Ids for these "two sides"?
P.S.
I have loads and loads of free podcasts in iTunes in my iMac, that are certainly more thant the 5 gigas the iCloud provides for free, so I don't want those to go to the cloud. But this is perhaps a different question...
Also need to mention that I have itunes on a mac, a pc and an iphone.
Sorry to look so silly with this question, but I don't get the "big picture".

You need to create a user account for your wife (or yourself depending on who has the current user account). When syncing, each of you should sign in as a separate user, login to iTunes and then sync. I had this problem when my sister got an iPhone. When we did her initial sync, everything on my iPhone showed up on hers. Apple gave me this solution.

HT202213 multiple admin users on one iMac using central iTunes library & Merging iTunes accts

Hi guys.
Instead of just trying to share itunes across several devices. i'm also trying to share itunes and one library across multiple users of one iMac without having to ask for permission everytime somebody wants to listen to music.
Also, since starting a family, we'd like to combine our separate itunes accounts into one master account for the household. is there any way to merge itunes accounts and permissions for songs and apps?
Any help is greatly appreciated!
Thnx

You can't merge iTunes accounts, purchases are tied to their respective Apple ID.
Not sure about the other, you'd be better off posting to the iMac or iTunes section.

We have three Ipads in our house. We have one itunes account with multiple devices like two Iphones and Apple TV. My question is about our three Ipads. How can I set up the imessaging and facetime on all three devices while only using one Itunes acct

Okay. We have three Ipads in our house with only one Itunes account. When I go into imessaging and facetime on each of the devices, it wants to start switching my wife's cell phone and then the three emails associated with each Ipad to the contact information for all of the Ipads. As of this morning, only the imessaging and facetime are turned on my wife's iphone and ipad. My kids imessaging and facetime is turned off. Do you really have to have an itunes account for each device to make then work??? Any help would be very much appreciated.
Ryan

There is only one solution. Each user must have their own separate user account. All of their respective data would be contained in their separate user accounts. This also means each will have a separate iTunes Library. If you all use the same third-party apps, then each will have to purchase their own copies under their own Apple IDs. Some data sharing is possible. See:
iTunes- How to open an alternate iTunes Library file or create a new one
iTunes- How to share music and video
iTunes- How to share music between different accounts on a single computer
iTunes- Setting up Home Sharing on your computer

Is it possible for two people to use one iMac with iPhone and iPad separate iTunes and iCloud acc?

Apologies if this is a very obvious question. I have one iMac that my husband and I use, he has an iPhone that he syncs with the iMac via iTunes for app such as docs to go. I recently purchased an iPad, I want to also sync with the iMac. Is it possible to use two iTunes and two iCloud acc to one iMac? We would like to pick and choose what we sync as we keep separate docs etc on the iMac, can this be done?

Yes. Just set up your own account in System Preferences > Accounts (User &groups in Mountain Lion). You'll have your own seperate everything including mail.

My husband and I have separate itunes accounts. Can we access both accounts on one apple tv?

My husband and I have separate itunes accounts. Can we access both accounts on one apple tv?

Welcome to the Apple Community.
You won't be able to purchase and rent from both accounts on the Apple TV, but assuming you use the same ID and password for homesharing (not iTunes) and each have your own libraries, the Apple TV can stream content from either library.

One Apple ID, 2 iMacs...separate iTune accts?

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