Sharing iTunes purchases across computers

I have a Powerbook G4 and a MacBook Pro, both using the same iTunes account. If I purchase something (say, a television show) and download it to one computer, can I also download the same file from iTunes to the other at no extra cost?
iTunes allows this for free applications when using my iPhone and my iPod Touch (both synching to different computers but using the same account), but I am not clear on whether this principle applies to other content.
If not, is it possible to transfer the files via a flash drive, or will they only play on the computer to which they were downloaded?

Yes, you can. You can only download a track (or video or movie) once, so you'll just have to copy the tracks from one computer to the other. See:
iTunes for Mac: How to copy purchases between authorized computers
Though it refers to items purchased from the iTunes Store, it applies to all your iTunes content.

Similar Messages

  • Sharing iTunes library across computers

    Step 5 of the Help file says "select 'Automatically import new purchases from [Computer Name].'" Where is that selection found?

    Thanks for the suggestion. I'd be happy to elaborate. In iTunes Help, enter "home sharing" as the search term, and select the top topic, "Sharing your iTunes library across computers." The five items are under the heading, "To import items from other libraries using Home Sharing."
    I have gone over the steps again and found my problem. I was signed onto the Store under different names (different Mobile Me email address, both mine) on the two computers. I switched to the same name, then turned Home Sharing off and then on on both computers. When each opened the other's library, the other library window has a Settings button in the lower right hand window. That button produces a pane with setting for automatic transfer.
    The Help file could be improved. Or iTunes could recognize multiple email addresses for one Mobile Me account. Thanks again.

  • HT5622 Can you share ITunes purchases across multiple Apple ID's within a family?  I want to share my music library and apps with my kids, but not have their ipones tied to my Apple ID.  What's the best set-up to accomplish this?

    Can you share Itunes purchases with family members without them using your Apple ID?

    SHARING iTunes MUSIC
    http://macmost.com/five-ways-to-share-music-in-itunes.html
    Sharing Apps with Family
    http://macmost.com/sharing-ios-apps-with-family.html
    More Info here >   Here-

  • Sharing itunes purchases between two authorized computers not working

    hello,
    i currently own two apple laptops and want to be able to play my music that i purchased on one, on the other, as well. i have followed the instructions in other posts that tell me to 1, authorize the new computer, which i have done, and 2, if that works to go into a folder on my drive and delete it out to start fresh, which i have done, as well. however, when i click on the purchased songs, it is still telling me i need to authorize my computer. the computer, as i said, is already authorized.
    can anyone help with this?

    I'm not sure I understand your second step. Couldn't you use the Home Sharing feature in iTunes 9 to accomplish this, as long as it's enabled for each? Both computers should be authorized with the same iTunes Store account, as you've done.

  • Sharing iTunes Match across multiple devices

    Hi All,
    I have done some searching but I can’t find the answer to my question(s).
    Current setup:
    I have 1 PC and 2  Macbooks (my PC and my children have a Macbook each). Each PC/Mac has its own iTunes Library which is linked by my homeshare account. We share most of the music we buy across our libraries via homeshare
    We also have 3 iPhone 4’s mine and the children’s. Each iPhone 4 is linked to its own iTunes library on the respective devices and we have 3 separate iTunes accounts.
    I have just signed up for iTunes music Match on my PC/iTunes Account and want to know what the deal is regarding setting up my kids iPhones so that they are also linked to my Music Match account and how that can be done. I  also want them to be able keep their own iTunes account so that they can still buy music and apps and download them to their phone and synch to their Macbook iTunes libraries.
    Is this possible?
    In summary  - I don’t want to pay for 3 iTunes  Match accounts but want my kids to be able to take advantage (synch to thier iPhones) of the music that is now in the cloud via my music match account whilst keeping their own iTunes accounts.
    Hope this is clear and that someone can help…
    Cheers
    M

    what makes it tricky is the individual itunes accounts for apps. 
    regarding music, my recommendation is to put each computer on the same itunes account (keep the files, but link the computers to the same account)  when you activate match on each computer, the software will add the files from each respective computer and will create a master library (each computer will be able to see ALL files from all three computers.  Then, I would put each iphone on the same itunes account (everyone share the same account). 
    as for apps:
    I'm thinking I am reading right that the three iphones are linked to separate computers.  I am pretty sure that an itunes account on a laptop or desktop can be "authorized" by multiple accounts.  One beauty of itunes 10.5 is the ability to sync an iphone on one computer for "photos" and use the same iphone to sync to another computer for "apps" and another computer for "podcasts" etc (if anyone had any use for doing such a thing).  What I believe this would allow someone in your situation to do, is to essentially be able to log each child's iphone into one itunes account for itunes match, but then use each individual computer to still sync the children's different app accounts.  One child can sync to one computer for their apps and another child to another computer for their apps, etc.  The difference, however, is i'm pretty sure there is no getting around what to do about future bought apps.  they might all have to be bought on one account.  If that is truely the case, you may not be able to do separate itunes accounts.  In such a scenario, i would add everything to the itunes account that has the most apps, and begin shareing apps among them in order to share itunes match

  • Sharing itunes library across accounts on the same IMac

    How do you share your ITunes library with other accounts on the same IMac? There's clear advice how to share it with other networked computers, but how do you do it across accounts on the same IMac?

    You can copy the desired library to the shared folder.
    You then need to go to each iTunes app. in the various users and change the iTunes music folder location.
    Macintosh-HD:Users:shared:iTunes

  • Sharing iTunes purchases with friends and family

    I have actually received some e-mails through iTunes support directly to this question, albeit the responses were a bit vague. I make a CD of some bought songs and they (F&F) load it into their iTunes library, sounds like the compiled track can only be loaded a certain abount of times before another computer has to be authorised. Does this effectivly mean that I save onto a CD/flashdrive a collection of my bought songs. Then if I want to give the same collection to another friend, I just change one song so the playlist is altered, hence not being part of the restriction that the first CD was part of? I'm not even talking about authorising other computers here, just about how many times the same CD can be copied and a compilation appearing on some elses iTunes library without me being hampered in the future. Does this make sense? Pls let me know and I will try to explain this a bit better.

    "I make a CD of some bought songs and they (F&F) load it into their iTunes library"
    You clearly stated in your first post that friends & family were using your burned CD to load the content into their iTunes library. Apparently,you seem not to understand that making copies of your purchases for other than PERSONAL USE, is:
    1)ILLEGAL FILE SHARING
    2)Against the TERMS OF SERVICE for the store, which clearly state that your purchases are for PERSONAL USE ONLY.
    You are the one who stated that you were giving the burned CD's to friends & family, not me or the other poster who tried to tell you this is illegal file sharing. You even titled your thread "Sharing purchases with friends & family".
    Message was edited by: StarDeb55

  • Sharing iTunes Match across two iPhones

    I have two iPhones, currently signed in under two different Apple ID's (one for me, one for my wife).  I signed myself up for iTunes Match and enjoy having remote access to my iTunes library.  I'd like to enable my wife's phone to have the same Match access - is there a way to do this without just subscribing her Apple ID to iTunes Match as well?  Can I reset her phone and sign it in under my Apple ID as well?
    I'm sure this question has been asked before, but a quick browse didn't turn it up for me.  Apologies.

    what makes it tricky is the individual itunes accounts for apps. 
    regarding music, my recommendation is to put each computer on the same itunes account (keep the files, but link the computers to the same account)  when you activate match on each computer, the software will add the files from each respective computer and will create a master library (each computer will be able to see ALL files from all three computers.  Then, I would put each iphone on the same itunes account (everyone share the same account). 
    as for apps:
    I'm thinking I am reading right that the three iphones are linked to separate computers.  I am pretty sure that an itunes account on a laptop or desktop can be "authorized" by multiple accounts.  One beauty of itunes 10.5 is the ability to sync an iphone on one computer for "photos" and use the same iphone to sync to another computer for "apps" and another computer for "podcasts" etc (if anyone had any use for doing such a thing).  What I believe this would allow someone in your situation to do, is to essentially be able to log each child's iphone into one itunes account for itunes match, but then use each individual computer to still sync the children's different app accounts.  One child can sync to one computer for their apps and another child to another computer for their apps, etc.  The difference, however, is i'm pretty sure there is no getting around what to do about future bought apps.  they might all have to be bought on one account.  If that is truely the case, you may not be able to do separate itunes accounts.  In such a scenario, i would add everything to the itunes account that has the most apps, and begin shareing apps among them in order to share itunes match

  • ITunes Purchases/Two Computers

    Help!
    I lost my desktop in the Santa Barbara fire a few weeks ago. I had my iTunes and all purchases on it. I now have a laptop; I can log in and "authorize" the laptop to use the iTunes store, but none of my previous purchases show up. I even repurchased a tune and it prompted me, saying that I had already purchased it, yet nothing shows up.
    Does anyone know if there is a way to get those songs to show up on the new laptop? I need the music to get me through!
    Thanks,
    Lori

    If you didn't make a back-up of your purchases to restore from then I'm sorry to say that you can't simply download them again:
    "Once a Product is purchased and you receive the Product, it is your responsibility not to lose, destroy, or damage the Product, and Apple shall be without liability to you in the event of any loss, destruction, or damage." iTunes Store: Purchased content can be downloaded only once
    You could try contacting the iTunes Music Store Customer Service and you might be able to persuade them to sanction a second free download. There have been occasional reports in the iTunes forum of this happening, however just be aware that they are not under any obligation to do so. If you click on the link at the bottom of this page you'll be able to email your query: iTMS Customer Service
    If you have an iPod that still has the purchases on it the transfer of purchased content from the iPod to authorised computers was introduced with iTunes 7. You'll find details in this article: Copying iTunes Store purchases from your iPod or iPhone to a computer
    You might also want to check out these pages for future reference:
    How to back up your media in iTunes
    Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive

  • Sharing iTunes library across 2 Windows user IDs

    My Windows XP computer is set up with 2 user accounts. iTunes is installed and all of my music is stored in my Shared Music folder (this folder is in Shared Documents, which is accessible from each user ID).
    I want to be able to use iTunes from either Windows user ID. The problem is that iTunes creates and maintains 2 separate iTunes Music Library.xml files. When I'm logged on (user #1), iTunes uses the xml file in my My Documents folder. When my spouse is logged on (user #2), iTunes uses the xml file in her My Documents folder.
    This is problematic. If I add a new song to iTunes from my Windows ID (and the song file is placed in the Shared Music folder), it is added to my library and xml file. If my spouse logs on and launches iTunes, the song is NOT in her iTunes library. She has to manually add the file from the iTunes Add File to Library command.
    I'd like iTunes to use a single library that both Windows user IDs can use and maintain. I don't want to have to manually try to keep these in sync.
    I can't find any setting in iTunes for this, and the user guide doesn't even mention this topic. Any help is appreciated!!!

    TheMint,
    I think it works like this:
    The setting you describe is where iTunes will store the music files themselves (.aac or .mp3, etc.) However, iTunes creates an index of all of your music, and it uses that index to display all of your music in iTunes. The index file is called iTunes Library.xml
    The index is stored in the My Documents\My Music folder of the user ID you log in as. Apparently, you cannot tell iTunes to store this in a different location.
    So if you create an iTunes library under one Windows user ID, the index is created in that user ID's My Documents\My Music folder. If you then log in as another Windows user ID, iTunes does not see the index that was created by the first Windows user. Thus you do not see any of the music listed in iTunes.

  • Sharing iTunes library across four User IDs on iMac desktop

    I set up three new user names on my Mac desktop to use separate parental controls for my three daughters.  Although I shared my iTunes library, only a portion of my 1,300  songs appear in their itunes libraries. (Different number for each of my three daughters, and different songs!)  Why might this be and how can I ensure that all of the songs in my library appear in theirs?
    Thanks

    You can copy the desired library to the shared folder.
    You then need to go to each iTunes app. in the various users and change the iTunes music folder location.
    Macintosh-HD:Users:shared:iTunes

  • Problems sharing iTunes library across multiple accounts on one imac

    I have followed the Mac OS instructions in this article http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203 to share music accounts on the family iMac by putting the iTunes Media folder in a public directory. When I go to connect to this library the I cannot see the actual iTunes Media folder but the following file path is available: ~/Public/Automatically Add to iTunes.localized. Selecting this folder does not appear to make the library available.
    Has anyone had this problem?

    iTunes: How to share music between different accounts on a single computer - http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1203 - relocating iTunes' media folder to a shared area but leaving separate library files - extra tip at https://discussions.apple.com/message/17331189
    Chris CA's instructions on sharing one iTunes music library between multiple user accounts - https://discussions.apple.com/message/8974074 - Multiple users using a single library file - similar post at: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3753008

  • Switching itunes purchases between computers

    I bought a few things from the store and it stopped working so i'm using another one. How do I switch the purchases when I am unable to access my other computer?

    Take a look here:
    iTunes for Mac: How to copy purchases between authorized computers

  • Sharing iTunes Purchases

    Hi, just a quick NEWBIE question...
    My wife has an iPhone and has several purchases in Movies, Music and TV Shows. My question is, if I purchase an iPod (32GB Touch or 80GB Classic) will I be able to share the movies/tv shows she has purchased?
    I'm thinking probably not. And that is kind of holding me back from purchasing a new iPod for myself. It just grates on my nerves that I would have to re-purchase the same content for myself. (for instance if I had to repurchase all the South Park Seasons we bought) I guess I'm having trouble getting past the fact that previously just purchasing ONE DVD was enough for the whole family. And with these iPod's it kind of appears that I would have to purchase multiple copies of content. That could get really expensive, especially when my kids start asking for iPods. LOL
    The guy at the Apple Store told me how to share the music (burn and rip into itunes?) but the rest I'm not sure on.
    THANKS!

    That shouldn't be a problem, aaroncal.
    You don't say whether or not your wife synch your iPods with the same computer but you may find one - or both - of these support articles of interest:
    http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=300432
    http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1202

  • Sharing iTunes library across accounts on same computer

    Hi
    I have just bought my first Mac. I have set up an account for me and an account for my wife but I'm wondering if it is possible for us to share the same iTunes library rather than having a lot of duplicate music. Can this be done?
    Thanks in advance
    Graeme

    Oh yes, welcome to Apple, and the Apple forums,
    I hope you enjoy your new iMac,
    Well, the bad news is I don't think that will work, when I tried it one my computer, one User couldnt access the other's Music folder. However, I do think you could make your iTunes Music Folder be a folder in the Public folder for your account, which would allow anyone on your computer, or on your network, to use it.
    To change the location of your music folder to a folder in your Public folder, follow these steps:
    -Go to your Music folder (Users-Username-Music)
    -Copy the folder called "iTunes"
    -Go to that User's Public folder (User-Username-Public)
    -Paste your iTunes folder here (depending on the size of the folder, this may take a while)
    -In iTunes, go to: iTunes-Preferences-Advanced, and look at the "iTunes Music Folder Location"
    -Click the word "Change..." next to it, and choose the new folder (the one you made in the Public folder)( you only have to do this on the account that alread has the music if you want to delete the orignal music folder to save space otherwise leave it as the one in the Music folder for this account)
    -Do this for the other account on your Computer, by selecting the same folder in the first user's Public Folder as the new Music Folder.
    -Select "Consolidate Library..." from the Advanced menu (not the Advanced menu n Preferences, the one on the bear at the top of the Monitor), this will copy the music from the folder into that iTunes Library.
    I sure hope no one else posted an answer while I wrote this, hope it helps.
    Edit: I will test this as well.

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