Methods to transfer your purchases from one Apple Account to a different

Whereas the issue is probably going much less frequent than it was once, individuals do, apparently, proceed to finish up with digital purchases linked to an Apple Account separate from their major one. Maybe they forgot their regular login after they needed to obtain an app, or join a service like Apple Music or Apple TV+. Or possibly their accounts are cut up between multiple devices — who is aware of. There are too many potentialities to enter right here.

The excellent news is that only in the near past, Apple lastly made it doable emigrate motion pictures, music, books, apps, and different downloads (bought by way of Apple) from one account to a different. The unhealthy information is that the restrictions are fairly tight — you are out of luck if a kind of accounts is exterior your house nation, for instance. I will information you thru the final course of, in addition to all the restrictions you want to pay attention to.

Who’s eligible emigrate Apple purchases?

Threading the needle

The very first thing to know is that migration is not an possibility in lots of areas. It is officially unavailable in India, the UK, or anyplace within the European Union. In actual fact, Apple hasn’t confirmed help anyplace exterior the US, but when your nation is not explicitly excluded, it may possibly’t damage to strive.

The subsequent set of limitations is on the accounts themselves. You may solely transfer purchases from a secondary Apple Account to a major one. Apple defines your major because the one you employ for iCloud, in addition to “most options in your iPhone or iPad.” Be sure you signal your secondary account out of iCloud earlier than migrating its purchases, in different phrases.

On prime of all the pieces else, each accounts will need to have two-factor authentication (2FA) enabled, and be set to the identical area, since overseas accounts may very well be used as a trick to economize. The secondary account cannot belong to a Household Sharing or Buy Sharing setup, and earlier than you migrate, you may need to do away with any excellent balances, leases, or pre-orders. Which will imply shopping for one thing or ready earlier than you may proceed.

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Methods to migrate your purchases from one Apple Account to a different

Have an iPhone or iPad useful

In case you’ve checked all of the containers within the final part, you are able to get going. For security’s sake, although, I will revisit restrictions as they turn out to be related.

1. Open the Settings app and faucet on the Apple Account identify up prime. That is the one that can turn out to be your major (i.e. vacation spot) account for migration, so it’s possible you’ll want to change.
2. Examine the Media & Purchases part to see if it is utilizing a special account from the one you tapped within the final step. In the event that they’re the identical, you may have to pick out Media & Purchases, then Signal Out. As soon as that is achieved, use Media & Purchases > Not [your name]? to check in to your secondary Apple Account (i.e. the one you are migrating from).
3. Again on the Settings > [Apple Account name] menu, double-check that you just’re signed in to the proper major and secondary accounts.
4. Be certain Household Sharing and Buy Sharing are disabled for the secondary account. If they don’t seem to be, you may want to make use of the Settings > Household menus on a Mac, iPhone, or iPad that is signed in to the account. Be sure you signal again out once you’re achieved.
5. Arrange two-factor authentication for each accounts if you have not already.
6. Spend any excellent balances you have got in your secondary Apple Account, and delete any pre-orders. You probably have any rented motion pictures, you may have to attend for them to run out. You’ll have to attend as much as 15 days after your final buy earlier than migration will work.
7. In your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Media & Purchases > View Account.
8. Faucet Migrate Purchases, then comply with onscreen prompts. You may be requested to confirm the fee technique for the secondary Apple Account, so have that data prepared.
9. When migration completes, you may get a affirmation pop-up, and emails despatched to each Apple Accounts.
10. Signal out of your secondary account on all of your gadgets — together with non-Apple {hardware} — then signal again in together with your major.

As soon as you have accomplished all the pieces, your purchases ought to routinely seem inside your major account’s library. Be warned that the secondary account will not be usable for purchases anymore, except you reverse migration completely by going to Settings > Media & Purchases > View Account > Undo Migration. If you try this, you will not have the ability to redo migration for an entire yr.

iPhone 16 Professional Max

Apple’s iPhone 16 Professional line options just a few notable upgrades over final yr’s iPhone 15 Professional, together with a devoted digicam button, a brand new A18 Professional chip, an even bigger display screen, and several other AI-powered Apple Intelligence options.

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Why is not Apple Account migration working?

A tangled net of points

Kasa Fue / Artistic Commons

As a result of Apple is very involved with safety and fraud, there are a selection of doable explanations:

• You are dwelling in an unsupported area. India, the UK, and the European Union are at present excluded.
• One in all your accounts is in a special nation.
• You did not check in to the first and secondary accounts appropriately.
• You continue to have excellent balances, leases, or pre-orders together with your secondary account.
• It hasn’t been lengthy sufficient since your secondary account’s final buy — you’ll have to attend as much as 15 days.
• Your major account hasn’t been used for any downloads but. Repair that by downloading one thing free from considered one of Apple’s storefronts.
• One in all your accounts would not have 2FA enabled.
• The secondary account has Household Sharing and/or Buy Sharing energetic.
• The secondary account has been locked or disabled by Apple for some cause. You may need to reset your password or petition Apple, relying on the circumstances.
• One in all your accounts is enrolled in a particular entry program, corresponding to Apple’s Quantity Buy Program.
• You are migrating an Apple One subscription that gives iCloud+ storage to a 3rd account.
• Your major and secondary accounts have music library knowledge related to every of them.
• You lately undid a migration and have not waited a full yr.

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