A couple of years in the past, I chronicled the journey I went on to manually merge two Apple ID accounts into one.
I used to be trying to rectify an issue that I and lots of different long-time Apple customers had been caught with: Our information—emails, contacts, film and app purchases, images, logins, and extra—was unfold throughout two completely different Apple accounts. This segregation made accessing this information on our varied units a chore. Think about opening your closet to search for a particular shirt, solely to appreciate it’s hanging as an alternative within the closet at your previous home throughout city.
The method took me days. On the time, Apple supplied no automated manner for customers to merge two Apple IDs. But, this week that lastly modified—properly, kinda. Apple has now developed an official manner for customers to robotically migrate some Apple account information from one account to a different. Right here’s what you should know in regards to the new course of.
The 2 Apple ID downside
In the event you’ve solely ever had one Apple ID, the login you utilize for all of your Apple providers—iCloud, App Retailer purchases, music streaming, Apple Pay, Apple Card, or the rest that falls underneath Apple’s ecosystem—you’re most likely a bit confused as to why somebody would have this information unfold throughout two completely different accounts.
The reason, in my case, goes again 20 or so years. Earlier than iCloud was launched, in 2011, Apple supplied varied different e mail accounts, together with dotMac and MobileMe, the previous of which had served as my Apple ID—the login related to my iTunes music retailer account, the place I purchased songs and digital films. However then, in 2011, like many others, I signed up for a brand new iCloud account, primarily so I might get a special e mail deal with (one I favored higher).
Nevertheless, this now left me with two Apple IDs: one for my media purchases and the opposite for my e mail and different on-line Apple providers. At first, this wasn’t an issue, however over time as Apple’s providers providing grew each extra strong and extra built-in, having information segregated throughout two Apple IDs led to an more and more poor consumer expertise. For instance, when you wished to entry your paperwork in iCloud in your Mac, you would wish to signal into one Apple ID, however then when you wished to entry your film purchases as properly, you’d have to signal into one other. Quickly, it wasn’t unusual to overlook which Apple ID held which information.
To say that these challenges aggravated longtime Apple customers like me is an understatement. The 2 Apple ID downside was a uncommon flaw in Apple’s tightly-knit “it simply works” ecosystem. However now, it’s a flaw that Apple has lastly taken a step to repair.
The way to migrate digital purchases from two Apple accounts into one
This week, Apple shocked everybody by posting a help document revealing that it now supplied a (fairly) easy technique to merge two Apple accounts—to a level. (Observe: As of iOS 18, Apple has renamed the “Apple ID” to “Apple Account,” however the phrases stay comparatively interchangeable.)
Nevertheless, Apple’s answer is just not excellent. It solely lets a consumer migrate their digital purchases—together with apps, music, films, TV reveals, and books—from one Apple Account to a different. You continue to can’t migrate different related Apple Account information akin to iCloud emails, contacts, passes, and Apple Pay playing cards utilizing the device.
But, by permitting the migration of digital purchases, Apple has negated one of many greatest ache factors of manually merging two Apple IDs into one. Beforehand there was no technique to transfer digital purchases from one Apple ID to a different. That meant when you wished to ditch one Apple Account for good, you’d additionally have to ditch the software program and media you bought with that account.
However no extra. Apple’s new device means you not have to just accept this lack of your digital property. Its methodology of migrating digital purchases from one Apple Account to a different can also be fairly straightforward—after you have the preliminary prep out of the best way, akin to ensuring your software program is updated, you already know your passwords for each accounts, and you’ve got your fee particulars for each accounts.
If you wish to undergo the merger course of, yow will discover Apple’s full instructions and requirements here. It’s additionally a good suggestion to learn this additional support document that dives deeper into the migration course of.
Apple’s new account migration device is promising—but it surely must go additional
Folks with a whole lot or 1000’s of {dollars} invested in films, books, apps, and different digital content material they bought from Apple throughout two completely different Apple IDs are certain to like the corporate’s new migration providing. Little question about it—it’s an ideal first step.
Nevertheless, it nonetheless doesn’t deal with all the opposite issues that come up for individuals who are nonetheless caught with two Apple IDs. Not solely can you continue to not robotically merge iCloud information (your emails, paperwork, bookmarks, and extra) between two completely different Apple Accounts, however you additionally nonetheless can’t robotically migrate different important information, akin to your Apple Pay playing cards, Pockets passes, Sign in with Apple logins, Hide My Email addresses, or passwords.
Hopefully, Apple will deal with these limitations with a future replace to its new device. Till it does, those that need to merge each facet of two Apple IDs into one are nonetheless on their very own.
