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Hi All,

Hopefully I'm in the right thread. I have the following iTunes question. My wife and I both have our own iTunes accounts. Recently I gifted my MacBook Pro which I used to access my iTunes account and back up my iPad Air and an iPhone 5s. Now we have one computer, a MacBook, which is my wife's. I thought that I would be able to go on her computer, sign into my iTunes account and conduct my business. Not so. Once signed in on her computer on the right pane I can select account and it's mine but on the left pane where the library, apps, playlists are, it's all her stuff. Is there a way for me to sign into iTunes on her computer and have everything as it was on my computer?
 

Rod


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Unfortunately the answer is no. The device, your wifes MBP, can only be associated with one iTunes account at a time. The subject is complex and a particular annoyance to me although the reasons behind it are fairly easy to understand. Have a look at this article; iTunes Store: Associating a device or computer to your Apple ID
 

bobtomay

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A) Log into your own user account - not your wife's user account - and set up your own iTunes library

B) Even if using the same user account, you can set up a separate iTunes library - you can set up multiple iTunes libraries and then select which one to use by holding the option key down while starting iTunes.

C) You're going to need a backup of your iTunes library if you want your library the way you had it on your given away computer with playlists, etc. without starting over from scratch.

Plenty of tutorials out there googling something like 'multiple apple ids one computer'.
 

Rod


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A) Log into your own user account - not your wife's user account - and set up your own iTunes library

B) Even if using the same user account, you can set up a separate iTunes library - you can set up multiple iTunes libraries and then select which one to use by holding the option key down while starting iTunes.

C) You're going to need a backup of your iTunes library if you want your library the way you had it on your given away computer with playlists, etc. without starting over from scratch.

Plenty of tutorials out there googling something like 'multiple apple ids one computer'.

Thanks bobtomay that actually answers a question I had. Unfortunately this poor guy may not have access to his old iTunes library with all of the corresponding metadata to make a copy. I imagine that he like many people thought that if he logged into his account it would look like and contain everything he had before. Assuming his library contained only purchased media how can he reload it onto his wifes laptop?
 
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Bobtomay/Rod Sprague,

Wow these are two complete different answers.

Thanks for the reply's though. Yes I backed up my MacBook Pro to an external HD prior to re installing the operating system before gifting it. Ok, if I understand correctly I create a newly named library, probably in her iTunes music folder....then plug in my external HD and move my ITunes library from there to my new folder? Will my Apps also be there?
 
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Bobtomay/Rod Sprague,

Wow these are two complete different answers.

Thanks for the reply's though. Yes I backed up my MacBook Pro to an external HD prior to re installing the operating system before gifting it. Ok, if I understand correctly I create a newly named library, probably in her iTunes music folder....then plug in my external HD and move my ITunes library from there to my new folder? Will my Apps also be there?


I'd suggest that you will probably end up with all kinds of permission problems using that method, and it would probably be better all 'round if you used Migration Assistant and create your user from the backup you created. i.e.: two users – one for you and one for you wife.

Once that is done, then there are various "sharing" options available to you. Plus you have the option to migrate any or all of your backed up Applications using Migration Assistant.
 
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Thanks pm-r,

You know when I got my first iPad I started using my computer less and less. Now on my third iPad I find myself only using my computer to back up and or sync my iPad and iPhone. My MacBook Pro was a power house computer mainly collecting dust. So what everyone is kind of saying is that to make life easier I need a computer just sitting around to sync with?
 

bobtomay

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I would create your own user account - not use your wife's account.
Take no chances on messing up her iTunes library...
Then use the following to restore your library from the backup:

iTunes: Back up your iTunes library by copying to an external hard drive

edit...............
The other option would be to open iTunes while holding down the option key.
Select the option to create a new iTunes library and give it a name.
Log into that account with your Apple ID and redownload all your stuff.
Both of you will then need to use the option key when you start iTunes so that you each can select your own libraries.
I have not had multiple iTunes libraries in a few years - pretty sure the default without holding down the option key is the last one opened.
 
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chas_m

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I strongly endorse Tom's suggestion. MAKE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT.

You're asking for nothing but trouble sharing someone else's account. No matter how much in love and wonderful together you two undoubtedly are.
 

Rod


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I strongly endorse Tom's suggestion. MAKE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT.

You're asking for nothing but trouble sharing someone else's account. No matter how much in love and wonderful together you two undoubtedly are.

100% agreement with you chas_m. As with all things there are ways and ways to do anything but having a shared account will cause all sorts of problems. In some ways schafies is kinda correct when he says it would be much easier to just have a laptop hanging around for syncing and storage purposes. That is the way Apple have designed the system. Not (yet) allowing multiple logins on iPads and the 90 day device association rule all seem to be designed to push us towards having our own devices and peripherals.
 

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