Changing Apple ID & Keeping Apps

[bgro]

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Hi All,

Wondering if anyone had any experience with this.

My current Apple ID is a gmail address. I would like to switch my Apple ID to my iCloud email and keep my Apple ID consistent across all services (App Store, FaceTime, iMessage, etc).

Currently Apple does not allow you to change your Apple ID to an @me address. I can login in to the AppStore with my iCloud Apple ID but then all my app and music history purchase is gone.

I was wondering if I did the following would it work:

- signed in to AppStore and iCloud using my current gmail apple ID.

- downloading every single app I've ever purchased (around 80 so not that bad)

- with all the apps on my device sign out of my gmail based iCloud account

- sign into my @me based iCloud account

- back up device to new @me iCloud account

By doing this, will the AppStore now recognize that I have purchased all the apps on my device even tho I'm logged into the AppStore using my new @me iCloud based account?

 

[Mal]

You can maintain multiple App Store Apple ID's, but you cannot transfer apps between accounts. With all your apps installed on your device, you can change your App Store ID, but if there are updates to those apps purchased with the old ID, you'll have to provide the password for that ID in order to update them. Just make sure you maintain that password (change it to the same as the new account if that's easiest), for whenever you need to update those apps.

jW

 

[philipk]

DON'T DO IT!!!!!!!!!!

Until Apple allows you to merge Apple ID's, keep your current ID!!!!!

There is no real advantage to using just one ID and many disadvantages.

I am lucky, my Apple ID is an original ID that isn't an e-mail address. Thus all my app, music, TV, and movie purchases are from one ID. I have every app, music, and TV episode purchase available for download with just one ID. I also am able to play any DRM video with just one ID.

My Facetime, iCloud syncing, iMessage, etc. use my @me address.

I have no problem using two ID's.

If you don't want to use your gmail address to get your e-mail, go to preferences in your Apple ID (gmail) and change the e-mail to your @me address.

You can't merge your addresses but you can use the same e-mail address for both to receive statements and other correspondences.

Bottom line, keep all your purchases on one ID. Don't complicate your life.

 

[AlanShutko]

Easiest thing is to keep your iTunes store account separate from the rest of your iCloud stuff. It does work fine. It means you keep track of both, but it is the simplest approach.

Especially since there is no way to move purchases from one account to another.

 

[swiftaw]

As others have said, use your @gmail.com for iTunes Store and your @me.com for everything else. It works perfectly fine.

 

[sulliweb]

Well, if you have your heart set on just using the @me e-mail account. Set up your G-Mail account to forward all the mail there. Everything from your G-mail would automatically show up in your iCloud account. From there, you wouldn't ever worry about sending from the G-Mail account because it's just a way to get receipts, etc.

That's how I had mine set up with MobileMe. I have a custom domain e-mail account that I had routed to MobileMe. I was able to send and receive messages through the other account inside MM. Though, they took away the ability to use external address aliases with iCloud, so I've moved on. Apple's interface is elegant, but it's too simplistic for my tastes.

Still, it might work for what you want.

Later!