One Apple ID for Store, one for iCloud... Family Sharing?

[displaced]

Hi,

So, I've got two Apple IDs. One has followed me ever since the iTools days back in ~2001. This is now my iCloud login.

However, when the iTunes store first launched (the 'iTunes Music Store' as it was back then), I set up another Apple ID using an existing personal email address. I did that because, back then, iTools/MobileMe etc. were paid services - were I to stop paying, the address would disappear.

Anyway, right up to today, my iCloud login and my iTunes Store logins are different. A couple of times, this has been an inconvenience, but has never limited functionality.

Now, I want to use Family Sharing with my wife (who's actually in the same position account-wise). That way, we can share an Apple Music subscription.

Here's the problem: you can only use FS with your iCloud login, not your Store login. But my iCloud login has no music or app purchases against it, so would be useless to share. Likewise, my Store login has no photos, documents, email or anything other than apps and music on it.

So... what on earth do I do now?

 

[boston04and07]

I literally have the exact same issue. Same backstory and everything. I agree - any ideas here would be much appreciated...

 

[Ludatyk]

Here's the problem: you can only use FS with your iCloud login, not your Store login. But my iCloud login has no music or app purchases against it, so would be useless to share. Likewise, my Store login has no photos, documents, email or anything other than apps and music on it.

So... what on earth do I do now?

I'm in the same boat as you. I had invited 2 people to the family sharing.. But each user is still tied to the master account.. I invited them under my iCloud login, not the Store login.. But those 2 users have been under my Store login originally. Yet not sure how to have each user separate to their own Apple Music yet in a Family Plan.

 

[Ludatyk]

I'm starting to think maybe each user that has a iCloud account has to create their own Store account.

Because for some reason Apple groups the iCloud account to the Store account when using Apple Music. I'm really puzzled by this... The Family Plan will be the most popular plan... Yet it would of been better if they had some step by step guide into setting it up the Family Plan specifically for Apple Music.

 

[displaced]

I've fired off a polite email to Tim Cook and Eddy Cue. I had a bit of luck the one other time I did so after a crappy Apple Store (bricks & mortar) experience. So, fingers crossed.

I've no idea how the system behaves when IDs are shared (my wife has her own IDs, but unfortunately also has one for the store and one for iCloud), but I can see it boils down to a similar problem.

I really just want to move my purchase history for my Store account to my main iCloud account. That'd solve everything.

 

[Ludatyk]

I really just want to move my purchase history for my Store account to my main iCloud account. That'd solve everything.

Now... That will be interesting.

I assume everyone has their own iCloud Account & separate Store Account. It helps to manage things... IMO. But this Family Plan sharing is a huge mess. No wonder I never opted in for it...

 

[displaced]

Now... That will be interesting.

I assume everyone has their own iCloud Account & separate Store Account. It helps to manage things... IMO. But this Family Plan sharing is a huge mess. No wonder I never opted in for it...

I think that the intended ideal use case is that everything sits under the one ID. Apple's problem is that for a long time prior to iCloud, that class of services were a paid-for subscription with Apple. I didn't want to tie my iTunes purchase history to a paid-for service in case I wanted to stop paying! Hence, two IDs.

My wife's in the exact same position - she was a Store user long before she got her iCloud account. Actually, her situation is slightly different - her Store login is tied to an ISP-provided email address that's sat on her parents' cable subscription. Clearly that's not ideal either.

 

[displaced]

Ok - I had a reply back from iTunes support.

It seems the way to do this is to do Family Sharing between the two main iCloud accounts, then also add the two Store accounts to the family group. This seems dumb.

Also, I've read up some more on Family Sharing and it seems that one of us will have to pay for the other's purchases. I understand that's good for kids, but what about two responsible adults? It's none of my business what my wife buys on iTunes or the App Store. But apparently one of us needs to be the 'boss'. Again, dumb.

*sigh*. I really can't see why just transferring the purchases is such an apparent impossibility.