Swapping Apple IDs on an iPad but keeping all the same apps

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littleheaven

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Topic # 242951 21-Nov-2018 11:14

Four or five years ago when I got my son a refurbished iPad to play with, he was too young for his own Apple ID, so I set it up with mine. Now he's old enough, he's got an iPhone with an Apple ID of his very own (with family sharing enabled), but his iPad is still set up under mine.

I'd like to swap "ownership" over to his Apple ID, but I'm not sure what will happen when I sign myself out of iCloud on his device and sign him in. Will it delete his apps, or his save game files? All the tutorials I've looked up say he'll "lose access" to anything purchased with my iTunes account. I have other iDevices with apps purchased via several different iTunes accounts and they all seem to co-exist happily as long as the correct password is entered when they need to be updated, but I've never swapped the iCloud account on those.

He doesn't have an Apple Music subscription or any purchased music or podcasts/books/movies. He is already signed into the iTunes store with his own AppleID, so some of the apps he has purchased himself already.

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gehenna

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Reply # 2131007 21-Nov-2018 11:49

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The apps will remain in place, but any updates that come through for them will ask to be logged into the owning account before they can be updated. iOS devices can have apps from multiple iCloud accounts on the same device no trouble, but managing them can be tricky.

FineWine

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Reply # 2131011 21-Nov-2018 11:49

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If your son wishes to keep any of the previous App's purchased under your Apple ID he will need your Apple ID and Password to update them when updates arrive.

Purchases are tied to the Apple ID that was used to purchase them, so they would have to be re-purchased by the new Apple ID if you do not want to keep giving your son your Password.

You can of course switch on Family Sharing under your Apple ID.

Family Sharing

What types of content can I share with my family using purchase sharing?

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Brumfondl

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Reply # 2131012 21-Nov-2018 11:52

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Signing out of iCloud will not affect the apps in any way.

You said you have family sharing turned on so as long as you are purchase sharing you should not have any issues with the apps that are under your iTunes account. What you may notice is that when you go to update the apps it may ask for the password to YOUR Apple ID. Nothing done under your son's ID will be affected in any way and with family sharing you are the one paying for the purchases anyway, assuming that you are the organiser.

littleheaven

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Reply # 2131013 21-Nov-2018 11:54

Thanks - I already have to put my password in when the apps update, so that's no big inconvenience :) He's been buying his own of late so the ones I purchased for him are slowly falling out of favour and being deleted to make room for others. I'm just glad everything will remain in place!

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Currently using: Modified 2008 Mac Pro, HP M6-1017TX Laptop, iPad Pro, iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, AppleTV4.

coffeebaron

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Reply # 2131033 21-Nov-2018 12:33

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Best thing to do is to factory reset the device and only ever allow his own apple id to be used. Otherwise you will forever have issues with mixed id's etc.
Protip - if user is too young for their own apple id, still setup with a unique ID with an email alias that you control. Then when they're ready for their own, the ID is not tied to yours.

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littleheaven

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Reply # 2131043 21-Nov-2018 12:47

Thanks, if the mixed IDs cause me problems I'll look at doing that.

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Currently using: Modified 2008 Mac Pro, HP M6-1017TX Laptop, iPad Pro, iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, AppleTV4.

SheriffNZ

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Reply # 2131121 21-Nov-2018 14:11

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coffeebaron: Best thing to do is to factory reset the device and only ever allow his own apple id to be used. Otherwise you will forever have issues with mixed id's etc.
Protip - if user is too young for their own apple id, still setup with a unique ID with an email alias that you control. Then when they're ready for their own, the ID is not tied to yours.

Yip - my 5 and 7 year olds have their own unique Apple ID's on the old phones/ipads we've given them. It works out well with the family sharing etc.

littleheaven

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Reply # 2131127 21-Nov-2018 14:25

Thanks for all the helpful answers. Does anyone know what happens to the current iCloud backup after the ID swap? Will it continue to back up to the same backup file or will I need to set it up from scratch? In other words, is the backup tied to the Apple ID or the device itself?

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Currently using: Modified 2008 Mac Pro, HP M6-1017TX Laptop, iPad Pro, iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, AppleTV4.

Brumfondl

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Reply # 2131186 21-Nov-2018 16:04

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If you change the ID signed in to iCloud is will back up to the storage space associated with the new ID and you will lose access to the old backup.

antoniosk

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Reply # 2131190 21-Nov-2018 16:16

Regarding saved games, it depends on each game. Some use Gamecenter (which is tied to the appleid), some use their own version. You should check before you proceed on the important games.

If all the games are on the ipad now, you can simply log out and login using the new ID. For games that were purchased under your ID, you will need to enable Family Sharing (not onerous but insists on turning on Apple 2FA), then remove the app and reinstall it from your AppleID. It's a little clunky but you only need do once then youre away... just give yourself time to do it!

________

Antonios K

littleheaven

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Reply # 2131192 21-Nov-2018 16:18

Okay, thanks. No biggie to delete the old backup and set up a new one (I regularly do a full one to iTunes as well). The initial one just takes a very long time!

I already have family sharing set up, and I'm pretty sure he's not logged into Game Centre with my ID anyway, so that should be fine :) I'll make sure I have a free day before I attempt the process!

Geek girl. Freelance copywriter and editor at Unmistakable.co.nz.

Currently using: Modified 2008 Mac Pro, HP M6-1017TX Laptop, iPad Pro, iPhone 7, iPhone 6S, AppleTV4.