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Sharing apps - didnt think it was possible?

lozkin

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Hi guys, let me explain my setup re: itunes and ipads

Both me and my partner have ipad 2's. They are registered to different email address with different credit cards, but we only have 1 computer and 1 itunes library. When I sync purchases back to the computer, it drops them all in the 'apps' section, and my partner does the same. If we right click the apps in the library and click 'info' we can see which account purchased the app, yet the strange thing is when my partner plugs her ipad in, she can choose to install the apps that I purchased onto her ipad and vice versa. Obviously, this is great for us, as we can get multiplayer games and only pay for them once, but I didnt think this was possible with Apple & iTunes? All the reading I've done suggests that app sharing for different accounts isnt possible.

Can anyone explain if what we are doing is normal, because in theory we could have the whole world and his dog come round and plug their ipad in to get our apps?

Thanks :thumbs:
 

Mickey330

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Hi guys, let me explain my setup re: itunes and ipads

Both me and my partner have ipad 2's. They are registered to different email address with different credit cards, but we only have 1 computer and 1 itunes library. When I sync purchases back to the computer, it drops them all in the 'apps' section, and my partner does the same. If we right click the apps in the library and click 'info' we can see which account purchased the app, yet the strange thing is when my partner plugs her ipad in, she can choose to install the apps that I purchased onto her ipad and vice versa. Obviously, this is great for us, as we can get multiplayer games and only pay for them once, but I didnt think this was possible with Apple & iTunes? All the reading I've done suggests that app sharing for different accounts isnt possible.

Can anyone explain if what we are doing is normal, because in theory we could have the whole world and his dog come round and plug their ipad in to get our apps?

Thanks :thumbs:

In theory, yes, you might have to worry about the dog...:)

But, no. What is happening is that those apps are indeed being put into the same iTunes account - and you can load each others apps on the iPads.

However, each app is tied to the specific Apple ID used to purchase/download it from the App Store. So, if you put one of your partner's apps on your iPad, it'll run fine under your name.

The only way you'll notice is that all of your partner's apps can only be updated with her Apple ID (as yours on her iPad can only be updated with your Apple ID). You each will have to log out of the iPad and then have the other person log in to their account so as to upgrade the apps.

Now, I don't use iTunes with two separate accounts, so I couldn't tell you for sure - but I believe you'll have to do the same process for iTunes when moving apps over to the appropriate iPad.

So, yes, you and your partner can share apps. It's just that the maintenance of them will take a bit of "fiddling" as you sign in and out of the two accounts.

Hope that clarifies and reassures (though I'd still watch out for that dog :D).

Marilyn
 

MattIM

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Hello Lozkin! Your observation is interesting because that is what I always thought...that when you purchase an app with one id, you cannot share the same app with a separate id. Since you are using the same iTunes, would you look into your account and see what userid is buying/acquiring your's and her's app? I'm thinking that whilst you both have different iPads, you are using just one app store id to purchase/acquire those apps.

BUT, this may have changed since the earliest iPad times...I had a problem with my app store id where I bought several apps and somehow got it into my head to create a second app store id to buy apps for business purposes. This required me to unlogon from one id to another using one iPad. My solution was to buy another iPad and put all those business apps on that business related iPad and narry the twain shall meet!

Since posting my response, Marilyn posted hers and that explains it for me. My experience was somewhat diferent than Marilyn describes. Thanks Marilyn!
 
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lozkin

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thanks for both the responses. I checked purchase history yesterday - most of the 'bigger' game purchases are on my purchase history - if i log into her account and go on purchase history, non of those titles are on there, yet they happily sync to her ipad.

with regards to updating - i noticed last night on itunes its saying there are about 10-12 updates required - would it be the case that I have to do the updates on my itunes login, then sign in as her and do some more updates for her purchases? Thats no big deal, I dont mind doing that! I prefer to update via itunes than on the device anyway...I just wondered that after updating the apps, whether it would effect compatibilty? I guess theres only one way of finding out!
 

Mickey330

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thanks for both the responses. I checked purchase history yesterday - most of the 'bigger' game purchases are on my purchase history - if i log into her account and go on purchase history, non of those titles are on there, yet they happily sync to her ipad.

with regards to updating - i noticed last night on itunes its saying there are about 10-12 updates required - would it be the case that I have to do the updates on my itunes login, then sign in as her and do some more updates for her purchases? Thats no big deal, I dont mind doing that! I prefer to update via itunes than on the device anyway...I just wondered that after updating the apps, whether it would effect compatibilty? I guess theres only one way of finding out!

Again, I only have one Apple ID with my iTunes but i am pretty sure that yes, you have to log in and out of iTunes also to update the apps.

Favor, please? When you DO do the updates, both on the iPad and the iTunes, could you post back on how it worked? Or, what happened? I'd like to know, for sure, that what I think will happen - did. For my future reference...

TIA

Marilyn
 

DefBref

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You have to update on the account the app was bought on. Its actually easier on the ipad/iphone than on itunes, because in itunes you have to sign in/out of each account. Do it on the device and it just pops up with the required passwords for the accounts.

Lots of people do this, probably the most common reason is having different accounts for different countries.
 
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lozkin

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thanks again. I'll update this evening and post the results
 

panchucko

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thanks again. I'll update this evening and post the results

Recommend you back up to cloud first
I had notice the options to install apps onto multiple iPhones
When I synced all apps from other login were deleted

Have a fail safe
 
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lozkin

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Hi guys, quick update. I updated all the apps on my partners iPad first and it popped up with my account details presumably for the apps i purchased, which I entered, and then asked for her account details for the apps she purchased. I then updated on my iPad and the same happened in reserve. After updating both iPads all the apps still work!

Seems App Sharing between different accounts on the same computer is possible
 

MattIM

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lozkin said:
Hi guys, quick update. I updated all the apps on my partners iPad first and it popped up with my account details presumably for the apps i purchased, which I entered, and then asked for her account details for the apps she purchased. I then updated on my iPad and the same happened in reserve. After updating both iPads all the apps still work!

Seems App Sharing between different accounts on the same computer is possible

Good to know, thank you for reporting back your experience. The important thing to remember is that you had to logon to your userid, update those apps. Then you had to logon to your parrtner's userid to update those apps.
 

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