While many of us only have one Apple Account to manage, many others have two, and are using both with their Apple devices. I know someone who once created an Apple Account using an employer-linked email address, and at some point, created a second account with their personal ID. Now, they’re using two accounts on their devices, with one linked to iCloud and Apple Music, and the other one for all other apps.
If you’ve had Apple devices for a long time, you might have two Apple Accounts of your own. Despite this, Apple didn’t allow users to merge purchases onto one account. So, if you wanted to access purchases on an old Apple Account, you needed to sign into it, even though you use a newer account for everything else.
For people stuck in these types of situations, Apple finally has a solution—migrating purchases from one account to another. It’s not necessarily simple, but it is doable.
Understanding the risks involved
On the surface, it may seem like a simple process to migrate your purchases from one Apple Account to another, but it appears to be quite tricky in the backend. That’s probably why it has taken Apple so long to make this feature available. Data migration is complicated. I remember when people’s iTunes libraries were corrupted when Apple Music launched and not everyone found a working solution. That’s why I think it’s best to take migrating purchases slow and steady.
It’s also worth noting that after migration is complete, your secondary Apple Account will no longer be able to make any purchases, so you won’t be able to download any apps from the App Store. I also don’t recommend going through with this process if you’re beta testing many apps via TestFlight. If you’re okay with unenrolling your device from all those betas, then you may proceed to migrate purchases. This process is also unavailable in three major regions—the EU, United Kingdom, and India. Apple hasn’t mentioned why this is, but it could be due to local regulations around payments and data.
Check if you’re eligible for migrating purchases
To successfully migrate your purchases to a different Apple Account, the company requires you meet the following conditions:
-
The primary Apple Account should be linked to iCloud and most features. This is the account where all your purchases will be unified.
-
The secondary Apple Account should only be used for media and purchases. This account won’t be able to make any purchases once the migration is complete.
-
You should know the email address, phone numbers, and passwords for both accounts.
-
Your Apple Accounts should not be shared with another person.
-
Your Apple Accounts shouldn’t be created as a child account through Family Sharing.
-
If the primary Apple Account has never been used for purchases or free downloads, it can’t be used to migrate purchases.
-
Migration can’t be done if both accounts have music library data associated with them.
-
The Apple Account shouldn’t be locked or disabled. It also shouldn’t be a part of special access programs for apps on content (e.g. linked to an employer to receive special access to apps).
-
The secondary Apple Account shouldn’t be used for testing beta versions through TestFlight. Stop testing all apps before attempting migration.
How to migrate purchases from one Apple Account to another
Before you can start migrating purchases, you need to do the following:
-
Update to the latest version of iOS or iPadOS on your iPhone or iPad.
-
Make sure you are logged in to your primary account on your device, and your secondary Apple Account for Media & Purchases. To verify this, go to Settings > YOUR NAME > Media & Purchases > View Account. If you see a different Apple Account here from your primary Apple Account, you’re all set. If not, you can sign out and sign in to the correct account.
-
Ensure that the secondary account isn’t a part of a Family Sharing group.
-
Check that both accounts are set to the same country and region.
-
Enable two-factor authentication on both accounts.
-
If you have unused Apple Account balance on the secondary account, spend it all before you start migrating.
-
Wait for rental content to expire before beginning this process.
-
If you’ve pre-ordered any content on the secondary account, then you can either wait for the orders to complete or cancel them.
-
Verify that the payment method linked to the secondary account is working and keep all its details handy. You’ll have to verify a payment from the secondary account before this process goes through.
When all of this is confirmed, you can follow these steps to begin the process:
-
On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > YOUR NAME > Media & Purchases > View Account.
-
Sign in to the account if you’re asked to, then scroll down, and select Migrate Purchases.
-
Check the information about both accounts and follow on-screen prompts to complete migrating purchases to the primary account.
-
Once the process is done, you’ll see a message that reads, “Purchases Have Been Migrated,” on the screen. You will also receive emails confirming this on both your email addresses.
-
Check your Media & Purchases settings and sign in here with your primary Apple Account.
-
You can now sign out of the secondary Apple Account on all your Apple devices.
The migration process can only be done once on an account. Apple allows you to undo an account migration following these same steps, but you won’t be able to migrate purchases again for one year.