Apple Introduces Migration of Purchases Between Apple Accounts

On Tuesday, Apple introduced a subtle yet significant update regarding the Apple Account. Starting today, users can now transfer their purchases between different Apple Accounts, enabling individuals with multiple accounts to merge them more conveniently.

Transferring purchases from one Apple Account to another

According to Apple, “You can transfer apps, music, and various content you’ve purchased from Apple on a secondary Apple Account to a primary Apple Account. The secondary account may be used solely for purchases.”

As highlighted by Stephen Hackett from 512 Pixels, Apple has released a new support document that explains how this process works. Users will be able to migrate app purchases, music, and other content from one Apple Account to another, but this migration is subject to several conditions.

Firstly, users need to ensure they are logged in with both Apple Accounts on the same iPhone or iPad. The secondary account with the purchases must be signed into the Media & Purchases settings, while the primary account needs to be signed into iCloud. Additionally, the secondary account that holds the purchases cannot belong to a different Family Sharing group.

To proceed with the migration, you also need to disable Purchase Sharing on the secondary account. Both accounts must be situated in the same region and have two-factor authentication activated. The secondary account should not have any remaining balance, rentals, or pre-orders. Furthermore, you must wait at least 15 days since your last purchase before initiating the process.

Once you satisfy all the requirements, follow these steps to migrate your purchases from one Apple Account to another:

1. Launch the Settings app on your iOS device.
2. Tap on your name, then select Media & Purchases.
3. Tap View Account (sign in if necessary).
4. Select Migrate Purchases.
5. Review the provided information and follow the steps to finalize the migration.
6. Upon completion, you will see a message stating, “Purchases Have Been Migrated.”
7. Log out of the secondary Apple Account in the Media & Purchases settings and sign in with the primary account.

After the migration, the secondary account will no longer be usable for media and purchases. This process is designed for individuals who, for various reasons, hold separate accounts for iCloud and purchases on the App Store and Apple TV.

For more information on how to migrate your purchases, refer to the support article provided by Apple.

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