Apple revealed on a support page that users can now transfer digital purchases between Apple accounts.
This means if you have one account for App Store purchases and another as your main account, you’re able to relocate your apps to the primary one, simplifying the management of subscriptions and acquisitions.
Transfer Apps and Other Digital Content to Your Primary Apple Account
As stated in the Apple Support document, you have the ability to transfer apps, music, and other digital content purchased from Apple from a secondary account to your primary one.
This is especially useful if these purchases are preventing you from safely deleting your old Apple account.
To manage these accounts, you must have access to the primary email addresses or phone numbers and passwords for both.
It is essential that you own them. Additionally, neither account should be shared with others using Apple Family Sharing or Purchase Sharing features.
To begin the migration process, make sure both accounts are logged in on your iPhone or iPad. You can verify this by opening the Settings menu and tapping on your name at the top.
The email address displayed under your profile photo should correspond to your main account, while the secondary account will appear under Media & Purchases > View Account > Apple Account.
Ensure that both accounts have two-factor authentication enabled and are configured for the same country and region. Additionally, your device should be running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS.
After preparing everything, simply follow the steps to transfer your purchases from one account to another.
Additionally, remember to sign out of your secondary account in the Media & Purchases settings once you’ve completed the migration; this will ensure that all future purchases are made using your primary account.
Certain Limitations on Migration
Although Apple now allows you to seamlessly transfer your purchases between accounts, there are some restrictions.
For instance, any balance in your secondary Apple Account must be cleared, and all rentals or pre-orders need to be finalized beforehand.
Additionally, the most recent purchase should have been made at least 15 days prior to the transition. Beyond these conditions, Apple outlined additional limitations:
1. Neither Apple Account can be a child account created under Apple Family Sharing.
2. Neither of the Apple Accounts should have been used for purchase migration previously. Although it is possible to reverse a migration, you will need to wait one year before attempting the process again.
3. Neither of the Apple Accounts should be associated with music library data.
4. Apple accounts that are deleted, deactivated, locked, or disabled cannot transfer their purchases.
5. You cannot switch to a primary account that hasn’t made any purchases or free downloads.
6. This purchase migration feature is crafted to simplify the process for Apple users aiming to consolidate their accounts.
It’s particularly beneficial if you have an outdated Apple account you’d like to eliminate.
Therefore, if you created one in your younger years and now prefer a different primary account, this feature allows you to transfer your old purchases seamlessly to the current Apple Account you use regularly.
Conclusion
Apple has introduced a new feature allowing users to transfer purchases between Apple accounts, simplifying subscriptions and acquisitions.
Users can transfer apps, music, and other digital content purchased from a secondary account to their primary one, especially if these purchases prevent safe deletion of an old Apple account.
To manage these accounts, users must have access to the primary email addresses, phone numbers, and passwords for both accounts, and neither should be shared with others using Apple Family Sharing or Purchase Sharing features.
To begin the migration process, both accounts must be logged in on an iPhone or iPad, have two-factor authentication enabled, and be configured for the same country and region.
However, there are limitations, such as clearing any balance in the secondary account, making the most recent purchase at least 15 days prior
Not being a child account created under Apple Family Sharing, and not being associated with music library data.
