February 15, 2025 – Apple has recently updated its support documentation, further clarifying the rules surrounding the “transfer” function for different accounts. This service allows users to migrate applications, music, books, TV shows, movies, and other content from a secondary account to a primary account.
In the updated support document, Apple outlines several scenarios where the account transfer function is not supported. These include situations where both Apple accounts are not child accounts created through “Family Sharing,” and cases where either account has not been used for migrating purchased items before. Additionally, if both the primary and secondary Apple accounts have associated music libraries, content cannot be migrated.
Other restrictions include having an Apple One subscription that provides iCloud storage to a third, different account, or if the primary account has never been used for purchases or free downloads. Users also cannot migrate purchases from deleted or disabled Apple accounts, or if their Apple account is locked or disabled. Furthermore, neither account can have special access to apps or content, such as through an employer-registered VPP program.
Apple has also updated its documentation to clarify that a 15-day purchase rule only applies to the Korean and Chinese mainland markets. In these regions, purchases made using Apple account balances must wait up to 15 days from the last purchase in the secondary account before migration. Notably, even if the secondary account was previously designated for sharing purchases through Family Sharing, migration is still possible.
While Apple’s purchase migration tool for Apple accounts offers convenience to long-term users, it’s crucial to carefully read and understand all conditions before attempting migration due to the various restrictions that may complicate the process.
