42

If I buy an app on through the Mac App Store, can I install it on both of my Macs?

I use the same iTunes account on both of them.

Improve this question
1
  • Something can be added to the question: Can a purchased app from another mac unit be used on another one where the mac owner is a different person but where the user has its own session which uses the iCloud account used for purchasing the app(s). Think about: your partner doesn't use her mac and yours broke down or got stolen. Can your (purchased) apps be used in your session without paying again?
    – Forest377
    Commented May 11 at 9:24

6 Answers 6

Reset to default
32

Yes. Just run the App Store app on the second Mac and go to the Purchases tab. You'll see a list of the apps you've already purchased, with an Install button next to each one - click the button to install on the second Mac.

Improve this answer
3
  • 6
    According to the current terms of sale, you get 10 devices up to 5 of which can be computers per store account. apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#SERVICE
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Jun 23, 2011 at 23:13
  • 1
    @bmike Your link currently points to the iTunes Terms and Conditions. The Mac App Store Terms and Conditions are a bit further down the page: apple.com/legal/itunes/us/terms.html#APPS
    – Rich
    Commented Sep 19, 2011 at 9:27
  • 2
    Indeed - I'm also rethinking whether the 10/5 limitation even applies to app store purchases. My science training serves me poorly when reading lawyerly documents. Figuring what parts are included from the common wording and what is excluded is far from clear, the more I look at it. :-(
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Sep 19, 2011 at 16:14
16

Yes, you can install apps bought from the Mac App Store on any and every Mac that you personally own and use.

I suggest you read this article about mac app-store

Licenses and copy protection

Can I buy an app on one Mac for use on all my computers?

Yes, you can install apps bought from the Mac App Store on any and every Mac that you personally own and use.

What about the five-Mac restriction that I have with videos I bought from iTunes? Does that work for Apps too?

No. Apps don't check to see if you've using an iTunes-authorized Mac. They can ask you to verify your Apple ID and password, but that's a single check and it's just to verify you are who you say you are. Once your identity is verified, that's it. There's no authorizing or deauthorizing or counting of different Macs.

Does that mean I could buy one copy of an app and install it on every Mac in my business?

No, the license you agree to when you enter the Mac App Store says that app downloads are for Macs that you personally own, and that's a license for personal use. Apps that are intended for professional use are licensed for you or for a single computer used by several people. While there's no technical impediment to you installing them on multiple Macs at work, you'll be violating the license agreement. It's the same scenario as if you buy a single-user copy of iWork and install it on ten Macs at work—you can do it, but you're violating the license agreement, making the act ethically questionable.

Improve this answer
2
  • 1
    And I'd suggest you quote relevant parts from this article in here, in case the link breaks. (Sad this answer is better as it is than the accepted and big voted one.)
    – cregox
    Commented Oct 28, 2013 at 17:55
  • @Cawas Done, it's really really good suggestion
    – Am1rr3zA
    Commented Oct 29, 2013 at 9:47
7

There is no numerical limit, and you don't need to run App Store on every Mac. The App Store's own online Help document explains all this -- from App Store, open Help, then select Purchase Applications>Use Applications on Multiple Macs for details.

The only restriction on this is if your purchase was for commercial use and more than one person uses the apps. In that case the language of the license asks for one purchase per user or one purchase per computer.

Improve this answer
4
  • 1
    There is currently a limit of 5 computers for running licensed software per store account.
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Jun 23, 2011 at 23:14
  • Yes. For computer limit check Apple Support Community 'As many as you like...'.
    – user13755
    Commented Nov 16, 2011 at 17:53
  • 1
    Hmm, where did you find out about this limit? The online help makes no mention of such a restriction, it just says "After you purchase an application, you can install it free of charge on every Mac you own". I know iTunes has such a limit, but I can find no evidence of it for App Store.
    – calum_b
    Commented Nov 16, 2011 at 23:50
  • I should delete that comment - there is clearly no wording in the license agreement limiting Mac OS X to a set number of computers. Either I was dreaming/in error or it was a short lived restriction.
    – bmike ♦
    Commented Nov 17, 2011 at 2:33
3

You can in fact do this. There may be a limit to the number of devices similar to how iTunes limits you to 5 "authorized" computers. I'm not sure though. The concept is that the computers you install them on are supposed to be your own, but the truth is there is not literally any verification process to determine this. Fortunately, Apple never makes you jump through annoying anti-piracy hoops. I know this because I have Mac App Store apps on 2 computers in my house.

Improve this answer
0

Apple's rules: If you buy the app for private use, then you are allowed to run the app on up to six computers that you own and control. If you buy the app for commercial use, then you are allowed to either run it on any number of computers used by the same person, or on one computer used by any number of persons.

And none of these is checked by Apple.

Improve this answer
-3

No, you cannot. According to my research in the field, it is not allowed, except in North Korea.

Improve this answer
1
  • 6
    Looks like you missed April 1st by two weeks :-)
    – nohillside ♦
    Commented Apr 15, 2013 at 11:49

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .