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I'm taking over someone elses job and am using the computer he was using. In the App Store there are some apps that ask me to enter a password and have an Apple Id already filled in but won't let me change it.

For example there's an update to Evernote. In the Apple App store when I click on "update" it prompts me for the password and has the e-mail address of the previous employee automatically filled in (and I can't change it). What can I do? Evernote itself is signed out, so there definitely wouldn't be a loss if I reinstall it.

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2 Answers 2

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It won't let you change it because the apps are tied to the account that purchased them. See here for the legal details.

Basically, only the original purchaser can update. If you'd like to be able to keep up-to-date with an application, you must have it tied to your account...by buying/downloading it yourself. If that's the case...

  1. Delete the application
    • open Finder
    • select Applications folder in left pane
    • drag apps tied to the old account to trash
  2. Ensure that the old user is signed out of the Mac App Store
  3. Sign in under an account you control
  4. Purchase/download to your heart's content
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  • 1
    How do you do steps 1 and 2? I've never uninstalled anything on a Mac?
    – Celeritas
    May 5, 2014 at 21:47
  • @Celeritas Depends on the application. For most, you can just select the application and move it to the trash. But, I'd Google it if you're unsure. If it's from the Mac App Store, I'm confident it's safe to just move it to the trash. :)
    – thankyour
    May 5, 2014 at 21:49
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    If it's a Mac App Store app, you can also go to launchpad and click-and-hold on the app to brig up an X icon with which you can delete the app.
    – samh
    Dec 25, 2015 at 5:43
  • Steps 1-4 are brilliant. Thank you thank you thank you.
    – DanB
    Sep 28, 2017 at 21:22
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    rage this is RIDICULOUS, i am trying to update FREE apps like XCode!!!
    – Michael
    Mar 5, 2020 at 5:28
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You can go through Apple to change the Apple ID if you know the email and password for it.

So here are the steps: 1: Go to this site: https://appleid.apple.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MyAppleId.woa/wa/directToSignIn?localang=en_US

2: Log in using the email and password of the previous owner (If you changed the password enter that password)

3: Click on Password and Security

4: Enter the security answers (you may need to ask the previous owner or the person who setup the account)

5: Click Change Password

6: Enter Old Password, then the new one you want, then verify this by entering it again.

7 (optional): Change the security questions

8: Scroll to the bottom and hit "Save".

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