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I just got a new 16" MBP at work. It runs Catalina of course.

I use a work based Apple ID for this machine. I have a personal Apple ID that I use on my iPhone which recently just got an Apple Music subscription. Is there a way to have the Catalina music app use a different Apple ID than the (work based) one that the rest of macOS knows about?

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  • It does and it doesn't. It's 4 years old, so pre-music-as-its-own-app. It gives a bunch of undesirable work arounds that aren't complete. But never really says "yes" or "no"
    – Travis Griggs
    Dec 27, 2019 at 19:27
  • apple.stackexchange.com/questions/345278/…
    – anki
    Dec 27, 2019 at 19:30
  • Congrats on the new hardware. I would love that speed demon, but I just can’t use that large of a “portable” and will have to wait for smaller hardware to get bumps.
    – bmike ♦
    Dec 27, 2019 at 19:46
  • I have waited FAITHFULLY for the return of a 17" MBP. I feel like the 16" is a compromise that meets me half way. :) My computer is on the tabletop usually with a 30" external. But when I'm on the road or in the field, XCode just screams for more real estate.
    – Travis Griggs
    Dec 27, 2019 at 20:08
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    @ankii The other question really seems to be about authorization count which isn’t much of a thing these days. Let’s link the questions but let this be open unless there’s a dupe that covers how to do this - focused on one computer - how to correct a sign in.
    – bmike ♦
    Dec 29, 2019 at 17:10

1 Answer 1

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Yes - you can sign in using different Apple ID for the music app and not share the same AppleID as you do with other items like the App Store, iCloud preferences, FaceTime and Messages. In fact, you could choose a different account for each one of the above if you wanted to be creative or difficult or just had specific needs.

  • I use my work AppleID for Messages and FaceTime and iCloud.
  • I use my personal AppleID for the App Store and Music. (Where I subscribe to Apple Music as well)
    • For the macOS Music app - look in the Account menu - sign out of the wrong account and then choose Sign In... to switch to the one you prefer.

Works for me, no issues, no complaints. The activation count issues of the past seem to have disappeared for almost everyone.

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  • So... where do you do that at? I fire up the Music app, I don't see where I go to say "use this other apple-id, not the base one that I set up the machine with"?
    – Travis Griggs
    Dec 27, 2019 at 20:00
  • @TravisGriggs It's in the account menu for the app - I edited the answer. Good clarification. Same with the others if you care to mix / shuffle things up a bit.
    – bmike ♦
    Dec 27, 2019 at 20:03
  • The account menu caught me by surprise. I had combed through just about every preference that looked related.
    – Travis Griggs
    Dec 27, 2019 at 20:07
  • It's a full time job to keep up with changes in the ecosystem. Thankfully we have places like this where I can learn what I lack and you hopefully can do the same. Cheers @TravisGriggs
    – bmike ♦
    Dec 27, 2019 at 20:16

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