Your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Android phone automatically associate with your Apple ID and iTunes when you use certain iTunes features. After a device associates, you can use it to download and play music, movies, TV shows, etc. that you previously bought from the iTunes Store. You can also turn on Automatic Downloads on an associated device.
You can have ten devices (no more than five of them computers) associated with your Apple ID and iTunes at one time.
The list of associated devices that you can view in iTunes is not the same as the list of devices that you're currently signed in to with your Apple ID. You can check your Apple ID device list to see where you're signed in on your Apple ID account page.
You don't need to associate your devices to buy content or download new purchases. You can remove an associated device if:
- You reach your limit of associations and want to add a new one.
- You can't download past purchases from the iTunes Store.
- You want to sell or give away an associated device.
View or remove devices on a Mac or PC
Remove devices on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touchView or remove your associated devices on a Mac or PC
To automatically open iTunes and sign in to your Account Information page from your computer, click this link: View My Account. Or follow these steps:
- Open iTunes.
- If you’re not signed in, sign in with your Apple ID.
- From the menu bar at the top of your computer screen or at the top of the iTunes window, choose Account > View My Account.
- Enter your password, then press the Return or Enter key on your keyboard, or click View Account.
- Scroll to the iTunes in the Cloud section, then click Manage Devices. If none of your devices are associated with your Apple ID, you won't see this section.
View your associated devices
After you click Manage Devices, you'll see information about all of your associated devices. Listed to the right of each device is the date when it associated with your Apple ID. You can also track how many days are left before you can associate a device with a different Apple ID.
If you don't see a device listed that you expect to see, associate that device with your Apple ID. Then check again to make sure that the device is listed in iTunes.
Remove your associated devices
On the Manage Devices page, click Remove to the right of the device that you want to remove. Depending on when you associated your device with your Apple ID, you might need to wait up to 90 days to associate the device with another Apple ID.
If you can't click Remove (the button is dimmed), the device that you're trying to remove is connected to your Apple ID. Sign out of the iTunes Store on that device, then try again to remove it.
Remove your associated devices on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
You can't see a list of your associated devices on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. But you can remove an associated iOS device using the device that you want to remove.
- Tap Settings > [your name] > iTunes & App Store.
- Tap your Apple ID.
- Tap View Apple ID. You might be asked to enter your password.
- Scroll to the iTunes in the Cloud section, then tap Remove This Device.
About association and Android phones
You can't view a list of your associated devices or remove any of your associated devices using an Android phone, but Android phones do count against your ten-device limit.
More about associated devices
Your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC, or Android phone automatically associate with your Apple ID and iTunes when you:
- Sign in to Apple Music with your Apple ID.
- Download music to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch in the Music app to listen to when you're offline.
- Turn on iCloud Music Library.
- Download past purchases that you made in the iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store.
- Turn on Automatic Downloads for iTunes Store, App Store, or iBooks Store purchases.
- Turn on Family Sharing.
- Subscribe to iTunes Match.
When you try to associate another Apple ID with a device that was already associated, you might see a message that says, "This device is associated with another Apple ID. You cannot associate this device with another Apple ID for [number] days." Depending on when you associated your device with your Apple ID, you might need to wait up to 90 days to associate the device with another Apple ID.