Multiple users syncing to one iMac via iTunes

[NoBite]

My wife and I have iPhone 4S's. I have an iPad2 as well. I sync my phone and iPad regularly with the iMac. I always am logged in as the Admin on the computer. Generally, I am the one logged in to iTunes as well.

When IOS 6 rolled out, I upgraded both devices immediately. My wife has not done so! In fact, she has not even sync'd in any manner with iTunes for nearly six months. Why? The past couple of times that she did sync, she lost all her contacts, her music folders were co-mingled with mine and basically, she had to spend quite some time reorganizing her iPhone. She is afraid this will happen again! This fear is over-riding her desire for IOS 6.

Recently, I went into iTunes Preferences and selected "Prevent iPhones... from syncing automatically." This should buy her some time to configure the sync in case she accidentally has music and contacts selected to sync. But, I am wondering if there is another, additional step she should take. Should I log off as Admin on the iMac and have her log on with a new account? Will that allow her to avoid co-mingling her data on her mobile device with mine? And/or should she be sure she is logged in to iTunes before starting the sync? Will that have an effect on the outcome?

I'd really like her to get IOS 6 but it is going to fall hard on me if I steer her wrong and mess up her contacts and music selection again!! Any advice is welcome!

BTW, not to complicate things, but I do use iCloud services. My wife is, again, afraid to do so, believing that might jumble up all her data with mine.

 

[Skull One]

All she needs to do is create her own iCloud account. Set her iDevice to sync to that iCloud account and then once it shows a fully backed up status, then install iOS 6. The rest is handled by Apple.

Very clean. Very easy. She will not have to deal with any issues from your iDevice or iCloud storage.

 

[NoBite]

Skull One - so she won't need to mess with iTunes sync? I mean her music and contacts will sync via iCloud so she should NOT select those to sync via iTunes?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Skull One]

For the purpose of upgrading the iDevice or maintaining a separate pure back up, no. But if she wants music, photos or videos then yes iTunes is still needed.

 

[dbplumb]

I too have multiple users (5) on the same itunes
Never any problems with mixing or losing our music contacts data etc
Itunes doesnt care who is logged into the pc, just who is logged into Itunes
"Prevent iPhones... from syncing automatically." is essential
Each user just has to click Store > Sign out
Then Store Sign In with their own Apple Id
The most important thing to do is to click Manually Manage Music and Videos for each device
Next open Apps tab and scroll down the list of apps everyone has installed and edit out any you dont want
You can share any apps you want this way (Apple allows this for up to 5 devices I believe)
Drag and drop any music ringtones videos you like to each device
The only down side is that occasionly we have to swap phones and enter each others password for app updates but that seems to happen much less with Ios6
Before testing this she should of course make a backup so that if something is checked wrong she can get back to where she started from

 

[dbplumb]

All she needs to do is create her own iCloud account. Set her iDevice to sync to that iCloud account and then once it shows a fully backed up status, then install iOS 6. The rest is handled by Apple.

Very clean. Very easy. She will not have to deal with any issues from your iDevice or iCloud storage.

+1
If you are from a pc background this is eye openingly easy

 

[NoBite]

Thanks guys. I think we can do this!


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