Apple clarifies iCloud issue for Apple One subscribers with two Apple IDs

Users with a single Apple ID had no confusion when switching to an Apple One bundle subscription, but people with two now have answers about iCloud storage.

One of the benefits of the Apple One subscription bundle is that it includes extra iCloud storage space above the free 5GB that each user gets. Whether you took the that base figure with the basic bundle, or went for the 2TB option of Apple One Premier, the storage space is added to iCloud for your Apple ID.

For the majority of users, there were no issues about this because their iCloud storage remained where it was, it just increased in size. Users who have been with Apple for a long time and accrued more than a single Apple ID, however, had more of an issue.

It's clear that if you sign up for Apple One with a particular Apple ID, then that is the Apple ID that the iCloud storage will be assigned to. However, enough users have separate Apple ID for storage and for media — such as iTunes purchases — that Apple did give them a choice of which ID to use for the bundle.

"If you use different Apple IDs for iCloud and media subscriptions, your Apple One subscription is applied to the Apple ID you use for media subscriptions," said Apple in a support document. However, you can apply the iCloud storage included in Apple One to the Apple ID you use for iCloud."

Now, however, Apple has presumably had enough questions that it has updated the support document to clarify a key issue. It now specifically states regardless of which Apple ID you choose for Apple One and iCloud storage, your existing data is not affected.

"Applying your Apple One storage plan to the Apple ID you use for iCloud does not affect the data you already store in iCloud," it now adds.

Apple One simplifies paying for Apple services into a single monthly payment, but transitioning to the bundle is more complex. As well as the issue over potentially having more than Apple ID, there are more factors to do with what iCloud storage users are already paying for.

The new clarification over iCloud storage comes as Apple also announced a forthcoming change. From May 2022, the previous iCloud syncing system Documents & Data will end, and all data will instead be visible in iCloud Drive via the Files app.

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