Duplicate authorized devices

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Level 1

19 points

Duplicate authorized devices

My Apple device lists my HP Envy laptop twice. Once as Windows 10 and the other as Windows 6.2. I don’t know why. The Windows 10 has been reinstalled and I used the same Name for my laptop.

this seems to take up one of my 5 allows devices in iTunes. There are two icons in the APple Account. I did BT want to remove my active laptop from which I use iTunes. I’ve read some old posts (2017) that seems circular and some reply off the point. There some Apple policy about deauthorizing all devices via iTunes. But there’s something about a 90 day hold before a device previously deauthorized, before that device can be added back.

mall of it does not help me to figure out if this Windows 6.2 related device should or can be removed / deauthorized without affecting my ‘real’ Windows 10 laptop. This is a new laptop that came with Windows 10 ore installed. I have had to reinstall twice do to a ransom attacks and a problem in my initial setup of my admin account in Windows.

please don’t confuse me with ideas about Windows 8 was installed and 10 later. Nope.

does Apple support or a moderator monitor these questions and provide expect responses?

if someone with the SAME problem has successfully fixed this, please share what you did.

i appreciate all the help the community or Apple Support can provide.

BWWiggs

Windows, Windows 6

Posted on Oct 20, 2019 11:18 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

chris_g1

Community Specialist

Oct 26, 2019 11:50 AM in response to BWWiggs

Hi BWWiggs,

Thanks for coming to Apple Support Communities for help with deauthorizing your Windows computer in iTunes.

You would need to follow the steps you have read previously and deauthorize all computers since you don't have access to the Windows 6.2 device after the reinstall. Seeing this computer as two separate devices is expected now that you have wiped the computer and did a clean install of Windows 10. You can find the instructions here: Authorize or deauthorize your computer for iTunes Store purchases under "If you run out of authorizations, deauthorize all".

The 90 day association should not be a concern as long as you are using the same Apple ID. Please see: View and remove your associated devices in iTunes.

"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."

Have a fantastic weekend!

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Answer 2

turingtest2

Level 10

274,552 points

Oct 29, 2019 5:35 PM in response to BWWiggs

You're welcome. 🙂

From View and remove your associated devices in iTunes - Apple Support:

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.

The second list would be the one that includes browsers, and isn't subject to a limit.

tt2

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Answer 3

turingtest2

Level 10

274,552 points

Oct 26, 2019 12:05 PM in response to BWWiggs

See also Authorization vs. association - Apple Community for more on this topic.

tt2

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Answer 4

BWWiggs Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 29, 2019 4:47 PM in response to turingtest2

Thanks so much. An odd thing I found, is the duplicate of my current laptop does not appear in the account when I access it through iTunes for Windows, to Accounts to My Account. I cleaned up my old laptops and iPads that to no long have. But my current laptop only appears once in the account. I am not sure where to see 'associations' since there is a vague indication in the help articles about that. I wonder if it is a browser on this laptop and not a duplicate of the device.

I am going to be hunting down where I found this duplicate showing and see if I can determine if it is just a browser. Since I use at least two browsers and I just confirmed to trust Edge, maybe when I find the list there will be an additional laptop by this same name, making it three. If so, these seem not to count if they are not devices. (I think).

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

BWWIGG - TigerWizard

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Answer 5

BWWiggs Author

Level 1

19 points

Oct 31, 2019 12:26 AM in response to chris_g1

I think I have this fixed. I cleaned up the devices listed in my iTunes account page, deleting older devices I no long have - iPhone 8+, iPad Air (stolen), and older PC I donated after wiping it clean. The was only one occurrence of my new laptop. So, next I signed in from my browser on the laptop I just mentioned, and deleted the first occurrence of this laptop.

Interesting thing was this time the laptop was showing version of Windows as 10.0.0.0 for both and no listing of the 6.2 device or browser at all. Once it deleted that laptop (I could only assume that they are in order of occurring to the Apple Account. So, I deleted the first one. (I named the laptop the same name when I reinstalled Windows. I guess had I given it a new name I would have more easily been able to see which was which of the duplicate items.)

The Apple ID page where I was logged into from my browser gave a notification when I did that delete that I would not have access to my iCloud until I logged in again. it closed and I signed back in. Next I tested to make sure I could get into my iCloud files and photos. GOOD! shortly, the iCloud for Windows popped up and I signed in again.

So, I think it is all cleaned up with only 5 devices authorized and showing associations at this time.

Thanks so much for your help.

TigerWizard - BWWigg

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