Use one Windows Store account to download apps for whole family?

[vipkl]

With iOS, the Apple ID that you use for iCloud (to sync mail, cal, contacts, photos, docs, backup, etc) is clearly delineated from the Apple ID used for the iTunes App Store. So in my family each person has his/her own iCloud account, but we share one App Store account to download apps (so only one app library to keep track of).

When initially setting up the SP2, I'm asked to enter my personal Microsoft account to sync the same kind of stuff to SkyDrive. This also becomes the default account used by the Windows Store for downloading apps.

Afterwards, I did switch the Windows Store to a different Microsoft account that my family shares (so we can just have one app library to keep track of). The issue is that just from the initial setup, SP2 appears to have already installed 23 Metro apps under my personal account, and the same goes for everyone else's SP2 (having those initial apps installed under their personal accounts). Apps like Mail/Cal/People, Skype, Weather, Maps, Fresh Paint, Music, Video, etc.

Going forward, what happens in regards to app updates when some of the Metro apps on the computer were installed under one account while the rest were installed under a different account? Will an app's settings always be synced to the Microsoft account that was used to download it? Or is it possible to download apps using a shared family account, but sync the app settings on each SP2 to our own personal accounts?


How can I get the SP2 to use our shared Windows Store account to download everything starting from the very first app? What's my best option:

1) Uninstall those 23 initial apps, then re-install from Windows Store under the shared Microsoft account.

2) Factory reset the SP2, then provide the shared Microsoft account for the initial setup (so those 23 apps will be installed under the shared account). But afterwards would I be able to switch to my personal account for the SkyDrive syncing?

3) Factory reset the SP2, then create a local (non-Microsoft) account for the initial setup. Not sure what happens then, will those 23 apps not get pre-installed? Would I be able to specify the shared account for Windows Store, then switch the local account to my personal Microsoft account for the SkyDrive syncing?

 

[anon(8200403)]

The easiest way would be to create local accounts. The store will prompt you for an account once you try to acces it. You can use the shared account.
Local apps will always be installed. Updating them requires microsoft account.

I do not know how skydrive intergration and such are affected.
The user account you use for Microsoft Office does not have to be identical to your windows account.

 

[toddpart]

You can create a log in account for each family member using their own MS Account info. This will then give them each their own email, calendar, Win 8 settings sync, etc.

Then, login as each user and open the Windows Store. Swipe open the Charms menu and select Settings and then Your Account. Right at the top is the account the Store will use to buy and sync available apps. By default, it is the same as the logged in users credentials. From there you can enter the account credentials for the 'family account' you want to be the same for all users. Once you've done this for all users on your system they will now all have access to all the apps and updates owned by your catch all 'family' account.

For example, on my Win8 systems we have 3 accounts; mine and one each for my two sons. The Store settings for each of my sons profiles is set to use my account which is the only one with payment options available. That way all three of us have permission to install any app owned by my account into our profile if we want to. They have lots of games in their profiles, but I choose not to have them sync'd/downloaded on mine.

I'm a big fan of how MS implemented this stuff.

 

[dgr_874]

So what happens to gamer scores using this method? Do they all stay separate from the individual accounts?

 

[toddpart]

Sorry, no idea, as that's not something I've ever looked at. I'll ask my kids if they know what it does

 

[vipkl]

Thanks for all the info!

Let's say you have Windows Store logged in to the family account, but otherwise you have all the Win 8.1 settings synced to the SkyDrive of your personal account. Do the credentials used for Windows Store actually get recorded as part of the system settings synced to your personal account?

That is, if you later get a second Win 8.1 machine and do the initial setup under your personal account, will the initial setup automatically populate the Windows Store login with the family account credentials?

 

[vipkl]

Anyways, I do see that after the initial setup, I can change the Windows Store login to my family account credentials.

My issue is that the 23 pre-installed Metro apps (that are already there after the SP2 initial setup) are shown as registered to the personal account and not to the family account.

That is, if I go to the Windows Store and list the apps under the personal account, it would show those 23 apps. After I switch credentials, then list the apps under the family account, it shows none (we're new to the Windows 8 ecosystem, and the family account has not been used to actually purchase any apps yet).

It's not a big deal and I guess I'm just being anal :smile: But I have four SP2 units to set up for my family, and I wanted all apps for each unit (including the 23 pre-installed ones) to show up under the family account.

I guess I can keep factory resetting the first SP2 I'm messing around with, and try the different ways of supplying an account for the initial setup?

Thanks again everyone for the help!