Google Music Device Limit: 10 Activations Per Account

What the limit was

Every time a phone registered with Google Music, it counted as an activation. The cap was 10 per account. Removing an old device was possible, but only 4 deactivations were allowed per year, so the practical ceiling was about 14.

Why ROM flashers were affected

Ordinary users rarely get near 10 devices. People who flash new ROMs are different, because reinstalling apps, including Google Music, after each flash counts as a fresh activation. Switching back to an old ROM burns more of them. The author had owned a Galaxy Note N7000 for only about two months and had already passed 10 activations.

What users ran into

Once the limit was reached, an error appeared and no new device could be added. Some users on the XDA forums even created a new account to get their music working again, which meant re-uploading a library to Google’s servers. That is a slow job if you have never done it.

Canada context

At the time, Google Music was seen as a US only service, though Canadians could use it with some extra steps described in an older guide. The author preferred keeping music in local storage and using the cloud only for pictures.

How it ended

The report was updated to say Google had removed the limitations. The service itself is long gone, so none of this applies to current phones.