How do I delete a device

[Anonymous User]

I need to delete a device because the phone has been lost and unfortunately as something was downloaded to it, it won't get automatically replaced when a new device is added.

Any ideas?

[RoyB]

@Anonymous User 

Well, first you would need to be using a seventh device before the issue arose, and for the issue you describe to happen, the phone would have had to drop to being the very oldest device in use (i.e. sixth). But having a download on it will preserve it if any of the first to the fifth devices are download-free,and the oldest of these will be deleted instead.

Then the seventh device will become the first device on the list, whatever remains of the first to the fifth will become the second to the fifth, and the phone will stay at sixth.

Untidy, perhaps, but nothing will actually go wrong.

However, I believe that downloads expire when the downloaded programme expires (anyone?), so the phone will not be regarded as having downloads indefinitely, and will eventually be able to be expired.

If you want to get rid of it more quickly, though, make a download on each of the other devices in the six - which will also ensure they become devices 1-5 - and then introduce  your seventh device. With all six devices having a download on them, the phone will now be deleted as the sixth device, as there are no devices without downloads eligible to be deleted instead.