What the Apple Music Family Plan includes and how to set it up

The Apple Music Family Plan lets up to six people listen to Apple Music on their own devices using one subscription. Each person gets their own account, their own music library, and their own recommendations — they don't hear what anyone else is playing. The plan costs more than a single subscription but less than paying for six separate ones.

To set up a Family Plan, you need an Apple ID and a payment method (a credit card or debit card linked to your Apple account). You start the plan on the device you use most — iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV. The person who creates the plan becomes the organizer and pays the monthly bill. The other five people join through invitations you send them.

If you already have an individual Apple Music subscription, you can upgrade to Family at any time. Apple will refund the unused portion of your current plan and charge you the Family Plan rate going forward.

Key Takeaways

  • The Family Plan organizer creates the plan on their device and pays the monthly bill; the other five members join through email invitations.
  • Each family member needs their own Apple ID, and they can listen on any device where they sign in with that Apple ID.
  • Family members can see each other's names in the Family Sharing settings but cannot see what music each person is listening to.
  • You can remove a family member at any time, and they lose access to Apple Music when ready once removed.
  • If a family member has their own Apple Music subscription, they should cancel it before joining the Family Plan to avoid being charged twice.

How to create the Family Plan on your device

On an iPhone or iPad, open the Settings app and tap your name at the top. Tap Family Sharing, then tap Set Up Family Sharing if you haven't already. If Family Sharing is already set up, tap the Family Sharing option directly. Tap Apple Music, then choose Family Plan. Confirm your payment method and tap Subscribe.

On a Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name in the sidebar, then click Family Sharing. Click the plus sign to add a service, select Apple Music, and choose Family Plan. Follow the prompts to confirm your payment method.

On an Apple TV, go to Settings, select Users and Accounts, then select your account. Scroll to Subscriptions and select Apple Music. Choose Family Plan and confirm your payment method.

Once you've created the plan, you're ready to invite the other family members. You don't have to invite them all at once — you can add people one at a time whenever you're ready.

Sending invitations to family members

After you create the Family Plan, you'll see an option to invite people to join. You can invite up to five other people. Each person needs their own Apple ID — they cannot share an Apple ID with anyone else on the plan, even a spouse or partner.

To send an invitation, go to Family Sharing settings on your device. Tap or click the plus sign next to "Family Members" and enter the person's email address or phone number associated with their Apple ID. The system will send them an invitation. They can accept it on their own device by going to Settings (or System Settings), tapping their name, and selecting Family Sharing. They'll see the invitation waiting and can tap Accept.

If someone doesn't have an Apple ID yet, you can create one for them during the invitation process. You'll need their email address and to set a password. Once their account exists, they can use it to sign in on any Apple device and access the Family Plan.

Family members don't have to accept the invitation right away. The invitation stays active for several days, giving them time to set up their device or decide whether they want to join.

What family members can and cannot see

Family members can see each other's names in the Family Sharing settings, and the organizer can see a list of all six members. However, no one can see what music anyone else is listening to, what playlists they've created, or what they've added to their library. Each person's listening is completely private.

The organizer can see which family members are currently using Apple Music (whether they've opened the app recently), but not what they're playing. If a family member wants to keep their music taste completely private, they can straightforward not tell anyone what they listen to — the app itself doesn't broadcast it.

Family members can share playlists with each other if they want to, but they have to do that manually by sending a link. The Family Plan doesn't automatically share music between members.

Managing who is on your Family Plan

The organizer can remove a family member at any time. When you remove someone, they lose access to Apple Music when ready. They can still use other Family Sharing features (like shared photos or a family calendar) if those are set up, but their Apple Music access stops right away.

To remove someone, go to Family Sharing settings, find their name in the family members list, and select the option to remove them. The system will ask you to confirm. You don't need to contact them first — the removal takes effect as soon as you confirm it.

If a family member wants to leave the Family Plan on their own, they can go to Family Sharing settings and select "Leave Family". Once they leave, they lose access to Apple Music. If they want to keep listening, they'll need to get their own individual subscription.

You can also change who the organizer is. If you want to hand off payment responsibility to someone else, go to Family Sharing settings and select the option to make another family member the organizer. They'll need to confirm the change and provide a payment method if they don't already have one on file.

Troubleshooting common problems

If someone isn't receiving an invitation, check that you have their correct email address or phone number. Invitations sometimes go to spam, so ask them to check their spam folder. You can also resend an invitation from the Family Sharing settings if the first one didn't arrive.

If a family member is being charged for their own Apple Music subscription while also on the Family Plan, they need to cancel their individual subscription. Go to Settings, tap your name, select Subscriptions, find Apple Music, and tap Cancel Subscription. Once it's cancelled, they'll only be charged as part of the Family Plan.

If someone can't see Apple Music after joining the Family Plan, make sure they're signed in with the Apple ID that was invited to the plan. They should sign out and sign back in on their device. If they're on a Mac, they may need to restart the Music app. On an iPhone or iPad, try restarting the device itself.

If the Family Plan subscription appears to have stopped working, check that the organizer's payment method is still valid. If the card on file has expired or been declined, the subscription will pause until a new payment method is added. The organizer will see a notification in Settings asking them to update their payment information.

When to use individual subscriptions instead

The Family Plan works best when all six members want to use Apple Music regularly. If only one or two people in your household listen to Apple Music, an individual subscription might be cheaper. Compare the monthly cost of a Family Plan against the cost of individual subscriptions for just the people who will use it.

If you need more than six people to have access, you cannot expand the Family Plan beyond that limit. In that situation, some people would need their own individual subscriptions, or you'd need to set up a second Family Plan with a different organizer and payment method.

Family Plans also require that everyone in the group has their own Apple ID. If someone doesn't have one and doesn't want to create one, they won't be able to join. In that case, they'd need an individual subscription or access through a different music service.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can family members listen at the same time?

Yes. All six members can listen to Apple Music simultaneously on different devices. There's no limit on how many people can be playing music at once, and one person's listening doesn't interrupt anyone else's.

What happens if someone moves out of the house?

They can stay on the Family Plan as long as the organizer keeps them in Family Sharing. They'll still have access to Apple Music on any device where they sign in with their Apple ID. If the organizer removes them, they lose access when ready.

Can I change the payment method for the Family Plan?

Yes. The organizer can go to Settings, tap their name, select Subscriptions, find Apple Music, and tap Edit. You can then update the credit card or payment method on file. The new method will be used for the next billing date.

Do family members need to be related to use the Family Plan?

No. Family Sharing and the Family Plan work with any group of people — roommates, friends, or coworkers can all share one plan. Apple doesn't verify relationships; it only requires that each person has their own Apple ID.

What if I want to downgrade from Family to an individual plan?

Go to Settings, tap your name, select Subscriptions, find Apple Music, and choose to change your plan. You can switch to an individual subscription at any time. The other family members will lose access to Apple Music unless they have their own subscriptions or the organizer role is transferred to someone else.