Apple Music Family Sharing lets up to six people listen on separate accounts from one subscription
Apple Music Family Sharing is a feature built into Apple Music that lets you add up to five other people to your subscription for a single monthly price. Each person gets their own account, their own music library, and their own recommendations — they are not listening to what you listen to. You set it up through the Family Sharing feature on your iPhone, which is the same system Apple uses for shared purchases and iCloud storage.
The person who pays for Apple Music (the organizer) controls who joins and can remove people at any time. Family members can be anywhere in the world, but they must have their own Apple ID. If someone in your family does not have an Apple ID yet, you can create one for them during the setup process.
Key Takeaways
- One person pays for Apple Music and invites up to five others; each person needs their own Apple ID to join.
- Family members see only their own music, playlists, and listening history — the subscription does not create a shared library.
- You set up Family Sharing on your iPhone through Settings, then invite family members through the Families app or by sending them an invitation link.
- Family members can listen on any Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch) or on Android phones through the Apple Music app.
- The organizer can remove anyone from the family group at any time, and that person loses access to Apple Music when ready.
How to create a Family Sharing group on your iPhone
Start by opening Settings on your iPhone and tapping your name at the top. Scroll down and tap Family Sharing. If you have never set up Family Sharing before, you will see a button that says "Create a Family" or "get your free guide" — tap it.
The next screen will confirm that you are the organizer and show your Apple ID. Tap Continue. You will be asked to confirm your payment method — this is the card or account that will be charged for Apple Music each month. Confirm it and tap Continue again. You now have a family group, and you are the organizer.
How to invite family members to your Apple Music subscription
Once your family group exists, you can invite people to it. Open Settings, tap your name, then tap Family Sharing. You will see a list of family members (which may be empty). Tap Add Family Member or the plus icon.
You have two options: invite someone with an existing Apple ID, or create a new Apple ID for someone (usually a child). If you are inviting someone who already has an Apple ID, enter their email address or phone number. They will receive an invitation on their device and can accept or decline it. If you are creating a new Apple ID for a child, tap Create an Apple ID for a child and follow the prompts — you will set a password and choose parental controls.
Once someone accepts your invitation, they automatically gain access to your Apple Music subscription. They do not need to do anything else. They can open the Apple Music app on their device and start listening right away.
What family members can and cannot do with your subscription
Each family member has a completely separate Apple Music account. They can create their own playlists, follow their own artists, and get recommendations based on their own listening. You cannot see what they are listening to, and they cannot see your library or playlists unless you share a specific playlist with them.
Family members can listen on up to four devices at the same time if they are on the same Wi-Fi network, or on one device at a time if they are on different networks. This means two family members can listen to different songs at the same time without interrupting each other. If a third person tries to play music while two are already listening, the oldest active listener will be paused.
Family members can use Apple Music on any Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch) or on Android phones through the Apple Music app. They cannot use it on web browsers or on non-Apple devices like Roku or Amazon Fire tablets.
How to remove someone from your family group
If you need to remove a family member — because they moved out, you ended a relationship, or for any other reason — open Settings, tap your name, then tap Family Sharing. Find the person you want to remove and tap their name. Scroll down and tap Remove from Family. Confirm the removal.
That person loses access to Apple Music when ready. They will not be able to play any songs, and any downloads they made will no longer work on their device. If they want to continue listening to Apple Music, they will need to pay for their own subscription.
What happens if the organizer leaves or changes
If you are the organizer and you want to stop paying for Apple Music, you can cancel your subscription at any time. When you do, everyone in the family loses access. If you want to transfer the organizer role to someone else before you cancel, open Family Sharing, tap the person you want to make the new organizer, and tap Make Organizer. That person will then be responsible for the monthly charge.
If the organizer dies or is unreachable, Apple can transfer the role to another family member, but you will need to contact Apple Support to do this. Have the family member who wants to take over call Apple Support or use the support chat on Apple's website.
Troubleshooting common problems
If a family member is not seeing Apple Music on their device, make sure they have accepted the Family Sharing invitation first. They should check their email or the Notifications section on their iPhone. If they accepted but still do not see it, have them open the Apple Music app and sign out, then sign back in with their Apple ID.
If you are seeing an error message when you try to add someone, check that their Apple ID is valid and that they are not already in another family group. Each person can only be in one family group at a time. If they need to switch families, they must be removed from the old group first, and there is a 30-day waiting period before they can join a new one.
If music keeps stopping or pausing unexpectedly, it may be because someone else in the family is trying to play music at the same time and has hit the device limit. Check how many people are listening and on how many devices. You can also restart the Apple Music app or restart your iPhone to clear temporary problems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can family members listen to Apple Music on Android phones?
Yes. Family members can read the Apple Music app from the Google Play Store and sign in with their Apple ID. They will have full access to the subscription on Android, including offline downloads and all the same features as on iPhone.
Do family members have to be in the same country?
Family members can be anywhere in the world. The only requirement is that they have an Apple ID and can access the Apple Music app. However, some content may not be available in all countries due to licensing agreements, so a family member in another country might see different songs or artists than you do.
What if someone in my family wants their own separate Apple Music subscription?
Remove them from the family group first. They will lose access when ready. After 30 days, they can sign up for their own individual Apple Music subscription. If they want to switch sooner, they can contact Apple Support to request an exception.
Can I see what my family members are listening to?
No. Each family member's listening history and library are private. You cannot see what they play, what they read, or what they follow. The only thing you can see is who is in your family group and how many devices each person is using.
What if I want to share a specific playlist with a family member?
You can share any playlist you create by tapping the three dots next to it, then tapping Share. You can send the link via text, email, or any other app. The family member can tap the link and add the playlist to their own library, but they still cannot see your other playlists or listening history.