Apple Music Family Sharing lets up to six people listen on their own devices with 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. Each person gets their own account, their own music library, and their own recommendations — they are not listening to what you listen to. The subscription costs the same whether one person uses it or six, so the cost per person drops as you add members.

You set this up through iCloud Family Sharing, which is Apple's system for sharing purchases, storage, and services across a family group. Once it is set up, each family member can use Apple Music on their own iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, or HomePod. They do not need to share a password or log into your account.

Key Takeaways

  • Apple Music Family Sharing requires one person to have an active Apple Music subscription and an Apple ID, and all family members need their own Apple ID.
  • You set up family sharing through Settings on iPhone or iPad, or System Settings on Mac, by inviting each person one at a time.
  • Family members can decline the invitation, and you can remove someone from the family group at any time without affecting their personal data.
  • Each person's music library, playlists, and recommendations stay separate even though they share one subscription.
  • Family members under 13 need a parent or guardian to create their Apple ID and manage their account through Family Sharing controls.

What you need before you start

You need an active Apple Music subscription in your name. If you do not have one, you can start a trial or purchase a subscription through the Apple Music app on any Apple device, or through apple.com. The person setting up the family group (that is you) becomes the organizer, and you will manage who is in the group.

Each person who will use Apple Music needs their own Apple ID. If someone in your family does not have one, they can create it for free on any Apple device, or at appleid.apple.com. If you have children under 13, you will create their Apple ID for them, and they will appear in your Family Sharing group automatically.

Everyone needs to be connected to the internet when you invite them and when they accept the invitation. After that, they can use Apple Music offline on their device.

How to invite family members on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Tap Family Sharing. If this is your first time setting up Family Sharing, tap get your free guide and follow the prompts to confirm your payment method. If Family Sharing is already set up, tap the plus sign next to "Family Members."

Tap Invite Family Member. You can invite someone who is nearby by holding your device close to theirs and letting the system recognize them, or you can tap Invite via Message or Email to send them a link. If you send a link, they will receive a notification on their device asking them to join your family group. They can accept or decline.

Once someone accepts the invitation, they will appear in your Family Sharing list. They can now open the Apple Music app on their device, and Apple Music will be available to them. They do not need to enter a payment method or do anything else — the subscription is already active for them.

How to invite family members on Mac

Click the Apple menu and select System Settings. Click General in the sidebar, then click Family Sharing. If Family Sharing is not yet set up, click Set Up Family Sharing and follow the prompts. If it is already set up, click the plus sign next to "Family Members."

Choose whether to invite someone nearby or send an invitation by email. If you invite someone nearby, hold your Mac close to their device. If you send an email invitation, they will receive a link and a notification on their Apple device. They tap or click to accept and join your family group.

Once they accept, they can open Apple Music on their device and start listening. Their library and recommendations will be separate from yours, even though you share the same subscription.

Managing who can see what in your family group

By default, family members can see each other's names and Apple IDs in the Family Sharing settings. If you want more privacy, you can turn off location sharing or purchase visibility for individual family members. Open Family Sharing settings, tap the person's name, and toggle off the features you want to hide.

You can also set up parental controls for children under 18. Open Family Sharing, tap the child's name, and tap Screen Time. From there you can set limits on music content, restrict explicit material, or control when they can use Apple Music. These controls explore only to that child's device and account.

Removing someone from Apple Music Family Sharing

If someone needs to leave your family group, open Family Sharing settings, tap their name, and tap Remove from Family. They will lose access to Apple Music on all their devices, but their personal data — photos, messages, notes — will not be deleted. They can still use their Apple ID for other services.

If you remove someone, they will not be notified automatically. You may want to tell them beforehand so they are not surprised when Apple Music stops working. If they want to keep using Apple Music, they can purchase their own individual subscription.

Troubleshooting common problems

If someone is invited but does not see the notification, ask them to check their notification center or email. The invitation link expires after 30 days, so if they wait too long, you will need to send a new one. Make sure they are signed into their own Apple ID on their device, not yours.

If Apple Music is not showing up for a family member after they accept the invitation, have them open the Apple Music app and sign out, then sign back in. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to recognize the family subscription. If that does not work, restart their device.

If you are the organizer and you cancel your Apple Music subscription, everyone in your family group loses access. If you want to keep the family group but stop paying for Apple Music, you can remove yourself as the organizer and ask another adult family member to take over the subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can family members listen to Apple Music at the same time?

Yes. Each person can listen on their own device at the same time without interfering with anyone else. The subscription covers up to six simultaneous streams, so everyone can listen to different music or the same song without any problems.

What happens to someone's music library if I remove them from the family group?

Their personal library, playlists, and saved songs stay on their device, but they will not be able to stream new music or access Apple Music features. Their data is not deleted. If they rejoin the family group later, their library will still be there.

Do I need to share my Apple ID password with family members?

No. Each person uses their own Apple ID and password. You never share your password. Family Sharing works through invitations and account linking, not password sharing.

Can I set up Apple Music Family Sharing if I have an Android phone?

No. You need at least one Apple device to set up and manage Family Sharing. However, once it is set up, family members can use Android devices to listen to Apple Music through the Apple Music app for Android, as long as they are part of your family group.

What if someone in my family group wants a different Apple Music plan?

Everyone in the family group shares the same subscription level. If you have Apple Music with Apple One, everyone gets access to the full Apple Music catalog. You cannot give one person a different tier or plan — they all use what the organizer pays for.