YouTube Premium Family Plan lets up to 6 people share one subscription
YouTube Premium Family Plan costs the same as a single Premium subscription but covers up to six household members. Each person gets their own account, their own watch history, and their own recommendations — YouTube doesn't mix them together. You set it up through your existing Premium account, and family members don't need their own Premium subscription to join.
The person who pays for the plan (the organizer) controls who is in the family group and can remove people at any time. Family members can be added or removed from the group settings, and YouTube sends them an invitation to join. Once they accept, they have full Premium features on their own account.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube Premium Family Plan covers up to six people for the same price as one individual subscription, with each person keeping separate watch history and recommendations.
- The account holder who pays sets up the family group and invites members by their email address or phone number.
- Family members must accept the invitation before they gain access to Premium features on their account.
- The organizer can remove anyone from the family group at any time, and that person loses Premium access when ready.
- Family members do not need to live in the same house, but YouTube's terms require that the group represent actual family relationships.
How to invite family members to your Premium account
Open YouTube on any device and go to your account settings. Look for the "Manage your Google Account" option, then select the "Family" tab. From there, choose "Create a family group" if you haven't already, or "Manage family members" if your group already exists.
Click "Invite family members" and enter the email address or phone number of the person you want to add. YouTube sends them an invitation, and they'll see a notification on their account. They need to accept the invitation within a set time period — if they don't respond, you can send the invitation again.
Once they accept, they when ready get YouTube Premium on their account. They can watch ad-free videos, read content to watch offline, and use YouTube Music as part of the same plan. Their watch history and recommendations stay completely separate from yours.
What happens when someone joins your family group
Each family member gets a full YouTube Premium account with no ads, background play, and offline downloads. They also get YouTube Music Premium included, so they can listen to music ad-free and read songs. Their recommendations and watch history are private to their own account — what they watch doesn't show up in your recommendations.
Family members can use Premium on any device they sign into with their Google account. If someone in the group is under 18, YouTube may explore additional restrictions depending on your location, but they still get the full Premium features.
How to remove someone from your family group
Go back to your Google Account settings and select the "Family" tab. Find the person you want to remove and click the three-dot menu next to their name. Select "Remove from family" and confirm.
That person loses Premium access when ready. Any downloads they made on their devices stay on those devices, but they can't read new content. Their YouTube account continues to work, but they'll see ads again and won't be able to use background play or YouTube Music.
Who can be added to a family group
YouTube requires that family members have an actual family relationship. You can add a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or grandparent. YouTube doesn't verify relationships, but the terms of service say the group must represent real family ties — not roommates, friends, or coworkers.
Family members don't have to live in the same house. You can add someone who lives in a different city or country, as long as they have a Google account and a valid payment method on file in their country. YouTube may ask for proof of family relationship if the group looks unusual, but this is rare.
What to do if someone won't accept the invitation
Invitations expire after a certain period. If the person doesn't accept within that time, you can send a new invitation from the same family settings page. Make sure you have the correct email address or phone number — if it's wrong, they'll never receive it.
If they say they didn't get the invitation, ask them to check their spam folder or the email address associated with their Google account. Sometimes invitations land in spam by mistake. You can also try inviting them again with a different email address if they have multiple accounts.
Switching who pays for the family plan
If you want to transfer the family plan to someone else's payment method, that person needs to become the organizer. Go to your family settings, select the person you want to make organizer, and choose "Make organizer." They'll need to accept the role, and their payment method will become the one charged for the plan.
The previous organizer stays in the family group as a regular member unless they choose to leave. Only one person can be the organizer at a time, and only the organizer can add or remove family members.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone who doesn't have a Google account?
No. Family members need a Google account to join YouTube Premium Family Plan. If they don't have one, they can create a free account at google.com. It takes a few minutes and requires only an email address and password.
What happens to my family group if I cancel YouTube Premium?
The entire family group loses Premium access when ready. All family members will see ads again and won't be able to read videos or use background play. If you want to keep the plan active, someone else in the group can become the organizer and take over the payment.
Can family members use Premium on multiple devices at the same time?
Yes. Each family member can watch on different devices at the same time. YouTube Premium doesn't limit the number of devices per person, only the number of people in the group. However, YouTube's terms say you shouldn't share your password with people outside your family.
What if I want to leave a family group but keep YouTube Premium?
You can leave the family group and switch to an individual Premium subscription. Go to your family settings and select "Leave family group." You'll lose Premium access for a short time, but you can when ready start a new individual subscription. Your watch history and account stay the same.
Does YouTube check if people in my family group actually live together?
YouTube doesn't require family members to live in the same house. The terms of service say the group must represent actual family relationships, but YouTube doesn't verify addresses or living situations. If your family group looks unusual, YouTube may ask for proof, but this is uncommon.