What Apple Family Sharing does and who you can add
Apple Family Sharing lets up to six people in your household share purchases, subscriptions, and storage without sharing passwords. When you add someone to your family group, they can use apps, music, books, and iCloud+ features you've bought — and you see their location on a map if they're a child. You can add family members on any Apple device: iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV.
You can add anyone with an Apple ID, including children. If the person doesn't have an Apple ID yet, you create one during the setup process. The organizer — the person who sets up the family group — controls who joins and can remove people later.
Family Sharing is free to set up. You don't pay extra to add people. However, some features like iCloud+ storage (200GB or more) require a paid subscription, and that cost is shared among the family group.
Key Takeaways
- The organizer starts Family Sharing on their device and invites others by email or by creating a child account directly.
- You need the other person's Apple ID email address, or you can create a new Apple ID for them on the spot.
- Family members can see each other's locations if location sharing is turned on, and parents can set screen time limits for children.
- Once someone joins, they can read any app or subscription the organizer has bought, but purchases are still tied to each person's own account.
How to start Family Sharing on your device
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. If you don't see Family Sharing, tap Set Up Family Sharing. You'll see a screen that says "You're the organizer" — this means you control the group. Tap Continue and follow the prompts to confirm your payment method.
On a Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name in the sidebar, then click Family. Click Set Up Family Sharing if it's not already on. The steps are the same: you confirm your identity and payment method.
On Apple TV, go to Settings, select Users and Accounts, then select iCloud, and turn on Family Sharing. You'll need to sign in with the organizer's Apple ID.
Once Family Sharing is on, you're ready to add people. The organizer's name appears in the family group, and you can invite others right away.
Adding an adult family member
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing, then tap Add Family Member. Choose "Invite a Family Member" and enter their email address. Apple sends them an invitation; they accept it on their own device, and they're added to the group.
The person you're inviting needs an Apple ID already. If they don't have one, you can give them the invitation link and they can create an Apple ID during the acceptance process. They don't need to be in the same house — Family Sharing works across locations.
On a Mac, click Family in System Settings, then click the plus sign (+) at the bottom of the family members list. Enter the person's email address and send the invitation. They'll receive it in their Apple ID email and can accept from any device.
Creating a child account and adding them to the family
If you're adding a child who doesn't have an Apple ID, you create one for them during the Family Sharing setup. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing > Add Family Member, then choose "Create a Child Account." Enter the child's name, birthdate, and email address (you can use an email you create for them, or an existing one).
You'll set a security question and answer, then confirm the child's account. The child account is automatically added to your Family Sharing group. You can then set up parental controls — screen time limits, app restrictions, and purchase approvals — from your own device.
A child account is different from a regular Apple ID: you manage it from the Family Sharing settings, and the child can't change certain settings without your permission. When the child turns 13 (or the age of digital consent in your country), they can request to manage their own account, but you can decline until they're older.
What happens after someone joins the family group
Once a person accepts the Family Sharing invitation, they appear in your family members list. They can now read any app, book, or music that anyone in the group has bought — without paying again. They sign in to the App Store or Apple Books with their own Apple ID, and the purchased content shows up in their library.
If anyone in the family has an iCloud+ subscription (200GB, 2TB, or 2TB+), all family members get access to the shared storage. Photos, documents, and backups count toward the shared total, so larger families may need a bigger plan.
Location sharing turns on automatically for children but is optional for adults. You can see where family members are on a map in the Find My app. To turn it off, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing, select the person, and toggle off Share My Location.
Purchases made by any family member are charged to the organizer's payment method by default, unless you set up purchase approvals. Parents can require children to ask permission before downloading anything, which prevents surprise charges.
Setting up purchase approvals and screen time
To prevent unexpected charges, the organizer can require children to ask permission before they buy or read anything. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing, select the child's name, then turn on Ask to Buy. The child sees a prompt when they try to read something, and you get a notification to approve or decline.
You can also set screen time limits for children. Go to Settings > Screen Time, tap Family Controls, select the child, and set downtime hours, app limits, and content restrictions. These settings sync across all the child's devices.
Adults in the family group don't have these restrictions — only children do. If you want to remove someone from the family group, go to Family Sharing, select their name, and tap Remove. They lose access to shared purchases and storage when ready.
Troubleshooting common problems
If someone doesn't receive the Family Sharing invitation, check that you entered their email address correctly. Ask them to check their email's spam folder — sometimes the invitation lands there. You can also resend the invitation from your Family Sharing settings.
If a family member can't see shared purchases, make sure they're signed in to the App Store with their own Apple ID, not the organizer's. Shared content appears in their library under "Purchased" — it won't show up if they're using a different account.
If location sharing isn't working, confirm that both devices have location services turned on (Settings > Privacy > Location Services) and that Find My is enabled. Location updates can take a few minutes, so wait a moment before assuming it's broken.
If you need to change who the organizer is, you have to remove everyone from the family group and start over — Apple doesn't allow transferring organizer status. This is rare, but it's worth knowing before you set things up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone who doesn't have an Apple device?
No. Family Sharing requires an Apple ID, which is tied to an Apple device or an iCloud account. If someone doesn't own an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV, they can't join a family group. They can still use shared purchases if they borrow your device and sign in with their Apple ID.
Do family members see my passwords or personal data?
No. Family Sharing only shares purchases and storage — not passwords, messages, photos, or personal files. Each person's data stays private. You can see a child's location and screen time, but you can't read their messages or access their photos unless they're stored in the shared iCloud+ storage.
What happens if someone leaves the family group?
They lose access to shared purchases and shared iCloud+ storage when ready. Apps they downloaded stay on their device, but they can't read new ones from the shared library. Their own photos and data aren't deleted — only shared content becomes unavailable.
Can I add someone if they're already in another family group?
No. An Apple ID can only belong to one family group at a time. If the person is already in another family, they have to leave that group first. The organizer of their current group can remove them, or they can ask to leave.
Do I have to use the same payment method for everyone?
Yes. All purchases in a family group are charged to the organizer's payment method. You can't split costs or use different credit cards for different family members. If you want separate billing, each person would need their own Apple ID outside of Family Sharing.