What Family Sharing Does
Family Sharing lets multiple people in your household use the same apps, music, books, and subscriptions without buying them separately for each device. One person (the organizer) sets up a group, adds family members, and controls what everyone can see and spend.
On Apple devices, Family Sharing also handles shared photo libraries, calendar events, and location tracking. On Google devices, it manages app purchases, YouTube subscriptions, and Google Play content. Both systems let you set spending limits for children and require approval before anyone under a certain age can buy anything.
The main reason to set it up is cost — instead of paying for Netflix, Spotify, or apps five times over, you pay once and share it. The secondary reason is control: parents can see what their children are downloading and spending.
Key Takeaways
- One adult becomes the organizer and creates the family group; everyone else joins under that account's payment method.
- Apple Family Sharing requires everyone to have an Apple ID; Google Family Link works with Google accounts and requires a parent to manage children's accounts.
- Shared purchases (apps, music, books) work across all devices in the group, but subscriptions like Apple Music or YouTube Premium may have separate limits on how many people can stream at once.
- Parents can set spending limits, require approval for purchases, and see what children read, but these controls work differently on Apple and Google.
- Setting up takes 10 to 15 minutes on either platform and requires the organizer's payment method on file.
How to Set Up Apple Family Sharing
On an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, open Settings (or System Settings on a Mac), tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. Tap get your free guide or Create a Family Group. You become the organizer automatically. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted.
Next, add family members. Tap Add Family Member and choose whether to invite someone with an existing Apple ID or create a new one for a child. If you are inviting an adult, they will receive an invitation they must accept on their own device. If you are creating an account for a child under 13 (or the age of digital consent in your country), Apple will create a managed account that you control.
Once everyone is added, their devices automatically sync purchases made through the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Books, and iCloud+. You can also set up a shared photo library and shared calendar. The organizer's payment method covers all purchases unless you set up individual allowances or require approval for each buy.
How to Set Up Google Family Link
Google Family Link is designed for parents managing children's accounts, though adults can also share some content through Google Play Family Library. On your Android phone or tablet, read the Google Family Link app from the Google Play Store. Open it and tap get your free guide.
Choose whether you are setting up a new account for a child or linking an existing one. If you are creating a new account, Google will walk you through the setup and link it to your Google account. If the child already has a Google account, you will need their password to add parental controls.
Once the account is set up, the child's device will show a Family Link profile. You can set screen time limits, control which apps they can read, require approval before purchases, and see their location if they have location sharing turned on. Purchases made on the child's account will charge your payment method unless you set a monthly allowance.
Controlling Spending and Purchases
On Apple, the organizer goes to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing > [Family Member's Name] and toggles Ask to Buy on. When this is enabled, any purchase attempt sends a notification to the organizer, who can approve or decline it. You can also set a monthly allowance that resets automatically.
On Google, open the Family Link app, select the child's account, tap Controls on Google Play, and choose Require approval for purchases or set a monthly allowance. Google will notify you when they try to buy something, and you approve or deny it from the app.
Both systems let you see what has been purchased. On Apple, go to Family Sharing settings and look at each person's purchase history. On Google, the Family Link app shows all downloads and purchases under each child's account. Neither system charges you for free apps or content, only for paid items and subscriptions.
Sharing Subscriptions and Content
When you subscribe to Apple Music, Apple TV+, or iCloud+ as the organizer, everyone in the family group can use it on their own devices. The same applies to Google Play Pass, YouTube Premium, and YouTube Music on Google. However, some services limit how many people can stream at the same time — Apple Music allows six simultaneous streams, and YouTube Premium typically allows one.
Apps and books purchased by any family member become available to everyone else in the group. If one person buys a game or a book, the rest can read it for free. This does not explore to subscriptions within apps (like a game's premium pass) — those are tied to the individual account that bought them.
If someone leaves the family group, they keep the apps and content they downloaded, but they lose access to shared subscriptions. Any future purchases will charge their own payment method instead of the organizer's.
Managing Family Members and Permissions
The organizer can add or remove family members at any time. On Apple, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing, tap a person's name, and choose Remove from Family Sharing. On Google, open Family Link, select the person, tap the menu icon, and choose Remove account.
You can also change someone's role. On Apple, adults in the family group can be set as either an organizer (full control) or a regular family member (can make purchases but cannot manage the group). On Google, only the parent account can manage settings — children's accounts cannot be promoted.
If a child turns 18 or reaches the age of majority in your region, Apple and Google will notify you that their account is about to transition to an independent account. You will lose parental controls at that point, though they can stay in the family group if they choose.
Troubleshooting Common Setup Issues
If an invitation is not going through, make sure the person you are inviting has an active Apple ID or Google account and that you have their correct email address. On Apple, invitations expire after 30 days, so you may need to send a new one. On Google, the child's account must be created first before you can add parental controls.
If purchases are not showing up in the shared library, check that everyone is signed into the same family group. On Apple, go to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing and confirm all members are listed. On Google, open Family Link and verify the account is linked to your family group. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for a new purchase to sync across devices.
If you cannot add someone because they are already in another family group, they must leave that group first. On Apple, they go to Settings > [Their Name] > Family Sharing and tap Leave Family Sharing. On Google, the parent of the other family group must remove them. A person can only belong to one family group at a time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share Family Sharing with people who do not live with me?
Technically yes, but both Apple and Google expect family members to live in the same household. If you add someone who does not, you may violate the terms of service. Both companies can disable the family group if they detect misuse, so it is safest to only add people in your home.
What happens to shared content if the organizer leaves the family group?
On Apple, another adult in the group can become the new organizer, and all shared content stays accessible. On Google, if the parent account is removed, the family group dissolves and children's accounts revert to independent accounts. Plan ahead if you think the organizer might change.
Can I use Family Sharing on both Apple and Google devices at the same time?
Yes. You can have an Apple Family Sharing group for your iPhones and Macs, and a separate Google Family Link group for Android phones and tablets. They do not talk to each other, so you will manage them separately.
Do I need a credit card to set up Family Sharing?
Yes. The organizer must have a valid payment method on file with Apple or Google, even if you never make a purchase. This is how the system charges for apps, books, and subscriptions. You can use a debit card, credit card, or gift card balance.
Can children in Family Sharing see what other family members are buying?
On Apple, children can see what others in the group have purchased if they look at the shared library. On Google, children cannot see other family members' purchase history — only the parent can see theirs. If privacy is a concern, talk to your family about what is visible.