Family Sharing lets multiple people use one Apple account's purchases
Family Sharing is an Apple feature that lets up to six people in your household share purchases from the App Store, iTunes, and Apple Books without sharing passwords. When you turn it on, everyone in the group can see and use apps, music, movies, and books that any family member bought — each person keeps their own Apple ID and their own private data like photos and messages.
The person who sets it up becomes the organizer and controls whether family members can make purchases, see location data, and manage screen time. You need an Apple device (iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV) and an Apple ID to start.
Key Takeaways
- The organizer goes to Settings or System Preferences, finds the Family Sharing section, and taps or clicks "Create Your Family Group" to begin.
- You add family members by inviting them through their Apple ID email address, and they accept the invitation on their own device.
- Once someone joins, they can see and read anything the group has purchased, but the organizer controls whether they can buy new things.
- Family Sharing works across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV, so purchases sync automatically to everyone's devices.
- You can remove someone from the family group at any time, and they lose access to shared purchases but keep their own Apple ID and data.
How to set up Family Sharing on iPhone or iPad
Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Scroll down and tap "Family Sharing," then tap "Create Your Family Group" or "get your free guide." You'll see a screen showing that you're the organizer. Tap "Continue" and review the information — your name, Apple ID, and payment method will be used for family purchases unless you change the settings later.
Next, you'll add family members. Tap "Add Family Member" and choose whether to invite someone with their own Apple ID or create an account for a child. If you're inviting an adult, enter their email address and they'll get a notification on their device asking them to join. If you're creating an account for a child under 13, you'll set up parental controls at the same time.
After you finish adding people, Family Sharing is on. Everyone in the group can now see purchases in the App Store, iTunes, and Apple Books, and they'll read automatically to their devices if they want them.
How to set up Family Sharing on Mac
Click the Apple menu in the top left corner and select "System Preferences" (on older Macs) or "System Settings" (on newer ones). Look for "Family Sharing" or "Sign In & Security," then click "Set Up Family Sharing" or "Family." Click "Create Your Family Group" and follow the same steps as on iPhone — you'll confirm your Apple ID and payment method, then add family members by email address.
On Mac, the process is nearly identical to iPhone, just in a different menu. Once you finish, the family group is active across all your devices.
Adding family members after setup
If you already have Family Sharing on but want to add more people, go back to the Family Sharing settings. On iPhone or iPad, tap Settings, your name, then Family Sharing, then tap "Add Family Member." On Mac, go to System Preferences or System Settings, find Family Sharing, and click the plus sign or "Add" button.
Enter the person's email address. They'll receive an invitation notification on their device. They need to open that notification and tap "Accept" to join the group. Until they accept, they won't have access to shared purchases.
If the person you're inviting doesn't have an Apple ID yet, they can create one during the acceptance process. Children under 13 need a parent or guardian to create an account for them through Family Sharing instead of a regular invitation.
Controlling what family members can buy
The organizer can decide whether each family member can make purchases without asking first. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, your name, Family Sharing, then tap the person's name. Toggle "Ask to Buy" on or off. When it's on, that person's purchases need your approval before they go through. When it's off, they can buy anything without asking.
For children, "Ask to Buy" is usually on by default. You'll get a notification each time they try to buy something, and you can approve or decline it from your device. This setting only controls purchases — it doesn't affect whether they can see and read things the family has already bought.
What happens to purchases when someone leaves
If you remove someone from the family group, they lose access to shared purchases when ready. Any apps, music, movies, or books they downloaded from the family account will stop working on their device. However, anything they bought with their own Apple ID stays on their device and continues to work.
To remove someone, go to Family Sharing settings, tap their name, scroll down, and tap "Remove [Person] from Family." You'll need to confirm. The person will get a notification that they've been removed, and they can still use their own Apple ID normally — they just won't see the family's shared content anymore.
Troubleshooting common problems
If someone doesn't see the invitation to join, ask them to check their email for a message from Apple. Sometimes it goes to spam. They can also go to their own Family Sharing settings and look for a pending invitation there. If nothing appears, you may need to remove them and send the invitation again.
If purchases aren't showing up for someone in the family, make sure they're signed in with the Apple ID that's part of the group. Have them go to Settings or System Preferences, check that their Apple ID is correct, and try signing out and back in. Sometimes restarting the device helps too. If one person's device is set to a different country or region in their Apple ID settings, they might not see all the family's purchases.
If you're the organizer and want to transfer that role to someone else, you'll need to remove yourself from the family group and have the other person set up a new group. Apple doesn't allow you to straightforward hand over the organizer role.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do family members see my private photos and messages?
No. Family Sharing only shares purchases from the App Store, iTunes, and Apple Books. Photos, messages, email, and other personal data stay private on each person's device. Each family member keeps their own Apple ID and their own iCloud account unless you specifically share a calendar or photo album with them separately.
Can I see where family members are located?
Only if you turn on location sharing separately. Family Sharing itself doesn't share location. You can set up location sharing through the Find My app if you want to see where family members are, but that's a different feature and each person has to agree to it.
What if someone in my family has their own Apple ID but isn't in my family group?
They won't see your shared purchases unless you invite them to join Family Sharing. They can still use their own Apple ID normally and buy their own apps and content. You can invite them at any time, and they can accept or decline.
Can I use Family Sharing with people who don't live with me?
Technically yes, but Apple's terms say Family Sharing is meant for people in the same household. Apple doesn't actively check where people live, but if you're sharing with people in different locations, you're using it outside its intended purpose.
What happens if I'm the organizer and I delete my Apple ID?
The family group will be deleted, and everyone loses access to shared purchases. Before you delete your Apple ID, you should either remove yourself from the family group (so someone else becomes organizer) or transfer the organizer role by having another family member create a new group and inviting everyone to join it.