What Apple Family Sharing actually does
Apple Family Sharing is a feature that lets up to six people in your household share purchases, subscriptions, and storage space on their Apple devices without sharing passwords. One adult sets up the family group and invites the others — children and adults alike — and then everyone can use things like apps, music, books, and iCloud storage that the organizer has paid for.
The person who starts the family group (called the organizer) pays for one subscription to services like Apple Music, Apple TV+, or iCloud+ and the whole family uses it. You do not need to buy the same app six times. Children get parental controls so the organizer can see what they are downloading and set spending limits. Everyone keeps their own Apple ID and their own photos, messages, and private files.
It works across iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches — any device signed into an Apple ID that belongs to the family group. The organizer controls who is in the group and can remove people at any time.
Key Takeaways
- One person pays for subscriptions and purchases, and up to five other family members can use them on their own devices without sharing a password.
- The organizer can set spending limits for children and see what they read, but everyone keeps their own private photos, messages, and files.
- Family Sharing covers app purchases, music, books, TV shows, movies, and paid subscriptions like Apple Music and Apple TV+, but not all services participate.
- You need a valid payment method on file to set up a family group, and the organizer is responsible for all charges.
- Family members can be removed from the group at any time, and they lose access to shared purchases when they leave.
What you can and cannot share
Apps, music, books, movies, and TV shows that someone in the family has bought can be used by everyone in the group. If the organizer pays for Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, or Apple News+, all six family members can use those subscriptions on their own devices. iCloud+ storage (the paid version of iCloud) is also shared — if the organizer buys 200 gigabytes, the whole family's photos and backups count toward that one pool.
What you cannot share: iCloud+ features like Hide My Email and HomeKit find Video are available to everyone, but some services like Apple One bundles (which combine multiple subscriptions) have limits on how many people can stream at once. Apple Card is not shared — each person needs their own. Photos, messages, and documents stay private to each person's account even though they are in the same family group.
Subscriptions that are not Apple's own — like Spotify or Netflix — do not work through Family Sharing. Those services have their own family plans that you set up separately.
How to set up a family group
On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. Tap "Create a Family Group" or "Set Up Family Sharing" (the exact wording depends on your device). You will need a valid payment method — a credit card or debit card — on file with your Apple ID. Add family members by their email address or phone number, and they will get an invitation to join.
Children under 13 (the age varies by country) cannot create their own Apple ID through Family Sharing — the organizer creates one for them. Teenagers and adults can join with their existing Apple ID or create a new one during the setup. Everyone invited needs to accept the invitation before they become part of the group.
On a Mac, the process is similar: open System Settings, click your name, then Family, then follow the prompts to create or join a family group. You can also manage the family group from iCloud.com by signing in and going to Account Settings.
Parental controls and spending limits
The organizer can set a spending limit for each child — for example, $10 per month — and children will need approval from the organizer before they can buy anything above that limit. The organizer gets a notification each time a child tries to make a purchase, and can approve or decline it. This applies to apps, in-app purchases, music, books, and movies.
The organizer can also restrict what types of content children can see based on age ratings. For example, you can prevent a child from downloading apps rated for ages 12 and up, or from watching movies rated PG-13. These restrictions are set per child and can be changed at any time.
Children can see what their spending limit is and how much they have used, but they cannot change the limit themselves. If a child reaches their limit, they cannot make any more purchases until the organizer raises it or the month resets.
What happens when someone leaves the family group
When a family member is removed or leaves the group, they lose access to all shared purchases and subscriptions when ready. If they were using a shared app on their device, it will stop working. They keep their own Apple ID and any purchases they made with their own money, but anything bought by the organizer is no longer available to them.
If a child leaves the family group when they turn 18 or if the organizer removes them, they can create their own Apple ID and start fresh, but they will need their own payment method to buy anything new. Any photos or documents they created while in the family group stay on their device, but they are no longer backed up to the shared iCloud storage.
The organizer can remove someone from the family group at any time through Settings or iCloud.com. There is no waiting period — the removal takes effect when ready.
Costs and what you actually pay for
Family Sharing itself is free to set up and use. You only pay for the subscriptions and purchases you choose to buy. If you do not subscribe to Apple Music or Apple TV+, there is no charge. If you do, you pay the regular subscription price once, and everyone in the family can use it.
iCloud+ starts at $0.99 per month for 50 gigabytes of storage (though this is the older tier and may not be offered to new users). The standard paid tier is $2.99 per month for 200 gigabytes, and $9.99 per month for 2 terabytes. The organizer pays this amount once, and it covers the entire family's storage.
If someone in the family makes a purchase — an app, a book, a movie — the organizer's payment method is charged. The organizer is responsible for all charges, even if a child made the purchase. This is why setting spending limits for children is important.
Common problems and how to fix them
If a family member cannot see a shared app or subscription, make sure they are signed into their own Apple ID on their device, not the organizer's. Open Settings, tap their name, and confirm they are listed as a family member. Sometimes the app needs to be re-downloaded on their device — go to the App Store, search for the app, and tap the cloud icon to read it again.
If purchases are not showing up, check that the organizer's payment method is current and not expired. Go to Settings, tap the organizer's name, then Payment & Shipping, and update the card if needed. If a child cannot make a purchase because they hit their spending limit, the organizer needs to approve it or raise the limit in Family Sharing settings.
If someone is having trouble joining the family group, make sure they are using the correct Apple ID and that they have accepted the invitation email or notification. Invitations expire after 30 days, so if too much time has passed, the organizer will need to send a new one.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Family Sharing if I do not have an Apple device?
No. Family Sharing only works with Apple devices — iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches. If someone in your household uses Android or Windows, they cannot join the family group, though they can still use services like Apple Music or Apple TV+ through their own separate subscription.
What if I want to share an app with just one person, not the whole family?
Family Sharing is all-or-nothing for purchases — if you buy an app, everyone in the family group can use it. If you want to share something with only one person, you would need to buy it separately for them or use a different method like AirDrop to send them a file.
Can two adults in the same household both be organizers?
No. Only one person can be the organizer of a family group. If you want to share costs with a partner, one of you sets up the group and adds the other as a family member. You can change who the organizer is, but there can only be one at a time.
Do I need to give my password to family members to use shared purchases?
No. That is the whole point of Family Sharing — family members use their own Apple ID and password, and they can access purchases the organizer paid for without knowing the organizer's password. This is safer and gives you more control over what children can buy.
What happens to the family group if the organizer gets a new phone?
The family group stays active. When you sign into your Apple ID on the new phone, the family group comes with you. Everyone else in the group can keep using shared purchases and subscriptions without any interruption.