You can add up to five other people to your Apple Music account through Family Sharing

Apple Music lets you add family members to a single subscription instead of each person paying separately. This shared plan, called Family Sharing, costs the same as one individual subscription but covers up to six people total — you plus five others. Each person gets their own account, their own music library, and their own recommendations, but you all share the cost.

The person setting up Family Sharing (usually the person who pays) becomes the organizer. The organizer controls the family group, can see who is in it, and can remove people. The other five members can join and leave on their own, but they cannot add or remove other family members.

You do not need to be in the same house or use the same device. Family members can be anywhere and use any Apple device — iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV — or even Android phones, as long as they have an Apple ID.

Key Takeaways

  • Family Sharing covers up to six people on one Apple Music subscription for the price of one individual plan.
  • The person who sets up the family group becomes the organizer and controls who is in the group.
  • Each family member needs their own Apple ID and must accept an invitation to join.
  • You set up Family Sharing in Settings on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, not in the Apple Music app itself.
  • Family members can use any Apple device or Android phone, but they each need their own Apple ID.

Set up Family Sharing on iPhone or iPad

Open Settings and tap your name at the top. Then tap Family Sharing. If you see a button that says get your free guide or Set Up Family Sharing, tap it. If Family Sharing is already set up, you will see the names of people already in the group.

Tap Add Family Member. You will see two options: Invite a Family Member or Create a Child Account. Choose Invite a Family Member if the person already has an Apple ID. The system will ask for their name or email address. Type what you know and tap Send Invitation. Apple sends them a notification on their device.

The person you invited will see a notification asking them to join your family group. They tap Accept, and they are now part of Family Sharing. They do not need to do anything else — they automatically get access to the family Apple Music subscription.

Set up Family Sharing on Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (or System Preferences on older Macs). Click Family Sharing in the sidebar. If you see a button that says Set Up Family Sharing, click it. If it is already set up, you will see the current family members listed.

Click the + button at the bottom of the family members list. A window opens asking for the person's name or email address. Type their information and click Continue. Apple sends them an invitation, and they accept it the same way as on iPhone or iPad.

What happens after someone accepts the invitation

Once a family member accepts, they can open Apple Music on any of their devices and start listening when ready. They will see their own library, playlists, and recommendations — not yours. Their listening history is separate, so your music taste does not affect their recommendations and vice versa.

They can read songs, create playlists, and use all the same features as someone with an individual subscription. The only difference is that the organizer (the person who set up the family group) pays for everyone, and the organizer can see who is in the group and remove people if needed.

Remove someone from Family Sharing

Only the organizer can remove people. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing. Tap the person's name and then tap Remove from Family. On Mac, go to System Settings > Family Sharing, click the person's name, and click the − button.

When you remove someone, they lose access to the family Apple Music subscription when ready. They can still use Apple Music if they buy their own individual subscription, but they will not be able to listen on the family plan anymore.

Troubleshooting common problems

If someone does not see the invitation, ask them to check their Apple ID notifications on their device. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > their name > Family Sharing and look for a pending invitation. If they still do not see it, you can try sending the invitation again.

If someone is in the family group but cannot access Apple Music, make sure they have an active Apple Music subscription on their account. Family Sharing only works if the organizer has an Apple Music subscription — it does not work with Apple Music Voice Plan or a free trial that has expired. Ask them to open the Apple Music app and check whether their subscription is active.

If you are the organizer and you cancel your Apple Music subscription, everyone in the family loses access. If you want to keep the family group but stop paying, you can remove yourself as the organizer and ask someone else to take over, but that person will need to have their own Apple Music subscription first.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add someone who does not have an Apple ID?

No, everyone in Family Sharing needs their own Apple ID. If the person does not have one, they can create it for free on any Apple device or at appleid.apple.com. It takes a few minutes and only requires an email address and a password.

What if someone in my family has an Android phone?

They can still be part of Family Sharing and use Apple Music. They need an Apple ID to join the family group, but once they are in, they can read the Apple Music app on their Android phone and listen there. They will have the same access as someone using an Apple device.

Can I have more than six people on one Apple Music subscription?

No, Family Sharing is limited to six people total — you plus five others. If you need more subscriptions, additional family members would need to buy their own individual plans or join a different family group.

Do family members see my listening history?

No, each person's listening history and recommendations are completely separate. The organizer can see who is in the family group, but not what music anyone is listening to or what they have downloaded.

What happens if the organizer leaves the family group?

If you are the organizer and you leave, someone else in the family can become the new organizer, but they need to have an Apple Music subscription. If no one else has a subscription, the family group ends and everyone loses access to the shared plan.