Set Up Family Sharing on iPhone
If you and your family members use Apple devices, Family Sharing is a great way to share Apple services, subscriptions, purchases, and other useful features without sharing the same Apple Account. Whether you want to share an Apple TV subscription, access iCloud storage, download purchased apps, or manage your child’s iPhone, Apple’s Family Sharing feature makes everything easier.
The best part is that you don’t need to create a separate account for every shared service. Each family member can continue using their own Apple Account while accessing eligible shared services and purchases.
Apple allows one family organizer to invite up to five additional members, making a total of six people in a Family Sharing group. You can also use this feature to manage children’s accounts, enable parental controls, and share your location with other family members.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to set up Family Sharing on an iPhone, invite family members, manage shared purchases, and share an Apple TV subscription.
Set Up Family Sharing on iPhone
To set up Family Sharing on your iPhone, open Settings, tap your Apple Account name, and select Family. Tap Continue and follow the on-screen instructions to create your family group. Once the group is ready, tap the Add Member option to invite family members through Messages or email. They can accept the invitation using their own Apple Accounts.
Follow the detailed steps below to complete the setup.
1: Open Settings on Your iPhone
First, unlock your iPhone and locate the Settings app. It usually appears on your Home Screen with a gray gear icon.
Tap Settings to open your device settings.
At the top of the screen, you’ll see your name and Apple Account profile picture. This section contains your personal Apple Account information, including iCloud, subscriptions, and connected devices.
Tap your name to access your Apple Account settings.
Make sure you’re signed in with the Apple Account you want to use as the family organizer. If you aren’t signed in, you’ll need to sign in before continuing.
2: Open the Family Sharing Settings
After opening your Apple Account settings, look for the Family option.
Tap Family to access the Family Sharing section.
If you haven’t created a family group before, you’ll see an option to get started. Tap Continue to begin the setup process.
Your iPhone will guide you through the available Family Sharing features and explain how you can share Apple services with other people.
Read the information displayed on your screen and continue when you’re ready.
3: Set Up Your Family Group
Now, follow the on-screen instructions to create your Family Sharing group.
Apple may ask you to choose which features you want to use, such as purchase sharing, location sharing, and parental controls.
You don’t have to enable every available feature immediately. You can configure many of these settings later.
Once you’ve completed the required information, your Family Sharing group will be created.
Your Apple Account will become the Family Organizer, which means you’ll have control over invitations and important family settings.
4: Invite Family Members
After creating your family group, it’s time to invite other people.
Open Settings, tap your name, and select Family.
Look for the Add Member option, which may appear as a plus (+) button in the upper-right corner.
Tap it to see the available invitation options.
If the person already has an Apple Account, select Invite People. You can send an invitation through Messages or email.
Choose your preferred method and select the person you want to invite.
The recipient will receive an invitation to join your Family Sharing group. They must accept it before they become an active member.
Remember that a person can belong to only one Family Sharing group at a time.
5: Create an Apple Account for a Child
If you’re setting up Family Sharing for your children, you can create a separate child account.
This is useful when your child has an iPhone or iPad but doesn’t have an Apple Account yet.
To do this, open Settings, tap your name, and select Family.
Tap the Add Member button and choose Create an Account for a Child.
Follow the on-screen instructions and enter the requested information.
You’ll need to provide the child’s details and complete the account creation process. Apple may ask you to verify that you’re an adult.
Once the account is created, your child can be added to your Family Sharing group.
You can then manage features such as Screen Time, parental controls, and Ask to Buy to help monitor how your child uses their device.
6: Accept the Family Sharing Invitation
Sending an invitation doesn’t automatically add someone to your family group. The invited person must accept it.
If someone sends you a Family Sharing invitation, open the message or email containing the invitation and follow the instructions.
Alternatively, they can accept it directly from their iPhone.
Open Settings, tap their name, and look for Invitations.
Select the pending Family Sharing invitation and follow the on-screen instructions.
Once accepted, the person will appear in your Family Sharing group.
You can check the membership status by opening Settings > Your Name > Family on the organizer’s iPhone.
7: Enable Purchase Sharing
Purchase Sharing lets family members access eligible apps, books, music, movies, and other purchases.
However, this feature is optional, so you can decide whether you want to enable it.
To turn it on, open Settings and tap your name.
Select Family, then tap Purchase Sharing.
Choose Turn On and follow the on-screen instructions.
Before enabling this feature, understand how payments work. When Purchase Sharing is enabled, the family organizer’s payment method may be charged for purchases made by other family members, depending on their available payment methods and Apple Account balance.
If you don’t want to manage other people’s purchases, you can leave Purchase Sharing disabled. Eligible subscription sharing can still work independently.
8: Manage Shared Subscriptions and Other Features
Once your family group is ready, you can manage the services available to its members.
Open Settings > Your Name > Family.
Here, you can access different family management options, including subscriptions, purchase sharing, location sharing, and parental controls.
For example, if you have an eligible iCloud+ plan, you can share its storage with family members. Everyone continues using their own Apple Account, and their personal photos and documents remain private.
You can also manage eligible Apple Music, Apple TV, Apple Arcade, and other subscriptions.
Keep in mind that not every subscription supports Family Sharing. Some services require a family plan, and availability can vary by country or region.
How to Share Apple TV with Family Members
If you have an eligible Apple TV subscription, you can share it with your Family Sharing group so other members can enjoy movies and TV shows without purchasing separate subscriptions.
You don’t need to share your Apple Account password with anyone. Each family member can use their own account to access the shared subscription.
Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Check Your Apple TV Subscription
First, make sure you have an active Apple TV subscription that supports Family Sharing.
Open Settings on your iPhone and tap your name.
Select Subscriptions and look for Apple TV in your active subscriptions.
If you have an eligible subscription, you can share it with your family group.
Step 2: Open Family Subscription Settings
Go back to your Apple Account settings.
Tap Family, then select Subscriptions.
You’ll see the subscriptions available for sharing with your family members.
If Apple TV appears in the list, select it and follow the on-screen instructions to enable sharing.
On supported versions of iOS, you can also check Settings > Your Name > Subscriptions > Manage Family Access to manage eligible shared subscriptions.
Step 3: Enable Apple TV Sharing
Find the Apple TV subscription and make sure the family sharing option is enabled.
If you see a Share with Family option, turn it on.
Eligible subscriptions may already be shared automatically after Family Sharing is configured. If the subscription isn’t appearing for other members, check the sharing settings.
Step 4: Ask Family Members to Open Apple TV
Now, ask your family members to open the Apple TV app on their iPhones, iPads, Macs, or supported streaming devices.
They should sign in using their own Apple Accounts.
Once the shared subscription is available, they can start watching eligible Apple TV content.
Each person maintains their own viewing history, recommendations, and preferences.
Important: Sharing an Apple TV subscription doesn’t mean every movie or TV show purchase is automatically included. Some content may require a separate purchase or rental.
FAQs
1. How many people can join Apple Family Sharing?
A Family Sharing group can include up to six people, including the family organizer. This means the organizer can invite five additional family members.
2. Can I use Family Sharing without sharing my Apple Account password?
Yes. Every member uses their own Apple Account. You don’t need to share your password to provide access to eligible subscriptions and purchases.
3. Can Family Sharing share iCloud storage?
Yes. If you have an eligible iCloud+ plan, you can share its storage with family members. However, everyone’s personal photos, files, and documents remain private.
4. Can I remove someone from Family Sharing?
Yes. The family organizer can manage membership through Settings > Your Name > Family. Select the member you want to remove and follow the available removal instructions. Some restrictions apply to children’s accounts.
5. Does Family Sharing cost anything?
No. Setting up a Family Sharing group is free. However, shared services such as Apple TV, Apple Music, and iCloud+ may require paid subscriptions.
6. Can family members see my photos and messages?
No. Family Sharing doesn’t automatically give other members access to your private photos, messages, or personal files. You decide what information and content you share.