How to share an app on Family Sharing
To share an app with family members on Apple Family Sharing, open the App Store on your device, find the app you want to share, tap or click the price button (or "Get" if it's free), then tap "Family Sharing" when prompted. Your family members will see the app appear in their Purchased section and can download it to their own devices. The person who buys the app — usually the family organizer — pays for it once, and everyone in the family group can use it.
This works on iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. The app must be purchased through the App Store for Family Sharing to work; apps downloaded from other sources cannot be shared this way. Family members do not need to use the same Apple ID, and they can download the shared app to multiple devices under their own accounts.
Key Takeaways
- When you buy an app through the App Store, you can choose to share it with your family group instead of keeping it private to your account.
- The family organizer (the person who set up Family Sharing) can turn off sharing for any app at any time, which removes it from other family members' devices.
- Family members see shared apps in their Purchased section under the "My Purchases" tab, not in a separate folder.
- Shared apps count toward storage on each device where they are downloaded, so a family member can delete a shared app to free up space without affecting others.
- Not all apps can be shared — some developers opt out of Family Sharing, and those apps can only be used by the person who bought them.
Where to find the Family Sharing option when buying an app
When you tap the price or "Get" button for an app in the App Store, a popup window appears asking you to confirm the purchase. On that confirmation screen, you will see a line that says "Family Sharing" with a toggle switch next to it. By default, Family Sharing is turned on if your device is part of a family group. If you want to share the app, leave the toggle on. If you want to keep the app only for yourself, tap the toggle to turn it off.
On a Mac, the process is the same: open the App Store, find the app, click the price or "Get" button, and look for the Family Sharing toggle in the purchase confirmation window. The toggle appears in the same location on all Apple devices.
How family members download a shared app
Once you share an app, your family members do not need to do anything to receive it. They will see it appear in their App Store under the "Purchased" tab. To find it, they open the App Store, tap or click the account icon in the bottom right corner (on iPhone or iPad) or the top right corner (on Mac), then select "Purchased." From there, they can tap "My Purchases" to see all apps available to them, including the ones you shared.
Family members can then tap or click the cloud download icon next to the app name to download it to their device. They do not need to pay anything, and they do not need your permission each time they download. Once downloaded, the app works on their device just like any other app they own.
Stopping the sharing of an app
The person who bought the app (usually the family organizer) can stop sharing it at any time. To do this, open the App Store, go to your account, select "Purchased," find the app you want to stop sharing, and look for the Family Sharing icon next to it. Tap or click that icon, then select "Remove from Family Sharing." The app will immediately disappear from other family members' Purchased lists and will be removed from their devices the next time they use them.
Family members will receive a notification that the app is no longer available to them. If they have saved data or progress in the app, that information is lost when the app is removed. The person who bought the app can always share it again later if they change their mind.
Apps that cannot be shared
Some apps are not available for Family Sharing because the developer chose to opt out of the program. When you try to buy one of these apps, the Family Sharing toggle will not appear on the purchase confirmation screen. These apps can only be used by the person who buys them, and you will need to purchase a separate copy for each family member who wants to use it.
There is no way to know in advance whether an app supports Family Sharing without trying to buy it. If you see an app you want to share and the toggle does not appear, that app is not available for sharing. Some games and subscription-based apps are more likely to have sharing disabled than others.
Storage and device limits for shared apps
Each family member's device stores its own copy of a shared app, so the app takes up storage space on every device where it is downloaded. If a family member runs out of storage space, they can delete the shared app from their device without affecting it on anyone else's device. They can always download it again later if they have space.
There is no limit to how many family members can download the same shared app, and there is no limit to how many devices each person can download it to (as long as they are signed in with their own Apple ID on those devices). A shared app works the same way as any other app once it is on a device.
What happens to shared apps when someone leaves the family group
If a family member leaves your Family Sharing group, they lose access to all shared apps. The apps are removed from their devices, and they cannot download them again unless they buy their own copy. If the person who bought an app leaves the family group, that app is removed from everyone's devices, and no one can use it anymore.
If someone rejoins the family group later, they will regain access to the shared apps that are still being shared by the family organizer. Any apps they bought themselves while they were not part of the group will not be shared with the family.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share an app I already bought before Family Sharing was set up?
Yes. Open the App Store, go to your account, select "Purchased," find the app, and tap the Family Sharing icon next to it. Select "Share with Family" to turn on sharing. The app will immediately appear in your family members' Purchased lists.
What if my family member buys an app — do I get it too?
Only if they choose to share it. When they buy an app, they see the Family Sharing toggle on the purchase screen. If they leave it on, you will see the app in your Purchased list. If they turn it off, only they can use it.
Can I share apps between my personal Apple ID and a child's account?
Yes, as long as the child's account is part of your Family Sharing group. Apps you buy and share will appear in their Purchased list, and they can download them. You can also set up Screen Time restrictions to control which apps they can use.
Do shared apps update automatically on everyone's device?
Yes. When an app update is released, it updates on all devices where the app is installed, regardless of who bought it. Family members can also manually update apps through the App Store if they prefer.
What if I stop sharing an app but my family member is still using it?
The app will be removed from their device within a few hours. Any unsaved progress or data in the app will be lost. They will not be able to use the app after it is removed unless they buy their own copy.