Adding someone to Spotify Family takes about five minutes and happens entirely in the app
To add a person to Spotify Family, open the Spotify app on your phone or computer, go to your account settings, find the Family Plan section, and send them an invite link. They accept the invite, create or sign into their Spotify account, and they're added. The person you invite gets their own account with their own playlists, recommendations, and listening history — they don't share any of that with you.
You can add up to five other people to a Family Plan (six accounts total, including yours). Each person needs their own email address and their own Spotify account, but they don't need to pay anything — the family organizer (usually the person who started the plan) pays one monthly fee for everyone.
Key Takeaways
- You must be the Family Plan organizer or have permission from them to add new members through the app settings.
- The person you're adding needs a valid email address and their own Spotify account, which they can create during the invite process.
- Once someone accepts the invite, they have full access to Spotify on their own devices with their own personalized recommendations.
- Family members can be removed at any time from the Family Plan settings, and they'll lose access to Spotify unless they pay for their own individual plan.
How to send an invite on your phone or tablet
Open the Spotify app and tap the home icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then tap "Family" or "Family Plan" (the exact wording depends on your phone's operating system). You should see a list of current family members and a button that says "Invite a family member" or "Add member".
Tap that button and you'll see a screen asking for the person's email address. Type in their email address exactly as they have it — capitalization doesn't matter, but typos do. Tap "Send Invite" or "Next". Spotify will send them an email with a link to accept the invitation. They have 30 days to accept it before the invite expires.
How to send an invite on a computer
Go to spotify.com and sign in with your account. Click your profile name in the top right corner and select "Account" or "Settings". Look for a section called "Family" or "Family Plan" on the left side of the page. You should see your current family members listed and a button to add a new one.
Click "Invite a family member" or "Add member". Type in the person's email address in the box that appears. Double-check that you've spelled it correctly, then click "Send Invite". They'll receive an email from Spotify with instructions on how to accept.
What the person you're inviting needs to do
The person you invite will receive an email from Spotify with the subject line "You're invited to join a Spotify Family Plan" or similar. They should click the link in that email. If they already have a Spotify account, they'll sign in with their username and password. If they don't have an account yet, they can create one right there — they'll need to provide an email address (which can be different from the one you invited), a password, and their birth date.
After they sign in or create their account, they'll see a screen confirming they've joined the Family Plan. That's it. They can now use Spotify on any of their devices. Their account is completely separate from yours — their playlists, saved songs, and listening history are private to them.
Removing someone from the Family Plan
If you need to remove someone, go back to the Family section in your account settings (on phone or computer, using the same steps above). Find the person's name in the family members list and look for a remove button, usually three dots or a trash icon next to their name. Click or tap it and confirm that you want to remove them.
Once you remove someone, they lose access to Spotify immediately. If they want to keep using Spotify after that, they'll need to pay for their own individual plan. Any playlists or saved songs they created stay in their account — they just won't be able to play music unless they have a paid subscription.
Troubleshooting invites that don't go through
If the person you're inviting says they never received the email, ask them to check their spam or junk folder — Spotify emails sometimes end up there. If it's not there, go back to the Family section and try sending the invite again. Make sure you're typing their email address correctly. Common mistakes include adding an extra space at the beginning or end, or using an old email address they don't check anymore.
If you see an error message saying "This person is already on a Family Plan", that means they're already a member of a different Spotify Family Plan. They can only be on one Family Plan at a time. They'll need to be removed from the other plan first before they can join yours. If they're the organizer of that other plan, they'll need to transfer organizer status to someone else or delete that plan entirely.
What happens if someone doesn't accept the invite
Invites expire after 30 days. If the person doesn't click the link in the email within that time, the invite disappears and you'll need to send a new one. You can send a new invite right away — there's no waiting period. Just go back to the Family section and invite them again using the same email address.
If someone keeps not accepting invites, double-check that you have the right email address. Ask them directly what email they use for their accounts. Also make sure they know they need to click the link in the email — some people miss it or think the email is spam.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone who lives in a different country?
Yes. Spotify Family Plans work across countries, so you can add family members anywhere in the world. They just need their own email address and Spotify account. Keep in mind that some features or song availability might vary depending on where they're located, but the Family Plan itself works internationally.
Do family members see what I'm listening to?
No. Each person on a Family Plan has a completely private account. You can't see their playlists, their saved songs, or what they're currently playing. The only thing shared is the payment — one person pays for the whole plan. If you want to share music with someone, you can send them a link to a specific song or playlist, just like you would with anyone else.
What if I'm not the person who started the Family Plan?
Only the plan organizer can add or remove family members. If you're not the organizer, you'll need to ask whoever started the plan to add the new person. The organizer can change who has that role, so if you want to take over managing the plan, ask the current organizer to transfer that responsibility to you.
Can someone be on a Family Plan and also have their own paid individual plan?
No. When someone joins a Family Plan, they can't also have an active individual subscription. If they already have an individual plan, they'll need to cancel it before accepting the Family Plan invite. If they want to go back to an individual plan later, they'll need to be removed from the Family Plan first.
What if I add someone by mistake?
You can remove them immediately from the Family section in your settings. Just find their name and tap or click the remove button. They'll lose access to Spotify right away. If you removed them by mistake and want to add them back, you can send a new invite using the same process.