Adding members to Apple Music Family Plan

To add someone to your Apple Music Family Plan, open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name at the top, select Family Sharing, then tap Add Family Member. You can add up to five other people — six total including yourself. The person you're adding needs their own Apple ID, and they'll receive an invitation they must accept before they gain access to Apple Music and your other shared purchases.

If you're setting up Family Sharing for the first time, you'll go through the same process but create the family group first. Once the group exists, adding members is straightforward and takes just a few taps. Each person gets their own Apple Music account within the family plan, so their playlists, recommendations, and listening history stay separate from everyone else's.

Key Takeaways

  • You can add up to five other people to your family group, for a maximum of six members total.
  • Each person needs their own Apple ID before you can add them, and they must accept the family invitation.
  • Family members share the cost of one Apple Music subscription but keep separate accounts and listening histories.
  • You can remove someone from the family group at any time through the same Family Sharing settings.
  • If someone is under 13, you may need to create a child account through Family Sharing instead of using an existing Apple ID.

Step-by-step process on iPhone or iPad

Start by opening the Settings app and tapping your name at the very top of the screen. Look for Family Sharing in the menu — it's usually near the top, below iCloud. Tap Family Sharing, then tap the plus sign or "Add Family Member" button.

You'll see two options: "Invite" and "Create a Child Account." Choose Invite if the person already has an Apple ID. Enter their email address or phone number, and Apple will send them an invitation. They'll get a notification on their device and can accept it right away. Once they accept, they're added to your family group and can start using Apple Music immediately.

If the person doesn't have an Apple ID yet, you can create one for them during this process. If they're under 13, you'll need to create a child account instead, which gives you parental controls over their purchases and screen time.

Adding members on Mac

On a Mac running macOS 11 or later, open System Preferences (or System Settings on newer versions) and click your Apple ID at the top of the sidebar. Click Family Sharing, then click the plus sign to add a member.

The process is identical to iPhone and iPad — you'll either invite someone with an existing Apple ID or create a new account for them. After they accept the invitation, they can use Apple Music on their Mac, iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.

What happens after someone accepts the invitation

Once a family member accepts your invitation, they can open Apple Music on any of their devices and start listening immediately. They don't need to do anything else — they're automatically included in your family plan's subscription. Their music library, playlists, and recommendations are completely separate from yours, even though you're all on the same plan.

They can change their Apple Music settings, download songs for offline listening, and use Siri to control playback just like any other subscriber. If they have an Apple Watch or HomePod, they can use Apple Music on those devices too.

Removing someone from the family group

To remove a family member, go back to Settings > [Your Name] > Family Sharing, find the person's name in the list, and tap it. Then tap "Remove from Family" and confirm. They'll lose access to Apple Music and any other shared services immediately, but their personal data and purchases stay on their own Apple ID.

If you remove someone, they can still use Apple Music if they have their own individual subscription. You can add them back to the family group later if needed.

Switching who manages the family plan

The person who creates the family group is the organizer, and they're the one who pays for the shared Apple Music subscription. If you want someone else to be the organizer — for example, if you're moving and want a family member to take over — you'll need to remove yourself from the family group and have them create a new one, or use Apple's account transfer process if available in your region.

Only the organizer can add or remove members, so if you're not the organizer and want to add someone, you'll need to ask the organizer to do it for you.

Troubleshooting common issues

If someone doesn't receive an invitation, check that you entered their email address or phone number correctly. Ask them to check their email spam folder or look for a notification on their device. If they still don't see it after a few minutes, try sending the invitation again.

If a family member can't see Apple Music on their device even after accepting the invitation, have them sign out of their Apple ID and sign back in. This refreshes their account and usually fixes the problem. Make sure they're using the same Apple ID they used to accept the family invitation.

If you get an error message saying someone can't be added, it might be because they're already part of another family group. Each Apple ID can only belong to one family at a time. They'll need to be removed from their current family before joining yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add someone who doesn't have an Apple ID?

Yes. During the invitation process, choose "Create a Child Account" or "Create an Account" instead of "Invite." You'll set up an Apple ID for them right there. If they're 13 or older, you can create a regular account; if they're younger, you'll create a child account with parental controls.

Do family members see each other's listening history?

No. Each person's playlists, recommendations, and listening history are private. Family members can see that someone is listening to Apple Music, but not what they're listening to. You can turn off activity sharing in your Apple Music settings if you don't want others to see that you're currently playing music.

What if someone wants to leave the family group?

They can remove themselves by going to Settings > [Their Name] > Family Sharing, tapping the organizer's name, and selecting "Leave Family." They'll lose access to the shared Apple Music subscription but can keep their own Apple ID and purchases. They can rejoin a different family group or get their own individual subscription.

Can I add more than six people to Apple Music Family Plan?

No. Apple Music Family Plan supports a maximum of six people — you plus five others. If you need more subscriptions, additional family members would need their own individual Apple Music plans.

Do all family members need to use the same Wi-Fi network?

No. Family members can use Apple Music from anywhere — different homes, different cities, different countries. They just need to be signed in with their Apple ID that's part of your family group.