What Apple Family Sharing does and who can join
Apple Family Sharing lets up to six people share purchases, subscriptions, and storage on one family plan. When you add someone to your family group, they can use apps and books you bought, share a family calendar, and see each other's location if everyone agrees. Each person keeps their own Apple ID and their own privacy settings — nobody sees your passwords or personal files unless you choose to share them.
You can add family members of any age, but the way you add them depends on whether they already have an Apple ID. Children under 13 need a parent or guardian to create a managed account for them. Adults and teenagers 13 and older can join with their own existing Apple ID, or you can create a new one for them during the setup process.
The person you're adding needs to be physically present with you, or you need to be able to receive a verification code on their device. Apple does this to prevent someone from being added to a family group without their knowledge.
Key Takeaways
- You can add up to six people total to one family group, including yourself.
- Adults and teenagers 13 and older join with their own Apple ID; children under 13 need a parent to create a managed account for them.
- The person being added must have their device with them or be able to receive a verification code on their phone or email.
- Once added, family members can share app purchases and subscriptions, but each person controls what they share and what stays private.
How to add an adult or teenager to your family group
Open Settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. On iPhone and iPad, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. On a Mac, go to System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name, then click Family.
Tap or click Add Family Member. You'll see two options: Invite a Family Member or Create an Account for a Family Member. Choose Invite a Family Member if the person already has an Apple ID, or if you want them to use their own existing account. Choose Create an Account if you're setting up a brand-new Apple ID for them.
If you chose Invite a Family Member, enter their email address or phone number. Apple will send them an invitation. They need to open that invitation on their own device and accept it. If you chose Create an Account, you'll enter their name and birthdate, and Apple will walk you through creating a new Apple ID for them right there.
Once they accept the invitation or the new account is created, they appear in your family group. They can now see shared purchases in the App Store and iCloud storage is pooled together.
How to add a child under 13 to your family group
Children under 13 cannot have their own independent Apple ID. Instead, you create a managed account for them, which you control through Screen Time and Family Sharing settings. This lets you approve or deny their app downloads, set spending limits, and see what they're doing on their device.
Go to Settings on your device, tap your name, then tap Family Sharing. Tap Add Family Member, then choose Create an Account for a Family Member. Select Create a Child Account. Enter the child's name and birthdate — the birthdate must show they are under 13.
You'll create a username and password for them. Write this down somewhere safe; you'll need it to help them sign in on their device. Once the account is created, you can set up their device and sign them in with this new Apple ID. Their device will automatically be linked to your family group, and you'll be able to manage their purchases and screen time from your own device.
When the child turns 13, you have the option to convert their managed account to a regular account that they control themselves, or to keep managing it. Apple will notify you when this becomes possible.
What happens after someone joins your family group
Once a person is added, they immediately have access to any apps, books, or subscriptions you've bought through the App Store, Apple Books, or Apple Music. They can also see shared family photos in the Family album, and you can all see each other on the Find My app if location sharing is turned on.
Each person's iCloud storage is pooled into one family plan. If you have 200 GB of iCloud+ storage, that 200 GB is shared among all six family members. You can see how much storage each person is using in Settings > your name > iCloud > Manage Account Storage.
Family members can also share payment methods. If you set up a family payment method, purchases made by anyone in the group will charge to that same card. Parents can set spending limits for children or require approval before any purchase goes through.
Removing someone from your family group
If you need to remove someone, go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing, find their name in the list, tap it, then tap Remove from Family. They will lose access to shared purchases and the family calendar, but their own data stays on their device.
If you remove a child under 13, their managed account is deleted unless you convert it to a regular account first. If you remove an adult or teenager, they keep their Apple ID and can still use their own purchases — they just can't access the family's shared content anymore.
The person being removed will get a notification that they've been taken out of the family group. If they were using a shared payment method, future purchases will need a different payment method.
Troubleshooting common problems when adding family members
The invitation isn't arriving: Check that you entered the correct email address or phone number. Ask the person to check their spam or junk folder. If they're using an older email address that's no longer active, the invitation will bounce. Have them update their Apple ID email address first, then send the invitation again.
The person says they're already in another family group: Each Apple ID can only belong to one family group at a time. They need to be removed from their current family group before they can join yours. They should contact whoever manages that group and ask to be removed, or they can remove themselves by going to Settings > their name > Family Sharing > Leave Family.
You can't see the Family Sharing option in Settings: Make sure you're signed in with an Apple ID that has a payment method on file. Family Sharing requires at least one valid payment method in the account. If you don't have one, add a credit card or debit card in Settings > your name > Payment & Shipping.
A child's device won't sign in with their managed account: Make sure you're using the exact username and password you created for them. Managed accounts are case-sensitive. If they've forgotten the password, you can reset it from your device by going to Settings > your name > Family Sharing, tapping their name, and selecting Reset Password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone who doesn't have an Apple device?
Not right now. To join a family group, a person needs at least one Apple device — an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. They can't manage their family membership from a web browser or Android device. If they don't own an Apple device yet, they can still be invited, but they won't be able to accept until they have one.
What if someone in my family group buys something I don't want to share?
Purchases are shared by default, but you can turn off purchase sharing for specific apps or subscriptions. Go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing > Subscriptions, and you can hide individual subscriptions from the family. For apps, you can hide them from the App Store's Purchased tab, but family members who already have access can still use them.
Can I have two separate family groups?
No. One Apple ID can only manage or belong to one family group. If you need a different family group, you would need a different Apple ID to manage it. This is a limitation built into how Apple structures family accounts.
Do family members see my passwords or private files?
No. Family Sharing only shares purchases, subscriptions, and calendar events. Your passwords, photos, notes, and other personal data stay completely private unless you specifically share them through other means like iCloud Photo Library or a shared Notes folder.