The fastest way depends on what device you use
Sharing an app with family means letting them download and use the same app on their own device without paying for it again. The method changes depending on whether you use an iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or Android tablet — and whether you want to share the app itself or just let them use it on a shared device.
On iPhones and iPads, Apple's Family Sharing feature handles most of this automatically once it is set up. On Android devices, Google Play lets you share purchased apps with family members, though the process works differently than Apple's. If you want someone to use an app on your own device without giving them your password, both systems have options for that too.
The key difference: Apple shares the app purchase itself, while Android shares access to your Google Play library. Both are free, and both take about five to ten minutes to set up the first time.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone and iPad users can set up Family Sharing to let up to six family members download paid apps you have purchased, without sharing passwords.
- Android users can share their Google Play library with family members, who then see your purchased apps in their own Play Store account.
- If you want someone to use an app on your device without giving them access to your account, both iPhone and Android have guest or restricted user modes.
- Shared apps update automatically on each family member's device, and you can remove someone's access to a shared app at any time.
- Some apps — particularly games with in-app purchases or subscriptions — have restrictions on sharing and may not work on a family member's device even if the app itself is shared.
Sharing apps on iPhone and iPad with Family Sharing
Family Sharing on Apple devices lets up to six people in your family download apps, books, and music you have paid for. Once it is set up, family members see your purchased apps in their own App Store and can download them to their own iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch without needing your password.
To set up Family Sharing, open Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. Tap Set Up Your Family, then follow the prompts to add yourself as the organizer. You will need to confirm your Apple ID and payment method. Once that is done, you can add family members by tapping Add Family Member, entering their email address, and sending them an invitation. They accept the invitation from their own device, and their account is linked to your family group.
After Family Sharing is active, any app you buy from the App Store becomes available to all family members. They open their App Store, go to the Apps tab, tap their profile picture, scroll to Family Purchases, and download any app they want. The app appears on their home screen just like any other app they downloaded themselves. If you buy a new app later, it shows up in their Family Purchases section automatically within a few minutes.
To stop sharing a specific app with a family member, open Settings, tap your name, tap Family Sharing, select the family member's name, and toggle off the apps you want to remove from their access. That app disappears from their device within a few minutes, though any data they saved in that app stays on their device.
Sharing apps on Android with Google Play
Android's version of app sharing works through Google Play Family Library, which lets you share purchased apps with up to five other family members. Unlike Apple, where the organizer controls everything, Google Play lets each family member see your library but does not automatically give them access to every app — some apps have restrictions based on how they were built.
To set up Google Play Family Library, open Google Play on your Android phone or tablet, tap your profile icon in the top right, then tap Settings. Scroll down and tap Family Library, then tap Set Up Family Library. Follow the prompts to add yourself as the family manager, then add family members by their email address. They will receive an invitation and need to accept it from their own Google account.
Once the family library is active, family members can see your purchased apps in Google Play. They open the Play Store, tap their profile icon, go to Manage Apps & Device, then tap the Manage tab. At the top, they can switch to view your library instead of their own, and download any app from it. The app installs on their device and works just like an app they purchased themselves.
Some apps will not appear in the family library even though you own them. This happens when the app developer has set restrictions on sharing, or when the app uses a subscription model. Games with in-app purchases sometimes have this restriction too. If an app does not show up in your family member's view of your library, it means the developer does not allow sharing for that particular app.
Letting someone use an app on your device without sharing your account
If you want a family member to use an app on your phone or tablet without giving them access to your email, passwords, or other personal data, both iPhone and Android have options that let you create a limited user space on your device.
On iPhone and iPad, this is called Screen Time. Open Settings, tap Screen Time, then tap Family Controls. Tap Add Family Member and enter their name and age. They do not need their own Apple ID — you create a child account for them. Once that is set up, they can use your device with restrictions you control: you can limit which apps they see, set time limits, and block certain content. To let them use a specific app, go back to Screen Time, select their name, tap App Limits, and make sure that app is not blocked.
On Android, create a Guest account or a Restricted Profile. Go to Settings, tap Users or Accounts (the exact name varies by phone), then tap Add User or Add Guest. If you add a guest, they get a temporary account that resets when they log out. If you add a restricted profile, you create a permanent limited account and choose which apps they can access. Open Settings, go to Apps, and toggle on or off which apps the restricted user can see.
What happens when you remove someone from sharing
When you remove a family member from your sharing group, they lose access to any apps you purchased that they downloaded. The app stays on their device, but it stops working — they will see an error message if they try to open it. Any data they saved inside that app (game progress, notes, settings) remains on their device, but they cannot use the app itself.
If you remove just one app from a family member's access instead of removing them from the whole family group, that single app disappears from their device within a few minutes. Other apps you share with them keep working normally.
On both iPhone and Android, you can remove someone from the family group entirely by going to Family Settings, selecting their name, and choosing Remove from Family. This disconnects them from all shared apps, books, and music at once. They keep their own account and any apps they purchased themselves.
Apps that cannot be shared, and why
Some apps have restrictions built in by the developer that prevent sharing, even though you paid for them. This is most common with games that use a subscription model (like Apple Arcade games or Xbox Game Pass titles), apps tied to a single user account (like banking apps or email clients), and apps with heavy in-app purchases.
Developers set these restrictions because the app is designed for one person's account, or because the business model depends on each user paying separately. A banking app, for example, will not share because it is tied to your specific account and login. A game with a battle pass or seasonal content might not share because the developer wants each player to have their own progression and purchases.
If an app you own does not show up in your family member's library on Android, or if they try to download it on iPhone and get an error, the app has a sharing restriction. There is no way around this — you cannot force an app to be shareable if the developer has locked it. Your family member would need to purchase their own copy, or you could let them use the app on your device instead using the guest or restricted user methods described above.
Shared apps update automatically
Once a family member downloads a shared app, it updates automatically just like any app they purchased themselves. When you get an update for an app in your own account, that update rolls out to all family members' devices within a few hours, usually overnight. They do not have to do anything — the update happens in the background.
If a family member wants to update a shared app manually instead of waiting, they can open their App Store or Google Play, go to their profile, find the app in their library or installed apps, and tap Update. This works the same way as updating any other app on their device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share apps with people who are not in my family?
No. Both Apple and Google limit sharing to people you add to your family group. If you want to share with a friend who is not related to you, you would need to add them to your family group, which requires their email address and their acceptance of the invitation. Some people do this, but it is not the intended use of the feature.
What if someone in my family buys an app — do I get it too?
On iPhone, yes — any app purchased by any family member becomes available to everyone in the group. On Android, no — each person's purchases stay in their own library. If you want an app someone else in your family bought on Android, you would need to purchase it yourself or have them share their library with you.
Can I see what apps my family members are using?
On iPhone, the family organizer can see which apps each family member has downloaded from the shared library, but not how often they use them. On Android, you cannot see what apps family members download from your shared library — you only see what you purchased. If you want to monitor a child's app use, both systems have parental control features separate from sharing.
Do shared apps use my storage or theirs?
Shared apps use storage on each person's device. When your family member downloads a shared app, it takes up space on their phone or tablet, not yours. If they delete the app, it frees up space on their device only.
What if I cancel my subscription to an app — do family members lose it?
If the app is a one-time purchase, family members keep it forever. If it is a subscription (like a magazine app or a service that requires monthly payment), they lose access when the subscription ends. The app stays on their device but will not work without an active subscription.