iCloud Family Sharing lets you share your storage plan with up to five other family members, and they can also share their photos, calendars, and purchases with the group

When you set up Family Sharing on iCloud, everyone in your family group gets access to a single storage plan instead of each person paying for their own. If you have 200 GB of iCloud storage, all six family members (you plus five others) share that same 200 GB. The storage pool works for backups, photos, documents, and mail across everyone's devices. You control who is in the family group and can remove people at any time.

The person who starts the family group becomes the organizer and pays for the shared storage plan. Family members do not pay separately for storage — they simply use what is available in the shared pool. If the group runs out of space, the organizer can upgrade the plan through their own iCloud settings, and the upgrade applies to everyone immediately.

Key Takeaways

  • The family organizer sets up Family Sharing and pays for the shared storage plan, while other members use the pool at no extra cost.
  • You can add up to five family members, and each person needs their own Apple ID to join the group.
  • Family members can see how much storage each person is using, but their individual files remain private unless they choose to share them.
  • You can remove a family member at any time, and their data will no longer count toward the shared storage limit.
  • Family Sharing also lets members share purchases, subscriptions, and location data if you turn those features on.

How to start a Family Sharing group on your iPhone or iPad

Open the Settings app and tap your name at the top. Scroll down and tap Family Sharing. If you see "Set Up Family Sharing," tap that button. If you already have a family group, you will see the members listed here instead.

Tap get your free guide or Add Family Member. The first screen will ask you to confirm your Apple ID and payment method — this is the account that will be charged for the shared storage plan. Tap Continue. You will then see options to add family members by inviting them through iCloud or by setting up a child account. Choose the method that matches your situation, then follow the prompts to add each person.

Once all family members are added, go back to Settings, tap your name, and tap iCloud. You will see a section called iCloud Storage that shows how much storage the family is using and how much is left. If you need more space, tap Manage Storage and then Change Storage Plan to upgrade.

How to start a Family Sharing group on a Mac

Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner and select System Settings (on newer Macs) or System Preferences (on older ones). Click General in the sidebar, then look for Family or Family Sharing. Click Set Up Family Sharing or Add Family Member.

Confirm your Apple ID and payment method when prompted. Then add family members one at a time by entering their Apple ID or by creating a child account. Each person you add will receive an invitation to join the family group. They can accept the invitation from their own device, and once they do, they will have access to the shared storage pool.

To check how much storage the family is using, go back to System Settings, click General, and then click Family. You will see a breakdown of storage use by person and the total available space.

Adding and removing family members

To add a new member after the group is set up, open Settings (or System Settings on Mac), tap or click your name, and go to Family Sharing. Tap or click Add Family Member. You can invite someone using their Apple ID, or you can create a child account if you are adding a child under 13. When you invite an adult, they will receive a notification on their device asking them to accept the invitation.

To remove someone, go to Family Sharing, find their name in the list, and tap or click the name. Tap or click Remove from Family Sharing. Once you remove them, they will no longer have access to the shared storage, and their data will no longer count toward the family's storage limit. They will need to set up their own iCloud storage plan if they want to keep backing up their device.

If a family member wants to leave the group on their own, they can go to their own Settings, tap their name, go to Family Sharing, and tap Leave Family Sharing. They will have 30 days to download or move any data they want to keep before it is deleted from iCloud.

Understanding storage limits and what counts toward them

The shared storage plan covers iCloud backups, photos stored in iCloud Photos, documents in iCloud Drive, mail in iCloud Mail, and notes in the Notes app. Each family member's backup, photos, and documents all pull from the same pool. If one person's backup is 50 GB and another person's is 40 GB, the family is using 90 GB of the shared plan.

Some things do not count toward the shared storage limit. These include messages in iCloud, health data, Siri settings, and app data stored through iCloud Keychain. Photos and videos stored in the Photos app on your device (not uploaded to iCloud) also do not count. Only data that is actually stored in iCloud counts against the family's limit.

If the family runs out of storage, no one can back up their device, and new photos will not upload to iCloud Photos. The organizer will need to upgrade the plan. Plans range from 50 GB (the free tier, though this is not shared) to 2 TB. When the organizer upgrades, the new limit applies to everyone immediately.

Privacy and what family members can see

Family members can see each other's names and how much storage each person is using, but they cannot see what files or photos each person has stored. Your iCloud Drive, photos, mail, and notes remain private unless you specifically share them with another family member. Sharing a photo album or a document is a separate action you choose to do — it does not happen automatically.

If you turn on location sharing in Family Sharing settings, family members will be able to see each other's location on a map. This is optional and can be turned on or off at any time. You can also choose to share purchases and subscriptions with the family group, but again, this is something you control.

The family organizer can see which family members are using the shared storage and how much each person is using, but they cannot access anyone else's private files. If you are concerned about privacy, you can explain to family members that their data is only visible to them unless they choose to share it.

What happens when someone leaves the family group

When you remove a family member or they leave on their own, they lose access to the shared storage immediately. Any data they had stored in iCloud — backups, photos, documents — will no longer be accessible to them through iCloud. However, if they had downloaded copies of their files to their device, those local copies remain on the device.

If a family member leaves, they have 30 days to download or move any data they want to keep. After 30 days, their iCloud data is deleted. They can set up their own iCloud storage plan at any time, but they will need to start fresh with a new backup and re-upload any photos or documents they want to keep.

The storage they were using immediately becomes available to the rest of the family. If the family was running low on space, removing a member who had a large backup can free up significant room for others.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I share iCloud storage with people who are not related to me?

Family Sharing is designed for family members, but Apple does not verify relationships. You can add anyone with an Apple ID to your family group. However, they will be able to see your name and contact information, and you will see theirs, so it works best with people you trust.

What if I want to upgrade my storage plan but do not want to pay more?

The organizer pays for the shared plan, and there is no way to split the cost automatically. You and your family members would need to arrange payment separately outside of Apple's system. Some families ask members to send money to the organizer to cover their share of the cost.

Can I have two separate family groups?

No. Each Apple ID can only belong to one family group at a time. If you want to switch to a different family group, you must leave your current one first, which takes 30 days to complete.

What if a family member's device runs out of storage space?

Running out of storage on the device itself (the phone or computer's hard drive) is different from running out of iCloud storage. If someone's device is full, they need to delete files from that device. Shared iCloud storage does not fix device storage problems — it only backs up data to Apple's servers.

Can I see what apps my family members have downloaded?

If you turn on purchase sharing in Family Sharing settings, family members can see what apps, books, and music each person has bought from the App Store. However, you can turn this feature off if you prefer privacy. Turning it off does not affect the shared storage pool.