How to remove yourself from Family Sharing or stop sharing with others
You can leave Family Sharing at any time, and the person who set it up can remove other members. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're the organizer or a member, and whether you want to leave entirely or just stop sharing specific things like subscriptions or location.
If you're a member, you can leave without permission. If you're the organizer, you'll need to either transfer the group to someone else or delete it entirely — and anyone still in the group will lose access to shared purchases and subscriptions the moment you do.
Key Takeaways
- Members can leave Family Sharing themselves through Settings on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or at iCloud.com, without asking the organizer's permission.
- The organizer can remove individual members, but removing everyone means they lose access to shared purchases and subscriptions immediately.
- If you're the organizer and want to leave, you must first transfer the group to another adult member or delete the group entirely.
- Leaving Family Sharing does not delete your Apple ID or remove your personal data — it only stops the sharing of purchases, subscriptions, location, and screen time controls.
- After you leave, you'll need your own subscriptions (like Apple Music or iCloud+) and will lose access to shared family photos and calendars.
How to leave Family Sharing as a member
If you're not the organizer, you can leave the group from any Apple device. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. Scroll down and tap "Leave Family Group" at the bottom. You'll see a warning that you'll lose access to shared purchases and subscriptions — tap it again to confirm.
On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, then click Family Sharing. Click the minus button next to your name and confirm. On a Windows PC or Android device, you can't manage Family Sharing directly, but you can go to iCloud.com, sign in, click your name, select Family Sharing, and click "Leave Family Group."
After you leave, your personal data stays on your Apple ID. You keep your photos, notes, and email. You just lose access to anything the family was sharing — apps, books, subscriptions, location data, and shared calendars or photo libraries.
How to remove a family member if you're the organizer
Only the person who created the Family Sharing group can remove members. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing. Tap the person's name you want to remove, then tap "Remove [Name] from Family Group." Confirm the action.
On a Mac, open System Settings, click your name, then Family Sharing. Click the minus button next to the member's name and confirm. The person will lose access to shared purchases and subscriptions immediately, though their personal data remains on their Apple ID.
If you remove a child under 13 (or the age of digital consent in your region), they'll also lose access to any content you purchased for them through Family Sharing. If they have an active subscription like Apple Music, they'll need their own subscription to keep using it.
How to transfer or delete Family Sharing if you're the organizer
If you want to leave Family Sharing but keep the group running, you can transfer it to another adult member. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing. Tap "Transfer Family Group" at the bottom. Choose another adult in the group to become the new organizer and confirm.
If you want to disband the group entirely, tap "Delete Family Group" instead. Everyone in the group will lose access to shared purchases and subscriptions, though they'll keep their personal data. You can't undo this action, so make sure everyone has their own subscriptions set up first if they need them.
Before you transfer or delete, check what subscriptions the family is sharing — Apple Music, Apple TV+, iCloud+ storage, Apple Arcade, and Apple News+. Anyone who needs to keep using these will need their own subscription after the change.
What happens to your data and purchases after you leave
Your personal Apple ID account stays intact. Your photos, email, notes, reminders, and contacts remain on your device and in iCloud. You don't lose anything you created or purchased with your own money.
What you lose access to: apps and books the family bought together (though you keep any you personally purchased), shared subscriptions like Apple Music or Apple TV+, shared photo libraries and calendars, location sharing, and any screen time controls the organizer set up. If a child's device had screen time limits, those disappear when they leave or are removed.
If you were using a shared iCloud+ subscription for extra storage, you'll drop back to the free 5 GB tier unless you buy your own iCloud+ plan. Check your storage before you leave — if you're using more than 5 GB, your data will stop syncing across devices until you either buy storage or delete files.
How to stop sharing specific things without leaving the group
You don't have to leave Family Sharing entirely if you only want to stop sharing one thing. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name, then Family Sharing. Tap "Family Sharing Preferences" and toggle off individual items: Purchase Sharing, Location Sharing, or Screen Time.
If you turn off Purchase Sharing, the family can still see your location and you'll still see theirs. If you turn off Location Sharing, you keep purchase sharing but stop sharing where you are. Screen Time controls only apply to children's devices, so turning that off removes parental restrictions.
This is useful if you want to stay in the group for shared subscriptions or photos but don't want everyone to see your location, or if you want to stop sharing app purchases but keep the family calendar.
Troubleshooting: What to do if you can't leave or remove someone
If the "Leave Family Group" button is grayed out, you're likely the organizer. You can't leave without transferring the group first. Go to "Transfer Family Group" and choose another adult member, or delete the group if you want to disband it entirely.
If you're trying to remove a member and it won't work, make sure you're signed in as the organizer on the device you're using. Family Sharing settings are only available to the person who created the group. If you're on a different device or signed in as a different user, you won't see the remove option.
If a member has an active subscription or unpaid balance on their account, some services may prevent immediate removal. Contact Apple Support if you're stuck — they can help sort out account issues that are blocking the change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I lose my photos if I leave Family Sharing?
No. Your personal photos stay on your Apple ID. You only lose access to the shared family photo library that the group was using together. Any photos you took or uploaded yourself remain in your personal library.
Can I rejoin Family Sharing after I leave?
Yes. The organizer can invite you back, or you can ask them to add you again. You'll regain access to shared purchases and subscriptions, but you'll start fresh — you won't automatically get back any apps or books you had access to before you left.
What happens to my child's device if I remove them from Family Sharing?
Screen time limits and parental controls disappear immediately. They keep their Apple ID and personal data. If they were using shared apps or subscriptions, they lose access to those, but apps they personally own stay on their device.
If I'm the organizer and I delete Family Sharing, can I create a new one right away?
Yes. You can create a new Family Sharing group immediately after deleting the old one. You'll need to invite members again, and they'll need to accept the invitation before they have access to shared purchases and subscriptions.
Do I need to do anything special if I'm leaving because I'm switching to Android?
Just leave the group through iCloud.com before you switch. Your Apple ID stays active, so you can still use Apple services on Android (like Apple Music or iCloud.com). You won't have access to Family Sharing features on Android, but your personal account data is safe.