The fastest way to add a family member
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. The person you're adding will receive an invitation on their device, and once they accept, they'll have access to Apple Music under the same family plan. The whole process takes about two minutes.
If you're setting up Family Sharing for the first time, you'll need to be the organizer — the person who created the family group. You can add up to five other people to your plan, for a total of six family members. Everyone shares the same Apple Music subscription, so there's no additional cost per person.
The person you're adding needs their own Apple ID. If they don't have one, you can create it during the invitation process. They also need to be at least 13 years old, or you'll need to set them up as a child account under parental controls instead.
Key Takeaways
- You can add up to five people to one Apple Music Family Plan, and everyone shares the same subscription at no extra cost.
- The person being added needs their own Apple ID and must be at least 13 years old to join as a regular family member.
- Family members can each have their own music library, playlists, and recommendations — their listening doesn't affect yours.
- You can remove someone from the family group anytime through Family Sharing settings, and they'll lose access to Apple Music immediately.
What happens when someone joins your family group
Once someone accepts your invitation and joins the family group, they immediately get access to Apple Music on any device where they sign in with their Apple ID. They can download songs, create playlists, and use Siri to play music — all the same features you have. Their music library is completely separate from yours, so their downloads and playlists won't show up in your account.
Each family member also gets their own recommendations and personalized playlists based on what they listen to. Apple Music learns their taste independently, so you won't see their listening history mixed into your For You section. If you have children in the family group, you can set up parental controls to restrict explicit content on their accounts.
Family members can use Apple Music on iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, HomePods, and Android phones. They just need to sign in with their Apple ID on each device. If someone in your family group uses a different streaming service on another device, that's fine — the family plan only covers Apple Music.
Adding someone who doesn't have an Apple ID yet
If the person you want to add doesn't have an Apple ID, you can create one for them during the Family Sharing setup. Go to Settings, tap your name, select Family Sharing, and choose Add Family Member. When you enter their email address, you'll have the option to create a new Apple ID if they don't already have one.
You'll need to provide their email address and set up a password. Apple will send a verification email to that address, and they'll need to confirm it before the account is active. Once the account is created and they accept the family invitation, they can start using Apple Music right away.
If you're adding a child under 13, the process is different — you'll set them up as a child account under your Family Sharing group, and you'll manage their access through parental controls. Children's accounts can still use Apple Music, but you control what content they can see.
Removing someone from your family group
To remove someone from your Apple Music Family Plan, open Settings, tap your name, select Family Sharing, find the person's name, and tap their account. Then choose Remove from Family Sharing. They'll lose access to Apple Music immediately, and any music they downloaded will no longer play on their devices.
When you remove someone, their personal data stays on their devices — their playlists and library don't disappear from their account, but they won't be able to stream or download new music through Apple Music. If they want to keep using Apple Music, they'll need to start their own individual subscription.
If someone leaves your family group on their own, they can do that through their own Settings without your permission. Go to Settings, tap your name, select Family Sharing, and choose Leave Family Sharing. After they leave, they'll have a grace period of a few days before they lose access to Apple Music.
Troubleshooting common problems
If someone isn't receiving the family invitation, check that you entered their email address correctly. The invitation goes to the email address associated with their Apple ID, not necessarily the email they use most often. Ask them to check their email spam folder, or try sending the invitation again.
If the person you're adding is getting an error message, make sure they're signed out of any other Apple ID on their device before accepting the invitation. They should sign in with the Apple ID you sent the invitation to. If they're trying to join on an older device, check that it's running a recent enough version of iOS or iPadOS — very old devices may not support Family Sharing.
If someone is already part of a different family group, they'll need to leave that group before joining yours. They can do this through their own Settings under Family Sharing. There's usually a waiting period of a few days before they can join a new family group, so plan ahead if you're switching between groups.
How family billing works
One person on the family plan — the organizer — pays for the entire Apple Music Family Plan subscription. The cost is the same whether you have two people or six people on the plan. The payment method is tied to the organizer's Apple ID, and the bill appears on their account every month.
Family members don't see the bill or have any control over the payment method. If you want to switch who pays for the family plan, the current organizer can transfer that role to someone else through Family Sharing settings. The new organizer will then be responsible for the monthly charge.
If the payment fails — for example, if the credit card on file expires — Apple will notify the organizer, and the entire family will lose access to Apple Music until the payment is updated. Family members can't fix this themselves; the organizer needs to update the payment method.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add someone who lives in a different country?
Yes, you can add family members in different countries to the same family group. However, Apple Music pricing and available content varies by country, so each person will see the catalog and pricing for their own region. The organizer's location determines the billing currency and which payment methods are available.
What if someone in my family group has their own Apple Music subscription?
They should cancel their individual subscription before joining the family plan to avoid being charged twice. Once they join the family group, they'll have access through the family plan instead. If they cancel their individual subscription after joining, they'll keep access through the family plan with no gap in service.
Can family members see what music I'm listening to?
No. Each person's listening history and recommendations are private. Family members can't see your playlists, downloads, or what you're currently playing unless you share a specific playlist with them. Your music activity only affects your own personalized recommendations.
What happens to downloaded music if someone leaves the family group?
Music they downloaded while on the family plan will stop playing once they're removed or leave the group. The files stay on their device, but they can't be played without an active Apple Music subscription. If they get their own individual subscription later, they'd need to download the songs again.
Do I need to be on the same Wi-Fi network to add someone?
No. Family members can be anywhere in the world and on any internet connection. The invitation is sent through their email address, so they just need to be able to receive and open emails and access their device to accept it.