Share Apple Music with up to six family members
Apple Music works with Family Sharing, Apple's system for letting up to six people in your household share subscriptions, purchases, and content. When you set up Family Sharing, everyone gets their own Apple Music account under one subscription — you pay for one plan, and each person keeps their own music library, playlists, and recommendations.
The person who starts Family Sharing (the organizer) pays for the Apple Music subscription. Everyone else joins for free. Each family member signs in with their own Apple ID on their device, and they automatically get access to Apple Music without needing a separate subscription.
Family Sharing also shares other Apple services like iCloud storage plans, Apple TV+, and Apple Arcade if you have those subscriptions. You can turn off sharing for individual services if you want — for example, you could share Apple Music but not Apple TV+.
Key Takeaways
- Family Sharing lets up to six people use one Apple Music subscription, with each person keeping their own music library and playlists.
- The organizer (the person who sets up Family Sharing) pays for Apple Music, and everyone else gets access at no extra cost.
- Each family member needs their own Apple ID and must be added to the Family Sharing group by the organizer.
- You can remove someone from Family Sharing at any time, and their access to shared subscriptions stops immediately.
- Family members can see each other's purchases and shared content, but you can hide specific purchases if you want privacy.
Set up Family Sharing on iPhone, iPad, or Mac
Start on the device where you have your Apple Music subscription. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. On Mac, open System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, then click Family Sharing.
Tap or click "Create a Family Group" or "get your free guide" if you do not see Family Sharing yet. You will be asked to confirm your payment method — this is where Apple Music charges will go. Follow the prompts to set up your family organizer account. This takes about two minutes.
Once Family Sharing is active, you will see an option to add family members. Tap "Add Family Member" and choose whether to invite someone with an existing Apple ID or create a new Apple ID for a child. If you are inviting an adult, they will receive an invitation they must accept. If you are creating an account for a child under 13, you set up parental controls at this step.
Each person you add will see Apple Music appear on their device once they accept the invitation and sign in with their Apple ID. They do not need to do anything else — the subscription is already active for them.
Add family members who already have an Apple ID
If someone in your family already has an Apple ID, you can invite them to join your Family Sharing group. Open Family Sharing settings on your device, tap "Add Family Member," then choose "Invite." Enter their email address or phone number associated with their Apple ID.
They will receive an invitation through their Apple device or email. They must accept it within seven days, or the invitation expires and you will need to send it again. Once they accept, they are added to your family group and can use Apple Music immediately.
If the person you are inviting does not have an Apple ID, you can still add them — just choose "Create an Apple ID for a Family Member" instead of "Invite." You will set up a new account for them, and they can start using it right away on their device.
Remove someone from Family Sharing
Open Family Sharing settings on your device and find the person you want to remove. Tap their name, then tap "Remove from Family" or a similar option depending on your device. Confirm the removal.
That person loses access to all shared subscriptions immediately, including Apple Music. Their own purchases and content stay on their device, but they can no longer stream music through the family subscription. If they want to keep using Apple Music, they will need their own individual subscription.
If you remove the organizer (the person who set up Family Sharing), the entire Family Sharing group dissolves. A different family member can become the new organizer, but there will be a brief gap where no one has access to shared subscriptions while the change takes effect.
Control what family members can see and buy
Family Sharing shows everyone's purchases by default. If you want to hide a purchase you made, open Family Sharing settings, tap your name, then look for an option like "Purchase Sharing" or "Shared Purchases." You can toggle off sharing for your account, which hides your purchases from other family members.
If you have children in your family group, you can set up parental controls to limit what they can buy or download. Open Family Sharing, tap the child's name, then look for "Screen Time" or "Parental Controls." You can require approval before they buy anything, or block purchases entirely.
Each person's music library and playlists stay private to them — family members cannot see what songs you have saved or what you are listening to. Only purchases show up in the shared view, and you can hide those if you want.
Troubleshoot common Family Sharing problems
If someone in your family cannot see Apple Music on their device, have them sign out of their Apple ID and sign back in. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap their name, scroll down, and tap "Sign Out." Then sign back in with the same Apple ID. On Mac, go to System Settings, click their name, then click "Sign Out."
If the organizer changes their Apple Music plan (for example, downgrading from Individual to Voice), everyone in the family loses access until the organizer upgrades back to a plan that supports Family Sharing. Only Individual, Student, and Family plans work with Family Sharing — Voice plan does not.
If you are not seeing the Family Sharing option at all, make sure you are signed in with the Apple ID that has the Apple Music subscription. Family Sharing only appears for the account that owns the subscription. If you recently moved to a new country or region, you may need to wait a few hours for Family Sharing to become available again.
Switch to a different family group
If you are already in a Family Sharing group and want to join a different one, you must leave your current group first. Open Family Sharing settings, tap your name, then tap "Leave Family Group." Confirm the action.
You can join a new family group immediately after leaving. The organizer of the new group will need to send you an invitation, and you accept it the same way you would accept any Family Sharing invitation. There is no waiting period between leaving one group and joining another.
If you are the organizer and want to leave, you must first transfer the organizer role to someone else in the group. Open Family Sharing settings, tap the person you want to make organizer, then look for an option to make them the new organizer. Once they accept, you can leave the group.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Family Sharing if I have a Student plan?
No, Student plans do not support Family Sharing. You need an Individual or Family plan. If you have a Student plan and want to share with family members, you will need to switch to the Family plan, which costs more but lets up to six people use Apple Music.
What happens to my music library if I leave Family Sharing?
Your music library stays on your device. You lose access to Apple Music streaming unless you get your own subscription. Any songs you downloaded for offline listening remain on your device, but you cannot stream new music or access your playlists through the service.
Can I see what my family members are listening to?
No, each person's listening history and playlists are private. You can only see what they have purchased through the App Store or iTunes Store if they have not hidden those purchases. Apple Music does not show you who is listening to what.
Do family members need to be on the same Wi-Fi network?
No, Family Sharing works over the internet. Family members can be anywhere in the world and still use the shared Apple Music subscription. They just need to be signed in with their Apple ID on their device.
What if the organizer stops paying for Apple Music?
Everyone in the family loses access to Apple Music immediately. The subscription must stay active for the entire family to use it. If the organizer wants to pause the subscription temporarily, everyone loses access during that time.