How to Set up Apple Family Sharing

Does your family share a love of devices? Taking this bonding a step further with Apple Family Sharing. The service is an easy way for up to six family members to share iTunes, Apple Books, App Store purchases, Apple Music family plans and iCloud storage plans.

Is this Another Subscription Service?

In a word, no. Family Sharing is a free iOS feature. One credit card is assigned to a primary account (the organizer’s) used for ALL family purchases (iTunes, iBooks Apps, etc.).

Turn on Ask to Buy for the children in the family. When a child tries to make a purchase, an alert is sent to the organizer, who can review the download and approve or decline it right from the organizer’s device. This applies to both purchases and free downloads.

There’s an option of setting up family iCloud storage that everyone in your family can use. This does come with a monthly fee, depending on how much storage you want.

What Else Does Family Sharing Do?

Members of the family can share a photo album in the Photos App on all family members’ devices.
Members of the family can share a calendar so everyone view, add, or change events and appointments, and get an alert when something changes.
You can automatically share your location with the other members of your family.
You can use family sharing to set up the iOS 12 feature Screen Time on your children’s devices from your phone.
Family Sharing enables you to set up an iCloud account for children under 13 in your household.
Lose a device? Anyone in the Family Sharing group can locate a misplaced device.

How to Set up Family Sharing Using Your iPhone

If you are using iOS 10.2 or earlier, Go to Settings.
Tap [your name] at the top of the screen.
Tap Set Up Family Sharing.
Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your family and invite your family members.
If you are using iOS 11 or later, choose the first feature you’d like to share with your family. Then follow the instruction to invite your family members using iMessage.