What is Apple’s Family Sharing feature, how do you set it up and what is shared?

(Pocket-lint) – Apple’s Family Sharing feature is designed to make it easier for a family to share content, purchases and storage across multiple iOS devices and Apple ID accounts.

Family Sharing works across iOS devices and Macs, and it allows up to six people to share iTunes, Apple Books and App Store purchases, an Apple Music family plan, an Apple News+ subscription, a Fitness+ subscription, an Apple Arcade subscription, iCloud storage plan, as well as share photo albums, a family calendar and locations, without sharing accounts.

This is everything you need to know about Apple’s Family Sharing feature including how to set it up, what it involves, what is shared and how to use it.

How to setup Family Sharing

Family Sharing is simple to setup. The person who sets it up becomes what Apple calls the Organiser, and they are able to choose the features your family shares, as well as invite up to five family members to join their Family Sharing group. 

Once an invite is accepted, that family member will see Family Sharing setup on their device automatically.

Family Sharing setup on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch:

1. Open Settings and tap on your name at the top
2. Tap on ‘Set Up Family Sharing’
3. Click on ‘Get Started’
4. Choose the first feature you want to share with your family (iOS 11 or later)
5. Click ‘Continue’
6. Choose a Shared Payment method – this card will be used by family members to pay for iTunes, Apple Books and App Store purchases.
7. Click ‘Continue’
8. Tap on Invite Family Members
9. Enter the security number for your Shared Payment card if requested and click ‘Next’
10. A new iMessage will appear with a link to the Family Sharing invitation. Type in your family member’s contact name or number and press send.
11. Click ‘Done’.

Family Sharing setup on Mac:

1. Choose the Apple Menu in the top left of your screen 
2. Open System Preferences 
3. Click on iCloud (or the Family Sharing icon if you’re running macOS Catalina)
4. Tap on ‘Set up Family’ or ‘Add Family Member’
5. Enter a family member’s name, email address or Game Centre nickname
6. Click Continue 
7. Enter the security card for your card to confirm you are the Family Organiser
8. Choose whether to send an invitation or ask your family member to enter the password for their Apple ID

Requirements for Family Sharing

All family members will need to be running iOS 8 and later or OS X Yosemite and later for the Family Sharing feature to be available.

Each family member can only be in one family group at a time. You’re also only allowed to switch to a different family group twice per year.