To set up Apple Family Sharing on an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name, tap Family, then Continue, and follow the prompts to create your group and invite people. A family group can include you plus up to five others, six people in total, and the person who sets it up (the organiser) must be an adult. Once it is running, family members can share Apple subscriptions such as iCloud+, Apple Music and Apple TV without sharing a single Apple Account, and parents can manage a child’s device.
Christmas is when many families suddenly have three new Apple devices in the house. Setting up Family Sharing before the wrapping paper comes off means children’s devices can be linked to you from the start, and nobody needs to know anyone else’s password.
What Family Sharing Actually Does
According to Apple, Family Sharing lets members:
- Share Apple subscriptions, including iCloud+, Apple Music and Apple TV, each person using their own account.
- Share purchases from the accounts you invite.
- Share locations with each other, if they choose.
- Help find missing devices belonging to family members.
- Manage a child’s device with Screen Time and parental controls.
What it does not do is merge your accounts. Your emails, messages, photos and notes stay private to you. That is the main reason to use it rather than signing everyone into one shared Apple Account, which is a common shortcut that causes muddle: shared messages, mixed-up contacts and children’s games appearing on a parent’s phone.
Who Can Be in a Family Group?
- Up to six people: the organiser plus five members.
- The organiser must be an adult. Apple says you may need to confirm this when you set up the group.
- Parents/guardians. The organiser can make any adult member a parent/guardian. They can then create child accounts, manage parental controls and approve requests.
- One group at a time. Apple says you can only belong to one family group, and can switch groups only once a year. Think about this if grandparents and two households are involved.
Step 1: Create the Group
- On your iPhone or iPad, open Settings.
- Tap your name at the top.
- Tap Family, then Continue.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the group.
You are now the organiser. Before inviting anyone, make sure your own Apple Account is well protected, ideally with two-factor authentication switched on, because the organiser’s account sits at the centre of the family.
Step 2: Invite Adults and Older Children
- Open Settings and tap Family.
- Tap the Add Member button.
- Tap Invite Others. This is for an adult, or a child who already has a Child Account.
- Follow the prompts to send the invitation.
Adults receive an email or text invitation. They can accept from that, or by opening Settings, tapping their name, then Invitations. A child who already has a Child Account can accept on the spot by typing their password on your device.
If an invitation goes missing, open Settings > Family, tap the person’s name and choose Resend Invitation.
Step 3: Create a Child Account
Younger children need a Child Account. Apple says a child needs one to download apps, use shared iCloud storage, have adjusted parental controls, or do anything else that requires an Apple Account.
- Open Settings > Family and tap Add Member.
- Tap Create Child Account and follow the instructions.
- Work through the remaining screens for parental controls, location sharing and so on.
If the child’s new iPhone or iPad is already in their hands, you can also link it from their side: open Settings on the child’s device and tap Connect to Family.
Apple notes that, depending on age and where you live, a child’s account may need to stay in a family group until they turn 18.
Step 4: Make Another Adult a Parent/Guardian
If two parents share the job, give the second adult the same powers:
- Open Settings > Family.
- Tap the other adult’s name.
- Tap Set as Parent/Guardian.
Now either of you can approve Ask to Buy and Ask to Browse requests. With Ask to Buy, a child’s attempt to download or buy something sends a request to a parent instead of going straight through. Our sister site WittyTeens explains in detail what a child can and cannot download without your approval, including the gaps Apple itself lists.
Step 5: Decide What to Share
Once the group exists, go through the shared features in Settings > Family and switch on only what you want:
| Feature | Good for | Think about |
|---|---|---|
| Shared subscriptions (iCloud+, Apple Music, Apple TV) | Paying once for the household | Agree who pays for the plan before you switch it on |
| Purchase sharing | Not buying the same app twice | Children may see apps or films bought by adults |
| Location sharing | Knowing a teenager got home | Agree it openly; our guide on sharing your location with family explains the options |
| Screen Time | Limits on a child’s device | See our guide to screen time limits |
Shared iCloud+ storage is especially useful: one plan covers everyone, and each person’s photos and backups stay private within it.
A Sensible Order If New Devices Are Arriving at Christmas
When several Apple devices turn up on the same morning, the order you do things in saves a lot of backtracking:
- A few days before: create the family group on your own iPhone or iPad, and invite the other adult so you are both parents/guardians.
- Still before the day: create Child Accounts for any children who do not have one yet. Choose passwords you can write down and keep somewhere safe at home.
- On the day: when a child’s new device is switched on for the first time, sign it in with that child’s own account, not yours. If it is already set up, use Connect to Family in the child’s Settings.
- That evening: check Ask to Buy and Screen Time for each child, then decide together which shared features to switch on.
Doing the account work in advance means the morning is about the presents rather than passwords, and nobody’s new tablet ends up quietly signed in to a parent’s Apple Account.
Common Problems
“You can only switch family groups once a year”
If someone left another family group recently, they may have to wait. Apple limits switching groups to once a year.
The group is full
Six people is the maximum. Large extended families sometimes run two groups, one per household.
The child can still buy things
Check Ask to Buy is on for that child and that a parent/guardian, not the child, is approving requests.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can be in Apple Family Sharing?
Six: the organiser plus up to five family members.
Can family members see each other’s photos and messages?
No. Family Sharing shares subscriptions, purchases and optional features like location, while each person keeps their own Apple Account and private data.
Does my child need their own Apple Account?
Yes, a Child Account. Apple says a child needs one to download apps, use shared iCloud storage and have parental controls adjusted.
Can grandparents be in the same family group?
Yes, as long as the group stays at six people or fewer. Remember each person can only be in one group, so they could not also join another child’s family.
Who can approve Ask to Buy requests?
The organiser and any adult set as a parent/guardian.
Source: Apple Support, Set up Family Sharing.
Last updated: November 13, 2026