Apple Family Sharing: How and which apps you can share

Apple’s family sharing allows multiple people to access apps that another family member has already purchased. Find out how to set up this sharing and what content can be shared here.

Share apps using Apple Family Sharing: How it works

Apple Family Sharing is not just for sharing storage in the iCloud. When purchase sharing is enabled, all members of the group can access apps, movies, music and other paid offerings that one person has already paid for. If you have not yet enabled purchase sharing, follow these steps:

• If you want to turn on family sharing on iPhone, iPod touch or iPad, open Settings and tap your name at the top.

• Next, select “Family Sharing” and then tap “Set up your family”. On your device, you will now be guided through all the next steps to set up your family and invite members.

• If you are using an iMac, first select “System Preferences” from the Apple menu in the top left corner and then click on “Family Sharing”. If you are using the macOS Mojave operating system or older, select “iCloud” instead.

• Next, confirm your Apple ID and make sure “Share my purchases” is activated. Now all you have to do is follow the instructions on your screen.

How to invite others to family sharing

Once you’ve enabled sharing in settings, all you need is an invitation so family members can access your purchases.

• To add people to family sharing, you can send them an invitation to their device. An Apple ID is required to accept this. Members who are currently in your area can also join by entering their Apple ID on your device.

• To send an invitation from a mobile device, first open Settings, tap your name, then tap Family Sharing. Next, select “Add member” and enter the family member’s email address. Now follow all further instructions on your screen.

• If you want to send an invitation from your iMac, first select “System Preferences” from the Apple menu. Next, click on “Family Sharing” and then on “Add Family Member”. You will now be guided through all further steps.

• If you are using macOS Mojave or older, select “System Preferences” in the Apple menu and then “iCloud”. Now click on “Manage family” and then on “Add family member”. All further steps will then appear on your screen.

• After sending the invitation, you can see under the name of the respective person whether they have already accepted your invitation. You can find the overview of names in the settings under “Family sharing”.

• If accepting the invitation does not work, check if the Apple ID is already being used for another family share. Each Apple ID can belong to a maximum of one group.

This content can be shared

Family members can share apps, music, movies, TV shows and books.

• Content from the Apple TV app, books from the Book Store and apps purchased from the App Store can be shared using family sharing.

• Also, subscriptions from Apple such as the Apple Music family subscription, AppleFitness+ or iCloud+ can be shared between members of the group.

• Single as well as student subscriptions cannot be shared. Also, in-app purchases that can be used up, for example coins, can only be used by one person.

• Content that is no longer available on Apple Music, Apple TV or the App Store cannot be downloaded.

• You can hide items you have purchased for other members. They will not be able to download the hidden content via family sharing.

How to access shared content

Once purchase sharing is enabled, all members can access paid content that another member has already paid for.

• If you use an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, first open the App Store, Apple Books or the Apple TV app.

• In the App Store, first tap your profile picture and then tap “Purchased”. For the Apple TV app, first tap “Library” and then “Family Sharing”. To access Apple Books, tap your profile picture in the app.

• Next, you can tap on a family member’s name to see their purchases. By selecting “Download” now, you will download the content.

• If you want to download an app to your iMac, first open the App Store and then click on your name. To see purchased apps from other family members, select the name of the respective member next to “Purchased from”. There you can now download the desired content.

• To access Apple TV content via the iMac, open the Apple TV app. Now click on “Library” and then on the arrow next to “Library” to select a family member. You can then download the content purchased by that person.

• You can access books or audiobooks on your iMac by opening the Apple Books app. In the app, sign in and click on your name to go to your account page. Under “Family Purchases” you can select another member and download the desired content.