How to Set Up & Use Apple Music Family Sharing with Members

Updated by Adam Gorden on Feb 8, 2023 2:14 PM.
follow

Apple Music is one of the top music streaming services in the world. Launched in 2015, the platform is one of the youngest music sharing services in the world, yet it has overtaken many older platforms in popularity and even the number of active users. Why is this the case? Because it has many great features that make it stand out from the crowd. One of its best features is the Apple Music family sharing which allows a family of up to six members to share music, audiobooks, iTunes and the iCloud storage plan. With the family sharing you save on your subscription while having access to all the great features that Apple Music offers. To use family sharing you need to firstly have an Apple Music family plan.

apple music family sharing

The Apple Music's family plan is one of the best family discount plans among music streaming services in the world. For only $14.99, a family of six can have full access to all features of Apple Music. This saves you $144.95 had you bought individual plans for each of the six family members at $9.99 per individual. With the family plan, you can share app store purchases, iTunes, ebooks and Apple Music playlists. This makes a lot of sense especially for a family with children and teenagers who don't have credit cards of their own for purchases.

Part 1. Apple Music Family Sharing - Minimum Requirements
Part 2. How to Set Up Family Sharing on Your Devices
Part 3. How to Use Apple Music Family Sharing
Part 4. How to Fix Apple Music Family Sharing Not Working
Bonus Tip: How to Share Apple Music without Family Sharing

Part 1. Apple Music Family Sharing - Minimum Requirements

Before getting started with Family Sharing, here're some minimum requirements you need to be aware of.

apple music family plan

1. Apple ID

Your Apple ID is the account you use to access Apple services like the App Store, Apple Music, iCloud, FaceTime, the iTunes Store, and more. Each family member needs an Apple ID and must be signed in with their Apple ID on the compatible devices above to access Family settings.

If you are new to Apple's world, you'll need to have your own Apple ID with an email address and a password, or a phone number instead in some locations. If you manage the Family Sharing, you can add a child to the ground and create an Apple ID for them. Later the Apple ID is enquired to participate in the Family group.

2. Apple Music Family Subscription

To access the full Family Sharing features, you need to start your Family subscription. With an Apple Music family subscription, up to six family members can enjoy unlimited access to Apple Music on their devices.

To get your Family subscription, click here to follow any steps on the screen to finish the purchase. If you already subscribe to Apple Music and wish to organize your Family group, consider to change to a family subscription. The subscription cost $14.99 per month, as opposed to the regular $9.99 subscription.

3. Compatible Devices

Family Sharing is available on Mac computers (OS X 10.10 or later), iOS devices (Ios 8 or later), iPadOS devices, and Windows computers with iCloud for Windows (Windows 7 or later required).

4. Apple Music App (for Android only)

The latest version of Apple Music application is essential for Android users to complete the in-app purchase and set up with Family Sharing. Please go to Google Play Store to download it.

Now with an existing Family subscription, one adult - the family organizer can start to set up Family Sharing. For starters you need to set up the iCloud Drive on your device to share the access. And after you turn on iCloud, you are able to invite family members to join the Family Sharing group. Keep reading!

Part 2. How to Set Up Family Sharing on Your Devices

If you are on a desktop, it must be a Mac to finish setting up the Apple Music Family Sharing.

Setting up the Apple Music Family Sharing on Mac

macos ventura system settings family set up family

Step 1. To set up iCloud, choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Apple ID. If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier, click iCloud. Enter the Apple ID you use with your Family subscription. When you sign in, iCloud is turned on automatically.

Step 2. To set up Family Sharing, return to Apple menu > System Settings, then click [your name] at the top of the side bar.

Step 3. Click Family Sharing on the right, click Set Up Family, then invite people to join your Family Sharing group. When you first get to this page, there's the instruction on the screen. All the participants in your group should be able to access the full Family sharing features.

If you are on a mobile device, please pick your device to see how to set up Family Sharing.

Setting up Apple Music Family Sharing on iOS

ios family sharing setup

Step 1. For starters, please ensure to set up iCloud on your iPhone or iPad. To set up iCloud, open the Settings app > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive, then toggle "iCloud Drive" to enable this setting.

Step 2. To set up Family Sharing, open the Settings app > [your name] > Family Sharing > Set Up Your Family.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your family and invite your family members.

Setting up Apple Music family sharing on Android

Unlike iOS device users, Android users must prepare your device with the Apple Music app to continue with the in-app purchase and set up the Family Sharing.

Step 1. To subscribe to Family plan, open the Apple Music app on your Android device and head to Listen Now > the More button > Account > Family plan > Join Apple Music. Follow the on-screen steps to use your Apple ID to finish the purchase.

Step 2. To set up Family Sharing, head to the More button > Account > Manage Family. Tap Add Family Member and enter a name or email address to send the invitation from your family group.

Step 3. Once your family members accept your invitation, various features are available for you to share what you want and enjoy each other's listening.

Part 3. How to Share Apple Music with Family Sharing

invite family member

There're more features you need to make use of to enjoy your Family Sharing.

Sharing Apple Music subscription with your family on Windows or Mac

Now since you subscribe to Apple Music with a family subscription, you can use Family Sharing to share Apple Music with members in your group. All your family group members need to do is to sign in to the Apple Music app with their own Apple IDs and Apple Music is available to them right after they are in your group.

Downloading iTunes Store purchases on Windows or Mac

Since now you are shared with other members' iTunes Store purchases, you have the ability with your Family Sharing to download the ones you like to your device.

Step 1. To view other family members' purchases, head to the Music app > Account > Family Purchases. On Windows PC, head to the iTunes app > Account > Family Purchases instead. If you don't see Family Purchases, check if you are the organizer or an invited a family subscription with the Family Sharing that's set up for you.

Step 2. Click a name near the top-left corner (next to Purchased), then choose a family member to view their purchases.

Step 3. To download an item, click its Download button.

Hiding iTunes Store purchases on Windows or Mac

Any invited family members have the ability to hide their own iTunes Store purchases from other family members.

Step 1. Repeat some steps to view all the shard items in Family Purchases.

Step 2. On Windows or Mac, click a name near the top-left corner (next to Purchased), then choose your name to view your purchases.

Step 3. Click a content type on the right. You should see a list of purchases for the selected content type.

Step 4. To hide your own purchases, click the Delete button > Hide.

Tip: To see purchases you've hidden, choose Account > View My Account (PC) or Account Settings (Mac), sign in and click Manage to the right of Hidden Purchases. Click the items' Unhide button to make them visible to your family members.

Part 4. How to Fix Apple Music Family Sharing Not Working

Quite a number of Apple Music customers report Apple Music family sharing not working for their family members they just added. This is may be because a family member has multiple accounts and may be trying to access the family sharing feature using an unlinked account. It is always important to make sure that the family members are using an account with the names or email address you used to invite them. If you encounter this problem, make sure to check that the right account is being used.

Sometimes family members report that the Apple Music family sharing not working even when they only have one account. This could be a bug causing a delay synchronizing of the service. If this is the case, let them try logging out of Apple Music and logging in again. This will likely solve the problem.

If the Apple Music family sharing is still not working even after logging in and out, then as the family sharing administrator, you should try removing every family member from the family sharing feature, log out of Apple Music then log in again and add everyone again. This should solve any problem you may have with Apple Music family sharing.

Bonus Tip: How to Share Apple Music without Family Sharing

In fact, if you want to share Apple Music to others without signing up Apple Music Family plan, you can simply use a 3rd-party Apple Music converting tool such as ViWizard Apple Music Converter to firstly remove DRM lock from Apple Music songs and then convert the music tracks to MP3 format. In this case, you can share any Apple Music track with your family or friends without needing to join and set up Apple Music family sharing.

audio converter

ViWizard Audio Converter Key Features

  • MP3, AAC, WAV and other universal formats
  • 5x high conversion speed
  • Preserve and support editing ID3 tags
  • Audible books can achieve lossless conversion
2,000,000+Downloads
Download Download

It's easy to convert DRM Apple Music songs to MP3 with ViWizard Apple Music Converter. The whole process could be completed in 3 steps only. Here's the detailed guide to convert Apple Music to DRM-free formats: How to Convert Apple Music to MP3.

author

is an experienced writer of ViWizard who is obsessed about tech, movie and software.

SHARING IS GREAT!
Leave a comment
home iconHome > Apple Music > How to Set Up & Use Apple Music Family Sharing with Members