How to share icalendars, and contacts across users with iphones

This is how I do it.

I have a separate Apple ID for my iTunes/AppStore purchases. This does not pertain to the following.

• My iCloud account is set up on all of my devices.
• My wife has her unique iCloud set up on all of her devices
• My son has his unique iCloud set up on his devices.
• On my computer in System Preferences > Internet Accounts, I add an iCloud account (using my wife or son's iCloud login). Since it is not my primary iCloud account I am limited to what services I can add. This is fine. I only need to add Calendars and Contacts. I make sure to label the account with my wife or son's name.
• Voila! I can now see their calendars and their contacts nicely separated with the respective programs.
• If you do not want to see all of their calendars, you do not add the Calendars service when setting it up. You instead do as others have mentioned here, and that is sharing the calendar vis the share option within iCal.

BTW, I have done this for quite a while and I have deleted and added many accounts like this. I have yet to receive an '90 day warnings.' I believe that would come into play if you were adding and deleting iTunes/App store accounts.

Hi thank you for this suggestion it is very helpful!

Question: after you have added the individual icloud account info to the Mac settings, does the contact and calendar info from those accounts propagate out to each of the various user's phones, or does this info remain located only on the Mac?

For example can you see your Wife's contact's on your device?

Thanks

I found this article which was very helpful and pretty much described what I'm trying to accomplish: one address book based on my Mac that multiple iOS users can access.

http://macstrings.com/2011/12/02/sharing-address-book-in-icloud/

That article describes my method rather well, with one exception. I do not uncheck Contacts in my primary iCloud account. My wife and I want to have our own separate contacts, so I keep mine checked. Then in the contacts app both accounts show up.

I think you already answered your question about the iPhones and iPads, but here is my answer anyway. No they do not automatically propagate. You must set them up on each device in a similar way as you did on the computer.

The key factor here is MAKE SURE you set your iCloud account up first on each your computers and devices. Then, set up the auxiliary accounts. By doing that, your primary account has all of the other iCloud features that a secondary account does not have. Also, you want to avoid the 90 day warning.

I wanted to share Apple Contacts also...never could figure out a good way to do it.

It's far easier if you just keep your Contacts in Google. Then add the google account to your Mail/Contacts list, use only Contacts if you don't want the Google email. Works great. Why Apple makes it do difficult or impossible is strange.