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Creating a Child Account Error - Solved

Hello all


Since it has been asked a lot, there is a work around for creating a child account in the new family sharing feature. If you are trying to use a debit card you will receive an error asking for you to attach a credit card to the account even though you may already have on attached. The only solution at this time is to use a legitimate credit card. Hopefully Apple will fix this soon and allow the use of Debit Cards. 😕

Posted on Sep 17, 2014 6:52 PM

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10 replies

Sep 17, 2014 10:11 PM in response to Nappa231

This is not a solution but a workaround (will not work for everyone). I updated my billing info and replaced my debit card with my credit card, added my child's account, then replaced the credit card with my debit card again. I was able to add the child's iCloud account and now I do not have to pay interest fees on my iTunes purchases. Get your act together Apple! I expect oversights like this from Android but not you.

Sep 18, 2014 9:04 AM in response to Omar12345

It still seems a little ridiculous to me. Why does Apple care so much about age when setting up Family Sharing? I’m assuming that, just like iTunes purchases before Family Sharing, they do not want to be liable for purchases made by a minor. The only scenarios I can imagine where a minor will be in possession of a debit card are that either the parents believe the child is mature enough to have one, the child opens their own bank account, or the child borrowed or stole the debit card. In all of these scenarios, with exception of the stolen card which can just as easily happen with a credit card, the person, regardless of age, with the debit card has the authority to spend money granted by the individual(s) who deposited the funds. Furthermore, Apple does not hold this same stipulation on purchases of other goods and services. It appears that Apple is okay with my child purchasing a $2,000 MacBook Pro from their website but feels the need to prohibit them from purchasing a $0.99 app on iTunes. Lastly, why is this credit card stipulation not enforced on all iTunes accounts? What is preventing my child from opening their own iTunes account with their, according to Apple, ill-gotten funds? Apple will allow them to setup an unrestricted account where they can spend funds and have access to age-restricted content but they are not allowed to create a child account? I am just disappointed.

Sep 18, 2014 10:26 AM in response to Blair Cartwright

This is not a solution. It is a JOKE.


I'm 42 and as an "adult" I have decided that we will not own or use credit cards. Thus, I set up all my purchasing through my debit card (which is used and accepted just like a credit card). It is absolutely ridiculous that I have to have an actual credit card so that I can setup family sharing with my children.


Apple--FIX THIS. I'm not the only Apple user who doesn't own a credit card.

Creating a Child Account Error - Solved

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