With Family Sharing, family members get immediate access to each others’ music, movies, TV shows, books, and apps, and can download them to their own devices any time they like.*
When you join a family, you'll be asked to confirm the Apple ID that you regularly use for making iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases. Purchases from this account will be shared with your family members.
Use these steps to confirm the Apple ID you will use to share purchases.
- Go to Settings > iCloud > Family, then tap your name.
- Under Family Purchases, review your account information.
- If you need to confirm the Apple ID that you want to share content from, enter your password. If you prefer to share purchases from a different account, you can enter a different Apple ID and password.
- Make sure that "Share my purchases" is on.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- Click Manage Family.
- Click your name and review your account information next to Family Purchases.
- Make sure that "Share my purchases" is selected.
After you join a family, you can view and download items from each family member’s purchase history, and enjoy them on your own devices. Music, movies, TV shows, and books can be downloaded to up to 10 of your devices, five of which can be computers. Apps can be downloaded to any devices that you own or control.
Use these steps to view and download your family member's content.
- Open the store app that you want to download content from, and go to the purchased page:
- App Store: Tap Updates > Purchased.
- iTunes Store: Tap More > Purchased.
- iBooks: Tap Purchased.
- Tap the family member's name to see their content. Learn what to do if you don’t see any content or can’t tap your family member.
- To download an item, tap the cloud icon next to it.
- Open the iTunes, iBooks, or Mac App Store and go to the Purchased page.
- Select a family member's name to view their content.
- Download or play the items that you want.
On your Apple TV, select Movies > Purchased > Family Sharing, then select your family member to see their content. You can access shared movies and TV shows on Apple TV, but not music.
You can change the Apple ID that you use to share once every 90 days.
- Go to Settings > iCloud > Family and tap your name.
- Tap your Apple ID and follow the onscreen instructions.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- Click Manage Family, then click your name.
- Click Change, then follow the onscreen instructions.
After you change your Apple ID, you'll start sharing from the new account instead of your previous one. Your family members will no longer be able to access or download purchases from your previous account.
Any DRM-protected music, movies, TV shows, books or apps previously downloaded from that account will no longer be usable by family members. If they made any In-App Purchases from an app originally downloaded from your account, they will need to get the app themselves to regain access to the In-App Purchases.
* Not all content and content types are available in all countries. All family members must use the same iTunes Store country or region. Music, movies, TV shows, and books can be downloaded on up to 10 devices per account, five of which can be computers. Apps can be downloaded to any devices the family member owns or controls.
Family Sharing requires a personal Apple ID signed in to iCloud and iTunes. iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite are required to set up or join a Family Sharing group and are recommended for full functionality. Not all content is eligible for Family Sharing. Content can be hidden by family members; hidden content is not available for download. Content downloaded from family members or acquired via redemption codes is not subject to Ask to Buy.