Apps not auto-updating with family sharing

Question

Level 1

4 points

Apps not auto-updating with family sharing

Hi

I've activated Family Sharing with me as the organizer. Our daughter has a "child"-account on her iPhone (with the "ask to buy"-function active).

On both devices app store is set to auto-update apps. This works flawlessly on my device, but not on our daughter's.

When I try to manually update apps on our daughter's device, a prompt for her Apple ID password is displayed. This does not happen if I try to manually update an app on my own device.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to get auto-updating to work with a "child-account" in Family Sharing?

All devices run iOS 8.1.2.

Thank you so much in advance.

iPhone 6, iOS 8.1.2

Posted on Jan 6, 2015 10:54 AM

Reply

Answer 1

mario49

Community Specialist

Jan 7, 2015 11:11 AM in response to Jpaikin

Hey Jpaikin,

Thanks for the question. If I understand correctly, you have ask to buy turned on for a childs account and you do not want it to ask you when that childs account is trying to download an update to an app. I would recommend that you read this article, it may be able to help the issue.

Request and make purchases with Ask to Buy - Apple Support

When a family member initiates a new purchase or free download, a request is sent to the organizer if Ask to Buy is on.

Thanks for using Apple Support Communities.

Have a good one,

Mario

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Answer 2

Jpaikin Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 8, 2015 1:26 AM in response to mario49

Thank you for your input.

However the case is a little different. On my own iPhone updates to apps are automatically downloaded and installed. I don't need to press "update" in app store, nor do I have to enter my password.

On my daughters iPhone updates to apps are not automatically downloaded. When she presses "update" in app store she is asked for her password to Apple ID. Then the app is updated. I don't get an "approval" prompt.

I simply want apps to update automatically on her iPhone just as they do on mine.

Regards

Jakob

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Answer 3

Jpaikin Author

Level 1

4 points

Jan 18, 2015 12:20 PM in response to fromsouth

Hi again

I have tried to turn off "ask to buy". Then apps were updated automatically.

Seems like a bug to me - or am I missing a point?

Best regards

Jakob

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Answer 4

fromsouth

Level 5

4,945 points

Jan 18, 2015 4:11 PM in response to Jpaikin

Seems like intended behavior to me, but I do not have family sharing to check. If you fee it is a bug, you can report it to apple support, by clicking link "contact us" below in bottom right corner. If you think it is intended and want it to work differently, you can ask apple to change that feature here:

www.apple.com/feedback.

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Answer 5

fromsouth

Level 5

4,945 points

Jan 8, 2015 5:31 AM in response to Jpaikin

I wonder what would happen if you humored Mario and turned off ask to buy for a day or two. Will she still have a problem?

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Answer 6

Sep 10, 2016 11:15 AM in response to Jpaikin

I have noticed that iOS 10 may have fixed this bug. Apps on my kids phone with "ask to buy" turned on seem to be updating now on their own without me having to go in and put in a password

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