Under Family Sharing, my account is everyone's account?

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Level 2

410 points

Under Family Sharing, my account is everyone's account?

So I thought the purpose of Family Sharing is that people in my family can share their purchased music, apps, and books with each other while still maintaining their own accounts, but it sounds like instead, if I am the organizer, I'm just letting everyone use my credit card! I don't get it. Can't we all just have our own accounts yet be able to share each other's music? If a family member already has an account with a credit card on iTunes, does my credit card replace theirs for all purchases they make? And if this is the case, can I use Family Sharing just for exchanging photos, calendars, etc without being everyone's credit card account? How is this different than just letting everyone sign into iTunes with my account? Frustrated.

Posted on Jul 1, 2015 7:43 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

ed2345

Level 9

62,486 points

Jul 1, 2015 5:58 PM in response to Jim Alden

Jim,

Family Sharing is designed so that a responsible adult (the "Family Organizer") takes financial responsibility for one or more minors.

if that does not fit your situation, Family Sharing ma not be for you.

How is this different than just letting everyone sign into iTunes with my account?

When they grow up and leave Family Sharing, they can keep their own content tied to their own account.

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Answer 2

Jim Alden Author

Level 2

410 points

Jul 1, 2015 6:07 PM in response to ed2345

So Family Sharing is really just for kids, with daddy paying for all their purchases. I mistook "family" to include adults like my parents and partner.

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Answer 3

toneman3

Level 1

0 points

Jul 10, 2015 5:23 PM in response to Jim Alden

Why can't my child use the iTunes credit from their cards on their iPhone. Why does it always charge to my account. This is stupid. They have money but can't use it. And it is their account. Can anyone help?

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Answer 4

May 27, 2016 5:46 AM in response to Jim Alden

You can have your own accounts. If you go to iTunes store after you set up individual accounts and then add those accounts to your family. Choose more, then choose purchased. You will then see everyones name in the family and what they downloaded. You can use anything anyone has downloaded from iTunes here.

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