Hi PAYankeeChick,

Thanks for your question.  Can you provide a little more information about your scenario?   How many family members?  Are you sharing the same computer and iTunes library or does each individual family member have their own computer or iOS device?

The separate Apple ID (which is an email address) that each of your family members has created for Family Sharing is going to keep all of their iCloud data separate as well, so that's a good thing.

So, as long as each member of the family has signed up for Family Sharing with their new Apple ID, and have enabled the option to share purchases, then everyone will have access to all of the content purchased from the iTunes Store over the years and can choose what content they want to listen to.   On the iOS devices, if the music and playlists were stored on the device initially, the content won't be "zero'd out."   If the music wasn't stored on the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, then it would have to be downloaded and playlists created again.

I look forward to your reply with information regarding your iTunes library.  If your family members have their own user accounts on a single computer or have their own computers, their iTunes library would contain any music they've imported from CDs or downloaded from the iTunes Store.  Signing out of the old Apple ID and signing in with the new Apple ID for Family Sharing in iTunes will not affect the library unless the purchased music was not downloaded.  In that case, the music would have to be downloaded again.

In either case, I would highly recommend backing up the iTunes library or libraries and backing up the iOS devices before making any significant changes.   I'll include some resources to help you:

How to back up your devices using iCloud or iTunes
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203977

Back up your iTunes library by copying it to an external drive
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201625

Set up Family Sharing
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201088
 

Share purchased content with Family Sharing
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201085

Using the new Music app
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204951

Hope that helps,

Good Morning PAYankeeChick,

Thanks for providing some additional information about your situation.  I can't stress enough the importance of backing up your main iTunes library to an external drive, and for each of your family members to back up their computers using Time Machine before starting down this new path.   As long as everyone is working with their own iTunes libraries on their own computers, they should be able to customize their library by adding and removing content, playlists, etc. without affecting everybody else.  I'll include a couple more resources about Family Sharing below.  I've highlighted key information for you here.  Click on the links for complete details.

Family Sharing and Apple ID for your child
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201084

With Family Sharing, you can create Apple IDs for children under 13. Apple IDs allow them to participate in Family Sharing and use other Apple services such as iCloud, iMessage, FaceTime, and Game Center.

What types of content can I share with Family Sharing?
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT203046

Share purchased content with Family Sharing
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201085

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.*Share purchased content with Family Sharing

Share your purchases

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

1. Go to Settings > iCloud > Family, then tap your name.
2. Under Family Purchases, review your account information.
3. 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.
4. Make sure that Share my purchases is on.

Mac

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
2. Click Manage Family.
3. Click your name and review your account information next to Family Purchases.
4. Make sure that Share my purchases is selected.

Download content from family members

After you join a family, you can see and download items from each family member’s purchase history, and enjoy them on your own devices. You can download music, movies, TV shows, and books on up to 10 of your devices, five of which can be computers. You can download apps to any devices that you own or control.

Use these steps to see and download your family member's content.

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

1. 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.
2. 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.
   
   
3. To download an item, tap the download icon  next to it.

 

Share content from a different Apple ID

You can change the Apple ID that you use to share once every 90 days. 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.

iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

1. Go to Settings > iCloud > Family and tap your name.
2. Tap your Apple ID and follow the onscreen instructions.

Mac

1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
2. Click Manage Family, then click your name.
3. Click Change, then follow the onscreen instructions.

Learn more

*Not all content and content types are available in all countries. To share purchased content, 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 or later and OS X Yosemite or later 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.

Last Modified: Nov 5, 2015

If you don‘t see your family‘s shared content
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201454
 

If you don‘t see your family‘s shared content

Use these steps to share content or use Apple Music with your family.

Make sure that Family Sharing is set up

When your family members join Family Sharing, they should confirm the Apple ID that they want to use for iTunes, Apple Music, iBooks, and App Store purchases. Even if they're signed in with the same Apple ID for iTunes and iCloud, they need to confirm their iTunes information before they can share their content.

• On an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch with iOS 8 or later, they can tap Settings > iCloud > Family, then tap their name to confirm or change the Apple ID that they want to use to share content.
• On a Mac with OS X Yosemite or later, they can go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family, then click their name to confirm or change the Apple ID that they want to use to share content.

If you still can't see your family member's content, it might be for one of these reasons.

Make sure all family members are in the same iTunes Store country

Use these steps to check your iTunes Store country:

• On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap Settings > iTunes & App Store, then tap your Apple ID. Tap View Apple ID, then tap Country/Region. If asked, enter your Apple ID password.  
• On your Mac, open iTunes, click Account > Sign In and enter your Apple ID. Then click Account > View Account. If asked, enter your Apple ID password. You'll see the Country/Region field on the Account Information page. 

Make sure that you and your family members have the same country or region for your Apple ID. If you need to, you can change the country of your Apple ID. 

Check the Apple ID that you're using in the iTunes Store

Make sure that you're signed in to the iTunes Store using the same Apple ID that you selected for sharing content with your family.

To check which Apple ID you selected for Family Sharing on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap Settings > iCloud > Family, then tap your name. Then go to Settings > iTunes & App Store and make sure that you're using the same Apple ID in the iTunes Store.

To check which Apple ID you selected for Family Sharing on your Mac, go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family, then click your name. Then open iTunes, iBooks, or the Mac App Store and make sure that you're using the same Apple ID in the store.

Sign out of the iTunes & App Store

If you still can't see or download your family's shared content or use Apple Music, sign out of the iTunes & App Store, then sign back in.

To sign out on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, follow these steps:

1. Go to Settings > iTunes & App Store
2. Tap your Apple ID > Sign Out
3. Enter your Apple ID password, then select Sign In

To sign out on your Mac, follow these steps:

1. Open iTunes
2. Click Account > Sign Out
3. Click Account again > Sign In
4. Enter your Apple ID and password, then select Sign In

Make sure that you sign in to the iTunes Store using the same Apple ID that you selected for sharing content with your family. You don't need to sign out of any other services that use your Apple ID, such as iCloud or iMessage.

Make sure that Share My Purchases is on

If anyone in your family chose not to share their iTunes Store content, then you can't see their content. Your family members can check their settings on their device:

• On an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, they can tap Settings > iCloud > Family. Then they can tap their name to see if Share My Purchases is on or off.
• On a Mac, they can go to Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family, then click their name.

If you decide not to share your content, you can still see your family member's content as long as they're sharing. If anyone in your family group leaves, you won't be able to see or download their content.

Make sure that an app is shareable

To see if you can share an app, go to its product page in the App Store and scroll down to Information. Then see if it says Yes or No in the Family Sharing section.

Some apps may not be enabled for Family Sharing. If you’ve acquired one of these apps, you will be able to see it in your purchase history, but your family members won't be able to see or redownload it.

See if the purchase is hidden

If a family member has hidden one of their items, no one in their family can see it. Your family member can unhide those items if they want to.

Make sure your device meets the system requirements

To access your family's shared content, you need an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using iOS 8 or a Mac using OS X Yosemite. If you're using an older device you won’t see your family’s shared content. If you're using an Apple TV, you can see shared movies and TV shows only. 

iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite are required to set up or join a Family Sharing group and are recommended for full functionality. See the system requirements for Family Sharing.

Learn more

Family Sharing requires a personal Apple ID signed in to iCloud and iTunes. Music, movies, TV shows, and books can be downloaded on up to 10 devices per account, five of which can be computers. 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.

Last Modified: Jul 23, 2015

Happy Holidays to you and your family!