Managing a Family Account Without An Apple Device

If anyone else reads this article and has a similar problem to me, this is how you can work around the issue.

This solution applies to Family Sharing customers with children under 13 years of age. For whatever reason the Family Sharing admin once had access to an Apple iOS or OSX device and no longer does, so enroling and approving new family members under the age of 13 is no longer possible.

Step 1: Create an under-13 account

1. As the Family Sharing admin, log onto the new device with your Apple ID
2. Follow the procedure in Family Sharing and Apple ID for your child - Apple Support to create an Apple ID for your child and add them to your family sharing group.

Step 2: Set up the device using the new account

1. Log yourself out of the new device in Step 1.
2. Log in to the device with the new child's Apple ID.

Step 3: Use on-device approval to install apps shared across family accounts.

1. Follow Request and make purchases with Ask to Buy - Apple Support
2. When prompted, tap "approve it in person".
3. Enter the Family Sharing admin account details to approve the request.

This information was provided to the OP from an Apple Care representative over the telephone, as a workaround to the issue. It is not officially documented because Family Sharing is designed to work with a master device holder.

This workaround is important because children under 13 years of age must remain a family member for their Apple ID to meet the Terms and Conditions of eligibility.

LarryHN wrote:

If you do not own any Apple devices why in the world would you want to use Apple iCloud Family Sharing

So the answer is "No". OK. But what now?

As my OP stated, our family owns two Apple devices: both iPad 6th Gen. At the time I set up Apple Family Sharing, my intent was to be able to control the apps they install centrally, which is kind of the idea isn't it?

These devices are for our children. My wife and I have no desire to purchase an iOS or OSX device just for another year until my son transitions to Surface Pros as his mandated School computing device. You can surely understand where I'm coming from.

For the record, this wasn't a problem when I had an independent apple device.

Essentially I've hit a dead end in a customer journey because Apple assumes that you will always have access to an Apple device as a parent. What happens if you decide to get rid of your MBP and go with another vendor's product, yet still have family linked iPads that you need to manage. Seems a bit short-sighted.

I don't have a device that will let me manage the family account. I'm basically locked out. There is no resolution path for me to be able to gain control again unless I magically find a device I can use to get me out of management jail.

Maybe I could go down to an Apple Center and set up a profile to get things configured. Maybe an Apple Genius could help me solve this issue?