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Family sharing

How to share App Store, Apple TV, and Apple Books purchases with Family Sharing on iPhone

by Chris Smith

With Family Sharing, the organizer can set up Purchase Sharing to share App Store, Apple TV, and Apple Books purchases.

To share purchases, the family organizer must turn on Purchase Sharing and add a payment method. Family members can then opt in to Purchase Sharing, so they can share purchases and view shared purchases. When a family member makes a purchase, the organizer is billed, unless that family member adds a payment method to pay for their own purchases.

When a family member buys something, it’s added to their account, and eligible purchases are shared with the rest of the family. The organizer can also turn off purchase sharing later.

Turn on Purchase Sharing

When the family organizer turns on purchase sharing, they’re the one paying for family members’ purchases, so they need a valid payment method on file. Family members can add their own payment methods, too.

  1. Go to Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Family, tap Purchase Sharing, and follow the onscreen instructions.

Access shared content

Once purchase sharing is on and you’ve opted in, you can grab eligible apps and content your family members buy.

Turn off Purchase Sharing

You can switch off purchase sharing if you’re the family organizer. Family Sharing members then stop seeing your purchases, but you’ll still see items other members have shared with you.

Note: Even though your items aren’t shared, any purchases you make still use the shared family payment method.

  1. Go to Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Family, then tap Purchase Sharing.
  3. Tap your name and turn off Share Purchases.
  4. If the organizer wants to turn off purchase sharing entirely, they can tap Stop Purchase Sharing.
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How to add a member to a Family Sharing group on iPhone

by Emily Long

With Family Sharing, each family member joins the family group with their own Apple Account. That way you can share access to subscriptions and other features without sharing personal information like photos or documents.

The family organizer can invite family members who have an Apple Account, or create an Apple Account for a child who doesn’t have one yet. A Child Account is required for children under 13 and available for children up to 18. Here’s how to add a member to a Family Sharing group on iPhone.

Add a family member

If someone has their own Apple Account, the organizer of the Family Sharing group can add them as a family member.

  1. Start the Settings app on your iPhone.
  2. Tap Family.
  3. Tap the Add Member button, tap Invite Others, and follow the onscreen instructions.

You can send the invitation using AirDrop, Messages, or Mail. If you’re near the family member, you can also tap Invite in Person and ask the family member to enter their Apple Account email address (or phone number) and password on your device.

Your invitation appears at the top of Settings in the Family row for people you invite. If they haven’t accepted it yet, you can follow up with reminders.

To join an existing Family Sharing group, you’ll need the organizer to add you. You can only belong to one Family Sharing group at a time, though, so leave your current group first if you’d like to join a different one.

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How to leave or remove a member from a Family Sharing group on iPhone

by Tyler Stephen

In a Family Sharing group, the organizer can remove members or disband the group, and family members (other than teens with parental controls or children) can remove themselves. A removed family member immediately loses access to shared subscriptions and content purchased by other members.

Remove a member from a family group

In a Family Sharing group, the organizer can remove other members, and anyone who’s removed immediately loses access to shared subscriptions and to content other members purchased.

  1. Open Settings and then tap Family.
  2. Tap [member’s name], then tap Remove [member’s name] from Sharing Group.

Children under 13 can’t be removed from your Family Sharing group. Instead, you can delete their Apple Account or move them to another group.

Transferring a child under 13 from a family group affects the parental controls previously set. And removing a teen under 18 removes your previously set parental controls.

Leave a Family Sharing group

Leaving a Family Sharing group means you stop sharing your purchases and subscriptions with family members, and you immediately lose access to any content they’ve shared.

Note: The organizer can’t leave the Family Sharing group, so if you want to change the organizer, you’ll need to disband the group and have another adult create a new one.

  1. Open Settings and then tap Family.
  2. Tap [your name] and tap Stop Using Family Sharing.

Stop Family Sharing

When the family organizer turns off Family Sharing, it removes all family members from the group at the same time. With Family Sharing turned off, every member immediately loses access to the shared content and subscriptions.

Note: If a child under 13 is in the Family Sharing group, the organizer must move them to another group or delete their Apple Account before disbanding the group. Transferring a child under 13 from a family group will affect the parental controls previously set, and removing a teen under 18 will remove your previously set parental controls.

  1. Open Settings and then tap Family.
  2. Tap [your name] and tap Stop Using Family Sharing.
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Can’t Share Subscriptions With Family Sharing on iPhone 14 Pro? fix

by Moses Johnson

Not able to share your subscriptions with your family members on iPhone 14 Pro? Follow these troubleshooting steps to fix it.

Note: information in this article apply to iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Family Sharing is an excellent feature offered by Apple that enables you to share your subscriptions with your family members. However, there are times when users encounter issues while trying to share their subscriptions with their family members. One of the most common issues that users encounter is "Can’t share subscriptions with family sharing on iPhone 14 Pro." If you are facing this issue, don’t worry! This article will guide you on how to fix it.

Here are some steps that you can follow to fix the "Can’t share subscriptions with family sharing on iPhone 14 Pro" issue:

1. Make sure that you are the Family Organizer

To share subscriptions with your family members, you need to be the Family Organizer. If you are not the Family Organizer, you won’t be able to share subscriptions with your family members. To check if you are the Family Organizer, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing. Here you will see if you are the Family Organizer or not.

2. Check if the subscription is eligible for sharing

Not all subscriptions are eligible for sharing with Family Sharing. Only certain subscriptions can be shared, such as Apple Music, Apple TV , Apple News , and Apple Arcade. To check if the subscription is eligible for sharing, go to the subscription’s details and check if it supports Family Sharing.

Five smiling family members are shown with icons of iCloud, photos, Apple TV+, and other Apple products and services.  

3. Ensure that you have enabled Purchase Sharing and Share With Family

To share subscriptions with your family members, you need to enable Purchase Sharing. Purchase Sharing is a feature that allows family members to share apps, movies, TV shows, songs, and books they bought with each other. The family organizer will pay for it using a shared payment method, but all the family members will get to download it if they want. To do so, follow the steps below:

  1. Go to Settings > Your Name.
  2. Tap Family Sharing.
  3. Select Purchase Sharing, wait for it to load up, and tap Continue.
  4. Select Turn On, and you can choose if you want your family to know by sending them a message.
  5. Return to the Apple ID settings menu and tap Subscriptions.
  6. Toggle on Share With Family.

4. Check if your family members are added to your Family Sharing

To share subscriptions with your family members, you need to add them to your Family Sharing. To do so, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > Add Family Member, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

5. Check if the family member’s Apple ID is correct

If you have added a family member to your Family Sharing, ensure that their Apple ID is correct. To check the Apple ID, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > their name, and then check if the Apple ID is correct.

6. Restart your iPhone

If you are still not able to share your subscriptions with your family members, restarting your iPhone can resolve the issue. To restart your iPhone 14 Pro, press and hold the Side button and either of the volume buttons until you see the ”Slide to Power Off” option. Then slide the power off slider to the right, and wait for your iPhone to turn off. Once your iPhone is turned off, press and hold the Side button again until you see the Apple logo.

7. Change Apple ID Region

This might look like a cliché fix, but regions matter a lot for apps and media purchases. If your family members are using different Apple ID regions, they won’t be able to access the same subscriptions.

The best way to change your region is to visit the Apple ID website and change it from there.

Here’s a quick way to do it on your browser:

  1. Cancel all your subscriptions and make sure you have no money left in your Apple Account balance.
  2. Visit the Apple ID Personal Information page and click Country/Region.
  3. Follow the onscreen instructions and enter a valid payment method for your new country or region.

Now, as long as you and your family members are in the same region, you will all enjoy access to shared subscriptions.

First, you must ensure you’re using the same Apple ID for Family Sharing and Media & Purchases. You can find it in Settings > Family > Your Name > Purchases > Apple ID for Purchases. Confirm that your Apple ID for purchases is the same as your regular Apple ID.

Sign out and into Media & Purchases by doing the following on your iPhone or iPad:

Open Settings and tap your Apple ID name.
Now, tap on Media & Purchases and choose Sign Out from the pop-up menu.
Tap Media & Purchases again, and make sure you sign in with the same Apple ID you use for Family Sharing.

8. Update your iOS

Ensure that you have the latest version of iOS installed on your iPhone. Apple regularly releases updates that fix various bugs and issues, including Family Sharing related issues. To check for updates, go to Settings > General > Software Update.

9. Sign out and sign in to iCloud

Sometimes, signing out and signing in to your iCloud account can fix the issue. To sign out, go to Settings > Your Name > Sign Out, and then sign in again by entering your Apple ID and password.

10. Remove and re-add family members

If the issue persists, try removing and re-adding family members to your Family Sharing. To remove a family member, go to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > their name, and then tap Remove. Once you have removed them, add them again by going to Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing > Add Family Member.

11. Check your payment method

Ensure that your payment method is up to date and that there are no issues with it. To check your payment method, go to Settings > Your Name > Payment & Shipping and then select your payment method.

12. Check your internet connection

Ensure that you have a stable internet connection. Family Sharing requires a stable internet connection to work correctly. To check your internet connection, go to Settings > Wi-Fi or Cellular and then ensure that your internet connection is stable.

13. Check Apple’s System Status Page

Another solution that you can try when encountering the "Can’t share subscriptions with family sharing on iPhone 14 Pro" issue is to check the Apple System Status. Apple System Status is a web page that shows the real-time status of various Apple services, including Family Sharing.

If the Family Sharing service is down or experiencing issues, you won’t be able to share your subscriptions with your family members. In this case, you will need to wait until the service is back up and running. Checking the Apple System Status can help you determine whether the issue is with your device or the service itself.

To check the Apple System Status, follow these steps:

  1. Open your web browser and go to https://www.apple.com/support/systemstatus/
  2. On the web page, you will see a list of various Apple services. Look for the Family Sharing service and check its status.
  3. If the status is green, it means that the service is up and running correctly. If the status is yellow or red, it means that the service is down or experiencing issues.

If the Family Sharing service is down or experiencing issues, you will need to wait until the service is back up and running.

14. Contact Apple Support

If you have followed all the above steps and still can’t share subscriptions with your family members, you should contact Apple Support. They will be able to guide you on how to resolve the issue.

Conclusion

Family Sharing is an excellent feature offered by Apple that enables you to share your subscriptions with your family members. If you encounter the "Can’t share subscriptions with family sharing on iPhone 14 Pro" issue, don’t worry! Follow the steps mentioned above, and you will be able to resolve the issue in no time.

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