How to use iOS family sharing

Until now, sharing music, movies, photos and other iTunes purchases with your family members was a huge headache. Apple has finally introduced a way to sync purchases without being forced to share your Apple ID and password information. The new Family Sharing feature, available with iOS 8 allows up to six people to share purchased content, photos, locations and calendars from their individual accounts.

With the Family Sharing service enabled, one person can buy an app, and everyone else can install it, too, at no extra cost. One person can buy an album on iTunes, and everyone else can listen to it. You can also create a shared family calendar, and even share the location of your iOS devices with one another. It is also possible to set limits for younger family members, so when a child asks to buy an app (or other item from the iTunes or App Store) an alert appear on an adult’s phone.

To set up Family Sharing, you need:
• A device running iOS 8
• An Apple account with a credit card attached to it
• The email addresses of all the people you want to invite to your family account.

For children who don’t have email addresses, you can add them, but you have to first set them up with an Apple email address to do so.
Every Family Sharing account has one “Family organizer,” aka the administrator. It’s easiest to start the Family Sharing account if the administrator is the one who sets it up.

How to set up Family Sharing in Mac OS X

We think it’s a bit of a no-brainer to set up Family Sharing. Here is how to set up Family Sharing for all the members of your family:

1. Open System Preferences > iCloud. (Tap Sign In and enter your Apple ID and Password).
2. Click on Set Up Family.
3. Click on Continue and Continue again.
4. A window will show the account that you will use to share purchases from. Double-check that it is your main Apple ID account and click Continue.
5. The Purchases Initiated By Your Family window will show which card is being used for payments. Click Continue.
6. Click the tick box next to I Agree To The iTunes Store terms and conditions window and click Agree.
7. If you want to use Find My Friends to locate your family, tick the Share Your Location option and Continue (otherwise click Not Now and Continue).

Family Sharing is now set up on your Mac. The next step is to add members to it.

Now that you have set up Family Sharing in Mac OS X, it is time to add a family member. Here is how to add people to your family:

1. Open System Preferences > iCloud and click on Manage Family.
2. Click Add Family Member.
3. Enter the email address for the family member and click Continue.
4. Confirm you are the Family Organizer by entering the three digit CVV security code from the payment card associated with your account. Click Continue.
5. Enter your Apple ID password and click Continue.

The person who you sent an email to will receive an email invitation in Mail and Alert in iCloud on their iOS devices. Here is how they accept the invitation:

1. Open Settings on an iOS device.
2. Tap iCloud > Invitations.
3. Tap on the Accept button.
4. Tap Confirm and Continue.
5. Tap Agree on the terms and conditions and Agree in the Alert window.
6. Tap Share your Location to use Find My Friends (or Not Right Now).

You are now part of a shared family, and any purchases you make are charged to the family organizer, and can be shared with both members of the family.

If you need any help or advice about setting up Family Sharing or anything else related to iTunes, get in touch now by calling 81138682. Alternatively you may wish to join a 1-hour Family Sharing Masterclass which will take you step by step through setting up Family Sharing.