Does each family member need their own Apple ID?

Yes. Otherwise you won’t be able to use any Family Sharing features or parental controls. Getting everyone set up with their own Apple ID is easy — learn how below.

How do I set up an Apple ID for my kids?

If you’re the Family Organiser, you can create an individual Apple ID for your child. Open Settings. Tap your name, then tap Family Sharing. Tap the Add Family Member icon in the top-right corner of your screen, then tap Create Child Account and follow the onscreen instructions.

What do I do if my kids are already using my Apple ID?

If your kids are using your Apple ID, they’ll be able to access your personal content, including messages and photos. You also won’t be able to use all the available Family Sharing features. Start by creating a child account (see above for instructions on how to do that). Once that’s set up, you can sign out of your Apple ID on their devices and sign back in with their new child account and unique Apple ID.

How do I sign my kids out of my Apple ID on their devices?

Open Settings. Tap your name. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out. Once you’ve signed out of your Apple ID, you’ll be able to sign back in using your kid’s Apple ID.

How do I set up my family?

You’ll need to set up your group as the Family Organiser, and then invite other members to join. Get started by opening Settings. Tap your name, then tap Family Sharing, and follow the onscreen prompts to invite family members. You will also be able to set up accounts for anyone under the age of 13. Once family members join, you can start creating settings and enabling features.

How do I join an existing family?

You’ll need to ask the Family Organiser — the person who originally set up the family group — to invite you.

My family is set up. What should I do next?

You can use your Family Checklist to get tips and suggestions on getting the most out of family features. Open Settings, tap your name, tap Family, then tap Family Checklist.

Why can’t I add new family members?

You may already have the maximum amount (five members), or you may not be the Family Organiser — only they can invite people to join the group.

Built-in features,
ready for family life.

A five-person family is represented as Memoji heads. Each is inside a different coloured circle. They playfully look to one another before resolving into the Family Sharing screen in Settings inside an iPhone.

Our products come with features for every stage of family life. From creating limits to unlocking possibilities, there’s so much they can help you do.

Screen Time

Help create
healthy screen habits.

Screen Time

Use Screen Time on iPhone and iPad to get a better understanding of how you and your kids are using your devices. Set time limits for categories of apps, like gaming, or individual websites and apps. You can also use Downtime to schedule time away from screens at specific periods, like dinnertime or bedtime.

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App approval

Give their apps
the green light.

App approval

Ask to Buy lets you choose which apps your kids can download from the App Store. It helps avoid accidental purchases and can help control spending too. Get a notification when they want to buy or download something from the App Store, then choose whether to approve it from your device.

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Content Restrictions

Keep content
age appropriate.

Content Restrictions

Feel good about the content your kids have access to. With Content Restrictions, you can customise age settings for websites, music, news, games and more. Select a suitable age range or rating for different content types, or restrict websites and apps altogether.

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Arrival notifications

Know they’re there, before you even have to ask.

Arrival notifications

Get automatic notifications when a family member arrives at or leaves a particular place. With Find My, you can easily create custom alerts for specific locations, such as school or a friend’s house. Each person gets the choice to opt in, so everyone’s privacy is respected.

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Purchase sharing

Share movies,
apps and more.

Purchase sharing

Share the content you love with the people you love. Turn on purchase sharing to give up to five family members access to your App Store, iTunes and Apple Books purchases. And if you want to keep certain purchases private, you can hide individual items.

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Find My

Help find each
other’s devices.

Find My

Use Find My to locate other family members’ Apple devices, even if they’re offline. Each person can decide whether to share their location and make their devices visible in the Find My app.

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Watch a quick guide

Getting
set up is easy.

Check your device is using iOS 17.5 or later, and follow the steps below.

Open Settings
and tap your name.
Tap
Family Sharing.
Follow the onscreen prompts
and invite family members.
Tap Family Checklist for
helpful tips and suggestions.

Questions? Answers.

Yes. Otherwise you won’t be able to use any Family Sharing features or parental controls.

Getting everyone set up with their own Apple ID is easy — learn how below.
If you’re the Family Organiser, you can create an individual Apple ID for your child.

Open Settings. Tap your name, then tap Family Sharing. Tap the Add Family Member icon in the top-right corner of your screen, then tap Create Child Account and follow the onscreen instructions.
If your kids are using your Apple ID, they’ll be able to access your personal content, including messages and photos. You also won’t be able to use all the available Family Sharing features.

Start by creating a child account (see above for instructions on how to do that). Once that’s set up, you can sign out of your Apple ID on their devices and sign back in with their new child account and unique Apple ID.
Open Settings. Tap your name. Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and tap Sign Out.

Once you’ve signed out of your Apple ID, you’ll be able to sign back in using your kid’s Apple ID.
You’ll need to set up your group as the Family Organiser, and then invite other members to join. Get started by opening Settings. Tap your name, then tap Family Sharing, and follow the onscreen prompts to invite family members.

You will also be able to set up accounts for anyone under the age of 13. Once family members join, you can start creating settings and enabling features.
You’ll need to ask the Family Organiser — the person who originally set up the family group — to invite you.
You can use your Family Checklist to get tips and suggestions on getting the most out of family features. Open Settings, tap your name, tap Family, then tap Family Checklist.
You may already have the maximum amount (five members), or you may not be the Family Organiser — only they can invite people to join the group.

Built-in features, ready for family life.

Getting set up is easy.