What is iCloud?
iCloud is cloud-based storage provided by Apple to store and sync all your photos, videos, documents, and a lot more stuff. iCloud saves up your device storage by keeping all your information online and making it accessible from all your Apple devices with the same Apple ID. All Apple users get a free 5GB of iCloud storage to start, and can easily add more. With the iCloud Family sharing feature, you can now easily share iCloud Storage with your friends and family.
Note: If you have forgotten your iCloud Account password or you are unable to reset iCloud password. You can read how to reset your iCloud password here.
What is Apple Family sharing?
Apple’s Family Sharing feature is a real money saver that allows up to six family members to share content, purchases, and other subscriptions, including iCloud Storage, across multiple iOS devices and Apple accounts. If one of the family members has paid for a Subscription or an App store Purchase, others can access it without paying again.
What can you share with Family Sharing?
Family sharing lets you share music, movies, books, TV shows, and other purchases from App Store and iTunes, including:
- Apple Music Family Subscription
- Apple News+ Subscription
- Apple TV+ Subscription
- Apple Arcade Subscription
- iCloud storage plan
What are Family Sharing requirements and limitations?
Family sharing set up is very easy; all family members should have:
- An Apple ID signed in to iCloud.
- And an iOS device running iOS 8 or later, or Mac with OS X Yosemite or later.
To share an iCloud Storage Plan with your family, you need to buy 200 GB or 2TB plan. If you are using the 50GB plan, you will have to upgrade your plan first.
How to set up Family sharing?
To set up Family Sharing, you first need to choose the Organiser, the person who chooses the features to share, as well as sends invite up to five family members to join the Family Sharing group.
Family Sharing set up on an iPhone/iPad:
To enable Family Sharing on iPhone/iPad:
- Go to Settings and tap <your name>
- Tap “Set Up Family Sharing.”
- Tap “Get started.” Follow the instructions to set up your family and invite your family members.
Family Sharing set up on Mac:
- Choose Apple menu on the top left of the screen.
- Go to System Preferences, then click “Family Sharing.”
- Choose the Apple ID to be used for Family Sharing, and select “Share My Purchases.”
- Follow the instructions to set up your family and invite your family members.
How to share iCloud storage plan with your Family?
After setting up Family Sharing, you can choose to share the iCloud storage plan with up to 5 Family members. You can choose from 200GB Or 2TB storage plans. All family members will be sharing that single Storage for their photos, videos, documents, and other backups without having to buy individual storage plans. None of the family members will have access to other’s files, but everyone can see how much storage is being utilized by others.
Sharing iCloud Storage with your family On your iPhone/iPad.
After setting up Family Sharing, you can now easily share your iCloud Storage with them.
- Go to Settings on the device of the Family Organiser, and tap <Your name>.
- Tap “Family Sharing.”
- Tap on “iCloud Storage.”
- Tap “Let your Family know.”
- Tap Send button to send an invitation to your family members to share your iCloud Storage.
- Tap Close.
Sharing iCloud Storage with your family On your Mac.
If you’re using macOS Catalina or later:
- Choose Apple menu on the top left of the screen.
- Go to System Preferences and click “Family Sharing.”
- Click “iCloud Storage.”
- Click Share.
How to add a new member to join a Family Sharing iCloud Storage plan?
To share your iCloud storage plan with a new member, make sure they have an Apple ID and iOS 8 or later running on their iOS device.
To add a new member to join a Family Sharing iCloud Storage plan on your iPhone/iPad.
- Go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing.
- Tap Add Family Member.
- Enter your family member’s name or email address and follow the onscreen instructions.
To add a new member to join a Family Sharing iCloud Storage plan on your Mac.
If you’re using macOS Catalina:
- Choose Apple menu on the top left of the screen.
- Go to System Preferences, then click “Family Sharing.”
- Click Add Family Member, then follow the onscreen instructions.
How to accept an invitation to join a Family Sharing iCloud Storage plan?
When you get an invitation to share an iCloud Storage Plan with a family member, you can accept or decline the invitation in your Messages.
If you have missed the message/email, you can manually accept the invitation.
- Go to Settings > [your name] > Tap “Invitations” on your iPhone/ iPad and Accept.
- For Mac, Choose Apple menu on the top left of the screen. Go to System Preferences > “Family Sharing.” Click “Accept the invitation.”
How to remove a family member from your Family Sharing group?
The group organizer can remove any family member from the Family Sharing group.
To remove a Family member from your Family Sharing group on iPhone/iPad.
- Go to Settings > [your name] > Family Sharing.
- Select the name of the family member that you want to remove.
- Tap Remove.
To remove a Family member from your Family Sharing group on Mac.
- Choose Apple menu on the top left of the screen. Go to System Preferences > “Family Sharing.”
- Click on “Details” next to the name of the family member that you want to remove from your Family group.
- Click Remove from Family Sharing.
What happens to your own iCloud storage plan after you join a Family group?
If you want to use your own iCloud storage plan after joining a Family group, you can choose your own storage plan and still remain part of the family.
What happens if you leave Family Sharing or your Family stops sharing storage?
If you are using more than 5GB storage of the shared iCloud storage plan and you leave the family, you have 28 days to buy your own plan, or else your files(exceeding 5GB) will no longer be backing up on the iCloud drive.