Set up Family Sharing to share purchases across accounts
Family Sharing is Apple's system for letting up to six family members share apps, movies, TV shows, music, and books purchased on Apple TV. When you set it up, purchases made by any family member become available to all of them—you don't buy the same movie twice. The organizer (usually the person who starts Family Sharing) controls the group, and each member keeps their own Apple ID and iCloud account.
Family Sharing works across all Apple devices: iPhones, iPads, Mac computers, and Apple TV boxes. A family member can watch a movie you bought on their iPhone, and you can watch it on your Apple TV. The purchase stays tied to whoever bought it, but the viewing rights extend to everyone in the group.
Key Takeaways
- Family Sharing requires one organizer to create the group and invite up to five other family members using their Apple IDs.
- All Apple TV purchases made by any family member become available to watch on every member's account and devices.
- The organizer controls who joins the group and can remove members at any time, which also removes their access to shared purchases.
- Family members can still keep their purchases private by changing sharing settings for individual items if they choose.
- You need to be on the same Wi-Fi network or use iCloud to set up Family Sharing, but members can watch shared content anywhere once it is set up.
How to create a Family Sharing group on your Apple device
Start on the device where you manage your Apple TV account. On an iPhone or iPad, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap Family Sharing. If you do not see Family Sharing, tap Set Up Family Sharing first. On a Mac, open System Settings (or System Preferences on older versions), click your name in the sidebar, then click Family.
Tap or click get your free guide or Create Family Group. The screen will confirm your name and Apple ID as the organizer. You will see options to add family members. You can add them right away or skip this step and add them later—either way works. If you add them now, each person needs to accept the invitation on their own device before they join the group.
On Apple TV, the process is slightly different. Go to Settings > Users and Accounts > iCloud, sign in with your Apple ID, then navigate to Family Sharing and select Set Up Family Sharing. Follow the prompts to name your group and add members.
Invite family members to join your group
Once your Family Sharing group exists, you can invite others. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing, then tap Add Family Member. You can invite someone in person (they enter their Apple ID on your device), send them an invitation via email, or create an invitation link they can tap. If you are inviting a child under 13, you may need to set up a child account instead, which has additional parental controls.
Each invited member will receive a notification on their device. They must accept the invitation within a set time (usually a few days) to join. Once they accept, they are part of the group and can see all shared Apple TV purchases. If someone does not accept within the time limit, you can send the invitation again.
Family members do not have to be in the same house or on the same Wi-Fi network to join or use Family Sharing. They just need an Apple ID and an internet connection. This means a family member living in another city can still watch movies you purchased on their Apple TV.
Control which purchases are shared and which stay private
By default, all Apple TV purchases made by family members are shared with the group. If you want to keep a specific purchase private, you can change this setting. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Apple TV app, go to Account (usually at the bottom of the screen), then find the purchase you want to hide. Tap or swipe on it, select Sharing or Family Sharing, and toggle it off.
On an Apple TV box, navigate to Settings > Users and Accounts > your account, find the purchase, and look for a sharing option. The exact steps vary depending on your tvOS version, but the principle is the same: you can turn sharing on or off for individual items.
Keep in mind that turning off sharing for a purchase only hides it from other family members' libraries. It does not delete the purchase or refund it. If you change your mind later, you can turn sharing back on at any time.
Remove a family member or leave a Family Sharing group
If a family member needs to leave the group or you need to remove them, the organizer can do this from their device. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing, tap the person's name, then tap Remove or Remove from Family. On a Mac, open System Settings > Family, select the person, and click the remove button (usually a minus sign or trash icon).
When someone is removed from Family Sharing, they lose access to all shared purchases when ready. They keep their own Apple ID and any purchases they made under that ID, but they cannot watch movies or shows that other family members bought. If the person who is removed was the organizer, you will need to choose a new organizer before removing them.
If you are a family member and want to leave the group yourself, go to the same Family Sharing settings, find the option to leave, and confirm. You will lose access to shared content but keep your own purchases and account.
Troubleshoot common Family Sharing problems
If a family member cannot see a shared purchase, first check that they are actually part of the Family Sharing group. Have them go to Settings > their name > Family Sharing and confirm the group name appears. If it does not, they may not have accepted the invitation yet, or the invitation may have expired and needs to be sent again.
If a purchase is not showing up in their library even though they are in the group, try signing them out of the Apple TV app and signing back in. On iPhone or iPad, open the Apple TV app, tap Account, scroll down, and tap Sign Out. Then sign back in with their Apple ID. On Apple TV, go to Settings > Users and Accounts > iCloud and sign out, then sign back in.
Sometimes a shared purchase takes a few minutes to appear in another family member's library, especially if it was just bought. If it still does not show up after 15 minutes, try restarting the device. On Apple TV, unplug it for 10 seconds and plug it back in. On iPhone or iPad, hold down the power button and slide to power off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I share Apple TV purchases if family members use Android or Windows devices?
Family Sharing only works within Apple's ecosystem. If a family member uses an Android phone or Windows computer, they cannot join your Family Sharing group or access shared purchases through those devices. However, if they also have an Apple device (iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV), they can use Family Sharing on that device and watch shared content there.
What happens to shared purchases if the organizer leaves the family group?
If the organizer leaves, the group dissolves and all members lose access to shared purchases. Before leaving, you must transfer the organizer role to another family member. On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > your name > Family Sharing, tap the person you want to make organizer, and select Make Organizer. Only then can you leave the group.
Do I need to pay extra to share Apple TV purchases with family?
No. Family Sharing is free and included with your Apple ID. You do not pay anything to set it up or add family members. You only pay for the individual Apple TV purchases themselves, which are then shared across the group at no additional cost.
Can family members see what I have purchased on Apple TV?
Yes, by default all family members can see all purchases made by anyone in the group. If you want to keep a specific purchase hidden from other family members, you can turn off sharing for that individual item in your account settings. This hides it from their libraries without deleting it.
How many people can be in a Family Sharing group?
A Family Sharing group can have up to six people total, including the organizer. So the organizer can invite up to five other family members. If you need to add more people, you would need to remove someone first or create a separate Family Sharing group with a different organizer.