Share your Apple TV+ subscription through Family Sharing or by giving someone your password
Apple TV+ lets you watch on up to four devices at the same time, but only one person can watch per account unless you set up Family Sharing. Family Sharing is the official way to let family members use your subscription on their own devices without sharing your password. If you do not want to set up Family Sharing, you can give your password to someone, though Apple's terms say the account holder is responsible for all activity on it.
The method you choose depends on whether you want to share with family members who live with you, relatives in other locations, or friends. Family Sharing gives each person their own account and viewing history. Sharing your password is simpler to set up but gives everyone access to your personal information and purchase history.
Key Takeaways
- Family Sharing lets up to six people use one Apple TV+ subscription on their own devices, each with their own profile and watch history.
- To set up Family Sharing, you create a family group in Settings, invite members by email, and they accept the invitation on their device.
- Family members can watch on their own iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV device without needing your password.
- If you share your password instead of using Family Sharing, anyone with the password can access your account, purchase history, and personal information.
- Apple TV+ allows four simultaneous streams per account, so more than four people watching at once will cause playback to stop on the oldest stream.
Set up Family Sharing to give family members their own profiles
Family Sharing is built into Apple devices and works across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. One person (the organizer) creates the family group and invites up to five other people. Each member gets their own Apple ID and can watch on their own device without sharing passwords.
On iPhone or iPad, go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then select Family Sharing. Tap the plus sign to add a family member. You can invite someone by email, or if they are in the same room, you can set up a new family member account on the spot. They will receive an invitation and can accept it on their own device. Once they accept, they can open Apple TV+ and start watching with their own profile.
On Mac, open System Settings, click your name in the sidebar, then select Family. Click the plus sign and follow the same invitation process. On Apple TV, go to Settings, select Users and Accounts, then Add User, and choose to invite a family member.
Share your password if you do not want to use Family Sharing
If you prefer not to set up Family Sharing, you can straightforward give your Apple ID password to someone else. They can sign into Apple TV+ on their device using your credentials. This is the quickest way to share, but it comes with trade-offs.
Anyone with your password can see your purchase history, change your account settings, and access other Apple services tied to your account. If you later change your password, they will be signed out. Apple's terms of service state that you are responsible for all activity on your account, so if someone uses your password to make purchases or change settings, you are liable.
If you go this route, tell the person your password only and ask them not to change any settings. You can also change your password whenever you want to revoke their access without having to remove them from Family Sharing.
Understand the four-stream limit and what happens when it is reached
Apple TV+ allows four people to watch at the same time on one account. This applies whether you are using Family Sharing or sharing your password. If a fifth person tries to start watching, playback will stop on the stream that has been running the longest.
The person whose stream stops will see a message saying the account is being used on too many devices. They can try again in a few minutes, or they can wait for someone else to finish watching. This limit is per account, not per device, so it does not matter if two people are watching on the same TV or on different devices across the country.
If you regularly have more than four people watching at once, Family Sharing does not solve this problem — the four-stream limit still applies. You would need a separate subscription for the fifth person.
Remove someone from Family Sharing or revoke password access
To remove a family member, go to Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tap your name, select Family Sharing, and tap the person's name. Scroll down and tap Remove from Family. They will be signed out of Apple TV+ on all their devices within a few minutes.
On Mac, open System Settings, click your name, select Family, click the person's name, then click the minus sign. On Apple TV, go to Settings, Users and Accounts, select the person, and choose Delete User.
If you shared your password instead of using Family Sharing, the only way to revoke access is to change your Apple ID password. The person will be signed out automatically, but they will need the new password to sign back in. You can also sign out of Apple TV+ on specific devices by going to Settings, selecting Users and Accounts, and choosing the account to sign out.
Check which devices are signed into your account
You can see all devices signed into your Apple ID by going to Settings on your iPhone or iPad, tapping your name, and selecting Password & Security. Scroll down to the Devices section to see a list of all iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple TVs using your account.
Tap any device to see its name, model, and the last time it was used. You can remotely sign out of any device by tapping it and selecting Sign Out. This is useful if you lent a device to someone and want to make sure they no longer have access to your account.
On Mac, open System Settings, click your name, select Password & Security, and scroll to Devices. Click any device to see details or to remove it from your account.
Troubleshoot common sharing problems
If someone you invited to Family Sharing has not received their invitation, ask them to check their email spam folder. Invitations come from Apple and may be filtered. You can also resend the invitation by going back to Family Sharing settings and tapping their name, then selecting Resend Invitation.
If someone is signed into your account but cannot watch Apple TV+, make sure they are using the correct Apple ID. If they are a family member, they should be signed in with their own Apple ID, not yours. If they are signed in with your Apple ID and still cannot watch, sign them out and back in, or restart the Apple TV+ app.
If you hit the four-stream limit and need someone to stop watching, ask them to close the Apple TV+ app or turn off their device. Playback will stop within a few minutes, and the next person in the queue can start watching.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Family Sharing with people who do not live with me?
Yes. Family Sharing does not require people to live in the same house or even the same country. You invite them by email, and they accept on their own device. Apple's terms say family members should be related or live together, but the system does not enforce this.
What happens if I cancel my Apple TV+ subscription?
Everyone in your Family Sharing group will lose access to Apple TV+ when ready. If you shared your password instead, the person will still be signed in but will not be able to watch anything. They will see a message saying the subscription is no longer active.
Can I share Apple TV+ with someone who does not have an Apple device?
No. Apple TV+ only works on Apple devices: iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and the Apple TV app on some Samsung smart TVs. If someone has a Samsung TV with the Apple TV app, you can share your password with them, but they cannot be part of Family Sharing.
Does sharing my password let someone access my iCloud photos or email?
If you share your Apple ID password, they can access anything tied to that Apple ID, including iCloud photos, email, and purchase history. This is why Family Sharing is safer — family members use their own Apple IDs and cannot see your personal data.
How many people can be in a Family Sharing group?
Up to six people, including the organizer. If you need to add a seventh person, you would need to remove someone first or have that person use a separate Apple ID and subscription.