Family Sharing lets up to six people watch YouTube TV on separate accounts from one subscription

Family Sharing is YouTube TV's feature that lets you add up to five other people to your account so they can watch on their own login, their own devices, and their own profile — all from a single YouTube TV subscription. Each person gets their own recommendations, watch history, and DVR library. You don't pay extra per person; everyone shares the cost of the one subscription.

The person who pays for YouTube TV (the account owner) controls who is in the family group and can remove people at any time. Family members can be anywhere in the country, and they can watch at the same time on different devices without interfering with each other.

Key Takeaways

  • One YouTube TV subscription covers up to six people total, each with their own account and separate watch history.
  • The account owner invites family members by email and can remove them whenever needed.
  • Family members watch on their own devices and can stream at the same time without affecting each other.
  • YouTube TV limits simultaneous streams based on your plan, so check how many people can watch live TV at once.
  • Family members need a Google account to join, but they do not need their own YouTube TV subscription.

How to add family members to your YouTube TV account

Open the YouTube TV app or website and go to Settings. Select "Family sharing" or "Manage family group" (the exact label depends on your device). You will see the option to invite a family member. Enter their email address and send the invitation.

The person you invited will receive an email with a link to accept. They click the link, sign in with their Google account (or create one if they don't have one), and they're added to your family group. Once they accept, they can open YouTube TV on any device, sign in with their own Google account, and start watching when ready.

You can invite up to five people this way, making six household members total including yourself. Each person needs their own Google account, but they do not need to pay for their own YouTube TV subscription.

What each family member can do on their own account

Every family member has a separate profile within the same YouTube TV subscription. They see their own recommendations based on what they watch, their own watch history, and their own saved shows and movies. If one person watches a cooking show, it won't show up in another person's recommendations.

Each person can also create their own DVR library. If you record a show, it appears in your DVR. If your spouse records a different show, it appears only in theirs. You can both record the same show at the same time without conflict.

Family members can watch on their own devices — phone, tablet, computer, or TV — and you can all watch different channels or shows at the same time, as long as you stay within the simultaneous stream limit for your plan.

How many people can watch at the same time

YouTube TV allows a certain number of people to watch live TV simultaneously, and this limit depends on your specific plan. Most standard YouTube TV subscriptions allow three simultaneous streams. If a fourth person tries to watch live TV while three others are already watching, they will see a message that the limit has been reached.

This limit applies only to live TV. Recorded shows in your DVR do not count toward the simultaneous stream limit, so multiple people can watch different recordings at the same time without hitting the cap.

If you frequently have more than three people watching at once, check whether YouTube TV offers a higher-tier plan with more simultaneous streams in your area, as availability varies by region.

Managing and removing family members

Only the account owner (the person paying for YouTube TV) can add or remove family members. Go to Settings, select Family sharing, and you will see a list of everyone in your family group. Next to each person's name is an option to remove them.

When you remove someone, they lose access to YouTube TV when ready. They can no longer watch on any device. Their watch history and DVR recordings are deleted. If you want to add them back later, you send a new invitation and they accept it again.

You can also change who is the account owner (the person responsible for payment) by going to family settings and selecting a new owner, though this process varies slightly depending on your device and whether you use Google Play or YouTube TV's direct billing.

What happens if family members live in different states

Family members can live anywhere in the country and still be part of your YouTube TV family group. There is no geographic restriction. Someone in your family group can be in California while you are in New York, and you both watch the same subscription without any issue.

However, YouTube TV's channel lineup varies by location based on local broadcast rights. If a family member moves to a different state, the channels available to them may change. They will see the channels available in their current location, not the location where the account was created.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do family members need their own Google account?

Yes. Each family member must have a Google account to join your family group and access YouTube TV. If they don't have one, they can create one for free at google.com. They do not need a separate YouTube TV subscription.

Can I use family sharing if I travel or move?

Yes. Family members can watch from anywhere. However, YouTube TV checks your home location periodically for billing purposes. If you move permanently to a different state, update your location in account settings so YouTube TV shows you the correct local channels for your new area.

What if someone in my family group cancels their Google account?

If a family member deletes their Google account, they are automatically removed from your YouTube TV family group and can no longer watch. You can invite them again later if they create a new Google account.

Can I have two separate YouTube TV subscriptions in the same household?

Technically yes, but there is no reason to. One subscription covers up to six people, so a second subscription would be redundant and cost extra. Use family sharing instead to give everyone their own account under one subscription.

What if I want to watch YouTube TV alone without family sharing?

You don't have to use family sharing. If you don't invite anyone, you are the only person on the account and you watch alone. Family sharing is optional — it exists for people who want to share the cost and access with others.