Share iTunes Store purchases with Family Sharing

With Family Sharing, up to six family members can download each other’s iTunes Store purchases to their own computers and devices. Family members can also hide their purchases so others can’t download them.

To use Family Sharing, one adult family member (the organizer) sets up the family and agrees to pay for all purchases. To control spending by kids, the organizer can require approval for any purchases or free downloads requested by non-adult family members.

Family Sharing requires iCloud and OS X Yosemite v10.10 or later. Each family member needs a separate Apple ID.

Set up Family Sharing

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
Click Set Up Family, then follow the onscreen instructions.

View and download other family members’ iTunes Store purchases

Choose Account > Family Purchases.
Click your name near the top-left corner (next to Purchased), then choose a family member to view his or her purchases.
To download an item, click its Download button .

Hide your iTunes Store purchases

Family members can hide their individual iTunes Store purchases from other family members.

Choose Account > Family Purchases.
Click a content type.
A list of purchases for the selected content type appears.
Move the pointer over the item you want to hide and click , then click Hide.

To see purchases you’ve hidden, choose Account > View My Account, sign in, and click Manage to the right of Hidden Purchases (below iTunes in the Cloud). To make a hidden item visible again, click the item’s Unhide button.

Require approval for purchases and downloads

After you set up Family Sharing, you can require parental approval for all purchases and downloads by any family member who isn’t an adult.

Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
Click Manage Family.
Select a family member, then select Ask to Buy.
Click Done.

When the family member tries to make a purchase or requests a download, a notification is sent to the organizer, who can approve or decline the request.

Family Sharing is designed to be used by a single family (adults and children). You can be part of only one family group at a time, and may switch to a different family group only twice per year. Features may vary based on country.