APPLE IN 2020Family Sharing at no extra charge (Apple Music costs an
extra £5 per month to enable Family Sharing).
With it, you and up to five others can share all
sorts of things. App store purchases (for supporting
apps – there are lots), iCloud storage, location, and
subscription accounts like Apple Music, Apple Arcade,
Apple TV+, and Apple News+. Suddenly, all these
subscriptions that seemed too expensive start to look
like a bargain.
It’s really easy to do, too. You just open Settings, tap
on your Apple ID at the top of the screen, then tap on
Family Sharing. Select Add Family Member and enter
the family member you want to share with – they’ll get
the invite in an iMessage.
Importantly, adding family members does not mean
you have to share everything with them. You’ll see a
‘Shared Features’ section at the bottom of the Family
Sharing menu that allows you to choose which features
you want to share with your Family. Share Apple TV+
and Apple Arcade but not iCloud Storage or Purchase
Sharing, if that’s what you want.
In particular, Purchase Sharing is thorny. If that
is enabled, then every purchase made on the app
store, iTunes (movies, music, TV), and Books will be
processed through your master account. The family
Organizer will literally pay for every app and in-app
purchase, every movie on bought in the TV app, every
eBook. You may want to leave that disabled, but
share subscription services like Apple Arcade.
The best part is that other users in your Family
sharing group don’t have to set up new profiles or
anything. If you share Apple Music, it will be as ifAPPLE IN 2020
FamilySharingatnoextracharge(AppleMusiccostsan
extra£5permonthtoenableFamilySharing).
Withit,youanduptofiveotherscanshareall
sortsofthings.Appstorepurchases(forsupporting
apps–therearelots),iCloudstorage,location,and
subscriptionaccountslikeAppleMusic,AppleArcade,
AppleTV+,andAppleNews+.Suddenly,allthese
subscriptionsthatseemedtooexpensivestarttolook
likeabargain.
It’sreallyeasytodo,too.YoujustopenSettings,tap
onyourAppleIDatthetopofthescreen,thentapon
FamilySharing.SelectAddFamilyMemberandenter
thefamilymemberyouwanttosharewith–they’llget
theinviteinaniMessage.
Importantly,addingfamilymembersdoesnotmean
youhavetoshareeverythingwiththem.You’llseea
‘SharedFeatures’sectionatthebottomoftheFamily
Sharingmenuthatallowsyoutochoosewhichfeatures
youwanttosharewithyourFamily.ShareAppleTV+
andAppleArcadebutnotiCloudStorageorPurchase
Sharing,ifthat’swhatyouwant.
Inparticular,PurchaseSharingisthorny.Ifthat
isenabled,theneverypurchasemadeontheapp
store,iTunes(movies,music,TV),andBookswillbe
processedthroughyourmasteraccount.Thefamily
Organizerwillliterallypayforeveryappandin-app
purchase,everymovieonboughtintheTVapp,every
eBook.Youmaywanttoleavethatdisabled,but
share subscriptionserviceslikeAppleArcade.
ThebestpartisthatotherusersinyourFamily
sharinggroupdon’thavetosetupnewprofilesor
anything.IfyoushareAppleMusic,itwillbeasif