Skip to main content

How to use Family Sharing on a Mac

Apple’s Family Sharing feature is not available for just iOS devices; you can also set it up on your Mac. The service allows you to share applications you’ve personally purchased, as well as letting family members use your books, movies, and more. Let’s take a look at how to use Family Sharing on a Mac.

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

10 minutes

What You Need

  • A Mac desktop or MacBook

Setting up Family Sharing

Step 1: On your Mac, open System Preferences under the Apple icon tab in the top-left corner of the desktop. If you’re logged into your Apple ID account on your Mac, then Family Sharing should show up. However, if you can’t see the icon, simply log in to your Apple ID and go back to System Preferences.

The Family Sharing icon on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Click Family Sharing. In this window, you will be asked if you want to be the organizer for the family. Click the Next button to confirm. In the next window, you’ll be asked if you want to Share your purchases. You also have the option to use a different account. Click Next.

Confirming your Apple ID account to be the organizer for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: In the payment window, your payment information with your Apple ID account will be shown. There’s also the ability to use a different payment method via a button at the bottom adjacent to Next. All the purchases made by your family members you add to the service will be connected to your card to buy such apps. Click Next. Agree to the terms and conditions and click Agree.

Confirming a payment method for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Alongside sharing apps and the like, Family Sharing on a Mac also allows you to share the location of your connected devices with family members. Click Done.

The Sharing your location settings for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 5: Now you can add people to your Mac’s Family Sharing. Click the Add family member button, type in their name or email address, and then select Continue. You’ll have to confirm your own Apple ID password to proceed, as well as confirming some details pertaining to your account’s payment card.

Once they’re added, they’ll be sent an email. After they accept the invitation, their status within the family group will be changed accordingly.

If you want to add more members to the group, click the + button and follow the same steps listed above.

Adding family members to Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Customizing Family Sharing settings

Step 1: Click the Purchase sharing tab. You can choose to turn off the option to Share my purchases, as well as changing card details. You can also completely disable Purchase sharing by selecting the Turn off button.

The purchase sharing options for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 2: Click the iCloud storage tab. It will tell you to upgrade to a higher iCloud subscription plan in order to share your account with family members.

The iCloud storage setup page for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 3: Click the Location sharing tab. If you didn’t enable it during the initial Family Sharing setup process, open the Find My app on your Mac. Once you’ve set it up, select the People tab, and then select a family member's name. Lastly, click the Share my location option.

The Location sharing window for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Step 4: Click the Screen Time tab. Here, you can manage Screen Time with your family members added to the group by selecting the Open Screen Time settings button.

For more on Screen Time, check out our guide on the useful Mac feature.

The Screen Time window for Family Sharing on a Mac.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you're not too familiar with Mac's various features or have just bought a new Mac or MacBook, head over to our guides for using multiple desktops on your Mac, and checking your Mac for viruses and malware.

Editors' Recommendations

Zak Islam
Computing Writer
Zak Islam was a freelance writer at Digital Trends covering the latest news in the technology world, particularly the…
Will the Surface Laptop Studio 2 dethrone the MacBook Pro M2?
The Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio 2.

The Surface Laptop Studio 2 was announced on Thursday at Microsoft's September 2023 event. The device comes in as a tame upgrade of its predecessor, keeping the overall look of the original while having interesting hardware tweaks. These include the introduction of a neural processing unit (NPU) to assist with AI features on the system.

However, there are other competing products on the market, including the MacBook Pro M2, which has been available since spring and is a solid contender in terms of power and price. Apple's Pro option also comes in 14-inch and 16-inch configurations, and offers several more RAM and storage choices that could tantalize consumers.

Read more
How to check your Mac’s temperatures
Man using a 24-inch M1 iMac.

Learning how to check your Mac's temperature can be a great step in extending the life of your computer, particularly if you're using an older Intel-based model. So far, Apple Silicon Mac and MacBook computers tend to run cool enough that overheating isn't a major concern. At the same time, it can be quite satisfying to check out exactly how well your new Mac keeps its cool.

Read more
My last hope for Mac gaming is the iPhone 15 Pro
Craig Ferguson introducing Mac Gaming at WWDC.

I’ve been impatiently waiting for the Mac to finally become a great gaming computer for years, and every time I get my hopes up, they seem to be dashed with disappointment. Yet for the first time, it feels like we could be on the brink of genuinely meaningful change -- and it’s all thanks to the iPhone.

I watched Apple’s September event and saw the company claim its new A17 Pro chip would turn the iPhone 15 Pro into a miniature console, with big-name titles like Assassin’s Creed Mirage and Death Stranding making the leap to the device. That’s all well and good, I thought, but what about the Mac?

Read more