Tech Reference

How to share an Apple Music subscription between up to 6 people using the Family Sharing feature

Written by Marissa Perino and William Antonelli
Apple Music iPhone iPad headphones
It's easy to share an Apple Music subscription among friends and family. Yeamake/Shutterstock
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Apple Music is a popular streaming service — and thankfully, you can share your account with others.

You can easily share your subscription by adding friends or family members to your Family Sharing group. Apple Music's Family Sharing allows up to six people to listen to music on with one subscription, which costs $14.99 per month.

First, you'll have to make sure you've changed your subscription to the Family Plan option. Next, add up to six family members by managing your family in your Settings.

It's important to note that if you've already set up Family Sharing on your iPhone or iPad, everyone added will automatically have access to the shared Apple Music plan — along with apps and more.

You can set up a Family Sharing group on your iPhone or iPad, as well as your desktop.

Here's a guide on how to share an Apple Music subscription from your iPhone or iPad.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Apple Music Subscription (From $9.99 per month at Apple)

iPhone 11 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)

iPad (From $329.99 at Best Buy)

How to share your Apple Music subscription through a Family Plan

Before sharing your subscription with others, you'll have to sign up for Apple Music's Family Plan. The subscription costs $14.99 per month, as opposed to the regular $9.99 subscription.

If you're signing up for Apple Music for the first time, here's how to sign up for the Family Plan. If you already have a subscription, you can skip this section. 

1. Open the Music app on your iPhone or iPad, and tap "For You" at the bottom of the screen. 

2. On the page that opens, tap the red "Try It Now" button.

how to share apple music 1
Apple Music comes with a three month free trial.  William Antonelli/Business Insider

3. Select "Family," and then tap "Start Trial." You'll be asked to sign in with your Apple ID, or using Face or Touch ID, and you might have to add a payment method.

how to share apple music 2
Select the Family option.  William Antonelli/Business Insider

If you already have a subscription, or if you haven't already done it, you'll have to turn on Family Sharing.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad, and then tap your name at the top of the screen to open your Apple ID profile.

2. On this screen, tap "Set Up Family Sharing." In the pop-op that appears, tap "Get Started" to continue, or "Learn more about Family Sharing" for more information.

3. You'll be presented with a number of ways to use Family Sharing. Tap "Apple Music."

how to share apple music 3
You can set up any of the other settings that you don't choose later.  William Antonelli/Business Insider

4. Your device will check that you're signed up for a Family Plan — if you aren't, you'll be redirected back to the Music app to sign up for one. If you're signed up, tap the red "Invite via Messages" button.

how to share apple music 4
If the person you want to share an account with is too young to have their own Apple ID, you can create a Child account for them.  William Antonelli/Business Insider

5. This will open a text message conversation, where you can send the Family Plan invitation to anyone with an Apple ID.

As soon as they open the invitation, they'll be added to your account. You can add up to six people to the account, including yourself.

If someone that already has an Apple Music account joins your Family Plan, their account will be closed automatically.

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mperino
Marissa Perino
Marissa Perino is a former editorial intern covering executive lifestyle. She previously worked at Cold Lips in London and Creative Nonfiction in Pittsburgh. She studied journalism and communications at the University of Pittsburgh, along with creative writing. Find her on Twitter: @mlperino.
WillAntonelli
William Antonelli
ExperienceWilliam joined Business Insider in 2019 to help found Tech Reference, a vertical dedicated to answering the internet’s most common questions about the gadgets they buy. In that role, he helped grow the vertical into a powerhouse that attracted over 20 million pageviews a month. He also wrote and edited one of Business Insider’s most successful stories: How to take a screenshot on Windows.William later became one of Business Insider's lead consumer tech reporters, writing roundups and reviews about gadgets ranging from smartphones to gaming PCs. He also established key industry contacts at brands like Apple, Google, Nintendo, and more. He’s also cited on the Wikipedia page for Among Us, an honor above all others.William’s work for Business Insider has included reviewing the best gaming laptops, publishing previews of new Nintendo games and consoles, and comparing Apple’s latest releases so readers know what’s worth their money. Across all assignments, he’s been praised for his depth of knowledge and research skills.In addition to his work at Business Insider, William’s writing has appeared in outlets like The Guardian, Polygon, Thomson Reuters’ Context, and more. He's also a regular guest on TV stations like CBS and NBC, where he provides expert analysis on AI, consumer tech, and Silicon Valley moguls.Why you can trust WilliamWilliam believes the goal of journalism should be to tell the truth, not sell products. In his reviews, William never hesitates to call out a product’s flaws, but he also has no issue complimenting features that genuinely add value.When reviewing a product, William doesn’t test it in a vacuum. He tries to incorporate each product into his daily routine to get a better sense of how it’ll work for the everyday user. And when writing, he focuses on reader comprehension. He’s talented at explaining complicated concepts in ways that all readers can understand, without losing depth or nuance — or his distinctively engaging voice.Expertise
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
  • Consumer Technology (Laptops, PCs, video games and gaming consoles, smartphones, more)
  • Social Media (TikTok, X, Meta, more)
  • Internet Culture (Memes, influencers, viral trends)
  • Disinformation
EducationWilliam graduated from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 2018. There, he studied English, communications, and adolescent education, alongside reporting news for the university’s radio and TV stations.Outside workWhen he’s not reporting, you can usually find William biking through Central Park, playing video games, or at home listening to music and writing fanfiction. He’s also a co-manager of the New York Mandolin Ensemble, one of NYC’s premier string orchestras.You can contact him at w.antonelli322@gmail.com, visit his official website at williamantonelli.com, or follow him on Twitter @DubsRewatcher and BlueSky @wantonelli.bsky.social.