This feature, which has been evolving for several years, allows users share subscriptionsapps, iTunes purchases, iCloud storage and more between group members, without having to pay multiple times for the same service.
With subscription prices on the rise in 2024, using Family Sharing not only helps you share content more easily, but also save significantlywhich makes it an even more relevant option in these times.
What is Family?
Family Sharing or En Familia is a feature integrated into Apple devices (iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch) that allows up to six people share your purchases and subscriptions from the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, among other services, without the need to share accounts or passwords.
Once set up, the family organizer, who must be of legal age and have the ability to manage the group, can invite up to five additional members to be part of the family group. Each member maintains their individual Apple account, meaning they each have their own privacy and personal access, but can enjoy the benefits of joint purchases and subscriptions.
One of the biggest benefits of Family Sharing is the economic savings. Subscriptions to services such as Apple Music either Apple TV+ They can be shared among group members, meaning that instead of paying multiple times for the same service, all members can enjoy it by paying just once. The same goes for paid apps purchased from the App Store. For example, if you buy a useful application for your daily life, any other member of the group can download it at no additional cost.
In 2024, the price of subscriptions has continued to rise, with services such as Spotify, Netflix, television and cloud storage becoming more expensive. Family Sharing offers you the option to reduce these costs by sharing the subscription to AppleOnewhich brings together several of Apple’s premium services, such as Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade and iCloud+. Instead of each member paying separately, you can opt for a family plan that spreads the cost efficiently.
Practical example
Imagine that you and four other members of your family subscribe to Apple Musicpaying €10.99 each per month. That means a total expense of almost €55 per month on music alone. However, with an Apple Music family plan, the cost is only €16.99 per month, which represents a saving of more than €30 per month. Now multiply that by a year, and you’re saving over €360 on a single service. If you add Apple TV+ subscriptions or iCloud storage to this, the savings multiply. And if you want, you can divide the cost among all the members to distribute expenses. It would cost you a lot!
How to configure Family Sharing?
Setting up Family Sharing is simple. You just need an Apple device and follow these steps:
- On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings.
- Click on your name at the top.
- Touch With family and then select Set up as a family.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to add family members.
Once set up, you can start sharing services and content. Members will receive an invitation to join, and by accepting it, they will begin enjoying the benefits immediately.
With the growing number of photos, videos and files we store on our devices, iCloud space is increasingly necessary. Apple offers users 5 GB of free storage, which is often insufficient for most people, especially in a world where high-resolution photos and 4K videos are taken, which take up even more space.
Using Family Sharing, you can share iCloud+ plans with other members of your family group. Instead of everyone paying for their own storage, everyone can share a 200GB or 2TB plan. This not only makes storage management easier, but also more economical.
In 2024, with the increase in photo and video resolution, and with applications taking up more and more space, iCloud+ becomes an essential tool to efficiently manage the data of all family members. Additionally, more advanced plans include additional benefits, such as iCloud Private Relay (which improves online privacy) and Hide My Email, which hides your email address in web services to avoid spam.
Family organization and member management
Another important advantage is the ability to organize the use of devices and subscriptions at home. With Family Sharing, you can set restrictions for younger members, control app usage time, and receive notifications when they make a purchase or download an app. This is especially useful for families with children, as it allows you to manage and monitor their technology use without invading their privacy.
Furthermore, with the function “Ask to buy”minors in the group must request approval before making purchases, which avoids unpleasant surprises on the account. The family organizer receives a notification every time the child tries to purchase something, and can approve or reject the purchase right from their device.
The Family Sharing offer continues to grow. In 2024, Apple has integrated even more services into this feature, making it easier to share Fitness+Apple’s training service, and AppleNews+for reading lovers. In addition, it is compatible with third-party apps that allow sharing of subscriptions, which further expands its usefulness.
