How to Fix Apple Music Family Sharing If It Doesn’t Work

PDF download Download Article
Get fast and easy fixes for your family’s Apple Music sharing
PDF download Download Article

If you have a Family Sharing group and are sharing your Apple Music Family subscription, your family members should be able to use Apple Music without having to subscribe themselves. But what if your family members still can't access Apple Music? If Family Sharing isn't working for Apple Music, we'll show you how to fix it. We'll also teach you how to set up Family Sharing for Apple Music if you haven't done so yet.

Quick Steps

  1. On the device that can't access Apple Music, open Settings .
  2. Tap your name and select Media & Purchases .
  3. Tap Sign Out , and then Sign Out again to confirm.
  4. Wait a minute or two, then sign back in.
  5. Close and reopen Apple Music.
  6. If sharing still doesn't work, repeat these steps on the subscriber's device.
Section 1 of 2:

How to Fix Apple Music Family Sharing

PDF download Download Article
  1. The most common fix for Apple Music Family Sharing not working is to sign out of "Media & Purchases" and sign back in. First, perform these steps on the device that can't access Apple Music. If it doesn't fix the problem, perform them again on the organizer/subscriber's device. Here's how:
    • iPhone/iPad
      • Open the Settings app on the device that can't access Apple Music.
      • Tap their name at the top.
      • Tap Media & Purchases .
      • Tap Sign Out , and then Sign Out again to confirm.
      • Wait a minute or two.
      • Tap Media & Purchases again and sign back in. [1]
      • Close and reopen Apple Music to see if it's working—this usually fixes the problem!
      • If not, perform the same steps on the subscriber's device.
    • Mac
      • Open the App Store on the device that can't access Apple Music.
      • Click the Store menu and select Sign Out .
      • Wait a minute or two.
      • Click the Store menu again and select Sign In .
      • Sign back in.
      • Close and reopen Apple Music to see if it's working.
      • If not, perform the same steps on the subscriber's device.
  2. Signing out of Media & Purchases and signing back in will usually fix Apple Music Family Sharing problems. If it still doesn't work, check your Apple Music subscription. If you have an individual Apple Music subscription, you can't share it with your family—you'll need to switch your subscription to a Family one. [2] Here's how to make sure you have the right Apple Music subscription for Family Sharing:
    • iPhone/iPad
      • Open the Settings app.
      • Tap your name at the top.
      • Tap Subscriptions .
      • Tap Apple Music .
      • If you see "Individual" or "Student," tap See All Plans and select the Family plan. [3]
    • Mac
      • Open the App Store .
      • Click your name in the sidebar. If you're not signed in, click Sign in to log in now.
      • Click Account Settings .
      • Click Manage under "Subscriptions."
      • Select your Apple Music subscription.
      • If you see "Individual" or "Student," click See All Plans .
      • Select Family , and follow the on-screen instructions to confirm.
    Advertisement
  3. If your family member still can't access your shared Apple Music plan, they may not have been added to the family group.
    • iPhone/iPad
      • Open the Settings app.
      • Tap Family .
      • Any family members listed are already members of the group, and you won't need to invite them again. Make sure your family members are logged in to their Apple devices using the same Apple accounts in the list.
    • Mac
      • Click the Apple menu and select System Settings .
      • Click Family or Family Sharing .
      • Family members in the list are already members of the Family Sharing group. If you don't see the person who needs access to Apple Music, click Add Member to invite them.
      • Make sure your family members are logged in to their Apple devices using the same Apple accounts in the list.
  4. Because it's possible to toggle off subscription sharing in your Family Sharing settings, you may have inadvertently switched it off. Here's how to check:
    • iPhone/iPad
      • Open the Settings app.
      • Tap Family .
      • Tap Subscriptions
      • Tap Manage Subscriptions .
      • If "Shared with Family" is not turned on, tap the switch to turn it on now.
    • Mac
      • Click the Apple menu and select System Settings .
      • Click Family or Family Sharing .
      • Click Subscriptions .
      • Click Manage Subscriptions .
      • If "Shared with Family" is not turned on, tap the switch to turn it on now.
  5. Still not working? The person who can't access Apple Music probably needs to reenter their iCloud password on their iPhone or iPad. Instruct them to open the Settings app and look for an unusual alert below their name. It may say something like "Apple Account Suggestions" or "Update Apple Account Settings."
    • If they see a prompt, tap it and follow the on-screen instructions.
    6. Advertisement
Section 2 of 2:

How to Share Apple Music with Family

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you haven't set up your Family Sharing group yet, you'll want to do that now.
    • Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
    • Tap your name at the top.
    • Select Family or Family Sharing .
    • Tap Continue .
  2. Whether you've just enabled Family Sharing or it was already activated, here's how to add people to your family group:
    • Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
    • Tap Family .
    • Tap the Add member icon at the top-right.
    • Tap Invite people , and follow the on-screen instructions to invite family members.
    • Have your family members accept your invitation. If they don't see their invitations, tell them to open Settings on their iPhone or iPad, tap their name, and tap Invitations to find it. [4]
  3. If you already have an individual or student plan, you'll need to switch to a family plan to share Apple Music with your family. Here's an easy way to check your subscription type and update it if needed:
    • Open the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
    • Tap Home .
    • Tap your profile photo or initial at the top-right.
    • Tap Manage Subscription .
    • If you see "Individual" or "Student," tap See All Plans and select the Family plan.
  4. Now that your family group is all set up, it's time to share your Apple Music Family subscription with your family members:
    • Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
    • Tap your name at the top.
    • Tap Subscriptions .
    • Toggle the switch next to "Share with Family" to the On position. [5]
    5. Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Get Free Apple Music (Even If You’ve Already Tried It)
      How to
      Pay for Apple Music
      How to
      Restore Your Deleted Playlist on Apple Music
      How to
      See How Many Songs You Have on Apple Music: Step-by-Step Guide
      Why Does Apple Music Keep Pausing? 15 Quick & Easy Fixes
      How to
      Reset Apple Music
      How to
      Find Loved Songs on Apple Music on Your iPhone
      How to
      Download Music on Apple Music
      How to
      Disable Autoplay on Apple Music in 4 Easy Steps
      How to
      Screen Record Apple Music (With Audio!)
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/108911
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/music/share-apple-music-with-family-sharing-mus33f6a78c9/mac
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/apple-music-classical/subscribe-to-apple-music-dev23a848516/web
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/108380
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/108107

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 623 times.

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement