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

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Get fast and easy fixes for your family’s Apple Music sharing

Co-authored by Nicole Levine, MFA Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: October 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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Fixing Apple Music Family Sharing

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Sharing Apple Music with Family

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

On the device that can't access Apple Music, open Settings.
Tap your name and select Media & Purchases.
Tap Sign Out, and then Sign Out again to confirm.
Wait a minute or two, then sign back in.
Close and reopen Apple Music.
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

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1
Log out of Media & Purchases and log back in. 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]
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  - 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
Check your Apple Music subscription. 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]
X
Research source} 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]
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- 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.
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3
Verify that your family member is in your Apple Family group. 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
Make sure you're sharing your subscriptions. 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
Have your family member look for a sign-in prompt. 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.

Section 2 of 2:

How to Share Apple Music with Family

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1
Enable Family Sharing. 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
Invite people to your family. 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]
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3
Subscribe to Apple Music Family. 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
Share your Apple Music subscription. 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]
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