Share iCloud+ with your family

With Family Sharing, you can share an iCloud+ subscription with up to five other family members. This includes up to 12TB of iCloud storage, as well as features like iCloud Private Relay, Hide My Email and HomeKit Secure Video support.

When you share an iCloud+ subscription, everyone in the family group uses their own account. That way, your photos, documents and other information stay private, even though you're sharing access to the service. You simply share the features and space available in iCloud+ with your family members, so you only have to manage one plan.

Not all features are available in all countries or regions. Without access to your IP address, some websites may require extra steps to sign in or access content after you turn on iCloud Private Relay. HomeKit Secure Video requires a supported iCloud plan, compatible HomeKit-enabled security camera and HomePod mini, HomePod, Apple TV or iPad running as a home hub. Find out more about iCloud+.

Share iCloud+ with five members of your family

To share iCloud+, you need iOS 11 or later, iPadOS 11 or later, or macOS High Sierra or later. For the best experience, make sure your family members' devices meet these requirements too.

Find out what to do if a family member already has iCloud+

On your iPhone or iPad with iOS 17 or later, or iPadOS 17 or later

  1. If you haven't set up Family Sharing yet, set up Family Sharing.

  2. Open the Settings app, then tap Family.

  3. Tap Subscriptions, then tap iCloud+.

  4. Follow the steps to share your existing plan.

On your Mac with macOS Ventura or later

  1. If you haven't set up Family Sharing yet, set up Family Sharing.

  2. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Family.

  3. Click Subscriptions, then choose iCloud+.

  4. Click Share with Family.

  5. Follow the onscreen instructions.

Check how much storage your family is using

Follow the steps below to check how much storage your family is using and upgrade if you need more.

If your family is low on iCloud storage, all members will get a notification. Then the family organiser or family member that purchased the plan can buy more at any time — up to 12TB.

On your iPhone or iPad with iOS 17 or later, or iPadOS 17 or later

  1. Open the Settings app, then tap Family.

  2. Tap Subscriptions, then tap iCloud+.

  3. Tap Manage This Subscription, then follow the steps to purchase more iCloud+ storage.

    iPhone screen showing the Manage This Subscription step

On your Mac with macOS Ventura or later

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Family.

  2. Click Subscriptions, then choose iCloud+.

    macOS screen showing how much iCloud+ storage your family group is using.

Switch from your personal iCloud+ plan to your family plan

When you share iCloud+, any family members using the free 5GB plan will be added to your family plan automatically.

If a family member is already paying for their own iCloud+ plan, they can choose to switch to your plan or keep their own and still remain a part of the family. When they switch to the shared family plan, they will get a refund for the remainder of their personal plan. They can't keep their current plan and use the shared family plan at the same time.

On your iPhone or iPad with iOS 17 or later, or iPadOS 17 or later

  1. Open the Settings app, then tap Family.

  2. Tap Subscriptions, then tap iCloud+.

  3. Tap Use Family Storage.

On your Mac with macOS Ventura or later

  1. Choose Apple menu  > System Settings, then click Family.

  2. Click Subscriptions, then choose iCloud+.

  3. Click Use Shared Plan.

Ask family member to increase the iCloud+ storage plan

If you see a message that your iCloud storage is full or almost full — and you're part of a Family Sharing plan — you can ask the family organiser or the member who purchased the iCloud+ plan to upgrade to a plan with more storage.

You can also manage the storage on your device to help make space. Find out how to make more space available in iCloud.

If your family stops sharing iCloud+ or you leave Family Sharing

If you leave a family that shares an iCloud+ plan and you're using more than 5GB of storage, you can buy your own plan to continue using iCloud storage.

Find out more about what happens when you stop using Family Sharing

If you choose not to buy your own plan and the content that you're storing in iCloud exceeds your available storage, new photos and videos won't upload to iCloud Photos, files will no longer upload in iCloud Drive, and your iOS and iPadOS devices will stop backing up.

Find out how to make more space available in iCloud

Published Date: