How to Set Up Family Sharing for Icloud Storage

iCloud is an awesome cloud storage and computing system used by iPhone, iPad and Mac users including windows device users as well. One of the impressing piece of iCloud is the Family Sharing feature which lets you share your paid iCloud storage with up to 5 family members and in this article we have decided to show you How to Set Up Family sharing for iCloud Storage. If you are interested to share your iCloud storage with your family members and don’t know how to go about it, not to worry because we got you covered. Ensure you read through this article to the end to learn all you can.

HOW TO SET UP FAMILY SHARING FOR ICLOUD STORAGE

Family Sharing is not new across Apple platforms but dates back to iOS 8 where users were able to share purchases from iTunes and the App Store. The service has now been expanded to allow users share their iCloud storage with at most 5 of their family members share.

In order to share your iCloud storage with your family members, then you will need to upgrade from the initial free 5Gb storage to Buy iCloud Storage to get a more bigger storage plan such as 200Gb or 2Tb and more. This is the first step as you are on your way to learn How to Set Up Family sharing for iCloud Storage.

Again, in order to share your iCloud storage with family members, your device should be running iOS 11+. However, this does not apply to the recipient whom you share your storage with as theirs can be on older iOS version.

In order to setup the Family Sharing feature, follow the steps below.

Before you begin the Sharing Process

Just to firmly iterate what we mentioned earlier, before you begin to share your storage plan, it is mandatory that you make use of Apple devices running on iOS 11 or higher version, iPadOS, or macOS 10.13 High Sierra or higher. If your device does not meet the above requirements, then you need to

Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Update your Mac.

Using the latest iOS version or MacOS will afford you the opportunity to enjoy the best experience you need. More so, advice your family members update their devices too even though theirs may not be mandatory being that family members that are using an older operating system can still accept to use iCloud storage.

Setting up Family Sharing Using an iOS (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch)

Candidly speaking, setting up Family Sharing for iCloud storage using your iOS device is as easy as counting your fingers. First of all, you click on the Settings icon on your iOS device and tap your name at the top. Click on the Set Up Family Sharing and tap it to Get Started.

The next thing to do is to choose the feature you want to share, you select iCloud Storage. Bear in mind that you will need to Buy iCloud Storage of 200GB or 2TB iCloud plan, if not, Apple will ask you to upgrade.

To upgrade your iCloud plan, tap Continue at the bottom. On the next screen, select the plan you want.

Once you have successfully select a plan and paid for it, then you’ll be asked to alert family members via the Messages app notifying them that they now have access to your iCloud storage. As such, family member that you have added to share your iCloud storage having a free, 5GB iCloud account will be upgraded.

On the other hand, if such family member is already on a paid account and switch to yours, they’ll get refunded for the remainder of their personal plan because a family member cannot use two paid account.

The step is broken down below:

Step 1: click on the Settings icon on your device > [your name].
Step 2: Click Family Sharing.
Step 3: Click iCloud Storage.
Step 4: Follow the steps one after the other to share your existing plan, or if mandated, upgrade to a 200GB or 2TB plan.
Step 5: Use Messages to let any family members with an existing paid storage plan know that they can now switch to your shared storage plan.

How to Set Up Family sharing using MacOS

We will also show you how to setup Family sharing for iCloud storage on a MacOS device as we continue our discussion on How to Set Up Family sharing for iCloud Storage.

To setup family sharing for iCloud using your Mac device, it must be operating on macOS High Sierra 10.13 or above. If this criterion is met, then you can follow the step below.

Step 1: Go to your System Preferences and select iCloud.

Step 2: Click Manage option. It is located on the lower-right

Step 3: Click Change Storage Plan,

Step 4: if you are still using the basic 5Gb plan, then you need to upgrade to 200GB or 2TB plans.

Step 5: if you already have a paid plan, return to the iCloud menu and click Set Up Family at the left pane of the screen.

Note: that your paid plan must be more than 50Gb. Also, you can use the above step for iOS and Mac to share iCloud storage with new user or existing user. All you need do is to follow the steps as detailed above.

Accepting Family Sharing for iCloud Storage

With that been said, we will also show the part which the receiver also plays in this family sharing for iCloud process.

A message is sent to the receiver from the sender’s message app, the receiver is to open the message sent to your iOS device. Press the iCloud invitation in the body of the message. Accept and join the Family Sharing Plan. Pretty simple, isn’t it?

Once the setup process is completed, family members can have access to their portion of iCloud storage device with all photos, notes, documents, files, etc. remain private to each individual user meaning that all family members cannot see have access to each other’s files.

Manage your Family iCloud Storage

Once the above procedure is completed, you might want to manage monitor your iCloud sharing, this can be done by clicking on the Settings icon, tap your name, go to Family Sharing, and iCloud Storage. You can manage your family’s iCloud storage on your iOS and Mac devices.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Go to Settings > [your name].
Tap Family Sharing.
Tap iCloud Storage.

On your Mac

If your Mac device runs on the latest macOS Catalina or later operating system:

Choose Apple menu, got to System Preferences, click Family Sharing.
Click iCloud Storage.
If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier:
Choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
Click Manage Family.
Go to My Apps & Services.
Choose iCloud Storage.

What happens when your Family Stops Sharing Storage or you Leave Family Sharing?

Peradventure something happened and your family stops sharing their iCloud storage or you leave family sharing an iCloud storage plan and you’re using more than the 5GB basic free storage, you will be given a 28 day notice within which you have to buy your own plan.

If you refrain from buying your own plan after opting out of family sharing or you leave, and the iCloud storage you’re using has exceeded the 5GB plan, new photos and videos won’t upload to iCloud Photos; also, files will no longer upload in iCloud Drive, and your iOS devices as well will stop backing up.

You see, there is a need to Buy iCloud Storage of your own plan before opting to leave a family sharing for iCloud or before your family stops sharing.

AMAZON WEB SERVICES REVIEW

HOW TO SETUP AUTOMATED DIGITAL MARKETING-STEP BY STEP GUIDE

Conclusion on How to Set Up Family sharing for iCloud Storage

I believe you have learnt something in this article on How to Set Up Family sharing for iCloud Storage. You and your family can enjoy access to one iCloud storage instead of paying differently. More so, there is privacy involved as your files, photos and videos cannot be seen by any other persons except you, so you have no reason to fear. Having learnt all you can about setting up family sharing for iCloud, you and your family can opt for this service and begin usage as soon as you set up.

Tag: How to Set up Family Sharing for iCloud Storage