How do I set up my family in iCloud with Family Sharing?

Family Sharing lets up to six people share purchases, subscriptions, and an iCloud storage plan while each person keeps their own Apple Account. That last part matters: giving every child their own account - rather than everyone sharing yours - keeps each person's data private, lets you set age-appropriate protections, and is what lets family apps keep a separate profile for each person. One adult sets it all up and stays in charge.

What you need before you start

One adult to be the family organiser - the person who sets up the family and, if you share one payment method, approves purchases.
Everyone's device on a recent version of iOS or iPadOS.
Any grown-up or older child you are adding already knowing their own Apple Account password. You may still see an Apple Account called an "Apple ID" - it is the same thing.

Set up Family Sharing

On the organiser's iPhone or iPad:

Open Settings and tap your name at the top.
Tap Family (called Family Sharing on older versions).
Tap Set Up Your Family, then follow the prompts to choose what you share - purchases, an iCloud+ storage plan, Apple subscriptions, and optionally your location.

Add someone who already has an account

For a partner, or an older child who already has their own Apple Account:

In Family, tap Add Member, then Invite People to send an invite by Messages, or Invite in Person to have them sign in on your device.
They accept, and they are in - still using their own account, just now part of your family.

Create an account for a younger child

Younger children (under 13 in many countries) cannot make their own Apple Account, so you create one for them inside your family - which is both the safe way and the only way:

In Family, tap Add Member, then Create Child Account (the wording varies slightly by version).
Enter the child's name and date of birth. Their real birthday matters - it sets the age-appropriate protections.
Finish setting up their account. It now belongs to your family, with parental controls built in from the start.

Give the child their own account rather than handing them yours. It keeps your email, messages, and passwords private, and it means their apps and settings are theirs.

Turn on the right protections

Ask to Buy asks for your approval before a child downloads or buys anything. It is on by default for younger children; you can turn it on for teens too.
Screen Time lets you set content and privacy restrictions, downtime, and app limits for each child from your own device. See how do I take control of screen time?
Turn on two-factor authentication for the grown-ups' accounts, and make sure every device has a passcode. See how do I lock my phone properly?
For more on the controls available to parents, see the For Parents page.

What stays private

Family Sharing does not merge your accounts or let people read each other's messages, photos, or passwords. Everyone keeps their own Apple Account and their own private iCloud. What is shared is only what you choose - purchases and subscriptions, an optional shared photo album, optional location, and the Screen Time controls you set for your children. Each person's own data stays their own.

If you only do one thing

Give each child their own child account inside Family Sharing, rather than sharing yours. It keeps everyone's data separate and private, lets you set age-appropriate protections, and is what lets family apps keep a distinct, private profile for each person - while you stay in charge.