Want to add more devices (or people) to your Apple Music subscription? Here's the deal.
Update May 2017: Added new instructions and screenshots to reflect changes made in iOS 10.3 and later.
Apple Music offers two different plans for its users—a $9.99 individual plan and a $14.99 family plan that supports up to six Family Sharing accounts (or devices connected concurrently on one account).
If you started on one plan but want to switch mid-subscription, or want to leave a Family sub-account to start off on your own, here's how to go about it. Don't worry: From my testing, you shouldn't lose your Apple Music library, likes, or data when switching between accounts.
How to move from an individual Apple Music plan to a Family plan
If you want to create your own family plan, keep in mind that you'll first need to be the Family organizer for your Family Sharing group. If you haven't already, go to Settings > iCloud > Set Up Family Sharing to start that process.
Once you've set up your Family Sharing group, here's how to switch your account.
- Open the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap For You.
Tap the Account icon in the upper right corner.
Tap View Apple ID and enter your password if prompted.
Tap Subscriptions.
Tap Apple Music Membership.
Change your Apple Music subscription from an Individual plan to a Family plan.
How to move from the head of a Family plan to an Individual plan
Remember: If you change your plan, as the head of household, it will also remove access for any Family Sharing users who are on your plan. Their Apple Music data will remain on Apple's servers for a short period of time, however, allowing them to each sign up for an Individual plan and restore their library and likes.
- Open the Music app on your iPhone or iPad.
- Tap For You.
Tap the Account icon in the upper right corner.
Tap View Apple ID and enter your password if prompted.
Tap Subscriptions.
Tap Apple Music Membership.
Change your Apple Music subscription from an Family plan to a Individual plan.
How to move from a sub-membership on a Family plan to an Individual plan
Note: You'll have to temporarily leave your Family Sharing group to switch your Apple Music account over to an Individual plan. You'll be able to rejoin your group after you switch your account.
Once you leave your Family Sharing group, your Apple Music data will remain on Apple's servers for a short period of time, allowing you to sign up for an Individual plan and your library and likes.
- Open Settings.
- Tap the Apple ID banner.
- Tap Family.
- Tap Leave Family Sharing.
- Open the Music app. You should now be logged out of your Apple Music account, with the option to start a new free trial. Once you sign up, your Apple Music account should be restored.
- Have your Family Sharing organizer re-add you to your family (if applicable).
How to move from an individual Apple Music plan to a sub-membership on a Family plan
- First, make sure the head of the Family Sharing account has added you to their group, and that they have a Family plan in Apple Music.
- Open the Music app and navigate to For You.
- Tap the Account icon in the upper right corner.
- Tap View Apple ID and enter your password (or authorize with Touch ID) if prompted.
- Tap Subscriptions.
- Tap Apple Music Membership.
- Turn off Auto-Renew.
At the end of the renewal period, when the plan expires, log out and back into Apple Music; you should now be on your Family Sharing head of household's Family plan.
Questions?
If you run into any trouble switching your accounts over, let us know in the comments. I've run through all of these scenarios above successfully, so hopefully, I'll be able to help out; if all else fails, you can always holler at Apple Support.
Reader comments
How to switch between Apple Music Individual and Family plans
I have one family member on an Android phone (yeah, I'm working on him). I understand that Apple Music is available on Android, but can I add him to a family plan too? The rest of the family already family share in iTunes accounts with our iPhones and iPads. Can I add the Android member too?
I'm on the individual free trial. When I try to switch to the family plan, it's says I'll be charged $14.99 immediately. So you lose you're free trial if you switch. Right?
It would be handy to know if you don't get charged as I would like to switch and trial the family membership.
You do not get charged until your free trial ends, and then you'll get charged at the higher rate. You have to kind of take it on faith when you first click it, but then it says that the charge will start when on the date on which your trial ends.
The one scenario I did not see was switching families. Is this possible while retaining all data? It sounds like all that is stored at Apple, so all is well...? I heard about 1 family per year. Sounds kinda funny.
I don’t think this is possible yet for anyone who signed up for an annual individual plan.
All 4 of us were on individual plans... $9.95 a month... I called Apple and they immediately switched all of us to the family plan and everyone kept their own data. I don't see my wife's or kid's music and they don't see mine. So it works well. And, is saving us $300 a year. Makes sense!
So I have a scenario not covered in your article, but it is possible the subject may be slightly different. Our family shares one AppleID, however, I have a personal iCloud ID that is different than the "family Apple ID". Question is: How to I create the family plan, but use our family Apple ID and keep my personal iCloud ID separate/private?