Understanding the Apple Music Family Plan and Sharing with Strangers

Can I share the Apple Music family plan with 5 strangers? The short answer is no, you cannot share the Apple Music family plan with five strangers. The Apple Music family plan is designed to be used within a family living in the same household. By default, you can share a subscription with up to six people, but all members must reside at the same address.

If you need to provide access to Apple Music for individuals who do not live with you, each person would need to have their own individual subscription. This ensures that privacy and personal music preferences are maintained.

Multiple Users on the Same Apple Music Account

While you cannot share a family plan with strangers, it is possible for more than one person to use the same Apple Music account. This means that family members, roommates, or even friends living in the same household can access the same music library. However, it is important to note that music and other suggestions will mix from all users logged into the same account.

If this is a concern, you can log in to the same account on multiple devices as long as it's not an issue for the other users. This feature is especially useful for parents sharing a subscription with their children or roommates.

Alternative Setup with Family Sharing

Although the standard Apple Music family plan does not allow sharing with strangers, users do have the option of setting up Family Sharing with their roommates or friends. Family Sharing, which is an Apple feature, allows you to share purchases and media with up to five family members, even if they are not living in the same household.

Family Sharing is different from the Apple Music family plan. With this feature, each person can have their own Apple ID and maintain their own music library. However, they must share the same credit card payment method. This arrangement works well for roommates or close friends, but it is not suitable for sharing with strangers as it requires mutual trust.

One user, who set up Family Sharing with roommates, shared that they have a family plan attached to their Family Sharing setup. Each roommate can have their own Apple ID and purchase history, making it more private. The user, who acts as the Organizer, can pay for the subscription, but any individual purchases can be hidden by the other members.

Setting up Family Sharing with roommates or friends is a practical solution to share Apple Music without the restrictions of the family plan. It provides more flexibility and privacy while ensuring that everyone can enjoy their own music collections.