Preface

Family members can share iCloud storage With Apple iCloud Storage Sharing, families can easily manage their data sharing needs. Learn more about how to share iCloud storage, improve your plan, and protect your family’s privacy.

Can a Family Share iCloud Storage
Can a Family Share iCloud Storage

How to Share iCloud Storage between Family Members

Sharing iCloud storage between family members is easy. Apple Family Sharing allows up to six family members to share access to Apple services, including iCloud Storage, Apple Music, and Apple TV+. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial on how to set up and control shared iCloud storage in your family.

Method 1: Create Family Sharing

1. Start Family Sharing:

  • If you’re using an iPad, iPhone, or Mac, open the Settings app.
  • You can click the Apple ID banner at the top of the screen.
  • Set up Family Sharing then Set Up Your Family:
  • Follow the onscreen instructions to add family members. You can send an email invitation or invite via iMessage.

2. General Function Options: Choose what features to share after setting up Family Sharing. Make sure iCloud Storage is selected.

3. Improve Your Storage Package: You’ll need to upgrade if your iCloud storage plan doesn’t include 200GB or 2TB. Choose the best plan for your family’s needs by going to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Storage > Change Storage Plan.

4. Ask Your Family to Share Storage: Each family member will receive an invitation to a shared iCloud storage plan. You must receive the invitation before using shared storage.

Method 2: Managing Shared iCloud Storage

You can see how much storage each family member uses as the family organizer.

1. Monitor Storage Usage: To see user sharing, go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Manage Storage.

2. Improve Storage Efficiency:

  • We recommend that family members enable the Optimize iPhone Storage feature for Photos and Videos. This option stores lower-resolution photos and videos on your device while storing higher-resolution photos in iCloud.
  • Reduce clutter on each device by storing and sharing files via iCloud Drive.

3. Control Backups: Enable iCloud Backup by making sure each family member’s device is set to back up to iCloud. Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCloud Backup

Method 3: Ensuring Privacy and Security

1. Control Permissions:

  • Each family member retains control over their own files and data. Shared storage does not mean shared access to personal files.
  • For added security, enable two-factor authentication for your family members and set a strong, unique password for your Apple ID.

2. Private storage: Information about each family member is kept confidential without permission. Other family members cannot access each other’s backup copies or photos.

3. Control shared purchases: Shared purchases are another aspect of Family Sharing. Go to Settings > Apple ID > Family Sharing > Purchase Sharing to make any adjustments you need to manage.

Optimizing iCloud Storage for Family

Choosing the right iCloud storage plan for your family and managing your storage capacity appropriately is important for using your iCloud storage.

iCloud Family Storage Plans

Apple offers a variety of iCloud storage plans, but the 200GB and 2TB plans are ideal for families. Here’s why:

  • The 200GB plan is ideal for small homes with limited storage. This plan provides enough space to back up documents, videos, and photos.
  • The 2TB plan is ideal for larger families or those who need a lot of storage. With the large storage capacity this plan provides, everyone in the family will have enough space for their stuff.

How to Control iCloud Storage on Your Family Plan

Effectively managing your iCloud storage is important to avoid running out of space. Here are some guidelines:

1. Check Your Storage Usage Frequently: Regularly check how much storage each family member is using. Go to Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Storage.

2. Encourage Efficient Storage Practices:

  • Learn how to help your family get the most out of their storage. Introducing iPhone Storage Optimization Options and Promoting iCloud Photo Usage
  • By introducing iCloud Drive for your documents and files, you can reduce the local storage needs of your devices.

3. Remove External Data: Regularly delete unnecessary apps, backup old data and photos. This ensures that iCloud storage is used efficiently and helps you clean up your space.

Privacy Issues: Can Family Members View Each Other’s iPhone iCloud Storage?

Keeping shared iCloud storage confidential is a common concern. “Can family members view each other’s iCloud storage on iPhone?” is a question many people ask. No, the answer is that each family member’s data is kept confidential. Here’s how to keep it confidential:

1. Unique Apple ID: Each family member can use their own Apple ID to keep their personal information private.

2. Personal Data Backup: You can use your Apple ID and iCloud Backup for each device. No member can access another member’s backup.

3. Various Photo Libraries: iCloud Photo Library contains only personal photos and videos. Without explicit consent, a family cannot view an individual’s photo library.

Families can safely share iCloud storage without compromising their privacy by being aware of these steps and taking action.

Bonus Tip: Transfer or Sync Files between iCloud and Other Cloud Services

This article addresses the question "Can a family share iCloud storage?" If you’re considering migrating files from your current cloud service to iCloud Photos/iCloud Drive, or vice versa, MultCloud can be extremely useful. Trusted by over 3 million users, MultCloud is a multi-cloud management tool that facilitates the transfer or synchronization of files between various cloud services.

For instance, it allows for seamless file transfers from cloud drives like Google Photos to iCloud Photos without the need to download and then re-upload files. MultCloud also enables you to access and manage all your cloud accounts via a single application. Currently, it supports more than 30 different cloud services, including Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, Box, Google Photos, iCloud Photos, FTP, WebDAV, and more.

  • Cloud Transfer: MultCloud can transfer files from one cloud service to another directly without downloading and re-uploading.
  • Cloud Sync: With MultCloud, you can easily sync two folders between different cloud services in real-time.
  • Cloud Backup: You can backup and restore data between different cloud services automatically.
  • Instagram Downloader: MultCloud can help you download Instagram videos, photos, reels, and stories to local device or remotely upload them to your clouds.
  • Email Migration: You can directly back up and save Gmail emails as PDFs to your computer or cloud drive in bulk. 
  • Manage all cloud accounts in one place: Connect all your clouds to MultCloud and you'll find it so easy to access and manage multiple cloud storage files with a single login.

Conclusion

Sharing iCloud storage among your family members is an easy and inexpensive way to manage your storage needs. With clear guidance on shared storage setup and controls, families can use iCloud without compromising their privacy. To get the most out of this feature, you need to understand the powerful storage management technology as well as the best iCloud storage plan for your family.