Apple announced last week that iTunes Allowances is coming to an end. The feature allowed parents to allocate a certain amount on their credit card each month that their children could use for iTunes and App Store purchases.

All existing iTunes Allowances will cancel on May 25; however, any unused credit will remain in the recipient’s account until it is used.

An alternative to iTunes Allowances is Family Sharing. This feature will allow up to six family members to share everyone’s purchases and enable parents to keep track of what their children are buying.

How to set up Family Sharing on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac

Step 1: Decide who will be the family organizer

This person will be responsible for sending invites to the other five family members, as well as approving and paying for any purchases.

Step 2: Set up Family Sharing

Family Sharing is available on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch with iOS 8 or later. On Mac, you will need OS X Yosemite or later and iTunes 12.

iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Go to Settings > iCloud > Set Up Family Sharing > follow the setup steps.

Mac

Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Set Up Family > follow the setup steps.

Tip: If you don’t have a credit card attached to your Apple ID, then you will be prompted to link your credit card so you can pay for any family purchases. This step will be skipped if you already have a credit card linked.

Step 3: Add up to five family members

Any family members that you add to the Family Sharing group will need to have their own Apple ID. Under Settings > iCloud > Family > tap Add Family Member > select either Ask This Person to Enter Password or Send an Invitation. Regardless of the option chosen the family member will be prompted to enter their Apple ID and password.

Tap the family member’s name, if they are a parent you can also provide them with the ability to approve purchases.

Tip: You can also grant another parent permission to manage Ask to Buy requests at a later stage. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap Settings > iCloud > Family > select the family member > select Parent/Guardian. On your Mac, go to the  Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > select the family member > select Parent/Guardian.

Create an Apple ID for children under 13

iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Go to Settings > iCloud > Create an Apple ID for a child > enter your child’s birthday > tap Next.

Review the Parent Piracy Disclosure, tap Agree > enter your credit card verification code. Enter your child’s first and last name > tap Next > create their Apple ID > tap Next.

Follow the onscreen prompts and set up a password, select security questions and set up your child’s account. 

Mac

Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family > click the ‘+’ button. Click Create an Apple ID for a child who doesn’t have an account > Continue.

Enter your child’s birthday, their Apple ID, first and last name and a password > click Continue. For your payment method, enter the requested information > Continue.

Follow the onscreen prompts and set up a password, select security questions and set up your child’s account. 

Turn on Ask to Buy feature for children

For any children under 18, you will be asked if you want to enable Ask to Buy, when you add them to Family Sharing. By default, any children under 13 will have Ask to Buy enabled.

Follow these steps to enable the Ask to Buy feature after you have loaded them onto Family Sharing.

iPhone, iPad or iPod touch

Tap Settings > iCloud > Family > tap the relevant child’s name > tap Ask to Buy.

Mac

Go to the Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Manage Family > select the child’s name > select Ask to Buy.

As the family organizer, you will need to approve or decline any purchases for any family member that has Ask to Buy enabled.

Open the notification to see what is being purchased > approve or decline the purchase. If you approve the purchase, you will need to enter your Apple ID and password.

Step 4: Start sharing with your family members

Now that you have added your family members to the Family Sharing feature, everyone will now have access to share their iTunes, iBooks and App purchases. When Family Sharing is enabled, a shared album will automatically be set up in the Photos app so that all family members can add photos, videos, and comments.

Family Sharing will also create a family calendar so that everyone can see what appointments or events are coming up. When you are part of a Family Sharing group you can also select to share your location, so the rest of your family members can know where you are at any time of the day.

Image credit: London Scout, Unsplash