Apple Family Sharing is a fantastic feature that allows up to six family members to share Apple services, iTunes, and App Store purchases, an iCloud storage plan, and more, all without sharing accounts. But what happens to everything when you decide to leave the family group? Understanding the implications is crucial before you take the step. This guide breaks down exactly what happens to your access, data, and purchases when you leave Apple Family Sharing, ensuring you’re fully informed about the changes.
Loss of Shared Services and Subscriptions
Upon leaving Family Sharing, the most immediate change you’ll notice is the loss of access to services shared by the family.
Apple Music Family Membership
If your family subscribed to Apple Music Family, your access through that plan will cease. To continue enjoying Apple Music, you’ll need to set up your own individual or family subscription.
Shared iCloud Storage
Similarly, if your family shares an iCloud storage plan, you’ll revert to the free tier of 5GB or your own existing paid plan, whichever applies. What happens to your data if you’re using more than 5GB and don’t have another plan? You won’t lose data immediately, but you won’t be able to sync or add new data until you either reduce your storage usage or purchase your own iCloud storage plan. It’s crucial to check your iCloud storage usage before leaving to avoid any disruption.
Changes to Location Sharing and Find My iPhone
Family Sharing also includes location sharing. When you leave, you will immediately stop sharing your location with family members, and conversely, you will no longer see their locations. Furthermore, your devices will be removed from the family’s Find My iPhone list. This change enhances your privacy but also means you lose the family safety feature of knowing each other’s whereabouts through Find My iPhone.
Impact on iTunes, iBooks, and App Store Purchases
One of the significant benefits of Family Sharing is shared purchases. However, what happens to these when you leave?
Immediate Loss of Access to Shared Purchases
You instantly stop sharing your iTunes, iBooks, and App Store purchases and lose access to purchases made by other family members. This means any apps, music, or books you’ve been using that were purchased by another family member will no longer be accessible to you through Family Sharing.
In-App Purchases and Downloaded Apps
Content downloaded from family members’ purchase history remains on your device. However, if you downloaded an app through Family Sharing and made in-app purchases, you’ll need to purchase the app yourself from the App Store to continue accessing those in-app purchases. Otherwise, while the app might still function in a basic form, your premium features or content unlocked via in-app purchases will be unavailable.
DRM-Protected Content
Any DRM (Digital Rights Management) protected music, movies, TV shows, books, or apps downloaded from other family members’ collections become unusable. Similarly, family members will lose access to DRM-protected content downloaded from your collection. This is to protect copyright and licensing agreements.
Keeping Your Own Purchases and Managing Subscriptions
The good news is that you keep all the purchases you initiated while you were part of the family group. These are yours to keep, regardless of leaving Family Sharing. However, subscriptions are another matter. If the family organizer was paying for subscriptions you use (e.g., Apple TV+, Apple Arcade), you will need to set up your own payment method and subscribe to these services yourself to continue using them. This transition requires you to manage your own subscriptions independently.
Shared Albums, Calendars, and Reminders
Finally, if you’ve been sharing photo albums, calendars, or reminders with family members through Family Sharing, this sharing will stop. If you wish to continue sharing specific albums, calendars, or reminders with certain family members outside of Family Sharing, you would need to set up sharing again individually through the Photos, Calendars, or Reminders apps. Alternatively, you can unsubscribe from specific shared items within Family Sharing if you want to retain Family Sharing but limit certain shared features.
Understanding Your Data and Access Post-Family Sharing
To directly address the question, “what happens to my data?”, it’s crucial to understand the nuance. Your data doesn’t vanish. Data you originally brought into a shared space, like photos in an album you created and shared, remains yours. However, your access to data owned or managed by others in the family group, such as viewing their shared photo albums, will indeed “vanish” in terms of accessibility through Family Sharing.
Leaving Apple Family Sharing involves several immediate and important changes. Understanding what happens to your services, content, and data is essential for a smooth transition and to avoid any surprises. By being informed, you can take the necessary steps to set up your own subscriptions and manage your digital life independently after leaving the family group.
