I'm looking for some clarity on how Family Sharing works when my child turns 18. She'll be reaching that milestone in six months, but currently, she can't add her own payment method, so everything she buys goes through my Apple account. Once she turns 18, I understand she can opt out of Family Sharing, but that would mean she loses all the apps and purchases I've made for her. Is it true that she'll have to repurchase everything under her own Apple ID? I read that she could use gift cards while still in Family Sharing, but isn't that a bit impractical for an adult? It just seems unfair that she would lose all those purchased apps after turning 18.
3 Answers
It's a really tricky situation. If she used gift cards or her own Apple Cash while in Family Sharing, she'd keep those purchases. But if everything went through your card, they disappear when she leaves. It's worth reviewing what has been purchased and under which account.
Just to clarify, if your daughter bought apps using her own Apple ID, even with your payment method, she'd keep those apps once she leaves Family Sharing. The key is who was logged in when the purchase was made. If it was her ID, she keeps it; if it was yours, she loses it.
I see! I wasn't clear on which ID was used for purchases. Thanks for clarifying that!
Yeah, that's pretty much how it works. When your child turns 18, they can leave Family Sharing, but they'll lose access to any apps or purchases you made for them unless they bought them using their own Apple ID. You can turn off Purchase Sharing so they can use their own payment method, but then they won't have access to past purchases. However, subscriptions like iCloud+ and Apple Music can still be shared.
Exactly! Everything you bought for them will be gone once they leave unless they bought it through their own ID.
Definitely check that out! It's important to know what she'll retain as she transitions to adulthood.